Antenna TV is resurrecting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, beginning 1/1/2016 and running seven nights a week. Since NBC still owns a trademark on "The Tonight Show," it will be re-branded as just Johnny Carson.
http://affiliate.zap2it.com/tv/johnny-carson/EP02309962?aid=antennatv
It looks like these are going to be full episodes–which perhaps have not been seen in their entirety since they aired. In the late '90s, my brother and I often watched a half hour syndicated package of Carson-era monologues, sketches, and interviews under the title "Carson's Comedy Classics" . If nothing else, it helped to introduce quips from Carnac and Art Fern into our vernacular a generation later.
With the legal issue over the show's name, I wonder if they'll have to paste over the title card where Ed McMahon says "From Hollywood...the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson."
Quote from: briantroutman on December 30, 2015, 11:39:49 AM
With the legal issue over the show's name, I wonder if they'll have to paste over the title card where Ed McMahon says "From Hollywood...the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson."
They could always do what happened with the Lawrence Welk show and just create a new opening sequence.
Watching him was my favorite part of the college years, where I would stay up cramming and turn on his show for entertainment. It's a sad coincidence that he retired the same year I graduated from UCLA (1992).
I haven't watched The Tonight Show since Carson left. I never cared for Jay Leno and it's all gone downhill from there.
Quote from: briantroutman on December 30, 2015, 11:39:49 AM
In the late '90s, my brother and I often watched a half hour syndicated package of Carson-era monologues, sketches, and interviews under the title "Carson's Comedy Classics" . If nothing else, it helped to introduce quips from Carnac and Art Fern into our vernacular a generation later.
His Floyd R. Turbo character was awesome! :D
That syndication package aired in the mid-1980s. I used to watch it each evening on the ABC affiliate in Poland Spring, ME (Portland/Poland Spring TV market).
Cool, this will be a great experience for those too young to have seen Carson like that. For instance, me. I've seen dozens and dozens of clips over the years, but never anything close to a full show.
And since I'm strongly considering not getting cable/satellite with my new abode, that will be something good to watch on over-the-air TV.
I just hope they don't do that stupid cropping to 16x9 that's been happening to many of our older TV shows. It's dumb. Just leave the black bars on the sides. These shows were all made in 4:3. When they crop them to fit 16x9, you're losing part of the picture.
Antenna TV is a 4:3 SD channel. Any shows I've seen on the channel via WTIC-TV channel 61-2 of Hartford have been presented that way.
Like with WKRP In Cincinnati, I wonder if music clearances was one of the things holding a show like this up?
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on December 30, 2015, 09:08:29 PM
Antenna TV is a 4:3 SD channel. Any shows I've seen on the channel via WTIC-TV channel 61-2 of Hartford have been presented that way.
Same with WPHL-TV channel 17-2 in Philadelphia.
Sis-Boom-Bah
Describe the sound made when a sheep explodes
@ PHLBOS: Tribune also owns channel 17 of Philadelphia, hence why Antenna TV is on channel 17-2. :)
(I believe they also own WPIX-TV channel 11 in New York City.)
Quote from: US71 on December 31, 2015, 05:44:36 PM
Sis-Boom-Bah
Describe the sound when a sheep explodes
Just saw the Antenna TV linkie from the OP. Two things I noticed: the listings indicate no chronological order (for example, if you watch a Monday Carson, you're not likely to see the next day's Tuesday ep the next day), and, the Sat/Sun showings will be the older 90 minute eps while the ones during the week will be the more recent 60 minute shows.
Should be interesting to see how these do in the ratings. I wonder if Paul Anka will get any royalties this time around (he wrote the theme song, for those who don't know), or will Antenna even show any of the opening pre-monologue?
I missed the premiere Friday (was watching a SNL JT marathon), will need to check it out this week
I watched the early part of last night's (Sunday) episode (saw a little bit of the interview with guest Bob Hope prior to going to bed) as it aired at 10 PM EST. I knew that the episode was from the early 70s (given that Johnny's hair wasn't yet completely grey and the various Nixon/Kissenger references).
Johnny's reference to Freddie Prinze's launching of a new show (it wasn't mentioned but it was Chico and the Man) for the upcoming NBC TV season homed the original air-date at the early fall (September) of 1973.
Update: they're not being aired in chronological order. Last night's (Tuesday's) episode was from October 9, 1986; a small date caption is briefly shown just before Johnny delivers his monologue.