Steve Allen Talks About How "The Tonight Show" Started | Letterman

Steve Allen talks about the time he jumped into vat of gelatin and more. (Air date: 3/11/82)
#SteveAllen #Letterman
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Welcome to the Letterman KZbin Channel, home to all your favorite clips from Late Night and Late Show - as well as conversations with the writers, producers and performers who helped make it all happen. These highlights have been artisanly-produced, carefully-curated, and chosen completely at random by an old computer that used to pick numbers for the New York Lotto back in the 90’s.

[@tonyfromconey2164]

Late night hosts could actually be this funny, astute and erudite at one time. I miss Steve Allen.

[@blueskysailing]

I miss Steve, too!

[@user-sq2fb8bq9r]

When I was a kid, I thought Steve Allen was a funny, intelligent man. All these years, he never disappointed.

[@leonarddobens6070]

you can be sure in all these years your good taste has never faltered

[@doncheechako8084]

He is more nutty than you think. Serious!

[@photomanwilliams4147]

Steve Allen treats his audience better than any other talk show host, here is how I know. I lived in L.A. growing up. In those days it was easy to get into the studio audience when it wasn't tourist season. Free to get in, a chance to see famous people, needless to say I went to every show in town. Even New York based shows would do a west coast week once in a while. All this to say, Steve Allen went far above all others to be friendly, and interact with his audience even when the camera were off. His clean cut nice guy image is who who really is.

[@Nonduality]

I used to go to his shows in L.A. too, in the 60s. Like you, I was impressed how his interaction with the audience moments before going live on TV was exactly the same after the lights went on and the show began.

[@Ryan-on5on]

Carson was the exact opposite. By most accounts, he would become silent and sullen the minute the network went to commercials, leaving his guests, Ed, and the audience awkwardly waiting for the agonizing break to finish.

[@Djm8520]

Steve, who was a devotee of progressive jazz, once defined it by saying: “We have a little light that comes on to warn us in case we are approaching a melody.” Love it!

[@cautionTosser]

what a great and humble man. glad Dave had him on.

[@ronflatter1235]

I often have heard Dave credit the Steve Allen Westinghouse show for inspiring a lot of his comedy. If only everyone who borrowed from Steve were so respectful.

[@michaelklein5242]

I idolized this man growing up. I loved his clever play on words and to this day use many of his comical phrases.

[@dj33036]

Ferndock................Little Black Things

[@raymondm.9954]

"But all seriousness aside ..."

[@joeybonin7691]

Steve Allen is infinitely entertaining. His show was truly one of variety. You never knew what he'd be up to from show to show.

[@Cerph]

Steve was great- I used to watch his show a long time ago. He was always funny, and loved music.

[@hmich176]

Steve Allen was the best. The absolute best.

[@HolmanHal]

Absolutely.

[@77news97]

I'm 70, as of August 2023, and when I was very young, I'd watch Steve late at night. I just totally loved him. I remember him doing backwards videos, and also playing piano using birds on telephone wires as music. People that rave about Carson (who I LOVED) seem to be forgetting Steve Allen.

[@davidsparks6146]

What a multi-talented genius...Steve Allen invented the genre that David Letterman, Johnny Carson, Craig Fergusson... enjoyed and exploited... duplicated, but never exceeded Steve Allen's original show. Steve's music was nothing short of astounding... miss him. Smock Smock....

[@5400bowen]

Yes…you are so right. But, my friend, it’s SHMOCK SHMOCK!….I was waiting for it in the video clip. Too bad they didn’t do it, that would have given these kids a better taste of Steve Allen. Did you ever see Don Knotts on the original show? I saw a clip recently of Knotts playing a demolition/explosives expert that was just sweet.

[@blueskysailing]

@5400bowen I think Don Knott's played the nervous guy. 😉

[@relentlessflashbackin]

This interview is pure gold from so many points of view! It was a great choice to start the channel with the genius behind the "The Tonigh Show"! Thank you so much!

[@thegoldendef398]

Anyone else notice how Dave's cadence and inflections somewhat mirrored Steve's?

[@FreihEitner]

There's a video somewhere on KZbin of an early Steve Allen bit on which I commented that I'm sure a young David Letterman was watching that night and said, in essence, "I want to do that". Dave may have taken things to a little bit more of extremes as television became more lax in the 1970s & 1980s, but it was clear to me that Dave learned everything from the great Steve Allen.

