Johnny Tells Bette Midler She’s Going To Be a Big Star | Carson Tonight Show 

OMG I remember being a young kid watching this Johnny Carson episode with my Nana like it was yesterday. She had just baked butter-tarts and they were warm out of the oven. We both sat there eating her warm butter-tarts and she commented that Bette was a talent and some day would be famous, just as dear Johnny predicted. Well decades have past, Johnny is gone, my mom, my dad, my dear sweet Nana are gone but Bette and I are still here. Keep singing and we will all keep enjoying Ms. MIdler!!!!! Thank you for the decades of smiles and entertainment.

It's difficult for me to believe this was 51 years ago when I was in my last year of high school. Bette was also on Johnny's last show before he retired in 1992. He was really touched by Bette's farewell song to him. Good times.

''Hello In There'' never fails to produce a flood of tears, Thank You Ms. Midler. OMG THAT'S BARRY MANILOW ON PIANO !!!!

She did become a big star, and the piano player, Barry Manilow, made out pretty well too!

John Prine's song. Heartbreaker.

Carson liked Midler so much, she was the very last guest on his finale.

Omg- Hello In There by John Prine. Bette could always tell a story when she sings. She can touch hearts. This is a forgotten component in current singing contests. And then she’s going right into a number all by herself sans Harlettes! Her live shows were the BEST!!!!!

Just lovely. So glad I grew up when I did and not today when TV is so dire and unwatchable.

John Prine and Bette Midler is a beautiful mix. She is one of the greats.

I got to see Bette in '75 in Columbia, SC. I was in the Army at the time. The guys clowned on me for going, but I am here to tell you it was a night to remember. What a pure, unadulterated talent! The concert was in the Opera House, a building designed and built by Avery Fisher, who several years later built Carnegie Hall in NYC. The acoustics were perfect in that tiny hall...and so was Bette. Bette's first song tonight was written and first performed by John Prine.

Her performance during Carson's last show was legendary. Rare use of the camera angle to focus on Bette and Mr. Carson during the song. Not sure if it's on the channel but should be added.

I remember watching this with my mother just before my 20th birthday. I've probably seen her live over 10 times throughout the years.❤ The Divine One!

She was so original! and Johnny saw that!!! Superstar even back then!!

What a magnificent star Bette Midler became!!!

She would of never thought that Carson would pick her as his last guest 20 years later. What an emotional night that was for us fans.

That song was brilliant because it is true and captures life, real life.

Bette Midler. She’s Something Else♥️‼️. I Love Her♥️

I was born the same year this aired on Carson. I have loved her work literally all my life.

One of John Prine's best songs. Beautifully performed by an incredibly young Bette with Barry on the ivories. It doesn't get any better than that.

Thank you for posting this! I have wanted to see the entire sequence for years.

My profile photo has been this Bette Midler interview/performance since I first created a RU-vid account 10+ years ago. Thrilling to see the complete footage. Thank you!!

She is the greatest, certainly a great star, well desired, love all he songs

Wow! This is something...I was born in 71, always heard how much of a powerhouse she was then but now i see ... She fit the time and Johnny could see star on her. Barry Manilow was just her piano player then, she would later have Katey Sagal as one of her background singers

I’ll never forget his final show. Better came on, sat upon his desk and serenaded him for the final act. It was so well done!

I don't know hardly anything about Bette Midler's music but this has got me wanting to find out more. That first song was wonderful and delivered so powerfully and uniquely.

Bette is a classy lady and so talented ! She is a beautiful person !

How you know someone is a superstar is even in mediocre performances they show a true passion for the art ❤

Johnny C was right. Bette is unique and she did go far. She's the best entertainer America has ever had!

I'm 59 years old and VIVIDLY remember watching her do this when it first aired~! We always stayed up to watch Carson.....and she is still divine to this day! And Barry Manilow on the piano is a hoot - the only thing missing from the group is Melissa Manchester who was friends with Barry and became one of the first HARLETTES~!

I was 2 when this episode aired. How awesome to think my parents likely watched this while my sister and I slept. I miss the good ole days. 😢❤

I saw her in concert in Charlotte, NC. Love her!

Proof that practice makes perfect …. I would love to meet her in person …. She is the female version of Joe Cocker ! Great Talents ❤❤❤ 😊😊😊

Freaking amazing! As always!

Her energy is amazing and she looks as if she's having a blast. I legitimately thought I had the speed on x1.25 or x1.5

He was right. She became a grear artist. At that time, she used to come to the Frog and Nightgown, a jazz club restaurant, in Rakeigh NC, circa 1970, to perform as a singer - entertainer. We had a local jazz group. I played guitar and sung bossa nova.

Still in love ❤ first saw her on the cover of the tv guide in 75 or so. Then the show on tv.......loved her and her ways ever since and learned a LOT from her as a singer. She could have been big in jazz too!

I have been looking to find this clip for a while. Didn't think it was available. Thank you for sharing! Totally enjoyed that.

Iconic..

You're gonna be a big star - and your piano player's gonna be bigger!

