Jack Paar on Letterman November 23, 1983

This was Jack's first "proper" appearance on Late Night. He had made a surprise walk-on during Desi Arnez, Sr.'s appearance the previous May 23, but that was a quick in-and-out.
From E!'s April 8, 1994, broadcast.

[@Channel-cm7yc]

Jack Paar was the gold standard and Letterman knew it. Dave being so reverent in that time period was also a rare treat.

[@TheBatugan77]

No he fkg wasn't! Psssh. Gold standard. More like sh💩t standard.

[@jaybrumbaugh777]

Jack was good He was no Johnny

[@PorkChopJones]

I miss the Jack Paar Show it was a great period in time for television that will never return. No one will ever fill the shoes of Jack, David and Johnny. Thanks for the great moments.

[@jeffdawson2786]

I’m on a Jack Paar interview binge. What a classic.

[@nuwavedave]

Without Jack Paar we might never have enjoyed the best of David Letterman or Johnny Carson. You can hear the influence of Jack's quick wit and sarcasm in both of them!

[@1984Watching]

I went down a rabbit hole and ended up seeing this man, but he seems so kind and genuine. People say he “took things personally “ or “acted on his feelings at that moment “, all I see is just an authentic human not trying to be anyone but himself. He’s not trying to lie, or behave arrogantly, he just is who he is, and maybe overthinks things, but I believe every human does. He seems like a very down to earth, humble kind guy. It’s nice to see when someone comes out the other end of show business and is not destroyed by enduring it, especially as it brings others joy. That’s one way to look at movie stars and people in entertainment, they are average people, but the pressures put upon them just so they can entertain us…. ( and make producers, executives, managers etc big bank) more often than not lead to the famous persons demise, through drug abuse, addiction, mental health decline, physical health decline. The business makes it hard for people to balance trying to just live a normal life and entertain the public. The ultimate disappointment and injustice is when the entertainers break, and either die because of the vices they pick up trying to get through their days or suicide….. to me with all the money made off of entertainers, there’s no excuse for higher up executives to step in and make sure they get the help they need or not overwork and overwhelm them in the first place just to make that dollar they already have more than enough, to take advantage of entertainers to get a few more bucks is really disgusting when you stop and think about it. It baffles me how a lot of people in show business sleep at night or look at themselves in the mirror.

[@FomorViceroy]

It would take Jack so long to get to the punchline of a story, but, when he did, it was ALWAYS worth the trip.

[@FomorViceroy]

The dressing room where those pipes are would become Max Weinberg’s dressing room during Conan’s era of Late Night. They have since been preserved.

[@dasUberputer]

Wow - what a great interview. Blown away by the Muppet plumbing.

[@Southern-author]

As a young teen, my parents would let me stay up Friday nights to watch Jack. As a farm family, I still was expected to get up early to work in the morning. I loved the intelligent conversations. Back then, people were great story tellers. My favorite was Pete Ustinov.

[@sclogse1]

Of course. Then Judy, and Oscar.

[@Modmansf]

And Alexander King,, author ("I Should Have Kissed Her More"), painter, and raconteur).

[@shahoccalifornia7392]

Storytelling is lost today, truly sad.

[@bh9225]

My grandma used to tell me all about Jack Paar when I was young. Now, thsnks to KZbin, I know why she loved him so much. He's a very interesting person.

[@ron101346]

Who else would be proud of his plumbing? Jack Paar was one of kind. I dearly miss him.

[@NoOne-kr4jc]

I think the words class and charm describe the late Mr. Paar very well. Very engaging and interesting man.

[@TheBatugan77]

Wrong.

[@ComedyJakob]

This was a fascinating video. I had heard the Muppet story from I believe Bill Hader but this was the first time I ever saw it.

[@charleswinokoor6023]

For all his faults and foibles he really was charming. And he had some great punchlines.

[@clifforddriver9434]

These are two brilliant individuals, David Lettermen always paid tribute to those who came before him. An individual who was what Johnny Carson thought he was, and more.

[@PorkChopJones]

Jack Benny does a prefect Jack Paar! All his gestures, voice inflections everything.

[@WFTL14]

I was just a youngster when Jack was on the Tonight Show but on Friday nights it was a treat to stay up and watch him. He always had great guests and great stories to tell, very unpredictable. I believe that's what made it fun, more like a cocktail party with friends. I remember Cliff Arquette as "Charlie Weaver" and "Lonesome" George Gobel . Fun TV!