[@PikesvilleAl]

because Steve Allen is Letterman in disguise

[@mattheweagle223]

Everybody

[@bcats1309]

I remember that local show in Los Angeles! It was fantastic. I couldn't wait every night! Steve was great on that local show!

[@tennesseejermyn7705]

After late night show hosts retire, it seems they grow beards naturally

[@keefriff99]

Beards weren’t ubiquitous the way they are now either.

[@janetremsing6988]

👍🤣To grow a beard UNNATURALLY, would be weird and just plain, wrong! 🤣😂‼️

[@thekinarbo]

Of course, artificial beards are gauche.

[@user-yn4ww1yy2v]

😂In some states, it's the law!

[@playedout148]

Having to shave every day.

[@PlanetRockJesus]

One of the first, and one of the last... late night giants. Love both of these guys.

[@jimbones155]

Always loved this man, and his laugh.

[@richardjohnson5979]

This guy was the funniest man on the planet. Funny, insightful, ridiculous, intelligent and with perfect timing. Somewhere, the Universe is wetting its pants listening to Steverino.

[@bobothree]

Steve Allen was so smart and so funny. His show was so creative and unpredictable.

[@danwaldis4553]

What an intelligent, witty, and articulate man. Very appropriate for him to be the one to start the Tonight Show tradition. He was also a fine musician, and played some pretty impressive piano on the show. He is one of three who will never be replaced. The other two were Jack Paar and Johnny Carson.

[@mrjones9894]

I grew up watching Steve Allen he's the man

[@trusarmor4957]

Steve Allen 'wrote more than 8,500 songs, although only a small fraction of them were ever recorded. In one famous stunt, he made a bet with singer-songwriter Frankie Laine that he could write 50 songs a day for a week. Composing on public display in the window of Wallach's Music City, a Hollywood music store, Allen met the quota and won $1,000 from Laine. One of the songs, "Let's Go to Church (Next Sunday Morning)" became a chart hit for the duo of Jimmy Wakely and Margaret Whiting, hitting #13 pop and #2 country in 1950.'

[@chikkipop]

Wow! Never heard that story.

[@dj33036]

When I was a kid in the 60's, Steve was my hero. When I watched this video I got a little tear in my eye.

[@mjwells100]

Steve Allen was an amazingly witty guy! I always loved listening to him speak.

[@peterbland7227]

I loved Steve Allen growing up in the 60’s

[@DanielWright-np3fq]

Watched Steve Allen since the 60's, he is always entertaining, intelligent and witty. He had that rare mix of fun and class, the kind of man you could admire while relaxing with him. One of a kind.

[@samhardy2038]

The best

[@JamesAllmond]

So amny forget, Steve Allen started the Tonight Show and the entire format Letterman used and other still use!

[@ytugtbk]

What a multi-talented guy Steve Allen was. Remember watching the series he produced for PBS where he and his wife and other professional actors would dress like famous people of old sitting around a large round table discussing contemporary trends.

[@orbyfan]

"Meeting of Minds" was a great show that I enjoyed watching in the late '70s.

[@ToniFromBrooklyn]

As Steve said often: "Smok, Smok!"

[@richbacon1218]

And a hail and hearty Smock-Smock to you and all Smockers? everywhere.

[@johnnynbk]

the rare person who is super smart but also very kind and considerate...

[@suziemills2201]

Loved Steve Allen . Genius

[@rongendron8705]

As a child, I remember the previous late night show "Broadway Open House", that Steve Allen mentioned, ca. 1950, with Morey Amsterdam & Dagmar, a sultry blonde! But, Steve Allen's "Tonight Show" was far superior! Allen was a true genius, who employed a cadre of other comedians, that never failed to entertain! His last attempt at a late night show, in the late 60's & on a independant channel, was absolutely hilarious!

[@mediamannaman]

Shmock shmock! As a kid I watched the Steve Allen shows that ran in the late 60's and early 70's. LOVED his show. So funny. In one of these shows he was asked, if they could make him anything with ice cream, what would he want them to make him. He answered, "Make me a banana split." Suddenly, they picked him up, took off his pants and shirt, threw him into a tub and added ice cream, bananas, and cherries. It was hilarious. I cannot find a clip of that show anywhere, but I swear it happened. He also had a recurring bit where he would get someone to give him three notes on a piano and he would compose a unique song with those three notes on the spot. He was a talented musician and composer.

