That last 40 seconds of this with the music and Johnny winking at the camera as the stage lights go down on the empty set really brought a tear to my eye...that was truly the end of an era...

Like Jerry Seinfeld said Carson didnt just leave The Tonight Show, he packed it up and took it with him!

I watched The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in my teens till he retired in 1992. I grieve his and Ed's passing, as well as Tommy Newsome, and Ed Shanunnasy, and I STILL LOVE DOC, as always, through the years , and into the next century and more. Johnny's life was a true drama, and success story, one of scandal and truth, of jokes and celebrity, and the most popular show to be watched by so many, it can never be forgotten. Regardless of unknown private human flaws and things not associated with the show, Johnny and the whole Tonight Show family will forever live in our hearts. Truly wonderful memories.

It was a pleasure to view this tape. The magic has left the building.

Doc Severinsen is still going strong what an unbelievable talent.

Thank you Johnny. My Mom and I would stay up at night and watch you...Your show brought us laughter, joy and closeness. Mom died at age 51 in 1975...I was 23, I am now 66 watching clips on KZfaq thinking of my Mom and you Sir...Thank you for the beautiful memories and laughter you brought us.

Johnny had a class and presence that has really never been duplicated in a late-night television host.

I was in the audience in the autumn of 1984, seated six rows behind Ed McMahon at his microphone for the “Heeeeere’s Johnny” introduction. What an experience that was. This brought back nice memories.

If I could only talk to Johnny Carson for only 30 seconds, I would shake his hand and thank him for the years of entertainment he provided for me and my family.

The Master of the Tonight Show, a gentleman and he was who set the standard that no other host has been able to come close to.

I remember coming home from work and watching Johnny with my wife on our small black and white. It was a regular routine for us in the early 70s. The simple years for us anyway.

Johnny Carson will always be the one and only and the BEST!!!!!

Johnny was the best. No one even comes close to his class.

I really do miss those days. Johnny and Dave (his NBC show) were staples of my daily late night routine. No one will ever be better than Johnny. Ever!

To me still the greatest show TV has ever seen. 👏👏👏👏

I watched the show every night during summer vacation when I was a teenager in the 70's. Most of the kids I knew never heard of Carson but for me it was almost like family.

I had the high privilege of attending a "Tonight Show" taping in August 1988. After the show, I was out on the Alameda sidewalk and saw Johnny get in his car to leave. I yelled "Good job, Johnny!" He smiled and waved to me just before getting in his car. No, they DON'T make 'em like Johnny anymore.

Seeing the typewriters and reel to reel tapes sure brought back memories. Like the great Eddie Money once said.... "I want to go back And do it all over But I can't go back I know I want to go back 'Cause I'm feeling so much older But I can't go back I know". Thanks for the memories Johnny!

Oh, man, that was hard. Caught me off guard. We Boomers soooo miss you, Johnny.

I watched the show regularly since I was 13 till it ended I'm 60 now Carson said one of the keys to his success was.... always make your guests look good. Simple winning formula Carson broke the mold

For some reason I can't stop watching 4:10 to 4:15. That had to be the greatest feeling hearing yourself announced and walking out to all that applause and cheering

I missed seeing Carson by few years and made it to LA to see a taping with Jay. I still loved every minute of it. I got to shake Jay's hand out by the side gate. Nice guy. Still Carson and the Tonight Show were one in the same. Even Allen and Parr didn't hold a candle to the man. Johnny was pure class and an expert like no other with handling any guest.

Wow. That show was like a well oiled machine after so many years

Simply, the best. Johnny Carson was a class act. Period

This is AWESOME. Thank you for posting. I remember staying up late as a teenager and watching this on KNBC in Johnny's last days. Johnny Carson will always be the King of Late Night!

Fortunate to be there 1989-1990. An amazing show. Unreal in person. Never used to it. Loved Johnny but went to hear Doc and the TSO.

When I moved to the States in 1976 I was told "watch Johnny Carson" each night and you will learn English faster. I did and I got hooked big time. He is missed !

