TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {DAVID BRENNER, MICHAEL CAINE, SEAN CONNERY, GALLAGHER, BURT MUSTIN} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. His guests for this program are comedians Gallagher and David Brenner, actors Michael Caine and Sean Connery, and nonagenarian actor Burt Mustin.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: bandleader Doc Severinsen's current absence; President Gerald Ford's trips to Indonesia and China; China's interesting divorce policies; a protest against medical malpractice insurance rates in Governor Jerry Brown's office; the closing of five Chrysler automobile plants; and the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City. Carson eventually gets fed up with the audience's positive responses to replacement conductor Tommy Newsom's dry quips, and he trades places with "Mr. Excitement" for the remainder of the monologue.
The first guest, Gallagher, takes the stage and presents an unusual new product for fans of "The Tonight Show": a "lifelike" version of Carson contained in a suitcase, complete with a variety of props, including several guests, monologue jokes and even a turban for "Carnac the Insignificant."
Next, Caine joins Carson and discusses his early desire to be a stand-up comedian; his pre-fame jobs; his friendship with producer Charles Antell, who eventually became thoroughly unqualified to sell hair-care products; how U.K. television differs from American television, including the placement of commercials; Caine's former job as a night clerk in a seedy motel, and a story about his trick of purposefully overcharging guests; his disastrous first acting gig; whether he will ever permanently move to America; his favorable thoughts on Carson's potential acting talents; his side business as a successful wine merchant; why laypeople are often intimidated by the challenge of selecting the "right" wines; and the hazard of drinking well-made California wines when they are still "too young."
Next, Connery -- Caine's "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975) co-star -- takes the stage and talks about his longtime friendship with Carson and their respective drinking habits; his past television roles with Caine (including 1957's "Blood Money" and 1969's "Male of the Species"); the challenges of traveling extensively to promote a film, including memories of an extremely jet-lagged Peter O'Toole's appearance on "The Tonight Show"; Caine's great surprise at Americans' fondness for both early-morning and late-night talk shows, neither of which exist in England; Connery's infamous negative comments to the press while shooting "You Only Live Twice" (1967), in part because of his exasperation with invasive paparazzi; why he eventually decided to return to his iconic role of James Bond in 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever"; his early days as a competitive weightlifter and first role in the musical "South Pacific"; and why Caine and Connery are both "reluctant" to lose their famous regional accents, as it is no longer necessary to have upper-class "BBC-type voices" to maintain a successful acting career.
Brenner then takes the stage and jokes about his faux pas when addressing people with accents; embarrassing incidents with his friends; his feelings about "cute" newborn babies; the egotism of doctors; the impossibility of finding decent parking in New York City; and Los Angeles' useless public transportation system. He then joins Carson and chats about his very successful appearance on the NBC game show "The Magnificent Marble Machine" alongside fellow TV star Florence Henderson; his spot on a "best-dressed" fashion list for 1975; and his recently inked deal to headline a new NBC sitcom ("Snip," which was infamously canceled shortly before its American debut, and eventually aired on Australian television).
Finally, 91-year-old Mustin joins Carson and shares "the oldest joke he knows," which involves a Bible-related prank; why sex is simply "a lovely memory" for him; and disastrous dating tales from his youth. He then invites the Primetime barbershop quartet onstage and replaces the baritone for a rendition of "Sweet, Sweet Roses of Morn." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: December 5, 1975 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:24:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:82092
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AMC Gremlin automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Gillette Cricket cigarette lighters
- TV - Commercials - Kraft Squeeze Parkay margarine
- TV - Commercials - L'Eggs stockings
- TV - Commercials - Mars Milky Way candy bars
- TV - Commercials - Oil of Olay moisturizer
- TV - Commercials - Pillsbury's Best flour
- TV - Commercials - Revlon Intimate fragrance
- TV - Commercials - Rival crock pots
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Sunbeam Shavemaster electric shavers
- TV - Commercials - Sunbeam coffee makers
- TV - Commercials - Swift Premium sausage
- TV - Commercials - Taster's Choice freeze-dried coffee
- TV - Commercials - Tone soap
- TV - Promos - "McMillan and Wife"
- TV - Promos - "The Midnight Special"
- TV - Promos - "Weekend"
CREDITS
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Tommy Newsom … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Gallagher (see also: Leo Gallagher, Jr.) … Guest, Performer
- David Brenner … Guest, Performer
- Michael Caine … Guest
- Sean Connery … Guest
- Burt Mustin … Guest
- Primetime Barbershop Quartet, The … Guest
- Charles Antell
- Jerry Brown
- Gerald Ford
- Florence Henderson
- Peter O'Toole