Johnny Carson: The King of Late Night and the Troubled Life Behind the Laughter
Johnny Carson became a household name when his groundbreaking late-night talk show set the standard for the many late-night programs we enjoy today. In my opinion, no one has ever been a better host.
Over the course of his legendary career, Carson earned six Emmy Awards, a place in the Television Academy Hall of Fame, and, in 1992, the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.
A Master of Comedy and Interviews
With his sharp monologues, witty skits, and engaging interviews, Carson captivated audiences for decades. Though the show was officially called The Tonight Show, it was, in every way, The Johnny Carson Show. His influence shaped the next generation of talk show hosts, including David Letterman, who often credited Carson as his inspiration.
Yet behind the charming on-screen persona, Carson reportedly carried deep emotional wounds, many of which stemmed from his complicated relationship with his mother.
It is said that his mother, Ruth, showed clear favoritism toward his sister, Catherine, over Johnny and his brother, Dick.
A Difficult Upbringing
Carson’s first wife, Jody Wolcott, later shed light on the powerful influence his mother had on him.
“I heard stories about her breaking an entire set of dishes against the kitchen wall. She ruled the family with an iron fist,” she said, according to History101.
Carson’s strained relationship with his mother followed him into adulthood. Despite becoming one of the biggest stars on television, he never received the validation he longed for from Ruth.
According to his former lawyer, Henry Bushkin, Carson once refused to attend her funeral, stating, “The wicked witch is dead.”
A Life of Marriages and Heartbreak
Carson’s personal life was just as tumultuous as his childhood. He was married four times, often moving quickly from one relationship to the next.
His divorces and subsequent marriages frequently made headlines. He even married his second and third wives in the same year his divorces were finalized.
In a 2017 interview with People, Carson reportedly joked:
“Me giving marriage advice is like the captain of the Titanic teaching navigation.”
A Tragic Loss
Carson and his first wife, Jody Wolcott, had three sons—the only children he would ever have. However, tragedy struck in 1991 when his middle son, Richard, died in a devastating car accident.
Richard lost his life when his car veered off a service road in California, plunging down a steep embankment.
Losing a child is an unbearable pain for any parent, and Carson, typically known for keeping his emotions private, made a rare display of vulnerability on air. He thanked his fans for their “very thoughtful and compassionate” letters of support.
“It meant a great deal to me,” he said somberly.
According to Bushkin’s book, Carson’s longtime executive producer, Fred De Cordova, attempted to wrap up the segment due to time constraints. Carson, deeply angered, banned De Cordova from The Tonight Show set and never allowed him back.
The Complicated Side of Johnny Carson
Despite his effortless charm on camera, Carson’s personal life was marked by struggle.
He was known for his infidelity, with rumors of his womanizing ways following him throughout his marriages. Additionally, he battled issues with alcohol and was once arrested for driving under the influence, receiving three years of probation.
Yet, beneath it all, he was an intensely private man.
“When I’m in front of an audience, it’s different. I’m in control,” Carson once admitted.
His second wife, Joanne Copeland, echoed this sentiment.
“Johnny was painfully shy. He was incredibly guarded—even more so with his family. But he was also incredibly funny,” she told Larry King in 2007.
Despite his shyness, Carson had a fiery temper.
“He had a hair-trigger temper,” Bushkin recalled. “I think over time, I helped bring out the humanity in him that he struggled to express—something his mother never gave him.”
Bushkin described Carson as “an incredibly complex man—one moment gracious, funny, and generous, the next, distant, aloof, and hard-hearted.”
Even their friendship came to an abrupt end when Carson fired Bushkin in 1981 after years of working together.
The Guest He Couldn’t Stand
Over the course of 8,000 episodes, Carson welcomed thousands of guests. But one name stood out as his least favorite—surprisingly, it was none other than Bob Hope.
According to Hope: Entertainer of the Century by Richard Zoglin, Carson disliked Hope’s reliance on pre-scripted jokes and canned punchlines.
“Carson resented the way Hope could book himself onto The Tonight Show whenever he had something to promote—which seemed to be all the time,” Zoglin wrote.
Carson preferred interviews that felt natural and spontaneous, making Hope’s rigid format frustrating to him.
The Final Years
After retiring from The Tonight Show in 1992, Carson largely withdrew from the public eye. He rarely made appearances, preferring to live out his days in quiet seclusion.
On January 23, 2005, he passed away in Los Angeles from respiratory failure caused by emphysema.
His legacy, however, remains unparalleled.
The Carson Family Today
Little is known about Carson’s surviving sons. His eldest, Christopher, once pursued a career in golf but never found major success. He briefly made headlines during a custody battle in the late 1980s.
His youngest son, Cory, has also kept a low profile. According to some reports, he has worked as a guitarist.
A Lasting Legacy
In 1981, Carson established the John W. Carson Foundation, which supports children, education, and healthcare. Today, it is one of the largest charitable foundations in Hollywood. Upon his passing, Carson left the foundation $156 million.
Despite a difficult childhood, Carson rose to become a television icon. His influence on late-night TV remains undeniable, and many argue that The Tonight Show has never been the same since his departure.
There will never be another Johnny Carson.
