The Story of Late Night

>>> WELL, LET'S GET RIGHT INTO THE NEWS.

THE NEWS. NOTHING COULD BE FUNNIER THAN

NOTHING COULD BE FUNNIER THAN THAT.

THAT. >> NOW LOOK, DON'T START

>> NOW LOOK, DON'T START ANYTHING YOU CAN'T FINISH.

ANYTHING YOU CAN'T FINISH. >> IT'S VERY INTIMATE TO BE IN

>> IT'S VERY INTIMATE TO BE IN SOMEONE'S BEDROOM LATE AT NIGHT.

SOMEONE'S BEDROOM LATE AT NIGHT. >> LAUGHING, DUDE.

>> LAUGHING, DUDE. >> THAT'S THE PERSON YOU TRUST.

>> THAT'S THE PERSON YOU TRUST. >> WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU

>> WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?

THINKING? >> I HIT A NERVE.

>> I HIT A NERVE. >> FUNNY, I THINK TRUMP'S

>> FUNNY, I THINK TRUMP'S EVERYTHING.

EVERYTHING. >> I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU WERE

>> I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU WERE JEWISH.

JEWISH. >> AND SO LATE NIGHT BECAME THIS

>> AND SO LATE NIGHT BECAME THIS RITUAL THAT AMERICANS ALL GATHER

RITUAL THAT AMERICANS ALL GATHER AROUND.

AROUND. >> BOY YOU THINK YOU'RE TIRED

>> BOY YOU THINK YOU'RE TIRED NOW.

NOW. >> AND YOU REALIZE THE POWER OF

>> AND YOU REALIZE THE POWER OF THESE SHOWS TO INFORM AND TO

THESE SHOWS TO INFORM AND TO UPLIFT.

UPLIFT. >> YOU WANT THE TRUTH?

>> YOU WANT THE TRUTH? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH.

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. >> TO ENGAGE WITH ISSUES THAT

>> TO ENGAGE WITH ISSUES THAT AFFECT SOCIETY.

AFFECT SOCIETY. >> SO HERE WE GO.

>> SO HERE WE GO. SURREAL.

SURREAL. >> TO BE COMPLETELY DISRUPTIVE.

>> TO BE COMPLETELY DISRUPTIVE. >> TO BE A DISTINCTLY AMERICAN

>> TO BE A DISTINCTLY AMERICAN ART FORM.

ART FORM. >> TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'RE WATCHING

>> TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'RE WATCHING A BAD LATE NIGHT TV TALK SHOW.

A BAD LATE NIGHT TV TALK SHOW. >> I'M JUST KIDDING WITH YOU.

>> I'M JUST KIDDING WITH YOU. >> IT'S EXCITING.

>> IT'S EXCITING. IT'S ELECTRIC.

IT'S ELECTRIC. >> YOU ARE CORRECT, SIR.

>> YOU ARE CORRECT, SIR. >> IT'S A PART OF AMERICAN

>> IT'S A PART OF AMERICAN CULTURE.

CULTURE. >> PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR MINDS

>> PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR MINDS BLOWN.

>> AM HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO REPORT TO YOU TODAY THAT THE STATE OF

TO YOU TODAY THAT THE STATE OF THE UNION CONTINUES TO BE GOOD.

THE UNION CONTINUES TO BE GOOD. >> SO HERE'S THE HOME THAT COST

>> SO HERE'S THE HOME THAT COST ITS HAPPY OWNERS JUST $9,000.

ITS HAPPY OWNERS JUST $9,000. >> ENJOY REAL BIG PICTURE

>> ENJOY REAL BIG PICTURE TELEVISION AT SMALL PICTURE

TELEVISION AT SMALL PICTURE PRICE.

PRICE. >> THE 1950s IS THE YEAR ZERO

>> THE 1950s IS THE YEAR ZERO FOR LATE NIGHT TELEVISION.

