The Johnny Carson Show

In 1955, while working as a staff writer on CBS' The Red Skelton Show, Johnny Carson was pressed into service one night as a last-minute replacement after Skelton was injured during rehearsal. Carson's remarkably assured guest-host turn persuaded the network to give him a shot at his own series, which bowed later that year as The Johnny Carson Show and enjoyed a brief run. This two-disc set collects 10 episodes, digitally restored from master tapes recently uncovered by Carson's ex-wife Joanne. The comedic ability that so enlivened skits on the later Tonight Show is plainly apparent in these early episodes, which include parodies of the era's most popular movies and TV shows, such as Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person, Dragnet, and Walter Cronkite's news broadcasts, as well as a spoof of the Russian Ballet. Carson even plays “Dillinger, the Mental Wizard,” a prototype of his later character “Karnak the Magnificent.” Guest stars include James Arness (promoting his then-new CBS series Gunsmoke), Jack Albertson, Eva Gabor, and a young Jamie Farr, among others. A fascinating glimpse at TV's early years, The Johnny Carson Show reveals an already formidable performer in his salad days, honing the talent that would make him one of the world's most beloved entertainers. DVD extras include a 1958 episode of Carson's ABC quiz show Who Do You Trust?, an episode of his little-known 1956 CBS daytime show (also called The Johnny Carson Show), and a clip from Carson's 1958 stint as the two-week substitute host of The Jack Paar Show. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)