The Tonight Show is a long-running American late-night talk and variety show airing on NBC, the third longest-running entertainment program in U.S. television history. The show's longest running hosts have been Johnny Carson (1962-1992) and Jay Leno (1992-2009, 2010-2014); other hosts include Steve Allen (1953-1957), Jack Paar (1957-1962) and Conan O'Brien (2009-2010); Jimmy Fallon became the host in February 2014.

The Muppets have a long affiliation with the program, dating back to 1956, when Jim and Jane Henson performed Kermit and Yorick performing "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face". This was the first of several performances of Henson's variety show pieces, which continued into the late 1960s.

Henson made several appearances in the mid-70s promoting The Muppet Show, performing many of his new characters -- Dr. Teeth appeared on the program twice in 1975, the Swedish Chef in 1976, and Link Hogthrob in 1977. In September 1976, just before the Muppet Show's premiere, Kermit introduced Carson to stand-up comedian Fozzie Bear.

Kermit filled in for Carson as the guest host on April 2, 1979, to promote the release of The Muppet Movie. The program became somewhat of a Muppet special, with other Muppet characters appearing throughout the show to disrupt things as Kermit tried to interview his guests -- Vincent Price, Bernadette Peters, Leo Sayer and veterinarian Dr. Michael Fox. The show was punctuated with several Muppet musical numbers: two Slinky-shaped Muppets danced to "Java", Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem performed "New York State of Mind", Peters sang "Just One Person" with Robin the Frog, Miss Piggy performed a duet of "When I Need You" with Sayer, and Kermit closed the show with a quiet performance of "Bein' Green". Statler and Waldorf appear in the audience to heckle.

The Muppets' appearances on The Tonight Show continued into the 1980s and beyond, including a 1989 appearance to promote The Jim Henson Hour. In the 1990s, host Jay Leno interviewed Kermit and Miss Piggy several times, with the Muppets appearing three times on the show in 1996.

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Tonight! (1953–1957)

Steve Allen hosted the program from 1953 to 1957, though his hosting duties were decreased when Allen's new show The Steve Allen Show premiered in 1956. The show originated for local New York City television in its first year, but was picked up nationally by NBC in September 1954. Andy Williams was the resident singer.

Appearances

The Jack Paar Show (1957–1962)

Following Allen's departure, the series changed hosts with Jack Paar taking the reins. Though officially still called The Tonight Show, it was also marketed as The Jack Paar Show.

Appearances

November 1, 1957 - The Muppets appear

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)

Johnny Carson took over hosting with Ed McMahon as his sidekick. For all but a few months of its first decade on the air, Carson's show was based in New York City. In May 1972 the show moved to Burbank, California, (although it was announced as coming from nearby Hollywood) for the remainder of his tenure.

Kermit the Frog guest hosted the show for Johnny Carson in 1979, while Grover performed "Near and Far" for the first time on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in the 1969-1970 season.

Appearances

September 6, 1965 - Kermit appears, along with Bill Cosby.[2]

December 31, 1965 - Two sketches were performed. In one a Whatnot continually knocks at bandleader Skitch Henderson's door as he gets drunk and sings "Let Me In". Immediately afterward, Kermit performed "The Glow-Worm" sketch with Big V. This episode was released on the DVD, TONIGHT: 4 Decades of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

January 13, 1966 - Performed "Money" and "Sclrap Flyapp."[3]

October 29, 1968 - Performed "Beautiful Day."[4]

1970 - Grover performs "Near and Far."

July 25, 1975 - Kermit the Frog (in a wig) and Yorick sing "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and Jim Henson discusses the art of puppetry with the help of Dr. Teeth. Henson explains that he cannot perform Kermit because he has a cold, so Dr. Teeth sings his own rendition of "Bein' Green".

September 14, 1976 - Jim Henson and Frank Oz perform a live sketch with the Swedish Chef, followed by a short interview with Kermit and Fozzie Bear. Jim Henson talks about his new series, The Muppet Show. He shows a clip of the "Rag Mop" number, with behind the scenes footage showing the puppeteers performing the Raggmopps.

September 13, 1977 - Kermit sings "Happy Feet". Jim discuss the second season of The Muppet Show, showing a full clip of "Pigs in Space" from episode 209. Carson does a short interview with Link Hogthrob.

July 12, 1984 - Johnny Carson interviews Miss Piggy to promote The Muppets Take Manhattan. A clip is shown from the department store scene with Joan Rivers. Piggy sings "My Funny Valentine" to Carson.

April 17, 1989 - Jim Henson and Kermit promote The Jim Henson Hour with guest host Jay Leno. A clip of Jacques Roach is shown. Other guests included Loretta Lynn and Tom Brokaw.

Mentions

November 2, 1979: During a monologue piece about Sweeps Week, Johnny mentions an upcoming episode of The Muppet Show where "Miss Piggy exposes her loins."

References

In Episode 0560 of Sesame Street, Big Bird hosts a show that opens with an offshoot of Carson's famous theme music. He asks for a music cue from "Skitch," referencing Skitch Henderson (bandleader during Steve Allen's tenure, and then with Carson from 1962 until 1966).