[@kb9788]

What a presence, look at the charisma of the man. As soon as he walks out Lettermen looked awkward in comparison. Obviously this was one of his idols.

[@mn45s47]

At 18:49, it looks like Jack Paar finally got to put a water closet on TV.

[@allendracabal0819]

During the Liza Minnelli story, he called it the "john". Things had already changed a lot from the days when "WC" was controversial.

[@paulm4433]

Jack was one of those guys where you better be a good listener because he is a talker! ;)

[@leonardohummel8658]

Paar was a somewhat "nervous", compulsive, but utterly brilliant story-teller. he was THE originator of the Talk Show format. brilliant and unique.

[@robertsprouse9282]

@@leonardohummel8658, Steve Allen and somewhat, Earnie Kovacs(local major market in N.J. only) invented the talkshow. Sigourney Weaver's dad Sylvester "Pat" Weaver started the "Today" show basing it on Kovacs' successful local morning show in N.J. which appeared about a year or two earlier. But, Paar was the first to actually bring real conversational talk to the talk show..no doubt...

[@mikestevenson576]

@@robertsprouse9282 Was Steve Allen not more of a variety show?

[@nuwavedave]

@@robertsprouse9282 My mom knew Ernie Kovacs, growing up in Trenton, NJ. Her Cousin Carl and Ernie manned a cigar counter together in Trenton when Ernie was starting out as a radio host. One night in the '50s, Dad was watching Ernie on TV. Mom ran in and exclaimed "Ernie Kovacs!!" - and Dad blurted, "You KNOW him??"

[@robertsprouse9282]

@@mikestevenson576, I know that, but he also would walk out on stage next to the performer and chat with them, which was rarely done. And, he would sometimes have the performer come and sit down and chat briefly with him. His Sunday Nite NBC Show was more variety, and later, his syndicated show, mostly on CBS affiliates, was more talk oriented. Allen would also on all of his shows hold one-way relaxed, non-formal- announcer/host/anchor- addressing-the- listeners and viewers-at-home, imformal to a point, conversations. So yes, he had a lot to do with removing a lot of the formality that was rampant in early TV, outside of sitcoms and Uncle Miltie/Sid Caesar, some gameshows, mostly because the really formal shows all came from RADIO..and with that STEVE paved the way for less formal talk later including PAAR..SO DID DAVE GARRAWAY AND HIS CHIMP ON TODAY, LOL.. Its all connected..

[@philpaar]

Jack Paar is one of my ancestors. I am also always very nervous when I have to perform. Guess it runs in the family.

[@allendracabal0819]

That's neat. You can be proud of that. As far as I know, there is no one of note anywhere in my family tree.

[@jacobadams5924]

That was just magical!

[@garrison6863]

That was amazing about Liza Minelli and the Muppets. Jack Paar was the best late night host ever.

[@waltermoriarty5157]

paar was brilliant!!!!!!!!

[@danielyoung6630]

wow! THE LEGEND!

[@LenHummelChannel]

Paar really BEGAN the TV late-night talk show. He was the main influence on Carson, Cavett, and Letterman. "a mercurial personality" as they say.

[@GH-oi2jf]

Len Hummel - Well, no. Steve Allen started The Tonight Show and he was the main influence on Letterman.

[@essessessesq]

@@GH-oi2jf thank you for that ! ......i'll add "Hi ho, Steverino!"

[@krisscanlon4051]

I think Paar perfected it past Allen's tenure perhaps what he was saying...i think so at least

[@cactaceous]

@@GH-oi2jf Yes. It was Steve Allen that Dave and Merrill Markoe most were influenced by but they did like Paar and Markoe loved Ernie Kovac’s visual gags.

[@nealsausen4651]

Parr was a one in a million!!!

[@richzito]

The toll booth story is amazing.

[@GeoffFox-CA]

Don, thanks so much for saving this.

[@joepostove229]

As Dave said, NBC did change the official name of the show from "Tonight" (It was not officially "The Tonight Show" until 4/2/62, the Monday after Jack left and the beginning of the six months of guest hosts until Johnny Carson ran out his contract at ABC) to "The Jack Paar Show" a year or so after Paar took over in 1957. However, it was informally referred to as "The Tonight Show" all during his reign until he left 3/29/62 (his last show was in it's regular time slot 11:15-1:00 am and it was on a Thursday...I have the audio from that last show on an old drive if I can get someone to get it out).

