JOHNNY CARSON

John William “Johnny” Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years (1962–1992). Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992, and received Kennedy Center Honors in 1993.
Although his show was already massively successful by the end of the 1960s, it was during the 1970s that he became iconic of American society and the "best guest" in almost all American families up until his retirement in 1992. Also, Johnny Carson is credited to have molded modern television shows the way we know them now, transitioning the format from Ed Sullivan's era of post-war variety display where the host was merely an announcer of acts, to today's standards, and the blueprint he gave to the figure of the comedic host is now easily recognizable in the likes of David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, and a multitude of similar personalities that are still struggling to fill his longtime vacant position.