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10 Episodes 1983 - 1984
Episode 2
Wed, Oct 5, 198338 mins
For the comedy segment, Johnny first reads from a letter he received from the sweepstakes for which Ed is a spokesman, promising that if he wins he will meet Ed and receive the prize on The Tonight Show. He then reads from some letters sent by a viewer who responded to a Moral Majority mailing as his dog, signing with a paw print. The dog received a membership card, and further letters from the dog could not stop the mailings. Sean Connery talks about returning as James Bond in "Never Say Never Again", pointing out he started as Bond in 1962, the same year Johnny took over The Tonight Show. They discuss some Bond trivia, such as Connery singing in "Dr. No". He describes his difficulty doing an underwater scene, and a clip is shown. He also says this will be his last Bond film. Keenen Ivory Wayans is making his first appearance on "The Tonight Show"; he does a stand-up comedy routine. Tania Maria performs.
Episode 3
Fri, Oct 7, 198391 mins
Johnny looks at forgotten moments from the show's past. Bob Newhart (Newhart (1982)); James Stephens (The Paper Chase (1978)); Weleetka, Oklahoma police chief Ronnie Porter discusses his small town's lack of a reliable police car.
Episode 14
Tue, Nov 1, 1983
Johnny reads the greatest fears of some Missouri sixth-graders. David Brenner performs stand-up and is interviewed; Estelle Parsons (play "A Sense of Humor").
Episode 17
Tue, Nov 8, 1983
The comedy segment is several miscellaneous items sent by viewers, including a picture of Horace Greeley that resembles Johnny, a news article about a man who asks random women to spank him, the origin of the word "gig", and a chain letter. Barbara Walters explains that she agreed to come on "The Tonight Show" because Johnny did an interview for her upcoming special; she also says he has great legs. Then she talks about interviewing famous people, and says she gets a Christmas card every year from Fidel Castro. She also says she is less competitive than she used to be. As a little girl she wanted to be a tap dancer. She then discusses the progress women have made in television. David Steinberg recalls the awkwardness of his first sexual experience. He mentions that he has been married eleven years, and talks about when he introduced his Italian wife to his Orthodox Jewish family, and the prejudices they held. He then talks about some current events, including the invasion of Grenada, and the way politicians label things. Johnny then kids Doc about the fact that the band's scheduled medley, which they have had ready for six weeks, will again be postponed. Finally, a clip from Steinberg's film "Going Berserk" is shown.
Episode 24
Thu, Nov 17, 198342 mins
Ernest St. George is a 92-year-old inventor. He first talks about his experience in vaudeville; he played New York's Palace Theater twice. He created his act to be able to emigrate from Australia to the US, as performers were accepted more readily than electricians. He says he has been watching "The Tonight Show" since Johnny became host. His first marriage lasted 65 years; his second marriage took place when he was 87, three days after they met. He then tells about his inventions, including an aerial reconnaissance camera used during World War 2. He says he has made millions of dollars more than once, but always lost and spent it all. He worked as a projectionist at age twelve. He says he plans to write a book. Next comes the comedy segment, with Johnny portraying William F. Buckley as a guest announcer on Monday Night Football; Stu Nahan is the play-by-play man. Jerry Seinfeld does a stand-up comedy routine, mostly about movie concessions, doing laundry and shower annoyances. He then sits down briefly with Johnny, talks about his car stereo being stolen, and tells jokes about crime. Lynn Redgrave talks about her father Sir Michael Redgrave, who has just published his autobiography. She recalls appearing in a play with Dame Edith Evans, who had an earlier affair with her father. She then talks about meeting their husband when they co-starred in a TV production in which his character was gay, and says that she had a crush on James Mason when they co-starred in "Georgy Girl". Redgrave then discusses how her father's mood mirrored the role he was playing at the time. She talks about growing up in a theatrical family with no television, with her sister Vanessa and brother Corin creating plays in which they played American politicians and she often played servants. Finally, she mentions her upcoming TV production of "Antony and Cleopatra". She also explains that she is promoting her father's book in he U.S. because he is unable to travel due to his Parkinson's disease.
Episode 29
Thu, Nov 24, 198341 mins
For the Thanksgiving Night show, Johnny and Ed recall a live Thanksgiving broadcast of their earlier show "Who Do You Trust?", when Ed was delivering a serious monologue about Squanto and the Pilgrims, and Johnny stood just off-camera and tried to break Ed's concentration with ongoing comments about Squanto's personal life. Johnny also answers questions from the audience. Robert Blake makes general comments about Thanksgiving. He talks about cutting his own hair, and how he started going gray at age 20, and Johnny relates his own history of coloring his hair before abandoning the idea; his father also had gray hair by his late 30s. Blake currently is under contract to a studio, getting well paid, but they don't give him any work. He also says he is thankful for a higher power giving some key guidance, relating how he almost got into a fight with someone needling him at the gym, but an inner voice told him to back off. He notes that the incident brought back memories of kids bullying him because of his movie career, which they thought made him a sissy, and Johnny comments on how childhood events often influence adult behavior, sometimes subconsciously. Blake also discusses his current lack of romantic involvement, and contrasts the locals of Beverly Hills with everyday people in more rural areas. Jim Carrey makes his first appearance on US television, doing a stand-up series of impressions ranging from Elvis to Leonid Brezhnev and various film and TV stars, ending with Kermit and Miss Piggy. Bud Greenspan shows blooper reels from college football, since he is working on a project about the Heisman Trophy.
Episode 40
Fri, Dec 9, 198342 mins
For the comedy segment, Johnny plays psychologist Dr. Joyce Sisters, discussing the Cabbage Patch Doll mania. Charles Grodin refuses to talk about his new film "The Lonely Guy" or his next projects. He and Johnny have their usual tense repartee, comparing notes on playing women and discussing Grodin's frugality, private nature and reticence. Grodin mentions his daughter's talents as a comedy writer, which leads to a humorous revelation. He then comments on his holiday plans. Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding do a sketch of a sports reporter interviewing a world champion "low jumper". During their brief interview, they mention their new book "From Approximately Coast to Coast: It's the Bob and Ray Show" and winning the Peabody Award for the third time; they also talk about exchanging gifts. Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier credits support from his parents for his success. He says that his ability as a running back is a gift from God that he is trying not to waste, and praises his coach Tom Osborne for developing his talent. He says that he chose Nebraska because they treated him as a person rather than simply as a player, and stuck with him when he had to do a year of junior college due to his grades. He also discusses his future in pro football.
Episode 43
Thu, Dec 15, 198390 mins
David Howitzer offers holiday advice for consumers. Mel Brooks (To Be or Not to Be (1983)); Teri Garr talks about the effect of success on her life.
Episode 108
Wed, Mar 21, 198490 mins
The comedy segment is Carnac the Magnificent. Jerry Lewis talks about receiving the Legion of Honor from France, and interjects jokes, voices and such. He also talks about his double bypass surgery and says he now eats much healthier (no fast food hamburgers) and has stopped smoking. He talks about his new film "Slapstick of Another Kind", and a clip is shown. Dabney Coleman, after paying homage to Jerry, talks about having attended the Virginia Military Institute. A clip from "Buffalo Bill" is shown. The band performs a number on air, Duke Ellington's "Happy Go Lucky Local". Tommy Newsom did the arrangement, and is featured along with Doc Severinsen.
Episode 127
Fri, Apr 27, 198490 mins