[@blueskysailing]

Yes! I remember both of those. He was amazing at the piano.

[@bahiras]

Steve was the best!

[@skyebird3933]

I would never miss a Steve Allen tonight show. Fun times w the man-on-the-street part. It was good clean, funny stuff.

[@sobeeaton5693]

I loved when he'd put on a misshapen porkpie hat with a "PRESS" pin and read letters to the editor from the newspaper.

[@blueskysailing]

Right! I think he laughed most of the time while doing those skits. Too funny! 😄

[@johnnolan4312]

Remember watching this live, now I'm exactly Steve's age during the airing of this show, trippy

[@PhilMoskowitz]

Shame so few people know of Steve Allen. He was truly a renaissance man. Every late night talk show host is doing what he established more than sixty years ago.

[@cynthiamason4069]

Fink, fern and a 10lb bag of wet mice. I love this man. Don Knotts, "the nervous man", Louie Nye and Tom Postum, (not the healthly coffee substitute made from dirt)....brilliant silliness♡

[@jakeyell]

"Poston."

[@blueskysailing]

Great interview with Steve! I miss him and I miss Dave, too. 🙋

[@joemello7888]

I miss Steve Allen. Way way ahead of his time. Brilliant and funny. Can’t imagine how he would handle todays current events. 😢😢😢

[@infonut]

As did I. Fantastic wit. I sure miss him.

[@Nonduality]

He was a well-known conservative, but not like the hateful conservatives (or liberals) we have today.

[@garyspence2128]

I'm just old enough to remember him and Jack Paar, who proceeded Johnny Carson on Tonight Show. Steve never let his political views eclipse the basic entertainment offered by the show. Paar was the same way, although never hid his liberal leanings. Both were there to amuse and entertain the audience and viewers. The country was much different then, and only three networks on your TV. They weren't there to lecture the viewing audiences, and you couldn't afford to antagonize folks. Odd thong was those shows offered a wider range of artists than you see now. Everything from opera and Broadway play excerpts to music, dance, and the emerging rock-n-roll stars. Steve was the first to have young Elvis Presley on. Not Ed Sullivan on his variety hour. Allen also had Jack Kerouac come on to read beatnik poetry, while Steve accompanied him playing jazz. Also had an appearance by Frank Zappa, in 1962 or so. A real OG...

[@allendracabal0819]

​@@NondualityYes, there sure is a lot of hate these days. So pathetic.

[@pamelamays4186]

Steve Allen, one of the original kings of late night.

[@HolmanHal]

One of?....THE.

[@user-sx7wo1yl7y]

The greatest ever, on any show.

[@HolmanHal]

The greatest. Ever.

[@samhardy2038]

I’m there

[@Owlzindabarn]

Oh, I miss Steve Allen.

[@donlittle732]

Steve Allen was Letterman before Letterman was Letterman.

[@susanschaffner4422]

David always loved Steve. This goes way back to high school, Broad Ripple.

[@brianmoore5498]

very graceful and giving of Mr. Allen. iMO these two men could have traded chairs and it would have been seemless but just a bit funnier

[@intradibles]

Steve Allen was a prolific songwriter and composer who made the surprising shift by inventing what we know today as late night television.

[@bossfan49]

The Founder of the Feast. Truly humble and a great understanding of the entertainment biz to say that whoever got the jib would've done the same. He didn't count himself as special.

[@jacobjones5269]

Yes, you were the first… But you were also the best..

[@gallery7596]

According to Steve in an interview with Bob Costas, had the network gotten their way, he would've been hosting a show at 12:30 on *NBC.* But when he heard about it, Carson nixed the idea and so Allen was out. Fortunately, Carson had no problem with the then little known David Letterman getting the slot after "The Tonight Show." Still, it must've been somewhat bitter sweet for Steve to be guesting on a show that originally had been offered to him.

[@Rob_Kates]

Yes, Network executive Fred Silverman wanted to put Steve Allen back on the air.

