NBC | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | November 24, 1972

November 24, 1972, edition of NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson". Some commercials are included.
Content:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:01:07 - Monologue
0:07:30 - Banter with Ed
0:12:39 - Tony Randall
0:30:08 - David Brenner
0:40:39 - David Brenner (cont'd)
0:47:00 - Popov the Clown
0:55:50 - Jaye P. Morgan
1:00:07 - Jaye P. Morgan (cont'd)
1:14:37 - Mark Stone
1:28:38 - Outro
Credit: Internet Archive / Cosnicwhhelz Audio Video Entertainment
Posted for educational, historical, and cross-cultural purposes only. All copyrighted material belongs to the owners.

[@danhutson3460]

When I was still living at home (moved out in June 1981), my Dad & I would stay up & watch Johnny Carson, especially on Friday's. I graduated from high school in May 1974 & from college in December 1978. Those were the days! My Dad passed on 10/26/2004 at age 84 & my Mother on 05/16/2022 at age 98. They loved seeing the "Stars" of when they were growing up.

[@HMMELD]

I watched JC all thru the 70s. Was in central time zone so it came on at 1030 so I could see at least the first half hour w/o staying up too late. TR was one of the more interesting guests.

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

I was born in California 1968. Once I was old enough to stay up I watched with my Dad too. Great time's:)

[@Brennan_Dale3169]

Sounds like a great childhood with great parents, all the best

[@Johnnyangel1959]

Boy ,I was only 14 when Johnny moved to Burbank and I was mad at him!He never came back to visit say fir a couple of weeks a year.But,well.everyone was leaving New York in the early 70s.Tough times nothing romantic about those days!

[@realnikonlover6207]

I watched Steve Allen, then Jack Paar and watched Johnny from beginning to end of his long run. I watched Leno and then stopped watching late night as all the class was gone in late night shows. Comedy was replaced by vulgarity and politics. Late night needs a re-birth,

[@ronflatter1235]

These full New York episodes are such treasures.

[@bakerman10]

This is in LA.

[@deewilson3239]

Yes indeed

[@brucetrakas9033]

@@bakerman10, Look at the image and McMahon's narration, "From New York..."

[@stevenwolff6866]

I would be eternally grateful if you could post the episode from August of 1972 featuring Jack Benny. He ended up being the only guest but the Playmate of the year was also scheduled. I was in the audience & we gave Jack a standing ovation & I was on camera for about 3 seconds. I'm 71 now & would love to see myself when I wasn't even 20 yet. Many thanks to you either way!

[@YesterdaysNews]

Alas, the 1972 episodes I've found were all from November. Sorry.

[@dextersaintguac]

It was nice of you to check.

[@HMMELD]

@@dextersaintguac Too bad it was before the days of VCRs. I used to record some selected episodes with selected guests on audio tape.

[@TGoat123]

I knew this episode was going to be entertaining, because Johnny just had that twinkle in his eye.

[@brucetrakas9033]

I didn't realize that Johnny's classic routines dated back to his time in New York; "How cold was it?"

[@billfletcher7602]

I took a tour of the NBC studios at 30 Rock back in the 80s and seeing this studio that was used for the Carson shows in NY. Amazingly small, like a broom closet!

[@feggyduss6463]

Studio 6b was originally a studio designed for Radio where shows would be produced for the NBC Radio Network. After Mr. Carson and the Show relocated, the studio was used for local news (WNBC). Thanks for sharing your story. That must have been exciting.

[@tomdooley4226]

Went to three shows with Johnny Carson in the 80s in Burbank. Pretty spacious but was surprised how small the stage that jc would always enter from behind the curtains was. Still, twas major memories of S. California.

[@pem1974]

Isn't Jimmy Fallon in that studio now?

[@DonLorenzo723]

I toured 30 rock a few years back. Booked the first tour early on a Sunday, so no studios were being worked in at the time. Got to see much cooler stuff than if I'd gone on any other day. Went into Studio 8H were SNL is done. Kinda eerie seeing it all dark and empty. Also went into 6B. Saw the whole Fallon Tonight Show set still up. Went backstage too, behind the curtain essentially. It really does feel pretty small compared to how it looks on TV.

