TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {DIANA RIGG; FERNANDO LAMAS; GERRI GRANGER; DOROTHY UHNAK; URSULA HOLLINGSHEAD} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. His guests for this program are actors Diana Rigg and Fernando Lamas, singer Gerri Granger, author Dorothy Uhnak, and piano expert Ursula Hollingshead.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: the ongoing beef and gasoline shortages, now joined by a toilet shortage thanks to a rise in nationwide construction projects; a disturbing story about pacemakers with faulty wiring; a divorce between two feuding centenarians; former L.A. Mayor Sam Yorty's new job; and continuing troubles for the Los Angeles Rams.
Next, Carson and announcer Ed McMahon discuss Carson's trip to Oklahoma City, where he had previously caused offense by lampooning his "lifetime membership" at the Cowboy Hall of Fame, gifted to him by McMahon. Explaining that "his past is coming back to haunt him," McMahon reads a few quotes from Carson's high school yearbook and questions him about his role with the "Minutemen," essentially male cheerleaders. Finally, Carson reads a telegram from a "Tonight Show"-obsessed couple who credit Carson for their courtship and request his presence at their wedding as best man, which he politely declines.
The first guest, Rigg, joins Carson and discusses evolving thoughts about marriage and her recent wedding to painter Menachem Gueffen; her disinterest in disguising her age; different reasons for and challenges included with marriage; how her new series "Diana" compares to her famous role as Emma Peel on "The Avengers"; her thoughts on women in professional sports; how American culture "deeply indoctrinates" people with rigid ideas about gender roles from an early age, leading to relationship problems later in life; complex conversations with her new husband about their respective needs; and recent British sex scandals involving prominent politicians and sex workers.
Lamas joins Carson and comments on the myths surrounding the "Latin lover" archetype; why both partners in a relationship have to be equally "giving"; his experiences with three marriages, like Carson; his fondness for athletic women; and his thoughts on self-help books regarding sex and relationships.
Granger sings "I Am Woman," after which Carson welcomes Uhnak, a former transit police officer who has so far written five books about her experiences, and she discusses why she no longer rides subways, despite having assured others of their safety in the past; her challenging "on-the-job training" and attempts to arrest sex offenders in the act; why she disapproves of most vice-squad work, including the use of entrapment; why attempts to "legislate morality" are doomed to fail, with reference to how Prohibition gave rise to organized crime; whether reports of corruption within policing are "overblown"; and a funny story about an all-too-helpful passerby who assisted her with "evidence" during an arrest.
Finally, 87-year-old Hollingshead takes the stage and chats about her childhood role as the neighborhood piano teacher; writing a book about her experiences; how she became involved in making rolls for player pianos; and her own interesting experiences with marriage. She then performs a song of her own creation, "Sandman's Folly," written for her young son, and accompanies a player piano on a standard piano. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: August 7, 1973 23:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:14:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:76176
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Actors and actresses; Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Adolph's natural meat tenderizer
- TV - Commercials - Alpo dog food
- TV - Commercials - Budweiser beers
- TV - Commercials - Celanese Fortrel apparel
- TV - Commercials - Lawry's seasoned salt
- TV - Commercials - Lens-Mate eye drops
- TV - Commercials - Nestea teas
- TV - Commercials - Purina Tender Vittles cat food
- TV - Commercials - Revlon Super-Rich mascara
- TV - Commercials - Sears Toughskins jeans
- TV - Commercials - Stayfree sanitary pads
- TV - Commercials - Taster's Choice coffee
CREDITS
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Doc Severinsen … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Gerri Granger … Guest, Performer
- Diana Rigg … Guest
- Fernando Lamas … Guest
- Dorothy Uhnak … Guest
- Ursula Hollingshead … Guest
- Menachem Gueffen
- Sam Yorty