Carson, Leno, Letterman – legendary hosts that changed late-night television.
Through good times and bad, they gained America’s trust and kept the country laughing. But it wasn’t all laughter all the time. From secret deals to broken promises, some of the most dramatic stories were the ones that didn’t play out in front of the television cameras.
The Story Of Late Night is a six-part CNN Original Series, produced by Cream Productions, that will take viewers on a journey back in time through present day of late-night television’s most memorable moments.
Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Chelsea Handler, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers, Amber Ruffin, Lorne Michaels, Desus + Mero, Whoopi Goldberg, along with countless industry insiders give first-hand, behind-the-scenes accounts of an art form that changed the face of television forever.
Series One, Episode One: Inventing Late Night
At the dawn of the TV era in the 1950s, Steve Allen’s zany spontaneity turns Tonight into a hilarious and unexpected hit.
But in the early 1960s, it’s Jack Paar’s captivating, quirky personality and Johnny Carson’s impeccably hip humour that transform late night from a shot in the dark into an enduring television staple.
