Antenna TV has been running vintage episodes of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson over the last few months. Compared to today’s hyperactive late night talkshows, Carson has a coolness with a few routines and a whole lot of chatting with his guests. The people next to Johnny’s desks ranged from the iconic to a person with a potato that looked like Woodrow Wilson. It’s great to see the King in his castle. Now even more episodes have been unearthed as part of the 12 DVD The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: The Vault Years. The 12 DVD set is slated to be released October 4. Here’s the press release from Time Live
THE ORIGINAL KING OF LATE NIGHT
IS BACK WITH BRAND-NEW DVD
COLLECTIONS FRESH FROM THE VAULTS
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: THE VAULT SERIES
Not Seen Since Their Original Broadcast, THE VAULT SERIES (In Stores October 4) Features Some of the Most Requested Shows of All Time and Offers the Best of Johnny, Ed and Doc, Guests Like Bob Hope, Dean
Martin, Richard Pryor, Paul McCartney, Muhammad Ali and Bing Crosby, Unforgettable Animal Acts, Magicians and More in Multiple Configurations Including 3, 6 and 12-Disc Sets
Fairfax, VA (August 29, 2016) – Johnny Carson defined late-night television. For over 30 years, America watched together, laughed together, and sang together on the couch with the Original King of Late Night. Now, this fall, home audiences will be able to enjoy the very best of late night, any night, with THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: THE VAULT SERIES. The singular collections, new to retail and available in multiple configurations, feature Johnny and the inimitable Tonight Show crew in full episodes fresh from Carson’s vaults – including commercials!
Available on October 4, THE VAULT SERIES gives viewers the opportunity to relive the incomparable magic of a night with Johnny, Ed and Doc. These collections feature some of the best and most requested episodes from over 30 years and 4,000 shows – including material not seen by the public since the original broadcasts! Among the many highlights are the 10th and 11th anniversary shows and Johnny’s birthday episodes, a week of shows from March 1976, visits from Carnac the Magnificent and the Mighty Carson Art Players, and Johnny singing Rhinestone Cowboy astride a donkey.
Carson is also at his best bantering with famous friends including Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Richard Pryor, Muhammad Ali, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Sean Connery, John Denver, Peter Fonda, Charlton Heston, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Paul McCartney, Burt Reynolds, Don Rickles, Orson Welles, and many others. Hours of highly-entertaining bonus features are also included on the multi-disc sets, and feature bonus monologues, in-depth interviews, and additional clips with Lucille Ball, James Brown, Rodney Dangerfield, David Letterman, Joan Embery and her wild animals, the beloved Aunt Blabby, and a Hollywood stuntwoman demonstration.
THE VAULT SERIES retail DVD configurations includes a single disc release (2 shows; $14.95 srp), a 3-disc collector’s set (6 shows + nearly an hour of bonus features; $39.95 srp), a 6-disc collector’s set (12 shows + two hours of exclusive extras; $59.95 srp) and a 12-disc deluxe edition collector’s set (24 shows + over 4 hours of exclusive extras; $99.95 srp). Additionally, prior to the general release of THE VAULT SERIES, on September 13, Costco will debut an exclusive 6-disc set featuring 12 complete shows and over 2 hours of bonus features.
For over 30 incredible years, Carson paved the way for a late night TV revolution that will never be equaled. And THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: THE VAULT SERIES will give Carson fans, TV historians and late night aficionados alike the chance to once again watch an amazing talent and true American icon at the height of his powers.
About Time Life
Time Life is one of the world’s pre-eminent creators and direct marketers of unique music and video/DVD products, specializing in distinctive multi-media collections that evoke memories of yesterday, capture the spirit of today, and can be enjoyed for a lifetime. TIME LIFE and the TIME LIFE logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc
