He was hardly a friend of the people.  And folks who knew him said he was distant, distrustful and creepy.  He was also quite greedy.  He might have had something at the beginning, in the 1960s, but he certainly coasted a real long time.  His brand of humor was stuck in a WWII time warp.  He was a square who smoked himself to death.  And, as a talk show host, he was no great shakes.  Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Dick Cavett and Ernie Kovacs were all far superior.  And what is telling is that he never did anything in show business outside of the talk show, no movies, sitcoms, Broadway appearances, which indicates that he had very narrow talent.

Best interviewer on TV. Very smart and talented.

Has-been. . .who cares? Yeah, yeah- 'he revolutionized late-night TV'. . .I didn't mourn the loss of the man who revolutionized radio-shows either. . .

Said at the Pearly Gates: "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!!" C'mon you were all thinking it. Easy on the bashing, please.

Picking up on Goneaway's post, Ed Ames was playing "Mingo" in the "Daniel Boone" tv series at the time. Mingo was Boone's friend and sidekick, displaying all sorts of crafty talents for battle, among them, throwing (with pinpoint accuracy) a razor sharp tomahawk. When Ames' first shot hit the groin of the cowboy (complete with wide-brimmed cowboy hat) drawn on the target area, the crowd erupted in laughter. Ames quickly walked over to the tomahawk, intending to remove it and end the embarrassing episode. Carson held his hand away, highlighting his angst, expecting the crowd's shrieking laughter to subside eventually. They had to break for a commercial and the crowd was still laughing uncontrollably when they came back. Now, THAT was late night television. When he left the "Tonight Show" in 1992 to Jay Leno, the two of them had a falling out, and Johnny never returned to the show to make an appearance. I always thought he would produce other material for tv, but it was not to be. He was the king of late night and I think late-night tv misses him. They should have mended their fences when they had time.

Let's be honest here. We're Americans. I didn't mourn one damn person ever that I didn't know. Truly mourn? My Grandpa. That's it. Mourning is not oh, that's too bad. I saw that Carson died and said, huh, go figure to myself. And when my co workers mentione it, I said, so what? I didn't know him. What is it with Americans that makes us think a famous person is more important than any random murder victim? Who gives a damn? Let's be honest. We didn't know him. I was sadder over the 1 to 2000 people who got stabbed 80 times in the face that day, than I was for Carson.

The best of late night TV! The standard which all other simply aspire to imitate, he had a quality of enjoying people, in spite of being very recluse in his private life. A class act and truly one of a kind.

He changed his profession. I didn't amire him, I can't say I admire ANY TV stars. They make a living by putting on a face.

I remember my dad watching him when I was a kid. Happy times! Long gone now:-(

I was sad to hear of his death. I remember wathcing the Tonight Show. He was a great host. he paved the way for other talk hosts. He was one of the best. he was such a private man I was not too aware he had been ill for some time.

Even Johnny Carson's toughest critics conceded that he helped to change the face of late night talk shows into something worth watching. Frankly, I never was any particular fan of his but he did have talent and seemed to care about his job. Have to give credit where credit is due...

Without a doubt the only person on this list that I will truly miss being on this planet. Despite his age, and the fact that he was in poor health, it came as a bit of a shock when I heard Carson had died. I guess there are some people that you think are going to live forever, and for me Johnny Carson was one of those people. There is still a lot of time left in the year, but I doubt there will be another celebrity that passes on that had the effect Carson had on me.

Johnny was the king of late night tv.

He had wit, charm, good taste, and knew how to make guests and viewers comfortable. That added up to staying power and loyalty in an audience, notions that television today does not understand or value.

I only rated Johnny as a 5, because THAT's as high as the rating system went. If I had had MY way, though, I would've given this shy, mild-mannered, beloved comic a 100! Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show for 30 years, and then he walked away into the sunset until his death. I was shocked by his death because dying was not in his character. Johnny's span as King of Late-night television spanned seven presidencies. Of WHAT political persuasion (Democrat or Republican) did he belong-to? Ask me, and I haven't a clue; he never tipped his hand on the show. All I know is, like Bob Hope, he kidded them equally, and unmercifully. Johnny had the comedic timing of Jack Benny, whom he idolized. He also possessed a rapier-like wit that never failed him; he had the quickest mind in comedy. Like when Ed (Daniel Boone) Ames appeared on The Tonight Show, and was asked (as a gag) to throw a tomahawk at the outlined silhouette of a man. Ames' throw hit the silhouette right, smack, dab in the crotch. Johnny, laughing hysterically, had the presence of mind to quip, I didn't even know you were Jewish! The ability to do THAT, off the top of his head, was the total embodiment of the Master, Johnny Carson. Thanks for ALL the great times, Johnny. It's a cliche, but we'll NEVER see the likes of YOU, again!

At the time of Johnny's passing the new year is still young so who is to say what will come later on but for me I feel a personal loss with the passing of Johnny Carson. He hosted the tonight show from the time I was nine years old until I was almost 39. He had tremendous shoes to fill when he first came on board as Jack Paar had refined the late night talk / variety show and brought it into maturity. Carson was smart in that he did not try to be the next Jack Paar. He seemed to be a little of all of his show business idols rolled into one person. Jack Paar's easygoing style, Jack Benny's ability to laugh at himself and give the funny lines to the guests, and Carson, even as a boyhood magician, always enjoyed playing with his audience. In the 30 years he was the host of the program everyone from politicians to children, every conceivable type of performer, or ordinary people who did extraordinary things appeared on the stage of the Tonight show. Johnny Carson was always a gracious host and classic moments of his comedy have been evident for many years. Before videotape became a household product I have, in my personal collection, an album of the best of the Tonight show going back to 1973. Johnny Carson was a class act and it's amazing that a man who was known to be shy in real life would become one of the most recognizable faces in the world. I don't know a whole heck of a lot about his personal life except for what I have read in books and some of that has to be taken with a grain (or in some cases a block) of salt. I can only hope that when he passed on, a chorus of angels sang out Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny.

Johnny Carson was handsome and debonair and had a rather dry sense of humor. He wasn't falling all over himself trying to be hilarious. I had a crush on him when I was a little girl and felt oh so grown up watching him on my black and white portable. He had a lot of class and dignity, which is hard to come by these days.

I don't, and never have, watched late night talk shows with any regularity. There's no doubt he had a major impact on the evolution of television, but I never much cared about him. I sort of wonder if Ed McMahon's far behind him though, given how close the two were all those years.

Although I am not old enough to remember a lot of Johnny Carson, I grew up knowing he was an important person. I remember sitting down with my family and watching his final episode when I was still young. It seems that everybody was a fan of the man, and nobody had anything bad to say about him. I hope he rests in peace.