A friend in the industry from NY came to LA and got us in to see the show. Front row. I could lean over before it started and read Johnny's monologue which was taped to the small wall in front of us. Great experience. Dennis Quaid was one of the guests.

I love that behind the scenes segment awesome! Johnny Carson was the best RIP! The ending brought tears too my eyes!

Their is an old saying; "you don't know what you have until it is gone" Damn I miss this Crew....

What a great thing we all shared.

I have to watch these clips because I grew up on watching Johnny. The King of Late night ALWAYS!

Wonderful memories of this great guy who lightened our days for so many years. RIP Johnny Carson and thanks for the many years of laughter and entertainment.

Grew up watching Carson. He had more talent than all of todays talk show hosts combined. No equals. Johnny was the best.

If everyone one of us could do just 1 thing as well as Johnny did Carson, the world would be a much better place.

It's hard to believe that Johnny would get nervous before every show. That's probably one reason why he was so good.

tvnewsjunky--thanks for the post of this timeless gold. 1992 is long ago enough to have that vintage feel, yet I recall it distinctly. Your clip made me go back and remember what I was doing in 1992. That shot of Johnny parking his car and walking in is nice.

I attended two of the shows in the 1980’s. They were wonderful experiences.

Johnny reminds of my youth times long gone. Anytime I watch a clip I'm instantly transformed to being a 12 year old kid again.

This piece is fantastic. Could have been 90 minutes and it still would have captivated. Very enjoyable viewing. Thank you for it.

That was great. I haven't seen that in probably 20 years. Johnny was incomparable.

Thanks Johnny and everyone else that helped make this show what it was, THE BEST !

I'd give absolutely anything in the entire world to be able to go back in time to, presumably, February 19, 1992.

Wonderful tribute to a truly great, genius entertainer, and a thoroughly amazing life. Sure he was flawed in some ways, ... we all are, ... but Johnny was a superb entertainer and comedic mind and wit. For 30 years: he was King. ... and when he walked away: he didn't need to "stay addicted to the applause." Rest in peace, Johnny.

Got to see one tonight show live years ago about 80-81 very different to see it in person. You see a little more for instance every band member was individually announced as they came on stage. You could read the Q cards before Johnny told the jokes. He was definitely a master host and showman, as Ed McMahon said once Johnny was a class act all the way! I got lucky and happened to be there the night Bob Hope was also there so i saw 2 Hollywood Greats at once other guess included the women from BJ and the Bears. and a comedian that i have since forgotten though you know he had to be pretty good to get on with Carson. Took the studio tour there once also very interesting.Thanks for sharing this with fans and who isn't a great fan of this man? Far out man!!!

I get so sad watching this because it reminds me of how much we lost when Johnny retired.

Yep..........,a lump in the throat. His retirement and passing was like losing one of my most loved family members. You never stop missing people like Johnny.

25 years ago johnny left the tonight show. May 22 1992. . He still number #1. It was one ov his worst times in life. When you let something go .when he woke up the next day looked out the window with probably tears in his eyes worst gut feeling you have when you leave something or someone for so long and sed its over. for me . but he's legend. he he still lives on. and we all will remember who was king ov late night tv.

Thank you for sharing this with the world... appreciated.

Back in the 1980s my wife and I were one of the lucky ones who were able to get into the theater before it filled up for the TV show. We went early the previous day and stood in line to get tickets. We were told, however, that holding a ticket didn't guarantee a seat. It was first-come-first served. On the day of the show, we made it a point to get to the studio very early. So we waited. About forty minutes before we were let into TV studio, which was just a local NBC TV station, a young man came by with index cards and told us to ask Johnny a question that he might read on the air. It was one of the most unusual experiences of my life when Johnny read my question. He read my name and asked where I was. I was so nervous I stuttered. When my wife and I got back to our hotel room I watched the show, which came on at 11 p.m., California time, and saw and heard Johnny answer my question. We called home to see if we could find anyone who could tape the show for us but nobody had a camcorder. Luckily, a few weeks after we got home that particular show as played again and I was able to record it. I knew what show it was because I remembered who the guests were and the suit Johnny was wearing. He had on this very long tie and he was making fun of it. The tape is somewhere in a storage box and will somebody attempt to find it.

