By Lee Pfeiffer
Ed McMahon, who transformed himself from being a second banana to Johnny Carson to becoming one of the most beloved American TV personalities of all time, has passed away at age 86. McMahon actually teamed with Carson on the game show
Who Do You Trust? but the pair became TV legends when they took over NBC's
The Tonight Show from Jack Paar in 1962. The industry would never be the same. The Carson/McMahon team became "Must See TV" for the majority of American audiences and at one time was said to represent 30% of NBC's annual profits. So great was their audience share that no other network ever came close to toppling their reign. ABC and CBS threw everything but the kitchen sink into the coveted 11:30 time slot, but Johnny and Ed steamrolled over everyone from Joey Bishop to Dick Cavett.Â
McMahon was the perfect foil for the likeable but opaque Carson, a man who audiences felt comfortable "inviting" into their bedrooms every night but who scrupulously avoided the spotlight in between shows. McMahon never sought to be top dog and was quite content to stay with Carson throughout their reign between the years of 1962 and 1992. When Carson decided to retire, Ed chose to do so too, realizing that staying on with Jay Leno would have changed the dynamic for the public in a way they probably wouldn't have accepted. McMahon had a unique ability to make Carson look funny even when a joke bombed, which was rare. On such occasions, Carson would be greeted by silence at the punch-line, only to have Ed's bellicose laugh, deriving from his friend's distress, fill the room. The result would be that the audience would inevitably go hysterical. McMahon was more than just a decoration on the set, however, where he maintained his seat on the couch off to the right of Carson. He was witty, urbane and made the most of his penchant for drinking. (When John Wayne dropped by the set, Carson introduced them as "The High and the Mighty"). He could take a joke, but was also able to dish out spontaneous one-liiners that could bring down the house.
During his years with Carson, McMahon also carved out a successful career as a pitchman on TV ads and also developed and hosted
Star Search, an early forerunner of
American Idol. His later years were fraught with tragedy, however. He suffered a broken neck that resulted in his being unable to work. Additionally, he overspent and faced foreclosure on his Beverly Hills mansion. However, McMahon will be remembered for his part in TV history. Simply put, there has never been a talk show with the impact of his years on
The Tonight Show. It was an era when TV respected the intelligence of the audience and provided an eclectic group of guests ranging from comedians to movie stars to professors and scholars. (Can anyone imagine Conan O'Brien dedicating an entire segment to interviewing an academic?) Ed McMahon made it all look easy. However, the fact remains that when he left Carson's side, no other TV talk show has been able to find a second banana with his abilities and most haven't even tried. Ed may be gone but his famous bellowing of "Heeeere's Johnny..." will remain an iconic part of American pop culture. (
Click here to watch a classic clip of Ed and Johnny)