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Johnny Carson, 30-Year 'Tonight' Host, Dies at 79
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Johnny Carson, who hosted The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992, has died at the age of 79. While the Carson family released few details of his death, it was reportedly the result of complications stemming from emphysema.
As host of the NBC late-night mainstay, Carson created well-loved characters like Art Fern and Carnac the Magnificent, the psychic with questionable vision. He also gave audiences a blend of Hollywood showmanship and folksy charm that won him generations of fans.
The Tonight Show consistently won its time slot during Carson's tenure at the show, as even sidekicks like Ed McMahon and bandleader Doc Severinsen became household names.
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