TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {BURT REYNOLDS, DIANA ROSS, JACK DOUGLAS, JAY LENO} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are singer Diana Ross, actor Burt Reynolds, comedian Jay Leno and author Jack Douglas.

In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: the dangerously high wind speeds in Burbank; the birth of President Carter's second grandchild; Vice-President Walter Mondale's meeting with Russian dissident Vladimir Bukovsky; Carter's attempts to pacify Ugandan dictator Idi Amin; the potential return of the military draft; setbacks to the Equal Rights Amendment; Jacqueline Onassis' visit to some rundown California neighborhoods; and the rising prices of tickets to Los Angeles Rams games. Carson briefly discusses Merv Griffin's latest "theme show," and announcer Ed McMahon then welcomes "Aunt Blabby," who peevishly criticizes his "movie gestures" as they discuss her thoughts on the popular TV miniseries "Roots" and her attempts to research the history of the Blabby dynasty, including her discoveries of various important pioneers and inventors among her ancestors.

Next, Ross takes the stage and performs "The Lady is a Tramp," after which she chats with Carson about her recent six-week performing tour; making time to see friends in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan; her thoughts on celebrities giving advice to students; why "all tours are the same," including the experience of staying in hotels; bringing her young children along for the first part of her tour; her first big purchases upon becoming successful, including a home for her mother and a car for herself; why she does not believe in buying diamonds for herself; the "memory trip" of her upcoming special, "An Evening with Diana Ross," set to air on March 6; funny stories from her days with The Supremes, including TV host Ed Sullivan's unfortunate habit of forgetting his guests' names; and working with makeup artist Stan Winston and costumer Bob Mackie to impersonate Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith and Josephine Baker in the special.

Reynolds then joins Carson and discusses buying George Harrison's former home, next door to Barbra Streisand; why he dislikes having guests; receiving many get-well letters – and Bibles – after his previous appearance on "Tonight," in which he appeared to be ill; and his home movies which he describes as having "a French quality," from his recent Mexican vacation, including a close encounter with a hurricane. Clips from his trip are then shown.

Leno – Carson's future successor – takes the stage for his first "Tonight" appearance and jokes about such topics as unpleasant East Coast weather; clichés and catchphrases used by news anchors and witnesses to crimes; nonsensical television commercials; his parents' Depression-era attitudes; majoring in philosophy at college; the ephemeral popularity of environmentalism; and the experience of living in mobile homes.

Finally, Douglas, author of the recent book "Going Nuts in Brazil," takes the stage and discusses his reasons for buying a snare drum, used in a memorable stage performance; his nomadic lifestyle and the challenges of house-shopping in California; the story behind the bank's foreclosure on his "dumb hotel" in Maine; and his time spent at a rubber plantation in Brazil, as described in the book. Douglas then introduces a clip of his own "home movies" and provides narration over a series of random and unusual images. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

• NETWORK: NBC
• DATE: March 2, 1977 11:30 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:23:45
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:84027
• GENRE: Talk/Interview
• SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Music; African-American Collection - Music
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - 4-Way nasal spray
  • TV - Commercials - Banquet frozen foods
  • TV - Commercials - Crystal Vanish toilet bowl cleaner
  • TV - Commercials - Green Giant Niblets golden corn
  • TV - Commercials - Hollywood bread
  • TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Mrs. Smith's apple pies
  • TV - Commercials - Oil of Olay skin products
  • TV - Commercials - Pillsbury cinnamon rolls
  • TV - Commercials - Prince spaghetti
  • TV - Commercials - Revlon Super-Rich eye shadow
  • TV - Commercials - Revlon blush
  • TV - Commercials - Solo dog food
  • TV - Commercials - Tums antacid
  • TV - Commercials - WaterPik One Step at a Time smoking cessation products
  • TV - Commercials - Westclox alarm clocks
  • TV - Promos - "Las Vegas Entertainment Awards"

CREDITS

• Fred de Cordova … Producer
• Peter Lassally … Associate Producer
• Dick Manley … Commercial Producer
• Bobby Quinn … Director
• Hal Goodman … Writer
• Larry Klein … Writer
• Pat McCormick … Writer
• Raymond Siller … Writer
• Norman Liebmann … Writer
• Terry Hart … Writer
• Bill Daley … Writer
• Allyn Warner … Writer
• NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
• Doc Severinsen … Conductor
• Johnny Carson … Host
• Ed McMahon … Announcer
• Diana Ross … Guest, Performer
• Jay Leno … Guest, Performer
• Burt Reynolds … Guest
• Jack Douglas … Guest
• Idi Amin
• Josephine Baker
• Lenny Bruce
• Vladimir Bukovsky
• Jimmy Carter
• Merv Griffin
• George Harrison
• Bob Mackie
• Walter Mondale
• Jacqueline Onassis (see also: Jacqueline Kennedy)
• Bessie Smith
• Barbra Streisand
• Ed Sullivan
• Supremes, The
• Ethel Waters
• Stan Winston