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Comedian Joey Bishop Dies at 89
18 October 2007 (WENN)
Comedian Joey Bishop, the last surviving male member of Frank Sinatra's legendary "Rat Pack" who appeared in such films as Ocean's Eleven and Sergeant's 3, died Wednesday night of multiple causes at his home in Newport Beach, CA; he was 89. The Bronx-born Bishop pursued a career in stand-up comedy both before and after World War II, and caught the attention of Sinatra during a Manhattan gig in 1952. Soon after, Bishop was opening for Sinatra's concerts nationwide, and also began appearing in films and on numerous talk shows. He also became a famed member of Sinatra's Rat Pack, which also consisted of Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Dean Martin (Shirley MacLaine is also considered something of an honorary member). The male quintet appeared in the 1960 crime caper Ocean's Eleven, and performed nightly at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas during filming; the next year, Bishop was asked to be the emcee for President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball (produced by Sinatra). Away from the Rat Pack, Bishop starred for four years in the sitcom The Joey Bishop Show, which ran from 1961-65. He was also a frequent guest, and guest host, for such TV talk show kings as Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, and briefly had his own talk show in the late 60s. Bishop made fewer and fewer appearances throughout the 70s, occasionally popping up on a variety of television shows ranging from Match Game to Murder, She Wrote, and in a few films, the last two being Betsy's Wedding (1990) and Mad Dog Time (1996). Bishop is survived by his son, Larry.

Merv Griffin: 1925-2007
12 August 2007 (IMDb News Flash)
Merv Griffin, the entertainer who started out as an actor and singer but found fame as a talk show host and a successful businessman, died Sunday of prostate cancer; he was 82. Griffin had been inititally diagnosed with cancer in 1996, and it was just announced recently that he was battling it again. Griffin started out as a singer in San Francisco, and soon became successful enough to start his own record label and launch a performing career; he scored a number one hit with the novelty song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." His nightclub performances brought him to the attention of Warner Bros. studio, and he later was featured in a handful of films in the early 50s, including So This Is Love. He also appeared on a number of game shows and talk shows, and his stint as a substitute host for Jack Paar on The Tonight Show led to an offer for his own talk show in 1962. The Merv Griffin Show ran until 1986, won numerous Emmy awards, and made him a permanent fixture on television screens across America as the host of one of the biggest talk shows of the era. Griffin earned his fortune, however, by inventing and producing two of TV's biggest game shows, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, both of which skyrocketed in popularity when going into sydication in the 80s. At one time, Griffin owned the largest entertainment company owned by a single person, and he sold Merv Griffin Enterprises to Columbia Pictures Television for $250 million upon retiring. He also was a successful real estate magnate, who bought and refurbished the Beverly Hills Hilton and acquired Resorts International. Griffin, who was married to Julann Griffin from 1958-1976, is survived by his son, Tony. --Mark Englehart, IMDb staff

Talk Show Legend Johnny Carson Dies
24 January 2005 (WENN)
Legendary TV host Johnny Carson died Sunday morning in his Malibu home after a three-year battle with respiratory disease emphysema. He was 79. Carson shot to fame in 1962 when he replaced Jack Paar as the host of NBC's Tonight Show, which he left in May 1992 after three decades as one of America's best-loved presenters and four consecutive Emmy Awards. The Nebraska native made his first TV appearance when he was just 14-years-old, as a magician on The Great Carsoni, and returned to the small screen with comedy show Carson's Cellar after Navy service in World War II. He went on to host numerous TV quizzes and variety shows, most notably The Johnny Carson Show, before hosting daytime game show Who Do You Trust, where he was joined by Ed McMahon, who became his Tonight Show sidekick. Carson's nephew, Jeff Sotzing says, "Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning. He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service." Carson leaves behind his fourth wife Alexis Mass and two sons. Read IMDb.com's obituary for Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson Dies at 79
23 January 2005 (IMDb News Flash)
Johnny Carson, who became a cultural icon by staying up late with America for thirty years as host of The Tonight Show, died early Sunday morning; he was 79. Carson's nephew, Jeff Sotzing, issued a brief statement to the Associated Press, saying that Carson was surrounded by family at his passing and that there would be no memorial service. No further details, including location or cause of death, were given. Born in Iowa and raised in Nebraska, Carson began his career in radio before moving on to television, where he worked for game shows and wrote for comedian Red Skelton's comedy show. It was during his tenure for Skelton that Carson got his big break, going on for the comedian one night when Skelton was injured backstage. His snappy patter, boyish good looks, and spot-on timing got him various jobs hosting game shows and variety shows, as well as a gig subbing for Jack Paar on The Tonight Show in 1958. When Paar left the show in 1962, NBC named Carson his successor, and he reigned over the late-night airwaves for thirty extremely successful years, winning six Emmys, a Peabody award, and ultimately the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992.