[@jledonne8n8f]

When I toured NBC in the mid 80s, 6B was fully occupied by News 4 and it seemed large for a local news set with two anchor desks, fore and aft and a separate interview area. NBC did have a mock-up Tonight Show set just for the tour, which was tiny.

[@BigBingFan]

EXCELLENT POST, and the best years of "The Tonight Show," 1972-1979, before the reduction to one hour. All the great stars, and still in its' infancy as an institution. I would LOVE if you could also post some late 1970's Full Episodes of Don Rickles hosting---they were PRICELESS! Most everybody on KZbin just posts Johnny, but Rickles was the impromptu KING, going in the audience and just hilarious. He would host all week, so there would be 7 1/2 hours in one week. Please keep posting these 70's gems, and hopefully find the roughly 1977-78 years of Don Rickles guest-hosting "The Tonight Show." THANK YOU! Great channel.

[@chrisfreeman9960]

VERY good suggestion. I hope it will bear fruit!

[@KayBarsotti]

Wish I could have been there!

[@Rob_Kates]

I liked the 70s too, for Johnny's show. He was at his peak in that decade. The show was a cash cow for NBC. At 90 minutes, it was a variety show, with plenty of time for in depth conversations and performances.

[@chrisfreeman9960]

@@Rob_Kates That's really true. The '70's, from the beginning, really were a fun time, and Carson reflected that in his show. There were more serious issues at the time, which preoccupied people, such as the Vietnam War, and Watergate. But when Watergate was over, and shortly thereafter the Vietnam War, there was a collective sigh of relief in the country. And people just simply wanted to have fun. Celebration was in the air. And Carson understood that. He knew where the country was at, and reflected it perfectly to his audience. And I agree with you, he was really comfortable and really hit his stride during that decade. The 80's felt different, sort of the end of an era, for whatever reasons. But the 70's were golden.

[@HMMELD]

@@KayBarsotti I was there - watched it all thru the 70s. Was in the central time-zone so it came on at 1030, I could watch the first half hour w/o staying up too late, could still make class the next day. It was an amazing feat to do 1 1/2 hours a night. Other variety shows might do an hour a week. Colgate Comedy did once a month. Every night it was fresh, lively, entertaining - you had no idea how grueling and exhausting it was - I only found out b/c guest hosts said it was the most exhausting thing they ever did - 16-18 hr days.

[@MR-in8bl]

Love the full episodes (from NYC) with commercials

[@nancyjensen6409]

I missed putting a comment on the last show and I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate being able to see these old shows. My husband worked afternoons and got home about 11:30pm. We watched Johnnie every night from the beginning. We are getting old now and it is such a joy to be able to watch these shows from the beginning. They were so good every one of them. I really wonder what is wrong with today’s comedians. They are so bad…of course I no longer watch them. I did enjoy Letterman but he’s gone now too. I thought Leno was kinda gross in his speech. I miss these old shows so very much. Again thank you for letting us relive our youth. ❤❤😂❤

[@johns.7501]

Great seeing full NY Tonight Show.

[@fufufini]

wondering if the guitarist behind Tommy at 1:55 is the great Bucky Pizzarelli ... he parted ways with the orchestra when the show went to LA but maybe this is him sitting in for this 3 wk NYC stint?

[@bobblehead67]

I think you're right; he was pretty much the first call session guy in NYC then, wasn't he? Someone told me his stuff's all over those first seasons of Sesame Street!

[@MrJTDillon]

My mom considered New York City her hometown even though she was raised upstate. When we would visit the city she would write to David Tebet at NBC and he would send her two tickets to see Johnny Carson tape The Tonight Show at 30 Rock. When you see the show you can’t believe how small everything looks. Everyone on television was under weight by ten or 15 lbs. because the cameras would make everything look larger.

[@stpetebeach63]

Had a crush on Jaye P. Morgan in the 70s from The Gong Show. She's a pip.

[@Rob_Kates]

I don't know if Johnny appreciated her being critical of his nervous tics.

