David Letterman
From LoveToKnow Celebrity
David Letterman is now in his 25th year of entertaining audiences with his late night talk show. With a long career behind him and many years ahead, Letterman has become a household name with his off-beat comedy.
Early Years
David Letterman was born April 12, 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to florist Harry Joseph (Joe) and Dorothy Letterman, a church secretary. Letterman has two sisters, Janice and Gretchen.
After graduation at Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, he attended Ball State University, graduating with a degree in telecommunications in 1969. His first taste of broadcasting was at the university’s radio station.
Early Television Appearances
Letterman first started his post-college career, from 1970 to 1974, on an Indianapolis television station as a weatherman and news anchor. Even in those roles, his signature quirky humor was seen, as he once predicted hail stones “the size of canned hams.”
An aspiring comedy writer, he moved to California in 1975. His love of comedy led him to stand-up, where he appeared at Los Angeles’ The Comedy Store.
His first television performances were in 1977 on the Starland Vocal Band Show, and in 1978 on Mary, a variety show starring Mary Tyler Moore. Letterman also made appearances on Mork & Mindy, $10,000 Pyramid and The Gong Show.
Letterman’s first hosting job came in 1980 on a morning variety program called The David Letterman Show. While it only lasted three months, he won two Emmy awards and received five Emmy nominations.
A Future in Late Night
Letterman appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson a total of 22 times, and even guest hosted the program on many occasions. After being well-groomed for late night by Carson, Letterman began his talk show career in 1982 with Late Night with David Letterman on NBC, which aired after The Tonight Show. The show was on for 11 ½ years before Letterman eventually moved to ABC. Late Night received five Emmy awards and 35 Emmy nominations.
Leno versus Letterman
When Johnny Carson announced that he would retire in May 1992, Letterman seemed a likely candidate to fill Carson’s shoes. NBC instead gave the post to Jay Leno, who had filled in as guest host on The Tonight Show. The brass at NBC decided to maintain Letterman in his 12:30 a.m. time slot because his ratings were so phenomenal. Unhappy with the decision, Letterman left the network in 1993 to host The Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. This move to a competing network meant competition for The Tonight Show, as The Late Show also aired at 11:30 p.m.
The Late Show
Letterman has hosted the Late Show with David Letterman for 14 years now, winning nine Emmys and receiving 54 Emmy nominations. While The Late Show initially won the ratings for the time slot against The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, in 1995, Leno’s program began to pull ahead. Despite being number two in the ratings, Letterman consistently ranks higher than Leno in a yearly poll for the "Nation’s Favorite TV Personality."
Letterman signed a contract in December 2006 to continue hosting The Late Show through fall 2010.
Award Show Host
Letterman is still remembered for hosting the 1995 Academy Awards. The now famous “Oprah – Uma” introduction didn’t win him many positive reviews among critics, but fans still loved him for the quirky gag and other jokes throughout the telecast. Although the awards show earned the highest ratings since its 1983 telecast, many felt his poor hosting duties translated into poor ratings for his talk show.
Personal Life
Letterman married college sweetheart Michelle Cook in 1969, but the two divorced in 1977. He also dated Late Night writer Merrill Markoe before beginning a long relationship with Regina Lasko. Lasko and Letterman have one son, Harry Joseph, born in November 2003.
David Letterman Facts
- Conan O'Brien took over as Late Night host when Letterman left NBC in 1993. Letterman appeared as one of O’Brien’s first guests.
- His production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated, produced The Late Late Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, Ed and The Knights of Prosperity on television, as well as the film, Strangers with Candy.
- He is a co-owner of auto racing's Team Rahal.
- People magazine named him one of 2001’s “25 Most Intriguing People.”
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