[@Thedearster]

Carson knew Allen would be good competition

[@Djm8520]

@@ThedearsterHe would FOLLOW Carson, so how could he be competition⁉️

[@Thedearster]

@@Djm8520 The Tonight Show formula was first developed by Steve. Not calling Carson a thief, but I think any average person would be a little sketch about the guy(who they replaced and used their formula) coming back into the mix.

[@Djm8520]

@@Thedearster Which has nothing to do with competition. Jack Paar preceded Carson and his show was very different from Allen’s, as Carson’s was from both of them. It was Letterman who blatantly stole from Allen, not Carson.

[@jarrodbarkley9061]

Steve Allen was always an attractive, intelligent, funny guy.

[@ChasOnErie]

Steve allen was the greatest …THE MARKET WALK at night !!!

[@blackbluestudio6338]

Legend.

[@S0ngsyngr]

AND a good musician & pianist!!

[@manyfeather2knives423]

Steve is the Kaye night show comedian all others should “try” to live up to.

[@allendracabal0819]

One thing I admire about Dave is the great rapport he had with ALL of his predecessors: Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson. That was no small feat considering the wildly different personalities those men had. Dave even had a great rapport with Jay Leno until usurper Jay stole away the gig that Dave was in line for.

[@johnsilva9139]

Yes, Steve Allen was the original and all late night talk show hosts since have been doing his shtick. Didn't realize Letterman had him as a guest early on. He never seemed to get the recognition he deserved from those that followed in his footsteps. Glad to see Letterman paying respect to him and his legacy.

[@robrussell5329]

Letterman's clearly intimidated but holding his own, despite a few dumb questions. Allen's challenging him to keep up, or else he'll lose interest and the interview will tank. Great to watch.

[@HolmanHal]

Good insight.

[@allendracabal0819]

I don't agree. Allen was a pro, and would have tried hard to make the interview work even if the interviewer was weak.

[@georgeforall]

About 61 years old here.

[@jarrodbarkley9061]

I absolutely LOVE that he (rightfully) called Scientology a cult and lumped it together with the Moonies and Hare Krishnas! Bravo, sir!! 👍

[@williamweiss6128]

Liked Steve for years.

[@stevesmith291]

I remember seeing this interviewed when it was first aired, including the part about Jerry Lewis jumping into a vat of Jell-O.

[@torgman]

I heard nothing about wearing cheap suits.

[@brucegilbert7243]

Steve would wear a cheap suit if they were going to dunk him into a vat of jello.

[@ronmcmartin4513]

Steve was quite Liberal, but like Mort Sahl, was an Equal Opportunity Offender. Much like Conservative Bob Hope. I watched him almost every night on KTLA, Los Angeles in the 1960s. He did a "Name that Tune" where someone would play 3 notes, and then he & the band would play a song based on those 3 notes. "End of the Line(or Road?)". I remember Nothing about the song, except it was the first Jazz tune that made me sit up and like this Jazz Stuff. My guess, probably like Bill Evans.

[@worldmikel]

I remember a story from one of his books recounting working at a radio station where he did the late night shift. Boring place and not bad, but no joy or excitement. Well, until he one morning. Steve last task for the night was to write a short morning newscast for the guy that came in at 5AM. The guy was never awake. Never pre-read copy, just winged it. Steve would set his alarm clock so he could wake up to hear the stuff he wrote. This one was a litany of nonsense including lines that read something like "putting his hand in a hot bowl of slime", which the guy read authoritatively as Steve would roll around in bed laughing uncontrollably. The announcer continued reading without a clue as to what he had read.

[@HolmanHal]

Typical Steverino.

[@jeffclement2468]

Irreverent cleverosity here folks. Nothing but admiration for this man.

[@PrimarchX]

Is this Chris Hayes after an aging app has been applied?

[@davidszakacs6888]

"Schmock! Schmock!"

[@surveyordave]

He doesn't seem too enthused about being there.

[@cynthiamason4069]

Also, "Smock, smock".

[@TheBugkillah]

Steve or Dave: who wore the toupee better?

[@pheresy1367]

All that time I was waiting to hear about "cheap suits".... Silly me.

