TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {MARY TYLER MOORE, ANTHONY NEWLEY, BEVERLY JOHNSON} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. His guests for this program are actress Mary Tyler Moore, singer Anthony Newley and mountaineer Beverly Johnson.

In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: "weird" sights in Burbank; President Jimmy Carter's visit to Wall Street; former president Gerald Ford's world travels; a heated gubernatorial debate between California governor Jerry Brown and opponent Evelle J. Younger; Walter Cronkite's recent birthday; the wedding of Nixon aide John Ehrlichman; Ugandan president Idi Amin's desire to settle a dispute with Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere in a boxing match; the activism of the "Fat Liberation Front"; and the upcoming marriage of heiress and kidnap victim Patricia Hearst. Carson then announces that comedian Tim Conway is holding a celebrity golf tournament for charity in which several "Tonight Show" faces, including bandleader Tommy Newsom, will participate.

The first guest, Moore, takes the stage and chats about Carson's voice-only appearance in a seventh-season episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"; her admiration for his commitment to learning his lines without the aid of cue cards; the cast's difficult decision to end the show after seven seasons to explore "other challenges"; her fondness for performing and for the "love and affection" provided by audiences; her poor academic performance in school; her upcoming role as a breast cancer survivor in "First, You Cry" (1978), based on the memoir by Betty Rollin; whether she ever abandon her sunny personality and loses her temper; her interest in the field of medicine; the correlation between intelligence and humor, including Carson's schoolboy hijinks; the many awards won by "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"; and the show's debut and positive reception in China.

Next, Carson and the Mighty Carson Art Players perform a sketch about politicians, in which Carson first portrays a candidate whose speech is helpfully interpreted in a voiceover, revealing the true meanings behind his grand promises. Following this, a confused constituent attempts to vote on a bizarre machine, another candidate tries to appeal to multiple races at once, and a newscaster gives an all-too-personal editorial about an upcoming vote.

Next, Newley sings "Life is a Woman," and then joins Carson to discuss his "expressive" hand gestures while singing; many fans' and artists' imitations of his style; his participation in a television special about parenting, for which cameras arrived at his home in the early hours of the morning; his views on overpopulation and why prospective parents should first be tested on their abilities; his children's disinterest in pursuing show business; his recent birthday and discussion of the song "Happy Birthday To You," which is not in the public domain; and his frequent use of cue cards, owing to his inability to remember his own lyrics. Newley then performs a song of his own creation, "The Man Who Made You Laugh."

Finally, Johnson joins Carson onstage and discusses being the first woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park alone; how she began her career in mountain-climbing, including her use of the book "Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills"; the importance of good training and knowing one's own abilities; details of her ten-day ascent, including how she accomplished personal "daily things" while on the rock face; her determination to "beat the weather," having encountered storms on past climbs; the challenges of sleeping in a hammock and carrying heavy packs; methods for combating loneliness while climbing alone; her plans to travel to Antarctica and participate in a "human dogsled" adventure; and why she was more nervous for her "Tonight Show" appearance than for the climb itself. Video footage is shown of her El Capitan ascent, as well as other climbs. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: November 3, 1978 11:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:15:45
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:86729
  • GENRE: Talk/Interview
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Alpo dog food
    • TV - Commercials - Aris Isotoner gloves
    • TV - Commercials - Bell System telephone services
    • TV - Commercials - Delta Airlines
    • TV - Commercials - Gallo wines
    • TV - Commercials - Libby's canned fruits
    • TV - Commercials - McGraw-Edison Speed Queen washing machines
    • TV - Commercials - Pillsbury Frosting Supreme
    • TV - Commercials - Presto Fry Daddy cooker
    • TV - Commercials - Purina Dog Chow dog food
    • TV - Commercials - RCA ColorTrak television system
    • TV - Commercials - Scott's Liquid Gold Finis furniture polish
    • TV - Commercials - Simmons Beautyrest mattresses
    • TV - Commercials - The JCPenney Cotton Shaper pantyhose
    • TV - Commercials - Today's Girl pantyhose
    • TV - Commercials - Van de Kamp's frozen fish
    • TV - Commercials - Weyerhaeuser wall paneling
    • TV - Promos - "Centennial"

CREDITS

  • Fred de Cordova … Producer
  • Peter Lassally … Associate Producer
  • Dick Manley … Commercial Producer
  • Bobby Quinn … Director
  • Raymond Siller … Writer
  • Michael Barrie … Writer
  • James Mulholland … Writer
  • Mickey Rose … Writer
  • Pat McCormick … Writer
  • Norm Liebman … Writer
  • Hal Goodman … Writer
  • Larry Klein … Writer
  • NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
  • Doc Severinsen … Conductor
  • Johnny Carson … Host
  • Ed McMahon … Co-Host
  • Anthony Newley … Guest, Performer
  • Mary Tyler Moore … Guest
  • Beverly Johnson … Guest
  • Idi Amin
  • Jerry Brown
  • Jimmy Carter
  • Tim Conway
  • Walter Cronkite
  • John Ehrlichman
  • Patricia Hearst
  • Richard Nixon
  • Julius Nyerere
  • Betty Rollin
  • Evelle J. Younger