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The Hollywood Reporter Today: Johnny Carson’s $156 million gift
Late entertainer gifts foundation from personal trust funds: Five years after Johnny Carson’s death, the iconic entertainer is still giving selflessly via his the John W. Carson Foundation, reveals website the Smoking Gun, which learned of the philanthropy from a tax return filed three months ago by the charitable organization. The iconic “Tonight Show” host set up the foundation in 1988, years before his passing in January 2005, and since then the charity has continued to receive a reported $156 million from a personal trust established by Carson. read more here…
I am grateful to one of Johnny’s “Tonight Show” co-producers – Jim McCawley – who mentored me in the TV Hosting Biz from 1987-1989 (including him guesting on my TV pilot for THE LAUGH PACK), and i was able to see the magic of the Tonight Show LIVE from behind the scenes, including watching the show with Robin Williams (from behind Camera 3) for which Jim won an Emmy. Unfortunately, Jim left us much too early when he passed away in 1997.~sb
The microphone that launched many Hollywood careers used by Johnny Carson while hosting The Tonight Show sold at auction for $50,787.50 in the 1980s - part of his legacy & fortune that still benefits others today. Long Live The King of Late Night!
R.2
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sarah nean bruce ≈ living in urbia… 
PS: funny that the Late Show with David Letterman was a REPEAT tonight of his celebration of 30 years as a talk show host (from June 23, 2010). Here are Dave’s “Top Ten Things I’ve Learned In My 30 Years As A Talk Show Host” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VmLkNkpYGo
June 23, 1980 – Dave, best known at the time as a frequent guest host for Johnny Carson on ‘The Tonight Show,’ brings his unique brand of comedy to NBC daytime with a talk show that played like a parody of a TV talk show. Daytime audiences don’t get it and the show flops – despite the introduction of “Stupid Pet Tricks” – and lasts just six months.
this is awesome man