[@brianherrington7226]

+Joe Postove Joe I see someone finally posted Jacks first appearence with Johnny on The Tonight Show from Nov of 86 and its quite interesting indeed. Its a damn shame we dont have Jacks old Tonight Shows on video and I hope you get to post your audio your referring to, I understand he got emotional. Id like to see his guest spot he did when Leno took the show back to NY for a week in 92/93.

[@leonardohummel8658]

I think it's a terrible shame and a terrible loss that nearly ALL of the old Paar Shows and even many of Carson's older Shows have been erased and lost forever.

[@DJRitty]

@@leonardohummel8658 same with alot of siskel and ebert's early show...god damned wiping smh...

[@michaelsix9684]

Jack was funny and always surprising

[@mandolindleyroadshow706]

Two things, I don't think I ever saw David Letterman so reverent (well, maybe with Carson). But the other thing is that Nov. 23, 1983 would have been the day after the 20th anniversary of the JFK assassination, and they made no mention of it, despite the photo in the hall of Paar and JFK and the various stories about RFK.

[@reforest4fertility]

Don’t think it wasn’t on their minds but disallowed from passing their lips

[@NextEevolution]

The only complaint I have with this interview is the number of commercials that seem to keep Jack from really losing himself in his stories. It's visibly frustrating for him. Either way, the few short stories he managed to complete are tremendous

[@ec1385]

Why would you bring out Jack Paar and then immediately go to commercial???

[@photomanwilliams4147]

One of the downfalls of television, the commercials increased over the years. in early TV on the hour, and on the half hour was the commercials, giving the style of Jack Parr plenty of room to set up and deliver a story. Mid 60's they added more at the 15min, 45 min. mark. Off course now every seven min. is the average

[@robertsprouse9282]

@@ec1385, poor planning?

[@DJRitty]

dave spends more time with guests in the early years unril the skits, and remotes increase, etc... On one hand it quickens the pace but you get less time. This way people like shandling, paar, griffith and those who tell long stories get always interrupted. Dave was hot and advertisers had money to burn lol

[@jacksutherland846]

What a character.

[@preven2296]

Thank you Don!!

[@daytripperhd]

i am so behind. never heard of Jack until 2 weeks ago. so entertaining.

[@MrsBlaileen1]

Paar was a big influence on Letterman...

[@robertsprouse9282]

Not as much as Allen and Kovacs, but yes, somewhat..

[@tangobango9653]

Parr was big when I was in high school & college. I wasn’t a big fan but I did watch him occasionally.

[@mikesheridan4071]

I will never forget Jack Paar he was the best

[@davidsthubbins176]

Wow, I had no idea that Hal Gurtner was the director on Jack Paar's show!

[@Dana_Danarosana]

🤣

[@jah0524]

Well, he certainly never was a loss for words.

[@michaelmcgarry7701]

I liked Jack Paar..

[@wellesradio]

18:06 I hope this ends up in a museum some day

[@Gr8Layks]

The Edward R. Murrow of Late Night. He was a good guy.

[@mickbar7008]

Jack Paar sounds like Jack Lemmon

[@user-uj7zy4vr7g]

Jack Paar was a classy man

[@erichall4548]

What a legend...Carson got the good studio...as you know 😁😁

[@VideoAmericanStyle]

Crazy to think how much standards had changed in barely 20 years, for Paar resigning over not being able to tell a “water closet” joke to telling a story here about sex while standing up.

[@kevincohalan7397]

Paar's not at his best here. Check out his hour-long conversation with Dick Cavett.

[@RichardHandal301]

Well, that is quite dense with stuff. It would take two hours to unpack it. Thanks, Don. Here’s the Liza video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWmvhoGif6hsic0

[@beccalower3088]

Richard Handal Unfortunately, it was pulled down.

[@kanealson5200]

Jack Paar was before my time but to me he's like a cross between Pat Sajak and Johnny Carson.

[@southsidesky]

Paar had a way of personalizing his stories that was uniquely his own. whether it would work on television today is another matter.

[@shoff1973]

Getting some strong Jack Lemmon vibes

[@NewhamMatt]

Was Late Night filmed in 6A at this point? EDIT: Just saw the 6A on the wall.