FOR LATE NIGHT TELEVISION. >> IN THOSE DAYS, THE OWNERSHIP

>> IN THOSE DAYS, THE OWNERSHIP OF TELEVISION SETS WASN'T

OF TELEVISION SETS WASN'T WIDESPREAD.

WIDESPREAD. >> GROWING UP IN NEBRASKA, I

>> GROWING UP IN NEBRASKA, I THOUGHT TELEVISION WILL

THOUGHT TELEVISION WILL EVENTUALLY COME.

EVENTUALLY COME. >> NETWORK TELEVISION SHOWS ALL

>> NETWORK TELEVISION SHOWS ALL 00.

00. >> I CAN'T IMAGINE NOT BEING

>> I CAN'T IMAGINE NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN ON A TV AND SEE

ABLE TO TURN ON A TV AND SEE SOMETHING.

SOMETHING. THAT IS SO CRAZY TO ME.

THAT IS SO CRAZY TO ME. >> THERE WOULD BE A FLAG WAVING.

>> THERE WOULD BE A FLAG WAVING. IT WOULD GO TO A TEST PATTERN

IT WOULD GO TO A TEST PATTERN FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND THEN IT

FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND THEN IT WOULD GO PSHHH!

WOULD GO PSHHH! >> LATE NIGHT BEGAN AS A WAY TO

>> LATE NIGHT BEGAN AS A WAY TO KILL TIME.

KILL TIME. IT WAS THE NETWORK REALIZING

IT WAS THE NETWORK REALIZING LET'S KICK THE FOOTBALL FURTHER

LET'S KICK THE FOOTBALL FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND SEE WHAT

DOWN THE ROAD AND SEE WHAT 30.

30. >> IT WAS SORT OF A NOVELTY AND

>> IT WAS SORT OF A NOVELTY AND IT WAS CHEAP AND WHO'S GOING TO

IT WAS CHEAP AND WHO'S GOING TO CARE?

CARE? >> IF ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO

>> IF ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO BE BETTER THAN A TEST PATTERN.

BE BETTER THAN A TEST PATTERN. THE BAR WAS SO LOW, THEY

THE BAR WAS SO LOW, THEY LITERALLY COULD HAVE DONE

LITERALLY COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING.

ANYTHING. >> YOU'RE FIGHTING SLEEP AT THAT

>> YOU'RE FIGHTING SLEEP AT THAT POINT.

POINT. ANYTHING TO KEEP PEOPLE AWAKE.

ANYTHING TO KEEP PEOPLE AWAKE. >> IT IS LIKE YOU BUY A HOUSE

>> IT IS LIKE YOU BUY A HOUSE AND YOU REALIZE THERE IS THIS

AND YOU REALIZE THERE IS THIS BIG SPACE IN THE ATTIC.

BIG SPACE IN THE ATTIC. THE STAKES ARE LOW.

THE STAKES ARE LOW. RENOVATE IT.

RENOVATE IT. LET THE KIDS PUT A HOCKEY TABLE

LET THE KIDS PUT A HOCKEY TABLE IN THERE.

IN THERE. WHO CARES?

WHO CARES? THAT'S HOW LATE NIGHT GOT

THAT'S HOW LATE NIGHT GOT STARTED.

STARTED. >> LET'S DO THESE PROGRAMS LATE

>> LET'S DO THESE PROGRAMS LATE AT NIGHT TO FILL UP TIME AND

AT NIGHT TO FILL UP TIME AND SELL ADVERTISING.

>> ALL THE BIG PRIMETIME SHOWS HAD SPONSORS THAT BOUGHT THE

HAD SPONSORS THAT BOUGHT THE WHOLE SHOW.

WHOLE SHOW. >> FRIENDLY SPARKLING PEPSI.

>> FRIENDLY SPARKLING PEPSI. >> THE LATE NIGHT IS COMPLETELY

>> THE LATE NIGHT IS COMPLETELY NEW AND FRESH.

