Johnny Carson
During World War II, Carson served in the United States Navy. After the war, he started a career in radio, then moved to television and took over as host of the late-night talk show ''Tonight'' from Jack Paar in 1962. Carson received six Primetime Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.
Carson remained an American cultural icon even after his retirement in 1992. He adopted a casual, conversational approach with extensive interaction with guests, an approach pioneered by Arthur Godfrey and previous ''Tonight Show'' hosts Paar and Steve Allen, but enhanced by Carson's lightning-quick wit. A cultural phenomenon, Carson is widely regarded as the King of Late Night Television. Former late-night host and friend David Letterman, as well as many others, have cited Carson's influence. Provided by Wikipedia