TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {FERNANDO LAMAS, MERIE EARLE, STEVE MARTIN, KENNY ROGERS} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are musician Kenny Rogers, comedian Steve Martin, actor Fernando Lamas, and octogenarian actress Merie Earle.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: the extreme heat wave, for which announcer Ed McMahon is inappropriately attired; the stages of smog alerts in Los Angeles; a wedding in the NBC commissary; a visit from Italy's Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti; Gerald Ford's latest golf-related mishap; and the rise of human life expectancies. Carson then reads out a number of recent "psychic" predictions found in tabloid magazines, ranging from theoretical celebrities marriages to Bigfoot surprises, and then adds a number of even stranger guesses put forth by NBC's own team of "clairvoyants."
The first guest, Rogers, performs "Morgana Jones," and then joins Carson to chat about his recent trip to Saudi Arabia, where tourist visas are currently forbidden; the "fascinating" people and their antiquated lifestyles; performing for non-English-speaking audiences; the country's extremely low gas prices; dramatic car crashes caused by unusual traffic rules; and his photography hobby and interactions with many different local people. He also performs "Daytime Friends" from his new record of the same name.
Next, Martin performs a stand-up routine including an abbreviated version of "Mack the Knife"; becoming a "Vegas kinda guy" now that he's performing in casinos; and his advice for aspiring criminals. He then tells Carson about the "Comedians' Financial Disclosure Law" and reads off some details of his own spending habits.
Lamas takes the stage and discusses whether actors' habit of quickly highlighting their recent projects stems from insecurity; whether he has ever engaged in "legitimate, honest work"; his challenging directorial efforts and why he generally gets along better with women than men on set and off; his "roguish" romantic past; his thoughts on jealousy and strong dislike for sycophantic "flatterers"; and his fondness for swear words and skepticism that they "lose their potency" with frequent use.
Finally, Earle joins Carson and his guests and discusses her own thoughts on profanity, including the time she "shocked her minister"; her small role in the film "Mad Bull" (1977) and her thoughts on wrestling; why her professional acting career, which only started in 1967, has not radically changed her life; receiving fan mail from eager viewers; an upcoming "hot date"; her memories of the disastrous Prohibition years; and her upcoming appearances on "All in the Family" and "The Waltons." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: July 26, 1977 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:15:33
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:84400
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - 9 Lives Square Meal cat food
- TV - Commercials - American Standard plumbing fixtures
- TV - Commercials - Crystal Vanish toilet bowl cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Excedrin P.M. painkillers
- TV - Commercials - Fantastik household cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Heinz ketchup
- TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Kraft Squeeze Parkay margarine
- TV - Commercials - Nestea teas
- TV - Commercials - Nestle cookie mix
- TV - Commercials - Pepto-Bismal stomach medication
- TV - Commercials - Pillsbury Frosting Supreme
- TV - Commercials - Purina Variety Choice dog food
- TV - Commercials - United Airlines
- TV - Commercials - WaterPik One Step at a Time smoking cessation products
- TV - Promos - "Eight on the Lam"
- TV - Promos - "Tomorrow"
- TV - Promos - "Tut: The Boy King"
CREDITS
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Tommy Newsom … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Kenny Rogers … Guest, Performer
- Fernando Lamas … Guest
- Merie Earle … Guest
- Steve Martin … Guest
- Giulio Andreotti
- Gerald Ford