The History of The Tonight Show: From Steve Allen to Conan O’Brien

30.08.2026

It is 2009. The late-night landscape is shifting again. Conan O’Brien is taking the reins from Jay Leno at NBC’s “The Tonight Show.” For regular viewers, this feels significant. Leno held the chair for 17 years. That is a long time to watch the same guy make jokes about the news. But “The Tonight Show” is older than most of its audience. It has been on the air for more than 50 years. It has seen a parade of hosts. Some stuck. Others vanished.

The program debuted on NBC on Sept. 24, 1954. Steve Allen was the first host. The show was simply called “Tonight.” It was a messy blend. There was comedy. There were interviews. There were musical performances. And then there was general buffoonery. This mix set the template for all future late-night television. You could argue every show since owes a debt to that first hour.

Allen left in early 1957 to pursue other comedic goals. The show didn’t know what to do. NBC tried news arrangements. They tried magazine formats. Nothing stuck. The audience didn’t want a newscaster. They wanted a personality. In July 1957, Jack Paar stepped in. He reintroduced the studio interview format. Audiences reacted well. Paar wasn’t a comedian first. He was a talk show host. He remembered guests. He listened. He is best remembered for that specific skill.

When Paar left in 1962, Johnny Carson took over. He stayed for 30 years. In show business, that is an eternity. Carson remains the most memorable host of “The Tonight Show.” His personality was the draw. He had an easygoing sense of humor. He had quick wit. He appealed to a broad American audience. People didn’t just watch the guests. They watched Carson.

His popularity was so evident that NBC wanted him to host five nights a week. It proved to be too much stress for Carson. He couldn’t keep that pace. The studio relocated from New York City to Burbank, Calif., in 1972. Carson agreed to work three or four nights a week after the move. Guest hosts filled the gaps. Usually, it was Monday nights. Celebrities and comedians stepped in. Joan Rivers. David Letterman. Jay Leno. They all passed through Carson’s chair before getting their own shots.

Carson’s final performance aired on May 22, 1992. It was a national event. An estimated 50 million people tuned in. It was an emotional goodbye. Leno took over immediately after Carson’s retirement. The format shifted gradually. The hosts changed. The guests got younger. But “The Tonight Show” continues to entertain us. It keeps us up past our bedtimes. It remains a cultural touchstone.