On May 22, 1992, Johnny Carson emerged from his rainbow-hued curtain, mimed the famous golf swing for the last time, and said good-night to a nation that had stayed up with him for the previous three decades. Long acknowledged as the king of late-night television, he was stepping down from his throne on The Tonight Show and back into private life.Based on interviews with Carson -- the only one he's ever granted for a book -- and more than fifty major celebrities, including David Letterman, Jimmy Stewart, Bob Hope, Jonathan Winters, Betty White, Jack Paar, Phyllis Diller, and Louie Anderson, this book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the longest-running late-night television show of all time and at the man who made it all happen. It is a revision and expansion of a 1992 book that celebrated Carson's years on the show.More than 200 photographs, most previously unpublished, commemorate the most popular features and most memorable moments from The Tonight Show in the Carson era. Included are The Mighty Carson Art Players, Carnac the Magnificent, Stump the Band, Tiny Tim's wedding, the infamous interview with Arnold Palmer's wife, Ed Ames's notorious tomahawk throw, and much more.Chapters cover the history and evolution of The Tonight Show. In addition, featured sidebars on celebrities and common folk who appeared on the show, on Carson's infamous feud with Joan Rivers, on Doc Severinsen (including a selected discography), and the many "Public Service Announcements" are among the many elements that complement the lively text.