Late Night with David Letterman - Full Show September 16, 1985

00:00 - Intro
01:13 - Opening Monologue
03:59 - Brush with Stupidity
06:25 - Danny Schiavo
07:56 - Matt Blimline
10:44 - Barbara Stone
13:28 - Back and Forth Banter
14:12 - Sammy Davis, Jr. (Part One)
21:12 - Sammy Davis, Jr. (Part Two)
26:40 - Commercials
28:46 - NBC Promos
29:14 - Commercials
29:49 - Miss Alabama, Angela Tower
36:30 - Commercials
38:30 - Fun with Sonics (Part One)
44:30 - Commercials
46:33 - Fun with Sonics (Part (Two)
49:44 - Commercials
51:47 - Ending Remarks
52:39 - Commercials
Late Night With David Letterman Season 4 Episode 90
Aired Weekdays 12:35 AM Sep 16, 1985 on NBC
Show #0597
Tonight on "Brush with Stupidity," Danny Schiavo had a run-in with a biker, Matt Blimline built his own hang glider, and Barbara Stone had her luggage stolen by a bum.
Tonight's guests are the legendary Sammy Davis, Jr. and "Fun with Sonics" with NYU professor of physics Dr. Richard Brandt.
Miss Alabama, Angela Tower, is hanging out in the studio and helps Dave with "People Who Won't Be On The Show."LESS
----
My friend Steve and I had the privilege of being in the audience for this very special show with Sammy Davis Jr.
It was great to be part of the audience, seated to the left of David Letterman. (right behind Danny Schiavo) - We both have beards, I'm in the dark blue shirt and Steve is in the light blue shirt.
The original VHS recording was in very bad shape but using the latest restoration tools I was able to restore the original tape and bring it up to an acceptable quality for viewing. Enjoy!

[@winonafrog]

Blown away at each old episode I watch-not the specials but the weekly episodes, they blow me away. So packed with jokes, bits, musical wonders, Paul quips, &c! Plus, two celebs of the day. Prop jokes, writer duets, staff jokes…

[@winonafrog]

It always feels like a best of. Well also thanks for the upload & timestamps!

[@danjbab]

My pleasure!@@winonafrog

[@BlackRoomProductions]

Old Letterman episodes are still fresh

[@deputay]

The original NBC "In Studio" logo will forever be a thing of beauty

[@chapterblaq]

definitely a remnant of the era. i remember as a kid seeing the "in stereo" logo on everything cause the technology was still new and everyone was used to Mono.

[@jaymo8206]

This reminds me of when I was in my 20s studying TV broadcasting in Manhatten in 1985/86. Soon afterwards, I met Dave when I applied as a P.A. Didnt get the job but they still let me stay in the control room while that LNWDL show was taped. Will never forget that experience.

[@peainapodtube]

MANHATTAN! TAN! NOT MANHATTEN

[@RDRussell2]

Wow, wow, wow. I became a huge fan of David Letterman during this year. He definitely represented a new wave in late night television. A sonics professor? Asking the audience to provide a "brush with stupidity?" Irreverence toward the hallowed Ms. American pageant? And yet David Letterman could link to an old school vibe of having Sammy David Jr on the show, and Sammy seemed to eat it up, I could have listened to the two of them for the whole hour. David Letterman always left you wanting more. I miss this show and the New York of this era. As Bill says in the intro: "When civilization comes to an end, remember we (NYC) were way ahead of you!"

[@djphillyb]

I had this episode on audio tape. I listen this episode over and over and over again love it.

[@gelatinskeleton8745]

I was 11 when this aired. The world of TV was soooooooooooo different back then.

[@luxagonal]

The quality of this upload is superb; clear video and even commercials as well.

[@danjbab]

Thanks! Upscaling the the low resolution VHS original recording was a challenge!

[@PatrickMarquez-c2y]

It takes a certain kind of comedian to interact with the audience so damn smoothly....

[@joeschmo2693]

I was in Germany this whole year, plus a little of 84 & 86, so I missed a lot of Late Night. Glad I can finally catch up.

[@jsngallery]

i forgot that part about the show...when dave always asked "how much time we have?" his response was always similar as well...something like "1 minute!!"

[@jedijones]

That "how we doing on time" line has been burned into my brain since the '80s. He said that about as often as he threw pencils through the window.

[@missoula2213]

I was 2 weeks old when this came out. There was a freak blizzard in Montana.

