'Tonight Show' Icon Ed McMahon Dies

[Ginny]

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NBC: 'Tonight Show' Icon Ed McMahon Dies
Carson Sidekick Reportedly Spent Month In Hospital

LOS ANGELES -- NBC News reports that Ed McMahon, the longtime sidekick of Johnny Carson on the "Tonight Show," has died after long battle with cancer.

The network home of the "Tonight Show" confirmed the television icon's death with McMahon's publicist, Howard Bragman.

He was 86.

McMahon was recently hospitalized at the UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital in Los Angeles for a bout of pneumonia.

McMahon began his televsion career as an announcer on television legend Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," in 1952, and worked on the show until 1958.

The entertainer started as Carson's sidekick in 1962, and worked alongside Carson for 30 years. On the "Tonight Show," McMahon became famous for creating the catchphrase "Heeeeeeere's Johnny!"

McMahon also hosted the talent show "Star Search" and co-hosted "TV Bloopers And Practical Jokes" with fellow television legend Dick Clark. He later became a mainstay on commercials as the presenter of giant checks for the American Family Publishers sweepstakes.

McMahon's bankruptcy proceedings brought the aging Californian back into the limelight last year.

:cry:

[BubblyShell22]

Wow. That sucks, but at least he lived a long life. My condolences go out to his family and friends.

[Ninjinister]

My mother called me at 5:30 in the morning to tell me this. I was late to work because of such, but that's beside the point. A legendary icon has left us. Last time I saw him... he was talking to a hairy, long-nosed alien.

[Raph's Girl]

At least Johnny has company again.... :cry:

[Buslady]

yeah now they can do the Tonight Show up there LOL!
He doenst have to suffer pain any longer, he had a nice long life and his last years weren't the best, poor guy...

[Jester]

gJYrmByc59g
Farewell, Ed.

[Guitar_Raph]

He will be missed.

Other Ed McMahon moments...

GAME SHOWS

Missing Links; 1963 NBC game. It was on that game, when Nipsey Russell guested, Ed would ask him to do a poem. In March 1964, it moved to ABC with Dick Clark hosting. What replaced it on NBC? Jeopardy!

Snap Judgment; 1967 NBC game, variation of Password.

Concentration; In 1969, he hosted the show for 6 months when Hugh Downs stepped down. But when ratings fell, NBC took Downs advice, by having Bob Clayton (Down's trusted announcer & friend) hosting (which he did until 1973).

Whodunnit?; 1979 mystery game show seen on NBC prime time.

COMMERCIALS

Budweiser; radio ads he did. Use to hear them on Houston Astros games.

American Family Publishers; the sweepstakes clearing house where you cound win $10,000,000. All for you.

And on Labor Day, he will be missed doing the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, which he did from the start in 1966.

[triplexxx]

Well 86 is a good age and he's in heaven now.

[ThirdMarioBro]

Damn. Such a cool person to loose. He always had the ability to laugh at himself, and that's a gift I deeply respect in all people who have it. I hope Conan says something about it tonight.

Gh74XAbtLBs

[Katie]

he had kind of a bad time at the end though. Fell and broke his neck a couple years ago, house was in foreclosure last year until Trump came and bought it from Countrywide.

...always wanted to see the guy binging me a fat check from Publisher's Clearing House......$5.2MM this year. better than the lotto!

[Guitar_Raph]

I can now imagine in Heaven...

(Skitch Henderson orchestra plays)

ED: From Heaven, it's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Tonight's guests are David Carridine, 70's sex starlet Farrah Fawcett & the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. I'm Ed McMahon along with Skitch Henderson & the Tonight Show Orchestra (Doc Seveinson is still living). And now, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!