I still miss him! Thank God for Antenna TV. I get to watch him again. He was the best. The younger generation will never understand how great he was because they don't even know who the guests were, as most of them are gone.

The Tonight Show's golden/platinum age was when it was aired from Burbank. Carson will always be missed. I sadly was born after Carson's run (my birth year is 1996). So I grew up with Carson's successors (Leno and Letterman). But I am glad to see the Carson stuff on KZfaq and Antenna TV (I turn to Antenna Tv when I'm not in the mood to watch what's on Fallon, Kimmel, or Colbert). I love watching James Corden's Late Late Show because Corden is funny to me. To be honest, Carson will be the eternal king of Late Night. Leno and Letterman are the Dukes. James Corden, in my opinion, lives up to the tittle of Prince. Back to Carson, I enjoyed the Carnac the magnificent bits a lot as well as the monologues. There's a bit I like about the show. Fallon's version of the Tonight Show honestly falls flat in comparison to his two predecessors. I wish that the classics were more appreciated by folks of my age group. Nothing will ever be like the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.

once carson retired i started to go to sleep earlier,no reason to stay up anymore

Incredibly cool place to end your evening, he had the best guests, what a change from today's mediocracy.

My goodness, those were wonderful day's. What is going on today is so untalented. Not all, but a whole lot.

So cool seeing this! I don't know if anything was created like this (behind the scenes etc.) for Jay Leno, but so much of that looks familiar. I used to do on-camera Acting (I was sort of one of the Jay's version of "Art Carson players" actors) and then did voiceovers (for TTSWJL) from about 1997 through 2007 and used to have fond memories of wandering those same hallways, getting my delicious flavored coffees, etc. before I would go in the booth (to record) from the backstage area there, etc. I miss those days - fond memories.

Part of the greatness and kindness at the height of American Television....Carson, what a gift!

Johnny has never been equaled as far as a night show is concerned. He may have not been a nice person in real life, but he was superb at his one job! No one has been able to compare then or now.

Grace class and the touch of the American Spirit The Tonight Show... is this represented a time when America still have class I cry for the children today... yes America had major problems then but it was a time when we could laugh at ourselves

I was a contestant hopeful for the daytime version of 'The Weakest Link.' They brought us contestants in through the 'Artist's Entrance' seen here, past the giant billboards of Carson and into a large rehearsal room. Later, they took us onto the set of Weakest Link and we all stood in a circle when our 'tour guide' told us we were standing in the old Carson studio, that NBC had built a new studio for Leno. Someone asked where Carson did his monologue from, and the guy pointed straight at me and said "right where this man is standing."

He was the Great One!! Watched him so much back then. It came on at 11:30 pm and I had to work but the show was so fun to watch and I stayed up. Dragging butt at work the next morning! Thanks Johnny!!!

Today is 23-Mar-18-----Johnny seems to be here even now. 26 years later it seem as though Johnny and Company have remained in our thoughts. Who really knows what made a Johnny Carson? Many thanks to YOU TUBE for having this venue.

I wish my cable company would run complete Tonight Show's, there is atleast one that does. For me, the Tonight Show ended May 22nd 1992.

What a guy! He was down-to-earth, but he still drove a hot car!!

What an interesting and special insight into the behind the scenes prep of the TONIGHT SHOW. In all the years I watched that show I never saw this side of it. It is very complicated, involving many people and so very professional CARSON was, is and will always be the KING of late night TV...nobody else comes close and it is so great that because of the magic of KZfaq a whole new generation of people can enjoy Carson even though he is gone. I absolutely LOVE this KZfaq platform...ties the whole world together.

Yup, Johnny was the best! RIP Funny man! Love you!

truly, a icon that will never replace carson

I remember watching Johnny in te late 60's through the 70's and after married ito the 80's So many laughs and I saw so much talent! Yes, His kind of show man ship is gone! Late nite today is politics and I hate it!! RIP Johnny! You were the best!

