Was lucky enough to see Rich Little twice at the Nugget in Reno, NV. He finished with 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong and sounded exactly like him. Was the two best shows I have ever been to.
THIS is when people actually entertained their audience completely. There will never be another Carson, and definitely never be another performer as brilliant as Rich Little.
I was born in 66, and when i was around 8, i remember staying over my grandparents' house, which was really exciting, and my grandmother would watch the news while she did her hair each night then she watched Johnny Carson, and went to bed. Great childhood memories, great childhood times. Thank GOD for the 70s.
yeah absolutely I’ve been married for 32years I was 22 and he was 26. he got cancer in 2020 I was totally lost without him. He took a major hit the treatment was horrible for him. I could not do nothing to change any thing so I felt helpless I miss Him everyday.. seeing this makes me miss him even more I come to this page all the time just to have that nostalgia
I had forgotten how brilliant an impressionist Rich Little is (he's still with us, at 85!). I also am so glad that we can watch these archived shows of Johnny. I always would get a warm fuzzy feeling when the show would start (I'm in my 60s, so I was well into adulthood by the time Johnny retired in 1992). Watching these clips brings it back for me, so thanks for sharing these with us.
@@jimrubin3335 68 here. Saw him Off-Broadway in 2021 in a play called Trial on the Potomac - The Impeachment of Richard Nixon. A dramatic role for Rich Little playing the former President.
My father watched Johnny every night. I was just a kid, so I didn't get the jokes and he would try to explain them to me. Truly, some of my best and most heartwarming memories.
Classic stuff there.. Rich Little in his prime. Johnny Carson was a mainstay TV program I watched until the end. Love him and everything about the show. They dont make that anymore..
In the early 70's I actually had the privilege of meeting Mr. Little in Lake Tahoe. I befriended his drummer and he brought me back stage to meet Rich. What a honor that was.
Every time you see a clip with Johnny smoking, you want to shout right through the screen to tell him to stop. But we were blessed to have him for the 30 years we did, such a priceless treasure!
It was COOL then. You were the elite and the in crowd. Even military , " Smoke em if you got em. Even in prison, they can buy cigs if someone sends them money for it. Every thing else is denied.
Took my folks when they were alive to see Rich at the Scera Amphitheater in Orem, Utah. Still have my tickets and backstage pass. Brilliant man and very cordial.
Indeed they are rare now days. But then too the ability to change one's voice isn't easy. It takes a lot of practice. Very few has the natural talent to start with. Even then the dedication required to reach a solid level is something only a rare few aren't going to spend the time working towards. Then many who are quit, due to being mocked when they're young. Some that can do it, also won;t dedicate to doing comedic style impressions, but will go into doing voice over. It's a much more lucrative field than trying to make it as a comedian.
@@8avexp I know. That's what I remember him doing from the 70s. His "I'm not a crook!" But it's not on here anywhere. I thought I might have missed it.
I'm sure most - if not all - people are tied to their own era of life, but I'm so glad to have been alive during the years that Carson had his show. Today's shows/celebrities just aren't the same. Not saying better or worse (that's too subjective), but you got much more of people's personalities then than now. A lot of that was just Johnny, but the times themselves had their own peculiarities/personalities too. Societal change seems slow, but it exists... and you can hear the differences in pieces like this. Today's TV is more structured and cold.... just like our society now. That's what made Rich Little so good... he captured the inner personalities of his voices.
@@sportsfan5548 I have heard the impressions of Frank Caliendo and he is really good at more recent celebrities, but I always liked Rich Little's impressions for most of them are of people who I grew up watching and listening to over the years.
I love Rich doing "Nixon" and Johnny's idiocincrisies that kill me, and the Nixon idiocincrisies kill me too Mr. I am Not a crook, and, "I don't know what all the fuss is about !" When Rich does those two, I swear I am rolling laughing hilariously!!! Rich is Truly a Blessing!!
I grew up watching Johnny Carson and don't recall him smoking in the 80s. I would not have wanted to be the person to tell him he could not smoke on his own show. He reigned supreme.
I love Rich Little! He's so good. My favorite clip is when he's really young doing 100 impressions in 3 minutes. Since I'm an old movie, tv, and radio buff, I recognize about all of them!
This is one of those eerie moments in life. I am sitting here watching this video and, at the same time, streaming the original Hawaii Five-0. I hear a voice on the TV and look up to see Rich Little. How odd is that? Rich Little has a role in this particular episode of 5-0. My parents took me to see Rich Little perform at the Shady Grove Music Theatre in Maryland somewhere around 1976. I remember meeting him after the show, getting his autograph and taking a photo with him.
i grew up in Silver Spring & might have been at that same show - he was insanely talented & chatted a little with me & my parents afterward - a super cool guy !!
Thanks for sharing. When I was a teenager, in the summer, I worked at a grocery store and would often come home (after working an 8 hour shift) at around 10:30-11PM Eastern. I'd grab a snack and watch Johnny. Those were 90 minute shows (5 nights a week) with multiple guests on each show. He was an incredible interviewer - if he got deep into an interview, he would keep going, sometimes resulting in the last guest getting bumped. He gave so many standup comedians their big break.