[@jaymeade9898]

The Vicks Vaporub commercial at the 27:10 mark was voiced by Burgess Meredith.

[@chuckfan1]

Fascinating

[@jasonnstegall]

What amazes me about these color tapes that have survived is that they cover either iconic moments in Tonight Show history (e.g. Tiny Tim’s wedding) and episodes where either Ed McMahon or Doc Severinsen “laid off” for the night and in either case Tommy Newsom conducted the orchestra. Just to have these rare surviving tapes alone is one thing; to also have these rare recordings have these “anomalies” is nothing short of astounding and unbelievable 😊.

[@jackeppington6488]

I've been looking for this show! I saw it a long time ago here, but it disappeared for a while. YT is weird. Anyway, it is a 1972 New York show, and you notice how "live" it looks. Maybe that's because of the cameras shooting it, or it is a very primary dub of the tape.

[@billoz]

This was 50 + years ago over the actual air waves to a roof top antenna and no BUFFERING! Got to miss that❗

[@dennisdivine7448]

A noteworthy fact: Tony Randall was among a very few guests who had made the transition from Jack Paar to Carson on a recurring basis, a list that included Jonathon Winters, Orson Bean, and (briefly!) Henry Morgan. Not many of Paar's friends were Carson's friends.

[@WaltGekko]

I'm guessing this is a week they were back in New York after moving to LA earlier in 1972.

[@jimmyjennings4089]

I was 12 years old when this was on, and back then i thought Johnny Carson would be on TV for the rest of my life, i remember when it went off the air and i didn't think id be missing this show, but i guess it's got a lot to do with the time's and Johnny Carson was part of those times when i was growing up.

[@winonafrog]

Great quality. Wow David Brenner must have been a model for Scott Thompson.

[@wiedep]

Tony must have loved Brenner ripping NYC. Jaye P Morgan did an Odd Couple episode in 1973. At least she didn't break the cigarette box.

[@HMMELD]

You're referencing the time Rickes broke the box, right? I saw that show and the one where Carson discovered it and barged in on Rickles taping that Sharky show - it was approx 1976

[@dondoyle8474]

Jonny was a magician so he always put them through the ultimate test because he already knew how they did it.. Just like Pen and Teller.

[@fury8579]

My parents would keep Carson on the tv. I used to sneak on my belly and watch. They wondered why I was so tired at school.

[@UNCJerry77]

Anyone know the song the band was playing at the end of the show? Heard the same tune during an clip of the 1976 Jerry Lewis Telethon.

[@AlainHubert]

This is definitely not from November 24, because @3:22 Johnny says to Tommy, Christmas is on the 25th of this month. So this was definitely December, not November.

[@adamnedeff3102]

Johnny misspoke. I hate to give you a "take my word for it" answer here, but I have seen the studio master tape of this episode, with the production slate at the start, and it's November 24, 1972. (Actually November 23, because they taped a day in advance at this point.)

[@feggyduss6463]

I want to hear the backstory of how you saw it. LOL. I met people at NBC when I was in college and spent a day watching them work. They were both tickled and thrilled that someone was interested in their work. I met the gentleman who built the piano that Dean Martin would crash. This is great stuff! Thanks for sharing.@@adamnedeff3102

[@HMMELD]

@@adamnedeff3102 I agree - I don't have any evidence outside the show itself, but its the only explanation that makes any sense

[@zacbell4987]

And no Christmas decorations on set which typically would be there if close to Christmas

[@winonafrog]

He also says that Ed’s solo show lossed and that he surprises his wings. 😅

[@videonut1988]

In the same studios where Fallon now does his run of "TONIGHT".

[@Ivartshiva]

i LIVE FOR THIS SHIT

[@kevinmadden1645]

The commercial was for Alka Seltzer.

[@chrislawson7983]

Jaye P is 92 in 2024 googed it😊

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

The Tonight Show moved to Burbank May 1st, 1972, but 2:55 "I saw a sideway Santa on Fifth Ave. froze his clapper". They returned to NYC for the month. 3:30 "Christmas is the 25th of this month". Did Johnny think the show would air in December?

