Johnny Carson Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What was Johnny Carson’s Net Worth and Salary?

At the time of his passing, Johnny Carson had a net worth of $300 million. He was an accomplished American talk show host, comedian, and writer, widely recognized for “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” which he hosted from 1962 to 1992. Over his three-decade tenure, Carson significantly impacted the entertainment industry, helping to launch the careers of numerous superstars such as Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, and his eventual successor, Jay Leno. Many comedians aspired to grace the stage of Johnny’s show, hoping for an opportunity to join him on the couch for an interview following their performances.

After retiring in May 1992, Carson sadly passed away on January 23, 2005, due to respiratory failure stemming from emphysema.

Salary and Philanthropy

During the mid-1970s, Carson held the title of the highest-paid television personality in the industry, with earnings averaging around $4 million annually. By 1991, at the height of his show’s popularity, he was making $25 million a year; when adjusted for inflation, this equates to roughly $40 million today.

Throughout his life, Johnny was known for making significant donations to various charities, contributing millions of dollars privately. Upon his death, a substantial portion of his estate was left to the John W. Carson Foundation. Prior to his passing, he had been providing annual contributions between $1-$2 million to the foundation. Following his death, it was revealed that the foundation was a beneficiary of a trust established from Johnny’s estate.

The trust’s actual value remained undisclosed for five years until his lawyers were obligated to reveal it on an IRS tax return. On August 30, 2010, The Johnny Carson Foundation learned that their trust fund was worth $156 million, despite having assumed it was only a fraction of that amount. Within a few years, the foundation’s assets soared to over $200 million.

Additionally, Johnny’s will specified a donation of $4 million to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

Early Life

Born John William Carson on October 23, 1925, in Corning, Iowa, Johnny Carson grew up in a family where his mother, Ruth, was a homemaker, and his father, Homer, managed a power company. He had an older sister named Catherine and a younger brother named Richard, who later became an Emmy Award-winning television director. At the age of 8, the family relocated to Norfolk, Nebraska, where Johnny began to delve into his love for entertainment. After discovering a magic book at a friend’s home, he bought a mail-order magic kit at 12 and started performing card tricks for his family, eventually debuting as “The Great Carsoni” at the local Kiwanis Club by the age of 14.

Military Service

On June 8, 1943, Carson enlisted in the United States Navy and joined the V-12 Navy College Training Program as an apprentice seaman. As World War II drew to a close, he was commissioned as an ensign and assigned to the USS Pennsylvania, though he did not see combat as the war ended while he was en route to the combat zone. Throughout his military career, he took…

With an impressive record of 10-0, Johnny participated in amateur boxing and stated that performing a card trick for James V. Forrestal, the United States Secretary of the Navy, was the highlight of his Navy experience.

Education

After completing his service in the Navy, Johnny enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, initially majoring in journalism before switching to speech and drama, with a minor in physics. He joined the Phi Delta Gamma fraternity and continued to showcase his magic talents, earning $25 per performance during his time in college. Carson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech in 1949.

Early Radio and Television

In 1950, Carson began his broadcasting career at WOW Radio in Omaha and quickly transitioned to hosting a morning program called “The Squirrel’s Nest” on WOW-TV. From 1951 to 1953, he hosted the budget-friendly sketch series “Carson’s Cellar” on Los Angeles’s KNXT, which opened the door for a writing position on “The Red Skelton Show.” When Skelton suffered a concussion during a rehearsal, Johnny stepped in for him on the live broadcast, resulting in CBS launching “The Johnny Carson Show,” a primetime variety series that aired from 1955 to 1956. Additionally, Carson hosted the game show “Earn Your Vacation” in 1954 and was a frequent panelist on “To Tell the Truth” between 1961 and 1962. Following the conclusion of “The Johnny Carson Show,” he relocated to New York City and took over hosting “Who Do You Trust?,” where he first met Ed McMahon, his future sidekick on “The Tonight Show.”

The Tonight Show

“Tonight,” the NBC program, launched in 1954 with Steve Allen as the host, followed by Jack Paar in 1956, and ultimately Johnny Carson after Paar’s retirement. Carson commenced his hosting duties on October 1, 1962, with the show later being titled “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Ed McMahon served as both Johnny’s announcer and sidekick, while the musical backdrop was provided by maestro Skitch Henderson and the NBC orchestra, with Doc Severinsen as the bandleader from 1967 until the series concluded in 1992.

Recognized for setting the standard for the modern late-night talk show format, “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” featured a monologue, followed by sketch comedy, interviews, and either a musical or stand-up performance. In July 1971, Carson adjusted his schedule to work four days a week instead of five, allowing guest hosts to take over on Mondays. The program relocated from New York City to Burbank, California, in May 1972, where it remained until Jimmy Fallon assumed hosting duties in 2014. Originally a 90-minute program, Carson requested to shorten it to 60 minutes in 1980. On May 22, 1992, at the age of 66, Carson retired, with his penultimate show featuring guests Robin Williams and Bette Midler, followed by a retrospective of popular clips from his three-decade-long tenure on the show.

Personal Life

Throughout his life, Carson was married to Judy Wolcott from 1948 until 1963, Joanne Copeland from 1963 to 1972, Joanna Holland from 1972 to 1983, and Alexis Maas from 1987 until his passing in 2005. He fathered three sons with Wolcott: Christopher, Richard, and Cory. Tragically, Richard lost his life in a car accident on June 21, 1991, prompting Johnny to honor him with a tribute on “The Tonight Show,” showcasing some of Richard’s nature photography.

Death

Carson experienced a heart attack in March 1999, leading to quadruple bypass surgery. A longtime heavy smoker, he succumbed to emphysema on January 23, 2005, at the age of 79. Carson passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and his remains were cremated.

Legacy

A recipient of six Primetime Emmy Awards, Carson also earned a Peabody Award and the Governor’s Award from the Television Academy. In 1960, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and received induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Furthermore, Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Kennedy Center Honor.

Real Estate

In 1984, a massive home on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Malibu was purchased by Johnny for $9.5 million. Following his passing, the estate managed to sell the property for $46 million. In 2017, the home was listed on the market for $81.5 million. Ultimately, it closed in June 2019 for $25.9 million.