[@dongiller]

Yeah, it was always in 6A except during the summer of ‘86, when it moved up to 8H (SNL’s home) while the 6A control room underwent renovations.

[@dallaslandriault6100]

Respect fest. I eat the stuff up.

[@petermaxwell2965]

Wow, I hope they keep that Muppets thing !

[@charleslegoff3859]

It's on the NBC backstage tour

[@provideme1000]

it was not just that the joke was about a water closet but that it conflated a water closet and a wayside chapel, mistaking one for the other because both would have 'wc' written on the door.

[@andyoushouldfeelbad]

What’s the song at 10:53? For some reason I can’t place it.

[@dongiller]

Sounds like “Just the Two of Us” by Bill Withers, with Grover Washington, Jr., who was sitting in with the band throughout the show, Original version here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIGyi5-Adr-mpc0si=7_xTut-4SCzEjRIz

[@RJS3566]

I wonder if they show the pipes on the tour.

[@ComedyJakob]

I believe Bill Hader said they were either moved to the NBC museum section or are now part of the tour. I'm not sure which but they're getting recognition now.

[@andrewtorres765]

When 6B was renovated for Jimmy Fallon in 2010, the pipes, at his urging, were put behind glass for display near the studio and are now on the tour.

[@thomasleary2814]

I was only 2 when Paar stepped down from TTS and I've only seen him one other time on the Carson show. He's entertaining here if a little scattershot and long winded. I generally liked Letterman's show both on NBC and CBS for his humorous irreverence, but at times he could be annoying during interviews with that annoying almost phoney sounding laugh and slight condescension as he is here with a living legend who helped to pave the way for him.

[@alphabeets]

Do Jack Paar and Pat Sajak look similar or what.

[@jamesanthony5681]

No. Sajak and Dan Quayle, yes.

[@wiedep]

Slightly paranoid ?!?

[@asscurt]

18:54 this must be valuable 😮😮

[@asscurt]

6:28😮😮😮😮😮😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

wiedep I was thinking the same thing. Something with Jacks demeanor makes me the viewer unsettled. Carson and Letterman makes the viewer at easy, but Jack has some psycothic demeanor about him......

[@johndalton3180]

The closet does that to people.

[@GuayoyoAzucarado]

Jack Parr looks and talks similar to Johnny Carson...I guess the network was conservative to not try anything very different at the time...

[@RD2564]

Wholly crap, commercials every 5 minutes? Brutal.

[@ThomasDeLello]

Exploiting controversy is what makes ratings on television by playing to the common denominator. The trouble is, what shocks us today will not tomorrow and that necessitates a kind of escalation, or de escalation I suppose of television civility but they can't help it because lacking talent this is what they have to do. Fast forward to Jerry Springer and Maury Povich and you'll see what I mean.

[@johndalton3180]

Reminds me of Glen Beck.

[@dongiller]

No comparison.

[@johndalton3180]

@@dongiller not ideology or morally. But they definitely have similar deliveries. Though Jack WAS a big homophobe.

[@dongiller]

@@johndalton3180 A different time. Who then wasn’t?

[@shoff1973]

Glad he quit in ‘62. Johnny was vastly more watchable

[@Gravydog316]

does anyone like Jack Parr? I have heard him since he was starting with Jack Benny; I don't find him interesting or funny. I don't get him at all.

[@oniwabanjs]

Clearly was a brilliant man once and certainly captures the attention when telling a story. However, like say Lenny Bruce, his once pioneering wit and jokes have been cannibalized by time. Paar himself sort of brings it up when he mentions a WC being a daring topic in his prime, while there in 83 it's trivial.

[@somanoma6465]

Gravydog316 different times

[@edclancy2]

Jack Paar was the best of all the late night talk hosts. I was 14 when he went on the air with the Tonight show and I am 74 now. I was a big fan of his predecessor Steve Allen but Jack was the best. Carson comes in a distant third. Today's crop of Colbert, Myers, Kimmel and the rest are ok but they're just not up to Paar.

[@nightowl5475]

He has to grow on you. He really is a great, witty conversationalist and a brilliant talk show host. Carson was king but Jack was the Prince!

[@danfred7127]

@@edclancy2 "...the rest are ok but they're just not up to Paar" I see what you did there. Nice.