The Most Iconic and Memorable Late Night Talk Show Appearances

Late night talk shows have been around since the 1940’s, coming out of the popular variety shows of the time. In 1954, the first version of The Tonight Show, then called Tonight Starring Steve Allen debuted, spawning many more modern talk show staples that have continued to this day, including celebrity interviews, opening monologues, audience participation, musical performances, and comedy bits. Things took off and hosts like Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Joan Rivers, David Letterman, and Jay Leno all became household names, paving the way for more recent hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Stephen Colbert, Graham Norton, and more. Here are some of the most memorable moments on late night talk shows throughout the years.

Madonna

Madonna made her very first late night talk show appearance in June 1987 when she appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Her appearance was noted for her highly flirtatious behavior, and many pointed out that just a few months after the interview aired, she embarked on her world tour, so her over the top behavior was all part of the plan.

Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch has always been so charming, and her appearance on Dick Cavett’s show proved that. With her amazing outfit and style, she truly had a memorable appearance. Welch is best known for her role in One Million Years B.C., and for appearing on the poster in just a deerskin bikini, becoming a memorable star.

Janis Joplin

Before her tragic untimely death, Janis Joplin was one of the biggest stars in music. One of her last TV appearances was on The Dick Cavett Show, where she appeared with her signature round glasses, countless bangles, colorful hair, and a hippie outfit. She was only 27 years old when she passed away.

Adrienne Barbeau

Adrienne Barbeau first appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson when she was only 27 years old. As her appearance took place two weeks before Christmas in 1974, they spoke about gifts. She stunned Carson when she shared that she had received encyclopedias, car repair products, and a fire extinguisher as gifts from her lovers.

Donna Summer

Donna Summer appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in November 1979. Her appearance on the show was memorable because she made a very clear point: anything men can accomplish, women can accomplish as well. She also shared that she was very skilled with fixing cars, and Carson said that most women aren’t inclined to do such things, to which Summer put in him in place.

Zsa Zsa Gabor

Zsa Zsa Gabor’s appearance on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson helped make the game of Twister into a huge hit. They actually played the game, which had been released earlier that year by Milton Bradley, live on air, helping it skyrocket in popularity after a less than stellar initial release.

Doris Day

Singer and actress Doris Day was on an episode of The Tonight Show back in 1974. She talked about the many famous co-stars she’s worked with, including Clark Gable and James Garner, as well as being an animal welfare activist.

Cassandra Peterson

Cassandra Peterson had quite the memorable appearance on The Tonight Show when Joan Rivers was one of the guest hosts. On the Halloween 1985 episode, she showed up as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Peterson’s gothic vampire alter-ego that she starred as in films and cameo appearances including on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Ann Margret

Ann Margret appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and on that 1972 episode she opened up about being taken seriously in her acting work. It was interesting to hear, especially since she had earned five Golden Globe awards as well as more nominations, including for Academy and Emmy Awards.

Susan Anton

Susan Anton appeared on the Merv Griffin Show and captivated the audience. The actress became known for her appearances in Muriel Cigar commercials and later in guest roles in popular TV shows like Baywatch and The Love Boat.

Carol Wayne

Carol Wayne was beloved as a sidekick on many TV shows, and was especially known for playing the ditzy Matinee Lady on The Tonight Show‘s Art Fern Tea Time Movie sketches, appearing in over 100 shows over 13 years. When the show’s run time was reduced, her role was cut, and she ended up spiraling into a bad place of financial troubles and substance abuse.

Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1990. He  was able to congratulate her for breaking The Beatles’ record of number one hits. In addition to her memorable interview, she always performed for the audience, stunning them with her performance of “I’m Your Baby Tonight.”

Yvonne Craig

Yvonne Craig became quite well known for her appearance as Batgirl, so much so that she actually showed up to her interview on The Merv Griffin Show in 1967 decked out in her full costume. She didn’t break character and spoke out about women’s rights, emphasizing equal pay, while on the show. She has always used her platform to speak out on the issue.

Judy Landers

When Judy Landers appeared on The Tonight Show, she made a confession to Carson that we are sure that he quite enjoyed. She admitted that she had a crush on him! She was starring in BJ and the Bear when she appeared on The Tonight Show, and she shared that she could actually drive a big rig.

Diane Lane

Diane Lane was only 18 when she first appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She appeared in order to promote her film Rumble Fish, and her appearance was noted because she refused to kiss Carson on the cheek. When he asked her what she did on her 18th birthday, she said she spent most of the day doing laundry.

Farrah Fawcett

Farrah Fawcett was one of the most popular women on TV in her time, with countless women trying to replicate her feathered hair, and countless men placing posters of her in the famous red bathing suit on their walls. She appeared on The Tonight Show after she left her role on Charlie’s Angels, and she discussed her rising star in the entertainment world.

Robyn Hilton

Robyn Hilton went on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1974 in order to promote her film Blazing Saddles. However, her appearance is of note because she put him in her place after Carson made some offensive comments about her. When he said that her career was built on her being a beauty queen contestant, she answer point blank that she “didn’t believe in beauty pageants.”

Jayne Kennedy

Jayne Kennedy was especially impressive because she broke down barriers as an African American woman way before it became more common. She is an actress, dancer, pageant winner, model, TV personality, sports broadcaster, and public speaker. She spent three years on The Dean Martin Show, and then became one of the first NFL announcers as host of Greatest Sports Legends.

Marlo Thomas

When Marlo Thomas appeared on Phil Donahue’s daytime talk show, she described it as love at first sight. Three years later, the pair were married. When she appeared on the show, their chemistry was clear to everyone, and towards the end of the segment, he let everyone know how much he enjoyed her appearance on the show. She said that whoever the woman in his life is is very lucky, not knowing that it would one day be her!

