TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {KEVIN SPACEY, ROBERT KLEIN, MARY PEYTON-MEYER} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. On this program, Carson's guests are journalist Mary Peyton-Meyer, actor Robert Klein, and actor Kevin Spacey. In his opening monologue, Carson comments on the following topics, among others: Earth Day; a strange headline from an "afterlife"-themed newspaper; the most frequently-stolen cars; a lawsuit against Disney from former Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie; the trial of Filipino politician Imelda Marcos; a televised screening of the execution of Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu; Moscow's unusual snack foods; and a "true, unfunny" story about a cow's adventures on the roof of a car. Next, Carson and McMahon discuss the arrival of pilot season, in which many new television shows are proposed and filmed in the hopes of becoming a series. Carson presents a book on thousands of failed pilots that never "took off," then reading a list and showing a series of funny photographs of disastrously ill-conceived would-be shows.
The first guest, Peyton-Meyer, touches on such topics as: her 69-year career as a newspaper journalist in the small town of Frogtown, Missouri; her dislike of writing about "hurtful" gossip; her past as a schoolteacher of all subjects and many ages; her friends' interest in watching her appearance on the show; examples of the relatively unexciting social "news" reported in her paper; and her invitation to Carson to visit Frogtown. Next, Klein discusses the following: his various failed TV pilots; recent popular songs with strange lyrical messages; his unpleasant recent experience on an airplane; a strange story about a plane's malfunction thanks to a lavatory problem; the challenge of acquiring kosher in-flight meal; and details about his new film, "Tales From the Dark Side," from which a clip is then shown. The final guest, Spacey, takes the stage and touches on such topics as: his role as disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker in the film "Fall From Grace"; his impressions of Bakker despite never meeting him; the "great fun" of the preaching scenes; and the fake hair and teeth worn in the role. A clip from the film is then shown. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: April 27, 1990 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:43400
- GENRE: Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - 5th Avenue candies
- TV - Commercials - AT&T telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Hyundai automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Mars bars candies
- TV - Commercials - Pantene shampoo
- TV - Commercials - Ritz Bits peanut butter sandwiches
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Sweet 'n Low sweetener
- TV - Commercials - TCBY stores
- TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Western Union money services
- TV - Commercials - Wheat Thins crackers
- TV - Promos - "Carol & Company"
- TV - Promos - "Fall From Grace"
- TV - Promos - "Late Night With David Letterman"
- TV - Promos - "Saturday Night's Main Event"
CREDITS
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Mary Peyton-Meyer … Guest
- Robert Klein … Guest
- Kevin Spacey … Guest
- Jim Bakker
- Nicolae Ceausescu
- Darlene Gillespie
- Imelda Marcos