The David Letterman Show
The David Letterman Show is an American morning talk show that was hosted by David Letterman on NBC. It originally aired from June 23 to October 24, 1980. Originally, the series lasted 90 minutes, then 60 minutes from August 4 onward.
Background
David Letterman's relationship with NBC began in 1978, when he made his first appearance as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Over the next two years Letterman returned to the show several times, and occasionally served as guest host in Carson's absence. After Letterman took a job emceeing an event presenting NBC's president Fred Silverman with an Anti-Defamation League award, Silverman was so impressed by Letterman's performance that he decided to offer him a morning talk show. Silverman envisioned the new show to be framed along the lines of the 1950s CBS show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends.In early 1980, NBC's daytime morning lineup consisted of six game shows. The David Letterman Show was made possible by the cancellation of three of them: High Rollers, Chain Reaction, and the long-running daytime version of Hollywood Squares.
The series was a critical success but the edgy comedy did not capture morning television watchers, who were more accustomed at the time to talk shows, soap operas, game shows, and prime time reruns.
Production
The original producer was Bob Stewart, a veteran quiz-show creator who had enlisted Letterman as a panelist on Pyramid from 1978 onward. However, due to creative differences, Stewart left the show four days before its premiere, and production of the first several shows fell to head writer Merrill Markoe, who acted as the show's de facto producer despite having absolutely no prior experience in the role. Much more comfortable as a writer than as producer, Markoe stayed aboard as the show's head writer for the entire run of the series but was succeeded as producer by Barry Sand. Sand joined the show in July and remained at the helm for the rest of its run. Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers wrote the opening theme of the show.After the first month, Hal Gurnee began directing the show; he'd remain Letterman's director through the mid-1990's. Biff Henderson was the stage manager, a role he served for the next 35 years of Letterman's career. The writing staff initially consisted of Merrill Markoe, Valri Bromfield, Rich Hall, Harold Kimmel, Edie McClurg, Gerard Mulligan, Paul Raley, Wil Shriner, Bob Sarlatte and Ed Subitsky.
All the writers appeared on camera, some fairly frequently. Seen most often, usually in character being interviewed by Dave, were:
- Edie McClurg as regular correspondent Mrs. Marv Mendenhall, a housewife who shared various tips, advice and opinions with Dave and the audience. McClurg was also seen in the recurring roles of Dot Duncan; one of the Timkie sisters; and a 105-year-old version of herself.
- Valri Bromfield as confused teen Debbie Smith; intense, no-nonsense Mrs. Bjorkman; one of The Timkie Sisters; singer Lila DeGay, and other characters.
- Paul Raley as paranoid ex-FBI agent P.J. Rails, and other characters.
- Rich Hall, as himself, using plastic toys to present recreations of news events in the town of Pitkinville, Montana.
- Will Shriner, also as himself, usually presenting a short film.
- Ed Subitzky as an unnamed character who would be announced as a well-known celebrity, but—after appearing on stage—would then almost immediately embarrassedly confess to NOT being that celebrity, but just a guy who wanted to get on TV.
- Bob Sarlette was the announcer for the first six weeks, and also occasionally interacted with Dave in conversations and desk bits.
The production staff consisted of George Callahan, Kim Carney, Lee B. Chernick, Barbara Gaines, Edd Hall, Tim Holton, Brian J. McAloon, Meg Mortimer, Dency Nelson, and David Reale. Edd Hall and Late Show producer Barbara Gaines were both production assistants. Bob Sarlatte was succeeded partway through the run by Bill Wendell, who also announced on Dave's next two shows until leaving the show in 1995.
The news producer was Alan Mohan, and the news writer was Nick Allen. Bill Kelley was the technical director. The musical director was Frank Owens who led the "David Letterman Symphony Orchestra" and interacted with Letterman. Longtime NBC newsman Edwin Newman provided live news updates in the studio during each broadcast in the 90-minute version of the series; studio audience members often interrupted his reporting with applause, laughter or groans, as if Newman were an anchor on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update".
The program was produced by Space Age Meats, a precursor to Letterman's later production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated.
Guests
Among guests who appeared were Steve Allen, Andy Kaufman, Tom Snyder, photojournalists Jon & Keiko Alpert, keyboardist Suzanne Ciani, Steve Martin, Robert Klein, Bill Murray, Dr. Isaac Asimov, Allen Ludden, and Jeff Greenfield, who reviewed the first show while it was on the air.The show's musical guests included Loudon Wainwright III, The Drifters, Janis Ian, Irene Cara, Maria Muldaur, Nell Carter, Judy Collins, John Sebastian, Tom Rush, Lionel Hampton, Charles Aznavour, Tracy Nelson, Linda Hopkins, Esther Satterfield, Lacy J. Dalton, Michael Franks, Rusty Draper, Mickey Gilley, Gerard Kenny, John Hartford, Johnny Paycheck, Al DiMeola, Sippie Wallace, and Harve Mann.
In one of his earliest television appearances, a young Bill Maher was an audience member on the show's first episode, and Conan O'Brien claims he hitchhiked to New York just to see a broadcast in Studio 6A.
Show ending and aftermath
Once the show's cancellation was announced, the final weeks of the show received particular acclaim. Esquire noted, "He cut loose with his own jokes until they had a 2:00 a.m. comedy-club edge. He reached for his emergency weapons. Let go, he let go. By the beginning of October, audiences were packing themselves into the studio." Ward Halls hitched cross-country with petitions to save the show. Some Long Island housewives threatened to block Manhattan traffic until the network relented.For the next year, NBC paid him $1,000,000 to do nothing except not work for someone else without their permission, which included guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on multiple occasions. Letterman's next program, Late Night premiered on February 1, 1982, replacing Tom Snyder's Tomorrow program.