[@ChasOnErie]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@myk55501]

Hey, I met a lot of renowned individuals, like Steve Allen and Eydie Gormé, but these two were the best and kindest I ever met. People you encounter on the street are amusing just about every day. They are no longer produced in that manner. Farah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, however, were two of the most hateful people I have ever intended. When they sat next to me and I said hello, I realized they were unfriendly. This took place in the 1990s.

[@robertroberto2487]

Farah Fawcett,Ryan O'Neal Were Overlooked By Hollywood.They Were In Media Circles Known As Rebels.

[@ronmcmartin4513]

So memorable that Steve's last name changed from Lawrence to Allen.

[@chikkipop]

@@ronmcmartin4513 😁

[@marymarysmarket3508]

I like the beard.

[@tommunyon2874]

A woman in the audience was awarded a 6 ft. bologna by Steve. Her response, "Oh, Steve, that's bigger than my husband!"

[@stevenholquin2127]

The Alex Theatre in Glendale California Has a Bronze Plaque Commemorating Steve Allen’s Last Gig Was At The Alex Theatre Before He Died in His Sleep 💤 The Plaque in Back Stage At The Alex Theatre 🎭

[@daniramc]

like tv father, like tv son (Dave's style always sermed to me closer to Steve's than Carson's imho)

[@waleyefish9026]

Looks like Steve is wearing a Rug on his head.

[@googoo-gjoob]

1. Steve Allen 2. Dave 3. Tom Snyder 4. Johnny 5. Conan

[@samhardy2038]

A good group. Loved Tom talking about his Mom at the home. Gone way too soon.

[@googoo-gjoob]

@@samhardy2038, cancer sticks will do that

[@aregularguy44]

I think it's interesting that the network would take a popular local show, put it on the network but then change the format which would fail miserably. It's a bit like the "Tomorrow" show with Tom Snyder that was so good they decided to put it in prime time. However, they changed the format, added another host, Rona Barrett, and basically destroyed all that had made the show so popular.

[@richardcoughlin8931]

This is like watching two fencers sparring verbally to score points, but no lethal blows. Classy and classic.

[@PikesvilleAl]

Jeff Richards?

[@mattheweagle223]

Calling out scientology Waaaaay back when something could have been done

[@markatr6]

oh, the good ol days when we had some celebreties that were smart, multi-talented,funny,and spoke clear english...we've lowered standards since...

[@LawriePaulGiven]

Jack Parr was first. Not Steve Allen

[@billtooke6642]

Steve Allen was 1st. 1954. Paar came later

[@steveknutzen2830]

Steve shoulda brought the little black things

[@Xristoforos41493]

I feel like lettermen has no moxie what so ever

[@HolmanHal]

He was intimidated by the greatness across the desk.

[@parkerwhite741]

I hope Mr. L went to Mr. Allen's funeral.

[@user-di8re2tz5i]

Steve Allen what’s with the beard last time I saw you was in a cement truck

[@chuckw1021]

Fink University

[@krisscanlon4051]

Allen was Dave's hero...same kinda of style...dry humor

[@stephaniedavies1354]

time capsule gem! ...and Steve’s book_ while he calls out cult names including the children of god ( the cult I had escaped from)

[@rjnordin]

Interesting. Towards the end when discussing his son who had joined a religious cult, Allen stated his was a Christian family. I thought he was essentially a humanist and denied the existence of God.

[@PikesvilleAl]

A guy wearing a mask

[@topsuperseven7910]

Steve Allen seems 'off' in this episode. now, that could be because of the book and family situation and going public so maybe he was just 'off' his usual self. I think the beard didn't work for him either.

[@Danburdick-lm5xt]

letterman needs to be greatful for steve or he'd be out of a job!

[@fluxcapacitor1621]

I lost my mother to Christianity. It's the biggest cult of all.

[@joshuag7207]

Given there’s more believers of Islam in the world, I’d say Islam is the biggest

[@sullivanspapa1505]

Can’t imagine how many humans were slaughtered because they weren’t the “right” kind of Christian!

[@Mike1614b]

pray tell. no pun

[@sleeve8651]

That seemed awkward for both, Steve and Dave ! Rather disingenuous, on Dave's part, for most of the interview, IMHO ! I was hoping for something better ! Guess every show can't be a Winner ? I wonder if the seed was planted in Dave's mind to grow his beard after retirement, from this interview ?