Dateline May 22, 1992 – Johnny Carson made his final appearance as host of the Tonight Show after nearly 5,000 shows. Here’s how that show opened:

Johnny Carson gave so many comedians their start.  A case in point: Ellen Degeneres:

Carson started in magic and particularly loved magicians. Here is The Great Flydini:

Few people realize that Michael Caine got his start doing stand up for Johnny Carson:

In 1982 Eddie Murphy jokes about the first Black president:

You’d never know who or what you would see on the Carson show:

And that included Tiny Tim:

Johnny Carson’s last television’s appearance was a cameo:

It hardly seems like 20 years since he’s been gone from the air. There has never been another one like him and there never will be.