@@DougZbikowski Carson wouldn't have had him on so often if that were true, but he was a cranky guy so something eventually pissed him off. Carson did admire him at first and they were both perfectionist entertainers. Carson tried impersonating Bogart but refused to perform it when he saw Little do it. Jealous maybe but he obviously didnt think they were 'corny'
I remember seeing this when it originally aired. I was laughing so hard I woke my wife up. she started laughing right along when she realized what she was seeing which Honestly has been a really good source of happiness for me ever since I lost my wife so many years ago i was married for 42years I was 24 and she was 20. She got cancer in 2020 I was totally lost without her. She took a major hit the treatment was horrible for her. I could do nothing to change any thing so I felt helpless I miss her everyday. Mothers are the glue that holds everyone together.. it broke me to pieces so seeing comments like this makes me smile.
Rich was close on his guess. Johnny was making $25,000,000 his last season. That's $54,000,000 in today's world. In my opinion, he was worth twice that. Sadly he didn't live to see 80. He died at 79. He was, is, and will always be, The King of The Talk Show. Anybody that didn't get to experience his show, truly missed out on a diamond.
@sherilyncarden - I agree. Those of us who got to experience Johnny, Ed, and Doc are very lucky. It's just too bad ppl of today have nothing to compare to it.
My folks loved Rich LIttle, I still do even though he is older and doing theater in towns. He is still one of the best voice impersonators ever. His style is out of this world. To bad we don't have wonderful people like him to carry on. Johnny Carson, was another great, who could take a joke and was humble about it. One day, in our future, as the world gets darker and darker, a light will shine and men like Johnny, and I hope Rich is there as well, will be back. Na, not this type of world full of divisions and hatred, a world without any troubles of any kind. A world where fine men and women from the best worldwide will find the abundance of peace and outdo each other's voice overs! So cool! Miss these folks so much!
Rich’s talent isn’t just observing the voice and expertly recreating it, it’s using the character of the person and transposing it into something new and making it thoroughly witty comedy. That look when he first walks on and the guests do the once over glance of each other and you can see them thinking,”I thought I had the loudest gear on tonight !”.
@15:34 - It made was a bittersweet moment when Rich started into the bit about Carson coming out to do his monolog at 80. He couldn't have known that Johnny would die at 79.
Oh wow you are totally right!! That is really weird now that I think of it, because I heard and saw Rich do that show, and the reality of Johnny already having passed away, and didn't even enter my brain. Poor dear Johnny didn't even make it to 80. It's just like with Dean Martin, and he died at 79, and never made it to 80. What a Bummer!!
I met Rich in the Ramada Express in Laughlin, NV back in '97 or '98. Such a super kind, down to Earth, humble, yet hilarious guy. He did a few impressions on the spot with no one else around when I didn't even ask. Unforgettable experience.
Rich Little is one of the greatest impressionists ever. He is a true diverse versatile Ad lib storytelling master, and a very unique original sounding voice like all the true Hollywood stars that he does including his spot on Johnny Carson and Ed Sullivan. Adore all three of their 70’s suits, such cool style and flair. One of my faves to ever appear on the Tonight Show having a ball with Johnny Carson. 😍🥰😘🤩🌟✨😆👑💎⚜️🏆 📺
Seems weird now days seeing Johnny smoke on the show. I watched this as a kid and teen in the 1970s. Rich Little was the best. He did the golden oldies of Hollywood.
Why is it weird seeing Johnny smoke on the show? I currently on the 11th season and I’ve gotta say it’s quite normal for him to smoke on the show except for the times he was trying to quit
I was like 7 or 8 years old, and my parents would let me stay up some nights to watch Johnny... and on the nights they said "no," I'd stay up anyway as I slept upstairs and had a very small B&W TV that I would turn way down! It truly was must-see TV.
More entertainment was provided in this 20 minute video with Johnny Carson and Rich Little than Jimmy Fallon has produced in 9 years on his Tonight Show. 🙄
yeah absolutely I’ve been married for 32years I was 22 and he was 26. he got cancer in 2020 I was totally lost without him. He took a major hit the treatment was horrible for him. I could not do nothing to change any thing so I felt helpless I miss Him everyday.. seeing this makes me miss him even more I come to this page all the time just to have that nostalgia
Love Johnny's laugh. In these tough times when our country is in peril Johnnys humor makes things easier. Thanks Buddy! Hopefully in Heaven he sees this !
Rich Little was always a favorite of mine, especially when he was on the Tonight Show. I have heard something happened & Johnny refused to have him on the show any longer. I don't know what happened & I really don't even know if it's true or not!?! I hope he is still doing well & know how much we love him & appreciate his talent!!! 🌼❤️🌼
@@jaycollins7288 Thank you, Jay Collins, I may have seen one of those shows. My mind is getting a foggy at times, so I felt like I couldn't confirm the information. Thank you so much!!!
I certainly miss watching Johnny Carson, at bedtime.... i slerpt much better, back then ; for some reas on. Doc was a and is a favourite Musician and quite dapper . Rest in Peace my nighttime Frien, Johnnyyyyyyyyyy.....🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟♥️🕯🌠☄📰🇬🇧🕯