"When Johnny returned to the air after his son Ricky died. I've studied that tape like the Zapruder film, where Carson did this tribute at the end of the show, talking about his son, a nature photographer, who had died when he was shooting on a mountain and his car rolled over him and took him down the mountain. So Carson goes through a normal show with no mention until the very end. He's clearly going a little bit long with the tribute, but there are all these majestic nature shots, and Carson is talking about his son-heart-wrenching. Carson was never so naked on the air. And then his eyes start darting over to where Freddie is, and you can see a little register of annoyance. I learned later that Fred was over there actually giving him the 'Wrap it up' sign [to indicate that the show was running over]. That was July 1991, so what happened next was Johnny exploded in the after-show meeting in his office. He took Freddie off the floor, and he was never allowed back on. That was the deathblow."

WHAT A PRIVELADGE IT WAS TO BE ALIVE WHEN JOHNNY WAS ON.

I was surprised this show began taping at 5:30p, it always felt like it was nighttime to me. I enjoy watching all the re-runs on my free app Tubi.

So many moments (especially monologue jokes) from this show are burned into my mind. It will always be a part of me.

Miss those years!

Wow!! Truly amazing footage , thank you for sharing this.

Back then, it was about graciously making your talented guests look talented whereas today, most hosts are about themselves, their opportunity to shine in the spotlight. It's a tough job to be supportive more than take center stage... Johnny, knew this, lived this.

It is sad that many of his shows had been erased , but many of the NBC Stations around The U.S. kept the tapes of the shows , so it is very enjoyable to be able to watch the old shows . I was born in 59 , so I did not get into his show until the late 60's and early seventies , I still recall the 71 New Years Eve show with Shecky Green , it was great . My story is a total it sucks story , my girl called her friend in Studio City , she had a friend that worked at NBC , her friend arranged for us to have VIP passes to see the studio and watch one of the last Carson shows , anyway The Rodney King riot's happened , so no show ,after we had flown all the way down From Toronto , Ontario up in Canada to see Carson . Although we did get to go to on a Universal Studio tour.

Always is and always will be the king of late night talk

I miss you Johnny. "I'll be seeing you..."

This is so nostalgic! ONLY (1)JOHNNY CARSON and Doc Severinsen&Ed McMahon!!

Respect respect respect from and to everybody , artiste, staff , everyone, thats was another history

This was big time show biz at its finest.

No One Can Ever Replace The Great Johnny Carson ! R.I.P.

How wonderful a memory. I don't stay up so late anymore or watch much TV.

Nobody will ever be Johnny Carson again

30 years. 30 years. Folks grew up with him after their parents grew up with him. He was shy and he was a hard, tough boss. But I loved Johnny. When they turned that camera on, he was the king. Great stand up. Classic sketch comic. Great conversation guy. He was the king of late night. It wasn't just a label. He WAS late-night for 30 years.

Those were magical times. The talent starting with Johnny Carson to Ed McMahon to Don Rickles & right through the rest of those amazing guests of that epic show has long past gone. It’s very sad in a way, but we have you tube to re live all of that magic.

That is so remarkable. How did he do it, with that quality, all those years? Nothing like it.

Head and shoulders above the talentless talking heads on TV now.

Johnny Carson was the best!!! R.I.P. Johnny.

I so hated to see him retire!!! There never was, nor will there ever be anyone as good as he was for 30 years.

I use to sit up from 11 30 till 1am week nights to watch him when he was in New York and then Burbank CA I know I seen 80 percent of his shows I don't believe he's gone and so is Ed God bless Johnny I miss you

Miss Johnny Carson 😊😊😊

What a Special Man!! Love Classic Style!! One and Only!!

Thank you for posting this.

carson is a true legend

Miss you Johnny😢😪

Something he did extraordinarily well was how he handled a "failed" joke. When a joke got more groans than laughs, his reaction was shock and chagrin so open and genuine that you felt an even stronger connection to him. Then he'd find a joke that would get a great laugh and it was a triumph.

Nostalgia to the max - a very different time - thanks Johnny -

With the level of energy he still had and the ability he had to captivate an audience, I wish he had gone on for another five or ten years doing the show.

RIP Johnny..... you gave more than you took.