[@johnking5174]

They returned for Thanksgiving season in late November, which was always the start of the Christmas shopping season and Santa's grotto would all be launched after Thanksgiving.

[@modernretroradio993]

That mentalist Mark Stone was awesome!

[@danwaldis4553]

@ronflatter1235 I'm with you! They are treasures. Johnny, Ed, Doc and the rest were, without question, the best! Not only that, but on one of the breaks the band was playing such a wonderful arrangement of the song called "Without A Song." At the time, we all knew how great they were, and it is even more puncuated by the decline in the quality of television entertainment that has taken place since. It's a common idea that many have things in their past they would like to go back and 'do over.' Personallyl, if I could go back and live my same life again, I'd watch more of the episodes of the Johnny Carson show when they were happening! :)

[@fmradio42]

Genesis, Central Park, NY, 1972

[@mcg1119]

Jaye P. Morgan had a lot of TV guest appearances (talk shows, sitcoms) for someone who was otherwise not too successful. Was she better known in a previous era?

[@SOGGYmilktoast]

Hey, the aerial shots in the commercials are done by helicopter!

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

John William Carson (Corning, Iowa; 23 de octubre de 1925 - West Hollywood, California; 23 de enero de 2005) fue un presentador, comediante, escritor y productor de televisión estadounidense. Es conocido sobre todo como el presentador de The Tonight Show, protagonizado por Johnny Carson (1962-1992). Carson recibió 6 Premios Emmy, el Premio del Gobernador de la Academia de Televisión de 1980 y un Premio Peabody en 1985. Fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama de la Academia de Televisión en 1987. Fue galardonado con la Medalla Presidencial de la Libertad en 1992 y recibió un Kennedy Center Honor en 1993. 99 AÑOS 79 AÑOS 20 AÑOS 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

[@tomtom6319]

David was brilliant I saw him in Vegas and he was great

[@garyrasberryjr.552]

Johnny liked David. David not only appeared on the show as a guest 158 times, but also guest-hosted 75 times

[@chrisfreeman9960]

What a joyous, free spirit Jaye P. Morgan was/is!

[@brentmann2988]

2:53 How cold was it?

[@sherryhannah9262]

Yester Days if this is November 24 1972 why is Ed saying from New York?????…. I thought in May 1972 The Tonight Show moved to Burbank California…I hope you will reply to this I’m confused 😕

[@YesterdaysNews]

It was a temporary move back, I think.

[@lisahardy9707]

@@YesterdaysNews You are correct for 3 weeks

[@bobwaldman8445]

Yes, the show made a return to New York that November. I attended the first show which featured Mayor John Lindsay & Muhammad Ali.

[@deputay]

They'd still go back to (occasionally) do shows in NYC until May of 1973. But the May 1972 move to Burbank was that California would be the home base as opposed to doing shows occasionally out there.

[@YesterdaysNews]

@@bobwaldman8445 As seen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpDHdmaDfq9sjNk

[@ab348]

Not one of his best shows, as both Tony Randall and Jaye P. Morgan were difficult guests, and David Brenner was not good. I did find the Mark Stone segment near the end interesting.

[@stevehislop]

I totally agree, but it is a show that represents a more average Tonight Show with Johnny , which is still way better than anything that is on today. Can you imagine to even have the chance today to choose something like this today on TV instead of the crap that is actually on?

[@garyrasberryjr.552]

Brenner was a favorite of Johnny's. I think he guest-hosted about 70-80 times. His style of comedy was the gap between Mort Sahl and Jerry Seinfeld

[@garyrasberryjr.552]

This was the down period of her career where she was basically known for singing and nightclub work (and a few acting and game show gigs) before she started on The Gong Show

[@dextersaintguac]

I skipped over most of the content from the 3 of them. Very annoying. Brenner actually resembles a Nosferatu 😳

[@Paranormalisto]

Mark Stone fared better than Uri Geller.

[@kevinmadden1645]

This broadcast could not have taken place in November,1972 because The Tonight Show moved to California in May,1972. The reference to " I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing" recalls a commercial popular in late 1971 and early 1972.

