TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {WILLIAM PROXMIRE, ROBERT BLAKE, TRINI LOPEZ, ALEX KARRAS} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. His guests for this program are actors Robert Blake and Alex Karras, singer Trini Lopez, and Wisconsin Senator and author William Proxmire.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: investigations into President Richard Nixon's personal spending and Special Counsel Archibald Cox's reminder that the president is "not a king"; reports that the average American yearly income has reached $9,800; demands from the country's major car manufacturers; desperate measures taken by some to survive the current food shortage; a strange reprimand given to Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis regarding his hairstyle; and other odd recent events in Major League Baseball, including the two New York Yankees, Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich, who "exchanged wives."
The first guest, Blake, joins Carson and chats about his dislike of attending fancy film premieres; a story about his foiled attempts to see his own film trailer at a cinema; his love for an equally admiring Carol Burnett; awkward run-ins with high-class traditions at United Artists shindigs; why he is more comfortable on film sets than in interview settings; how his Hollywood success has changed his lifestyle, including how his wife "handles" his female admirers; why his kids aren't too impressed with his stardom; and his sense that "something's wrong" with his own fondness for signing autographs for fans.
Next, Karras takes the stage and ponders why he's "never too excited over anything"; his origins in Iowa and familiarity with Carson's great-uncle, a longtime dentist; his early West Coast experiences, including his desire to date a flight attendant; his guest spot on "The Odd Couple," during which he was scolded for smoking by vehemently anti-tobacco star Tony Randall; the unique rules of Canadian football; and his own past with American football, despite not really enjoying the sport.
Lopez performs a song in Spanish and then chats with Carson about his travels to Fat City, a new area in New Orleans "for the young people"; his memorable gift to Carson of extremely hot jalapeño peppers during his last "Tonight Show" appearance; how his love of spicy foods helped him to fend off bullies in his rough childhood neighborhood; and his upcoming tour in Asia. Lopez also performs "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard."
Finally, Proxmire takes the stage to discuss his fitness-themed book "You Can Do It," explaining his own exercise history and how taking slow buses to the Capitol inspired him to take up running; surprising physical discoveries in the autopsies of soldiers killed in Vietnam and Korea, as compared to World Wars I and II; how to balance dairy intake and cholesterol levels; which sports are best for exercise; how to build up one's tolerance for exertion; how genetics can allow one to "break all the rules" of typical health rules, as seen in the lifestyle contrasts between contemporaries Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw, both of whom lived into their nineties (as would Proxmire); assumptions about age-related weight gain; and his frustration about a recent attempt to curb corruption in campaign finance that was stymied by certain unhelpful IRS forms. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: August 15, 1973 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:15:52
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:75970
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Actors and actresses; Music; Hispanic Collection - News/Talk/Docs
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Alpo dog food
- TV - Commercials - Bayer aspirin
- TV - Commercials - Johnson & Johnson baby powder
- TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Lens-Mate eye drops
- TV - Commercials - Nestea teas
- TV - Commercials - Purina Tender Vittles cat food
- TV - Commercials - Revlon Super-Rich eye shadow
- TV - Commercials - Scott's Liquid Gold wood cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Sears Toughskins jeans
- TV - Commercials - Shell No-Pest Strip insecticide
- TV - Commercials - Taster's Choice freeze-dried coffee
- TV - Commercials - United Airlines
- TV - Promos - "Sahara"
CREDITS
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Doc Severinsen … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Trini Lopez … Guest, Performer
- Robert Blake … Guest
- Alex Karras … Guest
- William Proxmire … Guest
- Carol Burnett
- Winston Churchill
- Archibald Cox
- Dock Ellis
- Mike Kekich
- Richard Nixon
- Fritz Peterson
- Tony Randall
- George Bernard Shaw