Anecdotes

Retired as a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. During World War II, he was a pilot-instructor and test pilot. During the Korean War, he flew 85 combat missions after being called back to active service in 1952. Was commissioned a Brigadier General in the California Air National Guard in 1966 and continued to serve after he began his acting career. Along with James Stewart, he held the highest active military rank of any actor in history. McMahon was the highest-ranking officer to become an actor, and Stewart was the established actor who achieved the highest rank. Both were decorated combat aviators.

Was a decorated Marine fighter pilot during World War II.

Was present for the 2007 demolishing of the old Burbank studio where he had taped the last The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), calling this an end of an era.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 20, 1986.

Retired from U.S.M.C. reserve status in 1983 to host Star Search (1983) full time, a show on which such performers as Britney Spears and Arsenio Hall (his own successor to the show) were later discovered.

Received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (1949). He majored in speech and drama and was a member of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity.

Hospitalized in intensive care at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for treatment of pneumonia and bone cancer on February 27, 2009.

Attended Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and did not graduate.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, but raised in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Was a longtime summer resident of Avalon, New Jersey.

'Weird Al' Yankovic wrote a song about him called "Here's Johnny".

Father of Claudia McMahon.

Was a huge fan of W.C. Fields.

His son, Michael Edward McMahon, passed away from liver cancer on July 28, 1995, at age 44.

Posthumously inducted into the Broadcasting Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame (2010).

His publicist is Howard Bragman.

He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.