The David Letterman Show

Although this program did not remain on the air past the first season, it is interesting to note that Dave has won Emmy's at each of the three shows he has hosted. A winner then, a winner now.

By contrast, Leno has only won one non-technical Emmy in six years on the air - Dave has won best series two years in a row.

On June 23, 1980, Letterman was given his own morning comedy show on NBC, The David Letterman Show. It was originally 90 minutes long, but was shortened to 60 minutes in August 1980.[44] The show was a critical success, winning two Emmy Awards, but was a ratings disappointment and was canceled in October 1980. This show, however was a One-off gag not aired in the morning, but returning to the Morning Show format, three years after Late Night with David Letterman had begun in 1982. This occurred on 2-27-1985. Its the "Morning Show" special, as Dave and his co-host "Tawny Harper Reynolds" simulate a typically vapid network morning program. Larry Bud gives the traffic report, while Dr. Henry gives the weather. Also, while exercising on the floor, Carol Channing repeatedly exposes her underpants to the camera.

I was in high school when this show appeared and disappeared. I don't remember the circumstances that allowed me to be home to see it (perhaps it ran in the summer), but it was hilarious. Featuring comedian Rich Hall and Edie McClurg, among other regulars, it's not surprising that its often absurdist humor didn't play well enough with a morning audience for it to remain on the air -- it was definitely a better fit for late night. For those who didn't see it (approximately everyone -12), Dave would generally have 1 or 2 real guests and a bunch of skits and recurring characters. Usually if he announced a guest you had heard of, the person who appeared was this one guy from the cast who would claim he was that person (or people -- he claimed on one show to be Donnie and Marie) despite Dave's incredulity.

I spoke to Rich Hall after he performed at the University of Colorado some years ago and after expressing his surprise at meeting someone who had seen the show, he said that they all knew fairly early in the run that the show was going to be cancelled, which pretty much gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Another poster mentioned having seen the show in reruns -- I'd love to have the chance to see at least some of them again to see if I find them as funny now as I did then.

This was the first of David Lettermans phenomenal comic success in Late Night. Although this show didn't go over as well as the others, I've seen re-runs and it was funny, and earned him an Emmy. If anyone knew then what we know now about this "dude" (as Dave would say), I'd be a rich woman today.

A harbinger of his later Late Night show, a celebration of early Letterman. Definitely very easy to see, iconic and always funny. Short-Lived, a uick watch and - although it's Letterman - not too wellknown. Very nice.