Great songs ❤. Talented woman

Let's not forget when Carson retired 20 years after this performance it was Bette Midler who was his last guest on the Tonight Show as she sang "Here's That Rainy Day". Johnny can be seen wiping a tear as Bette sang the final notes. Bette was and is a natural born performer and Johnny knows a star in the making when he sees her here. Life has a way of wrapping up things nicely.

Barry Manilow on the piano. Too cool.

"You have a tendency to dress like a stolen car." What a great line.

It takes balls to open an act on the Tonight Show with a somber slow number. Usually new musical acts start with something upbeat or fast to pump up the audience. But only artists secure with their own material can pull off this feat with a slow number. You can tell Bette just had something EXTRA that she was gonna be a big star. Carson does not bestow that compliment lightly, he knows a star in the making when he sees one.

I wish music was still like this! This song still has a contemporary meaning to it even though this performance was over 50 years ago! I'm only 27 and love all the music of my mom and dad's generation! The music tells a story, they don't outright say everything like they do in todays music... In these songs it's kind of left up to you to interpret the lyrics the way you want to and the songs can mean one thing to one person and a totally different meaning to someone else! This song makes me tear up everytime I hear it! I just can't help it when she gets to "We lost Davey in the Korean War.... I still don't know what for"... I guess it's bc we've lost so many wonderful men and women to war and we still don't know what for... 🥺😢 PS: I'm referring to "Hello in There"

She’s amazing 😊

I miss these days

I can see why they cast Miyam Bialik to play her younger self in the movie. I can see they were very similar.

He was right ❤

Love her. Got to see her perform in Miami in the mid 90s. ❤

Johnny's last guest in 1992 after 30 years and over 5,000 shows.....

What a pip our Bette is!

Great performance for her first appearance! 👏 Johnny Carson I have some full episode Requests I'd like to see on RU-vid Channel. Could you please upload this Full show from 11/17/72. The one with Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Olivia Newton John, David Janssen, Ray Johnson, 11/12/76, great classic episode! The full show from the following year 11/14/77, where Frank guest hosted with a great panel of guests Don Rickles, George Burns, Angie Dickinson and Carrol O Connor. Love to see this rare classic full show with performances included if possible. Any full shows with Don Rickles guest hosting would be great too!! 👍 😃 I'll think of some more.

Barry manilow on piano, he played with bette before either one of them were famous, young people today, they don't know who these legends are....

I’ve never seen this before- this coming from a fan of hers for 40 years…

Jonny LOVED Busty women !!!! (Then again, WHO DOESN'T .....) ?????? 😁😍

She is magnificent I wonder how she’s doing now

And otiginal...i love Bette....Michael

And a big star she became

Big Star and an even bigger mouth.

I just love Bette Midler

I once saw her call Tina Turner a force of nature, but she's no slouch herself. Wow.

I'm looking for Bette's 1st time on Johnny...just in from Pineapple plantation, Hawaii

I wonder how many actors, comedians, performers, singers and artists got their start on the Johnny Carson show or had their careers catapulted to stardom after appearing on his show.

Could you share "The Tonight Show" December 10, 1970 with Bette Midler singing "Lady Madonna"?

Wow I cannot believe this has made it to RU-vid. So so sad talent as Miss. Midlers no longer exist..

Bethany Ann Midler (Honolulú, Hawái; 1 de diciembre de 1945), más conocida como Bette Midler, es una actriz, cantante, comediante y productora estadounidense.

Wow Bet I can sing your songs

Love the Bette that is here. Not the one she became. Sitting here listening to her sing this song unexpectedly tears started rolling down my cheeks. I'm old just retired and got into an argument with the only friend I had over something we Strongly disagreed about. This song has a lot of truth to it---sadly.

Is that Barry Manilow on the piano?

She had some hangers back then

11:19

Fifty years have come and gone. Johnny Carson's gone. Ed McMahon's gone. Only Bette's still alive.

how old was she in this show.

Frequency 😂 ok

What you call a real Yenta.

Know that it is Barry Manilow on the piano.

Wasn't Barry Manilow her pianist at this point?

Is that Robert Goulet to her right?

Typical of her race. As sweet and modest an Irish girl as you can get.

John Prine song.

Coked out.

If he could only see her now 🤮

wow. Did Johnny always smoke on air back then?

Real creative script writing there. But it's hard to make Bette sound interesting. And Johnny couldn't ad lib his ad libs.

Bette went whacko! Not a fan.

Ofc she was going to be a big star, she has the J privilege going on for her

She seems high. That is a cocaine tempo for Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

How can you ruin Chattanooga Choo choo....but she did it. I'm sure the musicians, who actually had some talent, were laughing their asses off and glad to get paid behind a singer as bad as this.

She speaks like an old gay queen…

Didnt like her back in the beginning, dont like her to this day. No class

Rough on the eyes

Over rated.

And now she's filled with hate.

If only Johnny Carson knew how much of a racist Bette Midler was, he wouldn't have said that.

U can see this so well in this video -- Bette's dominate inner child self is male, but prefers men. So as a result, Bette expresses in similar ways as would an effeminate gay man. Understand? ❤

This sucks so bad. Hail to the queen, Karen Anne Carpenter.