[@richardwatson5835]

I think Debbie Gibson was in a commercial after the Sammy Davis Jr segment. For something called Mandee's

[@jerryaldini4535]

Sammy was really happy here. I’m so glad to see him so happy.😊

[@donniegoettel1034]

Love the commercials!

[@jedijones]

That Hunter episode with the porno killer sounded pretty advanced for 1985, LOL. The beer ad with the 3D movies was actually extremely well-made. Wonder if that was done by a famous director?

[@glen1ster]

Sammy Davis, Jr., Angela Tower, Dr. Richard Brandt

[@HHH-ye1ro]

28:17 that is certainly Debbie Gibson in the blue outfit in this commercial. That’s awesome.

[@GGsDLo]

No one can understand it if you didn't live those years, in the 80's, but for me, those were the best times of NYC, when it was grimy and got its true origin as the "tough city" that never sleeps. Idk, nowadays with the cleaned up, organized, bicycle lanes and "trying to be" safer city, it's become "un-fun". I live right across from the city and don't even like to go there or even look at the skyline anymore really. I def took those times in the 80's for granted, for sure!

[@winonafrog]

And every corner of Manhattan is either a corporate ATM or a CVS

[@nomadcowatbk]

Thanks a lot Giuliani

[@spudwas]

Sammy had less than 5 years left to live.

[@jedijones]

Not a good ending. Cancer in his 60s from heavy smoking and left his widow millions of dollars in debt.

[@lorddalek]

I was 1 week and 1 day old when this aired.

[@chapterblaq]

25:57 the fact that the phrase "let him cook" is kinda popular with gen z or whatever on the Internet. 😂

[@jedijones]

In Back to the Future, the band leader says, "Let's do something that really cooks."

[@winonafrog]

Go ahead cook, yea that was cool

[@BearbearbearbearbearbearRarrrr]

Yeah man.

[@AllenFreemanMediaGuru]

I bet Dave asked her for her phone number.

[@brickrodgers]

Okay, so the the bit at 36:03 I'm guessing would NOT go over so well today.......🤔

[@KBH27]

The science guy is wrong cause Ella Fitzgerald broke glass with her voice alone. No mics or tech

[@Walrus563]

Man what are they playing at 26:25 that's some groovy shit

[@winonafrog]

Yes! How insane is the synth tone! Dreamy af

[@BlackRoomProductions]

I know the song but can't place it. Kinda sounds like Billy Preston or Bootsy Collins walking bass but couldn't confirm anything with a search. If I don't figure it out I'll take it to my people and get an answer.

[@BlackRoomProductions]

Sounds like Nothing from Nothing but not quite it

[@DavidJones-sd2mo]

I think it’s “If You Want Me To Stay” by Sly & the Family Stone kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYupkpWFqqtnhtUsi=x45ZeQk_Zw5GiorP

[@chapterblaq]

3:35 i get so annoyed when I tryna find out about something and it doesn't have a Wikipedia article. OceanQuest being one of these things. I'm trying to find out if it was a documentary or a drama and i don't care enough to search for more deeply...

[@melltenfys]

It was like a pseudo documentary with Miss Universe exploring the oceans, they say "for purposes of dramatic clarity, some scenes have been re-created and the order of events have been rearranged."

[@chapterblaq]

@@melltenfys thanks 🙏🏾 I appreciate the insight. did you actually catch the show back then? was it worthy of Dave's derision?

[@jsngallery]

it has an 8.6 rating on imdb so who knows. i didn't catch it either at the time. however... it seems the company that sponsored the program went out of business soon after the airing.

[@winonafrog]

Seems youve got enough info to start the wiki entry 😅

[@BlackRoomProductions]

They didn't do documentaries back then on the big network channels, those were on PBS if anywhere. OceanQuest would have been just as bad as it sounds.

[@AllenFreemanMediaGuru]

Sammy died at 64 years old in 1990 of throat cancer after being a heavy smoker all his life. He left his wife 4Million, but owed the IRS 7Million.

[@pena.3302]

Ah.Sammy..Any Actual.Foolproof.Evidence.There.or Source.*.?!😊

[@FredLord-sp4ym]

Yes. It was in the news back then. Mr. Davis earned his money and spent it. LOL.@@pena.3302

[@markdaly1648]

Jim henson died on the same day.

[@DavianSinner]

Danny looks a little like Anthony Zerbe.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Sammy was great and Miss Alabama was charming and a total hottie. Dave was a bit of a baby at the end.