NEW AND FRESH. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ONE

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ONE ADVERTISER TO STEP UP AND SAY

ADVERTISER TO STEP UP AND SAY YEAH, I'LL PAY FOR 90 MINUTES.

YEAH, I'LL PAY FOR 90 MINUTES. >> IT WAS A REAL PIONEER.

>> IT WAS A REAL PIONEER. >> SEEING THE LUDICROUSNESS OF

>> SEEING THE LUDICROUSNESS OF THE FORMULA.

THE FORMULA. >> SYLVESTER PAT WEAVER, THE

>> SYLVESTER PAT WEAVER, THE HEAD OF PROGRAMING OF NBC.

HEAD OF PROGRAMING OF NBC. >> THIS IS MY OFFICE.

>> THIS IS MY OFFICE. ROOM 610 HERE AT NBC.

ROOM 610 HERE AT NBC. >> INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE COMPANY

>> INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE COMPANY SPONSOR THE WHOLE SHOW, WE COULD

SPONSOR THE WHOLE SHOW, WE COULD GET MULTIPLE COMPANIES TO

GET MULTIPLE COMPANIES TO SPONSOR PARTS OF THE SHOW.

SPONSOR PARTS OF THE SHOW. SO THAT WAS A REVOLUTIONARY AND

SO THAT WAS A REVOLUTIONARY AND NEW SHIFT WHICH STARTED A NEW

NEW SHIFT WHICH STARTED A NEW SHOW.

SHOW. >> THE TWO-HOUR MORNING SHOW

>> THE TWO-HOUR MORNING SHOW CALLED "TODAY."

CALLED "TODAY." >> HERE WE ARE, GOOD MORNING TO

>> HERE WE ARE, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

YOU. WHAT I HOPE AND EXPECT WILL BE A

WHAT I HOPE AND EXPECT WILL BE A GREAT MANY GOOD MORNINGS BETWEEN

GREAT MANY GOOD MORNINGS BETWEEN YOU AND I.

YOU AND I. >> THEN SUDDENLY IT BECAME THIS

>> THEN SUDDENLY IT BECAME THIS MONEYMAKER.

MONEYMAKER. >> SO IT WAS NATURAL THAT PAT

>> SO IT WAS NATURAL THAT PAT WEAVER WOULD SAY OKAY, THIS IS

WEAVER WOULD SAY OKAY, THIS IS WORKING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE

WORKING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY.

DAY. WHY DON'T WE MAKE IT WORK AT THE

WHY DON'T WE MAKE IT WORK AT THE END OF THE DAY.

END OF THE DAY. OF COURSE, THEY'RE TITLED

OF COURSE, THEY'RE TITLED APPROPRIATELY "TODAY" AND

APPROPRIATELY "TODAY" AND "TONIGHT."

"TONIGHT." >> WE ARE HERE TODAY IN THE

>> WE ARE HERE TODAY IN THE "TODAY" STOOD OWE AS A MATTER OF

"TODAY" STOOD OWE AS A MATTER OF FACT TO ANNOUNCE A NEW

FACT TO ANNOUNCE A NEW PARTICIPATING PROGRAM CALLED

PARTICIPATING PROGRAM CALLED "TONIGHT."

"TONIGHT." THEY THOUGHT WHO DO WE GET TO

THEY THOUGHT WHO DO WE GET TO HOST IT?

HOST IT? >> IT IS NOT AS THOUGH MOSES

>> IT IS NOT AS THOUGH MOSES CAME DOWN AND SAID THAT'S HOW

CAME DOWN AND SAID THAT'S HOW LATE NIGHT COMEDY HAD TO BE.

LATE NIGHT COMEDY HAD TO BE. SOMEBODY HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT.

SOMEBODY HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT. >> I FOUND THIS GUY, STEVE

>> I FOUND THIS GUY, STEVE ALLEN.

ALLEN. >> STEVE ALLEN WAS THE FIRST GUY

>> STEVE ALLEN WAS THE FIRST GUY TO DO EVERYTHING.

