TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {ANN-MARGRET; PETE FOUNTAIN; GEORGE MILLER; DAVID HOROWITZ} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are actress Ann-Margret, clarinetist Pete Fountain, comedian George Miller and consumer advocate David Horowitz.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: a smog warning in Burbank; an enormous traffic jam in New York caused by a leaking propane truck; the announcement of the Emmy Award nominations and the strange category in which "The Tonight Show" has been placed; the re-eruption of Mount St. Helens; the upcoming Democratic National Convention and whether Jimmy Carter should release his delegates from their voting commitments; and independent candidate John Anderson's refusal to quit the race.
Carson and co-host Ed McMahon briefly discuss the creation of a "Tommy Newsom Day" in the droll bandleader's hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia; an upcoming People magazine profile on McMahon; and an article from an in-flight magazine about "American averages," listing a number of surprising statistics about Americans' daily lives, to which Carson adds several humorous suggestions. Next, Carson conducts a round of "Stump the Band," during which Newsom and The NBC Orchestra are, as ever, stumped by the audience members' odd song suggestions.
Ann-Margret then sits down with Carson to discuss her latest film, "Middle Age Crazy" (1980), co-starring Bruce Dern, which features a memorable opening scene involving Carnac the Magnificent; her dislike of watching herself onscreen; whether forty is truly "middle-aged"; her struggle to identify with her ditzy character; the different ages at which men and women reach their respective "sexual peaks"; her lack of concern about aging; and her impressive exercise habits. She also produces a middle-age "survival kit" created by the movie studio, featuring several funny age-related products, such as hair dye and an edible bikini, to which Carson adds several bawdy items.
Fountain then takes the stage and, after playing two numbers, is invited by Carson to play a third, thanks to the audience's enthusiastic response. Miller performs a stand-up act and comments on his forgetfulness about names; his oddball family members; the relative expense of quality funerals; racial associations with various forms of dance; a strange "Dear Abby" letter; and some surprising new TV series.
Finally, Horowitz sits down with Carson and comments on the latest consumer "scams," including dog toys with dangerous components, including sharp metal interiors and loose bells; a mistake on a Pepsi-Cola bottle label that went unnoticed because of most people's lack of understanding of the metric system; and a video clip featuring a law student who unwisely purchased a color television in a parking lot and quickly found that he had been duped. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: August 8, 1980 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:15:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:88933
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "The Blue Lagoon" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - Alpo beef-flavored dog food
- TV - Commercials - Bell System telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Black Flag roach motels
- TV - Commercials - Columbia Record and Tape Club
- TV - Commercials - Cotton Incorporated products
- TV - Commercials - Dietac diet pills
- TV - Commercials - Hanes underwear
- TV - Commercials - Lipton Onion Soup Mix
- TV - Commercials - Midas auto parts
- TV - Commercials - New Freedom maxi pads
- TV - Commercials - Pepsodent toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Revlon Super-Lustrous Creme nail polish
- TV - Commercials - Sears paints
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Star-Kist tuna
- TV - Promos - "Supertrain"
- TV - Promos - "The Duke"
CREDITS
- Fred de Cordova … Producer
- Peter Lassally … Co-Producer
- Dick Manley … Commercial Producer
- Bobby Quinn … Director
- Raymond Siller … Writer
- Michael Barrie … Writer
- James Mulholland … Writer
- Pat McCormick … Writer
- Robert Smith … Writer
- Kevin Mulholland … Writer
- Hal Goodman … Writer
- Larry Klein … Writer
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Tommy Newsom … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Co-Host
- Pete Fountain … Guest, Performer
- George Miller … Guest, Performer
- Ann-Margret … Guest
- David Horowitz … Guest
- John Anderson
- Jimmy Carter
- Bruce Dern
- Ronald Reagan