Late Night Legend Carson Dies

Johnny Carson, the "Tonight Show" host who served America a smooth nightcap of celebrity banter and droll comedy for 30 years, died Sunday. He was 79.

"Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning," his nephew, Jeff Sotzing, said. "He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable."

He did not provide further details, but NBC said Carson died of emphysema at his Malibu home.

The boyish-looking Nebraska native with the disarming grin, who survived every attempt to topple him from his late-night talk show throne, was a star who managed never to distance himself from his audience.

His wealth, the adoration of his guests — particularly the many young comics whose careers he launched — the wry tales of multiple divorces: Carson's air of modesty made it all serve to enhance his bedtime intimacy with viewers.

"Look where I am now, and, you know, had he not been there I don't think any of this would have happened," Everybody Loves Raymond star Ray Romano told CBS News Early Show National Correspondent Hattie Kauffman.

Between his debut as "Tonight Show" host on October 1, 1962 and his final show May 22nd, 1992, Carson walked out to deliver his monologue 4,531 times.

But America never tired of him; Carson went out on top when he retired in May 1992.

Long-time sidekick Ed McMahon said Sunday that Carson was "like a brother to me."

"Our 34 years of working together, plus the 12 years since then, created a friendship which was professional, family-like and one of respect and great admiration," McMahon said in a statement. "When we ended our run on 'The Tonight Show' and my professional life continued, whenever a big career decision needed to be made, I always got the OK from 'the boss."'

Carson's personal life could not match the perfection of his career. Carson was married four times, divorced three. In 1991, one of his three sons, 39-year-old Ricky, was killed in a car accident.

Nearly all of Carson's professional life was spent in television, from his postwar start at Nebraska stations in the late 1940s to his three decades with NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Carson choose to let "Tonight" stand as his career zenith and his finale, withdrawing into a quiet retirement that suited his private nature and refusing involvement in other show business projects.

In 1993, he explained his absence from the limelight.

"I have an ego like anybody else," Carson told The Washington Post, "but I don't need to be stoked by going before the public all the time."

Carson spent his retirement years sailing, traveling and socializing with a few close friends including media mogul Barry Diller and NBC executive Bob Wright. He simply refused to be wooed back on stage.

"I just let the work speak for itself," he told Esquire magazine in 2002.

"All of us who came after are pretenders. We will not see the likes of him again," said David Letterman, host of CBS' "Late Show."

Carson did find an outlet for his creativity: He wrote short humor pieces for The New Yorker magazine, and he sent jokes to Letterman for his monologue.

Carson's quickness and his ability to handle an audience were impressive. When his jokes missed their target, the smooth Carson won over a groaning studio audience with a clever look or sly, self-deprecating remark.

Competing networks tried a variety of formats and hosts to challenge Carson, but never managed to best "Tonight."

In the '80s, Carson was reportedly the highest-paid performer in television history with a $5 million "Tonight" show salary alone. His Carson Productions created and sold pilots to NBC, including "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes." Carson himself made occasional cameo appearances on other TV series.

He also performed in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was host of the Academy Awards five times in the '70s and '80s.

Born in Corning, Iowa, and raised in nearby Norfolk, Nebraska, Carson started his show business career at age 14 as the magician "The Great Carsoni."

After World War II service in the Navy, he took a series of jobs in local radio and TV in Nebraska before starting at CBS station KNXT-TV in Los Angeles in 1950.

There he started a sketch comedy show, "Carson's Cellar," which ran from 1951-53 and attracted attention from Hollywood. A staff writing job for "The Red Skelton Show" followed.

The program provided Carson with a lucky break: When Skelton was injured backstage, Carson took the comedian's place in front of the cameras.

Producers tried to find the right program for the up-and-coming comic, trying him out as host of the quiz show "Earn Your Vacation" (1954), the variety show "The Johnny Carson Show" (1955-56), but it was his talent as a quiz show host on "Who Do You Trust" (1957-62) that caught the eye of "Tonight Show" producers, reports CBS News Correspondent Jerry Bowen.

After his retirement, Carson took on the role of Malibu-based retiree with apparent ease. An avid tennis fan, he was still playing a vigorous game in his 70s.

On the occasion of Carson's 70th birthday, former "Tonight" bandleader Doc Severinsen, who toured with musicians from the show, said he was constantly reminded of Carson's enduring popularity.

"Every place we go people ask 'How is he? Where is he? What is he doing? Tell him how much we miss him.' It doesn't surprise me," Severinsen said.

Carson won a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 1992, with President George H. W. Bush saying then: "With decency and style he's made America laugh and think." In 1993, he received the Kennedy Center Honor for career achievement.

The family is not planning to hold a memorial service.