TO DO EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS

EVERYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS INNOVATIVE NOW, IT'S BEEN DONE.

INNOVATIVE NOW, IT'S BEEN DONE. >> STEVE ALLEN HAD BEEN HOSTING

>> STEVE ALLEN HAD BEEN HOSTING A LATE NIGHT RADIO SHOW HERE IN

A LATE NIGHT RADIO SHOW HERE IN LOS ANGELES.

LOS ANGELES. >> WHEN YOU HAVE TO FILL TIME ON

>> WHEN YOU HAVE TO FILL TIME ON RADIO, LIVE RADIO, YOU REALLY

RADIO, LIVE RADIO, YOU REALLY HAVE TO EXPERIMENT A LOT.

HAVE TO EXPERIMENT A LOT. >> STEVE JUST TOOK A HAND MIC

>> STEVE JUST TOOK A HAND MIC OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE AND

OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE AND INTERVIEWED PEOPLE THERE FOR THE

INTERVIEWED PEOPLE THERE FOR THE WHOLE SHOW.

WHOLE SHOW. >> WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SIR?

>> WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SIR? >> GREG COLLINS, FROM MICHIGAN.

>> GREG COLLINS, FROM MICHIGAN. >> THAT'S A RATHER LONG NAME.

>> THAT'S A RATHER LONG NAME. WHERE ARE YOU FROM, MR.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM, MR. MICHIGAN?

MICHIGAN? >> GOT BIGGER LAUGHS

>> GOT BIGGER LAUGHS INTERVIEWING THEM THAN HE EVER

INTERVIEWING THEM THAN HE EVER HAD INTERVIEWING HIS GUEST STARS

HAD INTERVIEWING HIS GUEST STARS AND THOUGHT I FOUND SOMETHING

AND THOUGHT I FOUND SOMETHING HERE.

HERE. HE HAD THAT LUXURY FOR

HE HAD THAT LUXURY FOR YEARS OF EXPERIMENTING IN RADIO

YEARS OF EXPERIMENTING IN RADIO TO PUT THE PIECES IN PLACE THAT

TO PUT THE PIECES IN PLACE THAT WOULD BECOME THE BASIC GRAMMAR

WOULD BECOME THE BASIC GRAMMAR OF LATE NIGHT TELEVISION.

OF LATE NIGHT TELEVISION. >> BEFORE WE SEE A FEW WIRES

>> BEFORE WE SEE A FEW WIRES HERE, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR

HERE, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW SHOW.

NEW SHOW. WE FEEL THAT YOU DEFINITELY

WE FEEL THAT YOU DEFINITELY BELONG IN RADIO.

BELONG IN RADIO. SIGNED THE SOCIETY FOR THE

SIGNED THE SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF TELEVISION.

ADVANCEMENT OF TELEVISION. >> I THINK MY FATHER WAS EXCITED

>> I THINK MY FATHER WAS EXCITED BUT I THINK HE WAS ALSO ANXIOUS.

BUT I THINK HE WAS ALSO ANXIOUS. HE WROTE A SOMEWHAT LEGENDARY

HE WROTE A SOMEWHAT LEGENDARY MEMO TO PAT WEAVER, THE

MEMO TO PAT WEAVER, THE PRESIDENT OF NBC SAYING I KNOW

PRESIDENT OF NBC SAYING I KNOW YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO DO MORE

YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO DO MORE NEWS AND WEATHER AND SPORTS LIKE

NEWS AND WEATHER AND SPORTS LIKE YOU DO ON THE "TODAY" SHOW.

YOU DO ON THE "TODAY" SHOW. I'M A MEDIAN.

I'M A MEDIAN. >> FROM NEW YORK CITY THE

>> FROM NEW YORK CITY THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY

NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY PRESENTS "TONIGHT" STARRING

PRESENTS "TONIGHT" STARRING STEVE ALLEN.