Paired with sidekick Ed McMahon, who opened The Tonight Show with the legendary "Heeeeere's Johnny!" salutation, Carson achieved a kind of showbiz royalty that put him at the top of Hollywood heap; dubbed the "king of late night," he was a mammoth figure on the cultural landscape, hosting innumerable guests from all walks of life and charming audiences with his opening monologues and comedy skits, including a long-running gag as "Carnac the Magnificent." Numerous attempts were made to topple him from his throne, but none could come close, and his rampant success often made salary negotiations with NBC most difficult for the network, and in the early 80s he became the highest-paid television performer in history. Reducing his schedule, Carson brought in a number of up-and-coming comedians to ease the workload, among them David Brenner, Joan Rivers, and Jay Leno, who would ultimately succeed him in a controversy that also included the seeming heir apparent, David Letterman. Carson also performed in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and hosted the Academy Awards five times. Carson was married four times, including a marriage to Joanna Holland in the 80s that prompted a notorious divorce case and innumerable alimony jokes on his show. After retiring in 1992—a television event that had a host of celebrities bidding him a fond and sad farewell—Carson traveled extensively and lived a wealthy and quiet life of retirement, eschewing a number of offers to appear again on television. Carson is survived by his fourth wife, Alexis, and two sons from his first marriage; a third son, Ricky, died in a car accident in 1991. --Prepared by IMDb staff

Winfrey Gives Leno a Sweet Treat
29 September 2004 (WENN)
Oprah Winfrey provided a special treat for Jay Leno, when she surprised him with a huge cake to commemorate his talk show's 50th anniversary. The talk show queen received a standing ovation from the live studio audience at yesterday's taping of The Tonight Show as she waltzed out with the sugar-filled gift, which had the faces of Leno's predecessors - Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson - etched onto it, as well as the comedian's own image. Winfrey explained, "I wanted to be able to return the favor because you were there for my 50th (birthday)." When she declared that the cake had "only 10,000 calories" in it, Leno scooped some of the icing from the top of it and fed it to Winfrey, prompting her to declare, "That is more sugar than I've had in 10 years!" But Leno gave Winfrey something even sweeter when he shared a brief kiss with her before responding, "That's more sugar than I've had all day!" Leno also announced his plans to step down from presenting the show in 2009, when Conan O'Brien will fill his shoes.

Legendary Talk Show Host Jack Paar Dead at 85
28 January 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Jack Paar, who is often credited with inventing the present-day late-night talk show when he took over as host of The Tonight Show in 1957, died in Greenwich, CT Tuesday at age 85. Critics often maintained that no talk-show host ever commanded the intelligence, sophistication and edge that Paar brought to an interview. He quit the show in 1962 and was succeeded by Johnny Carson.

Talk Show Host Jack Paar Dies at 85
27 January 2004 (WENN)
Jack Paar, the man who revitalized The Tonight Show in the late 50s and became a late-night television icon, died today at his home in Greenwich, CT after a long illness; he was 85. Though he only hosted The Tonight Show for five years, beginning in 1957, Paar was an instant hit with his quirky sense of humor and ability to engage celebrities in a manner that transcended the standard talk show patter. Among his most famous guests were Muhammad Ali (still Cassius Clay back then), Judy Garland and presidential candidate John F. Kennedy in 1960. Paar ended his career as abruptly as it began, leaving The Tonight Show in 1962; he was succeeded by another TV legend, Johnny Carson. His later career saw him on the small screen in fits and spurts, but he exacted a kind of retirement in the 70s. He is survived by his wife and daughter. –Prepared by IMDb staff

Buddy Hackett Dead at 78
1 July 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Comedian Buddy Hackett, a veteran comedian who got his start in the Catskill mountains' "Borscht Belt" but is probably best remembered for his guest appearances with Jack Paar and Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show, died Monday at his home in Malibu at the age of 78. The cause of death was not disclosed.