Johnny Carson – Red Skelton Running Gag…1952

Johnny Carson – Red Skelton Running Gag…

In 1952, Johnny Carson joined CBS owned KNXT in Los Angeles as a staff announcer. About a year later, a 15 minute show called ‘Carson’s Cellar’ debuted but petered out after a few months. That’s when Red Skelton asked Carson to become one of the writers on his top rated CBS show.

Once in 1954, Skelton hurt himself at rehearsal when a breakaway door didn’t breakaway and he chose Carson to fill in for him that night as host. After the show, Jack Benny told Red to “watch that kid…he’s great!”

While still writing for Skelton, Cason had a few other on air adventures at KNXT including the five minute ‘Carson’s Coffee Break’. Carson had invited Red as a guest for several weeks in a row, and Red came, but was never allowed to speak as they always ran out of time. Finally, Skelton tied Johnny up and took over.

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