Typed Letter Signed
1980.
Typed, signed letter from Steve Allen to Washington Post columnist Tom Shales. Interesting content regarding Johnny Carson. Allen writes "Thanks for your nice message, delivered via Jayne. If Johnny called you to deny the truth of the story about his having made it impossible for Fred Silverman to place me into the 12:30-1:30 late night spot, then he was simply not telling the truth." Steve Allen was the creator and original host of NBC's The Tonight Show in 1954, establishing the late-night talk show format that Johnny Carson would later perfect and dominate for decades. Carson openly acknowledged the debt he owed to Allen's pioneering work. Despite the mutual respect for their broadcasting legacies, the two had a complicated relationship. Reports indicate that Allen was eventually placed on Carson's infamous guest ban list. This tension reportedly stemmed from an incident in 1982 when Allen was guest-hosting the show. Allen berated a crew member on the phone and allegedly mocked an injury Carson had recently suffered. Consequently, Carson told the crew he would ban Allen, who was only permitted back on the program when guest hosts were in charge. The letter goes on to mention Allen's illness, as well as the TV Academy Hall of Fame broadcast where Allen was introduced by David Letterman.
Stephen Valentine Patrick Allen was an American television and radio personality, comedian, musician, composer, writer, and actor. Though he got his start in radio, he is best known for his extensive network television career. Allen gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. In 1954, he achieved further national fame as the co-creator and first host of The Tonight Show, which was the first late-night nationwide television talk show. He then went on to host numerous game and variety shows, including his own The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, and The New Steve Allen Show. He was a regular panel member on CBS's What's My Line? and, from 1977 until 1981, he wrote, produced, and hosted the award-winning public broadcasting show Meeting of Minds, a series of historical dramas presented in a talk format.
This item is from the collection of Television critic Tom Shales (1944 - 2024). Shales was an incisively funny Washington Post columnist, he earned the nickname Terrible Tom and had the clout to make or break shows. Shales won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 1988. During his three-decade career those in the industry considered him both a kingmaker and a high executioner in an era when network television's hold on American culture was at it's peak. Time magazine called him "brilliant, thoughtful, incisive and screamingly funny...also, vicious, infuriating, cruel and unfair". His thrice-weekly Washington Post TV column, 'On the Air,' syndicated in 59 other newspapers. The Tom Shales collection includes letters, cards and correspondence from celebrated television and entertainment legends, newscasters and politicians, including letters from Norman Lear, David Letterman, Johnny Carson, Conan O'Brien, Garry Shandling, Fred Rogers, Carol Burnett, David Brinkley, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Edward Kennedy, Nancy Reagan and many more. Please inquire for more information. Binding: Unbound
Language: English
Price: $300.00
Item #337605