The Johnny Carson Show - Season 1

← Back to All Seasons of The Johnny Carson Show
Catch Up With the News

1 - Catch Up With the News

Air Date: June 30, 1955

In the series premiere, Johnny imitates Edward R. Murrow in a spoof of Murrow's Person to Person program featuring Johnny's first wife Jody and their three children. In Catch Up With the News, Johnny plays a roving reporter.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

4 - Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Air Date: July 21, 1955

Johnny imitates Walter Cronkite, takes a look at the pitfalls of marriage, and parodies Goldilocks And The Three Bears and You Are There.

Life in the 80's

9 - Life in the 80's

Air Date: August 25, 1955

Sketches include a spoof of the Russian ballet, Catch Up With The News and a 1950s-style look at the future, as Johnny imagines what life will be like in 1980.

Dillinger, The Mental Wizard

10 - Dillinger, The Mental Wizard

Air Date: September 1, 1955

Johnny plays Dillinger, The Mental Wizard, in a parody of Joseph Dunniger, the famous mind reader (This sketch is the early inspiration for Carson's most famous character from his Tonight Show years, Carnac The Magnificent). Another sketch finds Johnny playing tourist in Paris; we also get an idea of what might happen to your television reception near an airport.

James Arness

11 - James Arness

Air Date: September 8, 1955

James Arness visits the show to promote his new series, Gunsmoke, Jack Albertson appears in a grocery store sketch and Johnny plays Colonel John J. Carson in a military sketch.

Jack Albertson

16 - Jack Albertson

Air Date: October 13, 1955

Johnny takes care of unfinished business; Jack Albertson appears in sketches about Johnny's fan club and bachelor life. Then Johnny plays violinist Yasha Carson.

Dimitri Tiomkin

19 - Dimitri Tiomkin

Air Date: November 3, 1955

Legendary movie composer Dimitri Tiomkin appears in the Johnny's Record Collection sketch. Then Johnny salutes old time Vaudeville, and stars in an epic Greek-Trojan war sketch.

Ed Sullivan Impersonation

20 - Ed Sullivan Impersonation

Air Date: November 10, 1955

Stay-at-Home Husband

25 - Stay-at-Home Husband

Air Date: December 15, 1955

Johnny plays a stay-at-home husband whose wife has a very unusual job. Other sketches include the Giveaway Pet Parade, a precursor to the numerous segments Johnny would do with animals later in his career, and a look at what the detective show Dragnet might have been like during the time of Alexander the Great.