By Steve Marinucci
Published on October 19, 2001, San Jose Mercury News (CA)
JOHNNY'S GREATEST HITS
'TONIGHT SHOW' DVD FILLS A VOID FOR CARSON FANS
Wher-r-r-r-r-re's Johnny?
It's hard to believe it's been more than nine years since Johnny Carson retired from ''The Tonight Show.'' He said goodbye to his late-night audience May 22, 1992, leaving a void that neither Jay Leno nor David Letterman -- nor anyone else -- has been able to fill.
NBC's recent ''50 Years of Late Night'' special included some Carson clips, but seeing a few only makes one long for more.
Now comes ''The Ultimate Carson Collection, Vols. 1-3'' on DVD, available (at $79.99) by calling (888) 908-9090 or via the Web site www.johnnycarson.com . The three-disc set includes more than three hours of classic moments, with comedy clips for each decade from the 1960s through the '90s; complete versions of the last two shows hosted by Carson; and the 1982 NBC prime-time special ''Johnny Goes Home,'' in which Carson revisited his Nebraska roots.
The by-decade clips are the highlight of the package. The celebrities range from Ed Ames, Jack Webb, Dolly Parton, Jay Silverheels and Steve Martin to Albert Brooks, Charles Grodin, Siskel and Ebert, Garry Shandling, JimmyStewart, Bette Midler, Robin Williams, Tiny Tim, Richard Dawson and Drew Barrymore.
Carson also liked to showcase up-and-coming comedians. Those seen in early appearances include Leno, Letterman, Bill Maher, Roseanne Barr and Eddie Murphy.
Many favorite Carson sketch characters are here, too, including Art Fern with his Tea Time Movie, Carnac the Magnificent (''Over 105 in Los Angeles -- Under the Reagan plan, how old will you have to be to collect Social Security?''). There's also Carson as Reagan in a classic bit that recalls Abbott and Costello's ''Who's On First?'' as well as clips from classic Carson monologues (''It was so hot today I saw a pigeon walking in the shadow of Orson Welles'').
One of the best things about the show was Carson's knack for finding guests who supplied their own often unintentional humor. The DVDs offer John Twomey's rendition of ''The Stars and Stripes Forever,'' using his hands, Jim Fowler and the San Diego Zoo's Joan Embrey with animals whose comic timing was perfect and many others.
Jeff Sotzing of Carson Productions (also Carson's nephew) says the retired host has been directly involved in putting together this set and the other videos offered through the Carson Web site. ''He has creative input with regard to everything; he has final call on whether it flies or doesn't fly,'' Sotzing says. ''He has input as to what he feels works and doesn't work, and we follow his guidance.''
Carson, who underwent open-heart surgery in 1999, is feeling fine these days, Sotzing says. ''He's doing very well. He's in really good shape.'' However, we needn't look for him in any new TV projects. ''He's retired; he's thoroughly enjoying his retirement,'' continues Sotzing. ''I don't expect him to do any new production whatsoever.''
As for extras, ''The Ultimate Carson Collection, Vols. 1-3'' doesn't disappoint. Fans will be especially pleased by behind-the-scenes and isolated camera clips, many shot during the show's final months. These focus on the creation of the monologue being created and the pre-show warm-up.
Those of us who watched the show being taped saw things TV viewers didn't. For example, when Carson was to appear, Ed McMahon would joke with the audience that ''the man whose name appears on the title of the show will actually host his own show tonight!'' Band leader Doc Severinson and producer Fred DeCordova would also get in on the jokes, many of which were too risque to be televised.
Among other DVD extras are a look at a history of ''The Tonight Show,'' a collection of the ''More to Come'' gallery cards shown around commercial breaks and magazine covers featuring Carson over the years.
Especially stirring is ''The Johnny Carson Story,'' a five-minute segment put together for the show's 25th anniversary, which contains a montage of rare clips from Carson's private life.
No fan will be able to watch the final ''Tonight Show'' without reaching for tissues. ''The Ultimate Carson Collection'' shows clearly why TV viewers loved him. And with everything that's happened lately, it's comforting to know we can once again kick off an evening of entertainment with, ''And now, her-r-re's Johnny.''