[@Montecm89]

the show did a three week stint in new york in nov of ‘72. find the show from nov 13th ‘72. johnny explains this is a temporary residency. when the show moved to CA, johnny said they wouldn’t desert new york.

[@kevinmadden1645]

@@Montecm89 Thank you for the clarification.

[@CraigKnudsen]

@@kevinmadden1645 And thank you for your apology for being wrong.

[@wmbrown6]

@@Montecm89 - This was from their first three-week "road trip" to NYC, from November 1972 as you said. They only did one more, in May 1973, and the May 25, 1973 edition was the last "Tonight Show" Johnny ever did in New York.

[@FredLord-sp4ym]

I am wondering if it because around 1974, Studio 6B was used for local NEWS on WNBC.@@wmbrown6

[@FlavioGirl]

too bad not all toy manufacturing companies didnt have a guarantee like mattel did back in the 70s

[@ronflatter1235]

Mark Stone looks like Dr. Sheldon Cooper.

[@MagicMarioA]

J P Morgan is so annoying, I couldn't stand her then and she is even worse now.

[@sr633]

I served Tony Randell as a waiter at Smithville Inn while he was in the Odd Couple at our tent show.

[@billoz]

He was nice, I hope.

[@sr633]

@@billoz Tony sent his gingerale back. He said it was flat. He also didn't allow smoking at the table.

[@MyThirdPlaceLtd]

0:07

[@MR-in8bl]

They have apples in Soviet Russia? Wow

[@2011paramedic]

NBC Announcer: Gage and Desoto are accused of Male Chauvinism by a lovely female reporter in the episode called Women! on Emergency! Tomorrow Night!!

[@aaronm4782]

That was 1.5 hours I will never get back

[@osea5000]

27:12

[@osea5000]

28:44

[@heatherh.197]

Barbara Streisand look-a-like

[@HMMELD]

TR is very intellectual but a little scatter-brained if he can't even remember if his sister is older than he is

[@danalawton2986]

You all do realize that Ed had been drinking before he did the show? You could always tell if Ed was a bit tipsy.

[@fufufini]

Dark interval ~ 29:00

[@davesoucy1086]

That's not dead network air at all. That is 60 seconds for local affiliates to use their own commercials and station i.d. notice that the band comes in and leads up to the show at 60 seconds. This was done with every episode.

[@davesoucy1086]

They would never ever have 60 seconds of dead air on the network back then either. Trust me, they were much more on the ball then, vs. now.

[@fufufini]

@@davesoucy1086 ok I thought this was taped by a home viewer but must have been captured upstream. I did like the faint hum of 70's electronics during the dark interval !

[@davesoucy1086]

@@fufufini yes, haha. This is directly from the master. You'll notice that the "more to come" bumpers are particularly long for the same reason. They would allow input from local affiliates.

[@HMMELD]

Guessing 1 of 2 is not very impressive, Mark Stone. No wonder I never heard of him.

[@DavidLEzell]

Well, actually, he got three out of five.

[@ricarleite]

Meanwhile, while this was happening, dozens of Uruguayan students were starving in the Andes.

[@thejerseyj5479]

The plane crash victims?

[@ricarleite]

@@thejerseyj5479 Yes. They were there, eating corpses and waiting to die in the cold while this was happening at the same time.

[@brooke8567]

Nice😊

[@chuckfan1]

So what in the F does that have to do with this show? Everything everywhere in the world was happening at the same time as that crash What a weird random odd comment Shake yourself

[@ricarleite]

@@chuckfan1 What is your problem???

[@stevenbrennon9284]

Dont in any form or fashion approve of that kissing but have heard it is in the contract s of the stars that appear on Johnny s show sure like Leno better than Carson saying all i respect to Johnny and all of the guests sorry folks i feel this way but it was the way i was brought up .

[@HMMELD]

Popov sucked - there's acts on AGT that make him look like a clown

[@tombradykingdom3367]

Late night with Tom Brady The tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon

[@brooke8567]

David Brenner sucked. Never was funny

[@HMMELD]

I agree

[@MyThirdPlaceLtd]

0:08