Heeeeere's Johnny! Or, rather, heeeeeere he will be!
Turner Classic Movies has licensed 50 "Tonight Show" interviews that Johnny Carson conducted with Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Mel Brooks and others from the Carson Entertainment Group, TCM said Tuesday. Also read: Johnny Carson Archives Sign With WME The interviews, many of which have not seen the light of day since they first aired, will appear under the banner "Carson on TCM," beginning next summer. "Carson on TCM," which is being curated by filmmaker Peter Jones ("Johnny Carson: King of Late Night," "Stardust: The Bette Davis Story"), will first air as a series of five-interview showcases before being offered as single-interview interstitials that highlight stars being featured on the network. Also read: Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show": 7 Golden Moments Carson interviews with Truman Capote, Gregory Peck, Steve Martin and Drew Barrymore will also be aired. The concept for "Carson on TCM" came about while Jones was making the PBS documentary "Johnny Carson: King of Late Night." Granted access to all existing episodes of "The Tonight Show" in the Carson archives, Jones put together a showcase package for the most memorable interviews. TCM gave similar treatment to "The Dick Cavett Show" in 2006, showcasing interviews between Cavett and guests such as Katharine Hepburn, Groucho Marx and Alfred Hitchcock.