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Steve Allen: Renaissance Man of Late-Night Television
April 15, 2014 @ 1:15 PM - 2:30 PM
This event is not open to the general public.
Steve Allen: Renaissance Man of Late-Night Television
The Tonight Show has been a mainstay of American life for over 50 years. Each of the permanent hosts have stamped American culture in unique, distinctive, and memorable ways.
Who was the greatest host in the history of the Tonight Show? That is a matter of personal opinion, of course. But in terms of sheer influence on the direction and the look of late-night television talk shows, the choice would probably have to be Steve Allen. If you love when Johnny Carson did his memorable “Carnac the Magnificent” routine, you may not know that it was a direct copy from the Steve Allen routine called “The Answer Man.” Jay Leno was famous for “Jaywalking.” It was a clever routine – and directly copied from Steve Allen. In fact, when Steve Allen appeared on the Tonight Show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the program, Jay Leno knelt and kissed his ring!
Steve Allen: Renaissance Man of Late-Night Television
As the first host of the Tonight Show, he helped to shape our expectations of late-night television. But he was far more than just a superb comic broadcaster. This amazing man wrote over 75 books, over 5000 songs, appeared in major movies, won awards as a producer, lectured on philosophy, history, and ethics, and was an accomplished jazz musician. There is simply nobody in the history of show business who can approach Steve Allen’s amazing range of talent and intellect. We will look at rare film clips, listen to hilarious stories, and enjoy examples of Steve Allen’s music. I will also add numerous personal anecdotes about my acquaintanceship with Steve Allen.
This is one of my favorite presentations! I know you will love it.