The Tonight Show. By Brian Cooper and Ashley Faecher

Transcription

1 The Tonight Show By Brian Cooper and Ashley Faecher

2 Background The Tonight Show is the broad name used to describe the many versions of the late night comedy talk show on NBC over time. It was developed in the early 1950s and is still running today. The show is targeted to everyone, not one specific audience. The show is comedy based but also includes more serious topics, especially brought up in satire or in the interviews.

3 Basic Facts Show ran from- October 1954 to present Developed and produced by- Sylvester Pat Weaver Ran on-nbc Hosts Steve Allen, 1957-July 1957 Jack Lescoulie, July Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, Conan O Brien, 2014-present Jimmy Fallon.

4

5 Format of the Show The show combined a nightly monologue by the host, comedy sketches, musical guests, and celebrity interviews. This in many ways resembled a variety show. This format has stayed relatively the same of the over its many seasons. However, each host brought a new aspect the the show through their personality

6 How Was the Show Recieved? When the show was released with Steve Allen in 1954 it was a success and the show was given In 1957, when Jack Lecoulie took over as host ratings dropped dramatically. The show had been renamed and remade as a news and feature show. The show was dropped by several NBC affiliates The show was returned to its former format with Jack Paar and ratings rose again Ratings spiked once Johnny Carson took the position as host. However once late night comedy shows became popular there was an influx of many late night comedy-talk shows took viewership down a bit due to increased competition.

7

8 How Did The Show Influence TV Beyond its Time? Steve Allen and Jack Paar laid the foundation for the show, but Carson perfected the formula for a late night talk show Johnny Carson s Tonight show established the format of the modern late-night talk show. According to Carson s obituary in the New York Times: Throughout his career, Mr. Carson was instrumental in changing some of the bedrock ways television operated. Carson had a relaxed yet fun stage presence that made his guests and his viewers feel comfortable and have a good time, revolutionary at the time. First late night talk show where politicians felt comfortable to go on. Established the foundation for Saturday Night Live. Now, the show is the standard against all others in its genre are judged.

9 What kind of person would watch The Tonight Show today? The show has changed slightly with every host yet it has always been targeted to all ages. Recently, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon has attracted the same viewership by the older audience while also gaining much more of a younger fan base than it previously owned.

10 Bibliography The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Archive of American Television. Web. 17 Nov Thompson, Robert. "Tonight." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 8. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, U.S. History in Context. Web. 16 Nov "Tonight Show Becomes an American Institution, September 27, 1954." Historic U.S. Events. Detroit: Gale, U.S. History in Context. Web. 16 "The Tonight Show American Television Program." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 18 Nov