TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {ROY CLARK; ORSON BEAN; GABRIEL KAPLAN; MADLYN RHUE; JACK BENNY TRIBUTE} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are actor/comedian Orson Bean, musician Roy Clark, comedian Gabriel Kaplan, and actress Madlyn Rhue.
In this New Year's Eve episode, Carson eschews his usual opening monologue and instead delivers a heartfelt tribute to his close friend and mentor, comedy legend Jack Benny, who passed away on December 26 at the age of 80. Carson describes Benny as a kindly "booster" of other up-and-coming comedians, and he then introduces a clip of Benny's final appearance on "The Tonight Show" on June 24, in which Benny discusses his "paid" appearance on Carson's show; why he has "no idea" of the true age of his wife of 47 years, Mary Livingstone (who had recently turned 66); their "pathetic" 1927 wedding night; his close friendship with fellow comedian George Burns; and upcoming highlights from his career. Carson and announcer Ed McMahon then briefly discuss celebrating their 17th New Year's as a comedy team.
The first guest, Bean, chats about his recent family Christmas celebration; his fond memories of Benny; why he intends to "hang loose" in 1975; why he does not make New Year's resolutions; and a long story involving his desert sojourn after the breakdown of his VW van, the repair of which led to a "gypsy curse."
Next, Clark takes the stage and plays a song, after which he talks with Carson about traveling to Bimini on a "broke boat"; and the perils of performing at nightclubs on rowdy New Year's Eve. Clark then plays "Sally Was a Good Old Girl."
Kaplan performs a stand-up routine, touching upon such topics as: the dangers of driving on New Year's Eve; his discovery of a new interfaith holiday figure, "Hanu-Claus"; Howard Cosell and Alex Karras' idiosyncratic reporting on "Monday Night Football"; and stories of a funny high school coach. He then briefly chats with Carson about his childhood in Brooklyn, New York and his time on a local basketball team; and his current efforts on the Comedy Store's wisecracking softball team.
The final guest, Rhue takes the stage with a rum-and-blackeyed-peas dish that she describes as a good-luck charm for the new year, commenting on why she generally does not drink, despite playing an alcoholic on "Bracken's World"; a story about a date gone disastrously wrong; and a surprise gift from actor Robert Blake, her co-star on an episode of "Slattery's People" and an upcoming episode of "Baretta."
Lastly, bandleader Doc Severinsen and the NBC Orchestra play an up-tempo version of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: December 31, 1974 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:15:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:78631
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; New Year's Eve; Tributes; Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Freebie and the Bean" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - Alpo dog food
- TV - Commercials - Beauty Mist panty hose
- TV - Commercials - Celeste frozen pizzas
- TV - Commercials - Delta Airlines
- TV - Commercials - Florida orange juice
- TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal
- TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Liver Snaps dog treats
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes
- TV - Commercials - Skippy dog food
- TV - Commercials - Tegrin dandruff shampoo
- TV - Commercials - Vaseline petroleum jelly
- TV - Commercials - Vicks Formula 44 cough medicine
- TV - Promos - "The Mac Davis Show"
- TV - Promos - "Tomorrow"
- TV - Promos - NBC coverage of "Rose Bowl" and "Orange Bowl"
CREDITS
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Orson Bean … Guest
- Roy Clark … Guest
- Gabriel Kaplan (see also: Gabe Kaplan) … Guest
- Madlyn Rhue … Guest
- Jack Benny
- George Burns
- Howard Cosell
- Bobbie Gentry
- Alex Karras
- Mary Livingstone