Cookie Monster spoofed Johnny Carson with Guy Smiley playing Ed McMahon in a Tonight Show parody shown in the 1974 special Out to Lunch.

Kermit took the place of Johnny, with Miss Piggy as a guest in the 1982 Hallmark calendar The Muppets Look at TV.

The Sesame Street video, Learning About Numbers, has a framing story with Big Bird hosting a Tonight Show-esque program. He at one point calls out "Tommy" in the band, referring to Tommy Newsom, saxophone player for the band and occasional band director and substitute for Ed McMahon.

Frequent guest host Jay Leno appeared in a Sesame Street skit with Big Bird. When Big Bird learns that his friend "Johnny" is unable to come play, Jay appears to sit-in for Johnny (something he says he loves doing). Leno fills Johnny's chair and the two play "One of These Things." Afterwards Big Bird remarks that "he really was good at sitting-in for Johnny."

Footage from The Tonight Show was edited into the Muppet Babies episode "I Want My Muppet T.V.", when Baby Piggy imagines appearing on the show (which she refers to as "The Johnny Carson Show").

In Episode 4025 of Sesame Street, Aladdin's Genie takes the day off. He poofs himself into a golfing outfit and exclaims, "Heeeere's Genie!" while swinging his club.

The Sesame Street sketch "Baby Talk," a talk show hosted by Natasha, featured two specific references to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The segment's theme, played by an all-baby band, was a spoof of "Johnny's Theme." The announcer (Jerry Nelson) also introduces the host saying "Heeeere's Natasha!"

Episode 4173 of Sesame Street featured two inserts in which Big Bird presents Snuffy (by saying "Heeeeeeeeere's Snuffy!"), followed by a short riff of "Johnny's Theme".

A picture of Kermit with Johnny, Ed and an unidentified guest is seen in Kermit's office in The Muppets.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992–2009, 2010–2014)

Johnny Carson retired in May 1992 and was replaced as host by Jay Leno. Branford Marsalis was the original bandleader of the show from 1992 to 1995, Kevin Eubanks was the bandleader for the program from 1995 until 2010; he was replaced by Rickey Minor from 2010 to 2014.

Appearances

c.1993 - As promotion for the 1993 album Muppet Beach Party, Kermit and Clifford made an appearance with Branford Marsalis, Kevin Eubanks, and The Tonight Show band, to sing "Under the Boardwalk".

June 21, 1996 - Miss Piggy promotes In the Kitchen with Miss Piggy.

November 12, 1996 - Kermit the Frog.

December 31, 1996 - Miss Piggy reports live from the roof of the Mariott Marquis Hotel in Times Square to watch the ball drop.

1999 - Kermit the Frog promotes Muppets from Space.

November 4, 2011 - Miss Piggy promotes The Muppets; Mickey Rourke gropes her.

References

Leno and Eubanks appeared in "The Cameo Show" episode of Muppets Tonight. Leno volunteers to help out on the show, but Bobo turns him down because he doesn't recognize him as someone famous—however, he does recognize Eubanks (of whom he is a big fan).

Mentions

May 25, 2009 - Leno shows a sequence of clips with Mel Gibson, after which they comment at how young and good-looking they were. "In ten years time we'll be sitting here looking at this going 'hey, we looked real good!' We'll be looking like the hecklers on The Muppet Show or something."

October 3, 2011 - During "Headlines" Leno shows a newspaper article with a photo of the walk-around versions of Cookie Monster and Elmo checking out a newly renovated men's restroom.

The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009–2010)

Mentions

September 18, 2009 - Conan shows a clip of Barack Obama's speech with clips of Statler and Waldorf heckling.

November 5, 2009 - Conan shows guest Jim Carrey a montage of clips from various adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" to show Carrey that his 2009 film is not the first time the Dickens story has been made into a movie. The montage included clips from The Muppet Christmas Carol.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014-present)

Appearances

June 18, 2015 - Elmo serves as the guest announcer and shows how to make recipes from the book, Let's Cook! ,

August 14, 2015 - Big Bird (performed by Noel MacNeal) appears in segment for a game called Phone Booth.

January 14, 2016 - Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Count von Count and Ernie appear in the "Celebrity Photobomb" piece.

August 4, 2017 - Rudy appears during the "Thank You Notes" segment.

January 7, 2019 - Kermit sings "Rainbow Connection" and promotes the "Doodle for Google" contest.

February 11, 2019 - Big Bird appears to promote the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street and the show's various outreach projects.

December 19, 2019 - To celebrate the show's 50th anniversary, the Sesame Street Muppets (Big Bird, Elmo, Grover, Ernie, Bert, Rosita, Oscar, the Count, and an Anything Muppet bus driver) performed a rap variation of the "Sesame Street Theme" with Tariq Trotter and Fallon.

Mentions

Connections

Video releases

Respond2 Entertainment released Tonight: 4 Decades From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, a 15 DVD boxed set with the full length December 31, 1965 - Woody Allen, The Muppets episode on October 26, 2010.[7]