Connie Stevens

Connie Stevens was known for her appearance on Hawaiian Eye as “Cricket.” She is also a singer, known for sons like “Sixteen Reasons.” She was very popular overseas, so her 1975 appearance on The Tonight Show was meant to help her become more well known with a North American audience. She is the mother of Joely and Tricia Leigh Fisher, as well as step mother of Todd Fisher and the late Carrie Fisher.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn’s bubbly personality and bright smile captured everyone’s hearts, and after winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, she became a household name. Despite being an award winning actress, she was often typecast as a dumb blonde, so she decided to set the record straight while on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Dolly Parton

Johnny Carson was known for pushing the envelope, which is why many people felt that he had acted in an inappropriate way with Dolly Parton while she was on The Tonight Show. However, she handled her appearance with grace and went on to continue to appear on the show. However, Carson definitely made too many references to her physical appearance as opposed to her talent.

Loni Anderson

Although Carson had garnered the reputation for being controversial, he still managed to get the most beautiful Hollywood bombshells to appear on his show. This included Loni Anderson, who was best known for her role on WKRP in Cincinnati. The show’s producers admitted that they had hired her for her looks, as she reminded them of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield.

Shari Belafonte

Actress, model, and singer Shari Belafonte is the daughter of Harry Belafonte. She worked as a production assistant and publicist before she went on to appear in the popular series Hotel. She then appeared on The Merv Griffin Show, sealing her as popular in her own right and not just her father’s daughter.

Sonny & Cher

When Sonny & Cher’s song “I Got You Babe” became a radio hit, they hit the talk show circuit, including The Merv Griffin Show in 1969. The singing duo were also a couple, and audiences loved them so much that they went on to have their own TV show called the Cher Comedy Hour that ran from 1971 to 1974.

Charo

Charo, whose full name is Maria del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, is a singer, actress, comedian, and flamenco guitarist who is best known for her exuberant personality, strong Spanish accent, and her catchphrase cuchi-cuchi. She regularly made appearances on talk shows like The Tonight Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Merv Griffin Show.

Cher

In 1979, Cher joined in as co-host on The Mike Doulas Show, initially for a week. She was able to showcase her talents and prove to the world that she was not just Sonny’s sidekick but a talented star all on her own right. We think it really did the trick.

Deana Martin & Tina Sinatra

While The Dean Martin Show had countless amazing guests, one of the most noteworthy were Deana Martin and Tina Sinatra, the daughters of famous fathers Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. They joined their fathers in 1967 for a rendition of The Sound of Music’s “Do-Re-Mi.

Joey Heatherton

Joey Heatherton was at the peak of her fame during the 1960’s and 70’s, shocking audiences with many performances both on stage and on screen. Johnny Carson could never be scared away, and he invited to his show in 1963. She taught him how to dance, and the episode was so popular that she was invited to the inaugural episode of The Dean Martin Show that aired a year later.

Dean Martin

While Jerry Lewis was considered to be the “King of Comedy”, Dean Martin took on the role of the King of Cool. Together, they became two of the most successful comedy duos ever. Dean Martin went on to host The Dean Martin Show, which ran for 264 episodes over nine years.

Elke Sommers

German actress Elke Sommers co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show for a week in February 1972. After she fled Germany during World War II, Sommers made a name for herself as an actress, appearing in over 100 TV and film roles.

Grace Slick

When Jefferson Airplane performed on The Dick Cavett Show in 1969, their lead singer, Grace Slick, became the first person to say “the F word” on TV, sending censors into full panic mode. She uttered the word while singing their song “We Can Be Together,” and it shocked audiences, Cavett, and viewers all around. This incident led to TV censorship as we know it.

Jean Shrimpton

British model and “it girl” Jean Shrimpton became one of the best known women in the 1960’s, so it’s no surprise that when she wasn’t spending time on the fashion runway, in advertisements, or TV in general, she was appearing on late night talk shows as well.

Judy Garland

In 1962, Judy Garland appeared on The Tonight Show with Jack Parr. Her interview was quite candid, and she discussed her childhood and her early years in acting. She went on to become a household name when she starred in The Wizard of Oz.

Jack Douglas & Reiko

Jack Douglas was a comedy writer who wrote for Red Skelton, Bob Hope, and for TV show Tommy Riggs and Betty Lou. He and his third wife Reiko made regular appearances on late night talk shows, where Reiko capitalized on America’s fascination with anything that seemed “exotic.” She pretended not to speak English, though she was fluent, and she wore traditional Japanese clothing for TV appearances.

Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick is only second to Aretha Franklin with songs that were included in the Billboard Top 100, tying with Franklin for most charted female singer of all time. When she appeared on The Dean Martin Show, she decided to act in a comedy skit alongside Martin instead of performing songs.

Joan Crawford

After she appeared in psychological thriller Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Joan Crawford appeared on The Merv Griffin Show, where she received a standing ovation from the audience. While she was a fan-favorite, her cast mates had a different opinion of her, as was told in the tell-all book Mommie Dearest, written by her adopted daughter.

Bette Midler

Bette Midler’s appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson was notable because it was the final episode of the show. She was joined by Robin Williams. Midler serenaded Carson with several songs. The episode, which aired on May 21st, 1992, was so emotional that it ended up winning an Emmy Award.

Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers, who was known for speaking her mind, was the host of The Late Show with Joan Rivers and later The Joan Rivers Show. She became the first woman to host a late night network TV talk show. She was truly a pioneer of women in comedy.

Elizabeth Taylor

Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor became one of Hollywood’s most successful stars of all time, but she actually considered stepping away from that world. She ended up staying, and continued to be one of the most successful women in the business. She was a late night talk show staple, appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson multiple times.