David Letterman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Letterman
Letterman in 2016
Birth name	David Michael Letterman
Born	(1947-04-12) April 12, 1947 (age 78) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up television film
Alma mater	Ball State University (BA)
Years active	1970–present
Genres	Observational comedy black comedy surreal humor insult comedy deadpan satire
Subject(s)	American culture American politics everyday life pop culture current events human behavior
Spouse	Michelle Cook ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1977)​ Regina Lasko ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	1
Notable works and roles	The David Letterman Show (1980) Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993) Late Show with David Letterman (1993–2015) My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (2018–present)
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David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is a famous American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He hosted popular late-night talk shows for 33 years. His journey began on February 1, 1982, with Late Night with David Letterman on NBC. It ended on May 20, 2015, with Late Show with David Letterman on CBS.

In total, Letterman hosted 6,080 episodes of Late Night and Late Show. This made him the longest-serving late-night talk show host in American TV history. He passed his friend and mentor, Johnny Carson, in this achievement.

Letterman also produces TV shows and films. His company, Worldwide Pants, created his own shows. It also produced The Late Late Show and comedies like Everybody Loves Raymond. Many current late-night hosts, such as Conan O'Brien and Stephen Colbert, say Letterman influenced them. Since 2018, he has hosted the Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.

David Letterman's Early Life and Career

David Letterman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1947. He has an older sister and a younger sister. His father, Harry Joseph Letterman, was a florist. His mother, Dorothy Marie Letterman Mengering, worked as a church secretary. She sometimes appeared on Letterman's show, especially during holidays.

Letterman grew up in Indianapolis, near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He loved collecting model cars, including race cars. He once shared that he admired his father's ability to tell jokes. His father had a heart attack when David was young. This made David worry about losing him. His father passed away from another heart attack in 1973.

Letterman went to Broad Ripple High School in his hometown. He also worked at a local supermarket. He wanted to go to Indiana University, but his grades were not high enough. So, he attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He joined the Sigma Chi fraternity. He graduated in 1969 with a degree in Radio and Television. Letterman described himself as an average student. He later started a scholarship at Ball State for "C students."

After college, Letterman registered for the draft during the Vietnam War. He passed his physical exam. However, he was not drafted because his lottery number was very high.

Letterman started his broadcasting career at his college's radio station, WBST. He was a newscaster and announcer. He was fired for not being serious enough about classical music. He then helped start another campus station, WAGO-AM 570.

He credits Paul Dixon, a TV talk show host, for inspiring him. Letterman saw Dixon on TV and realized that's what he wanted to do.

Becoming a Weatherman

After graduating in 1969, Letterman became a radio talk show host. He also worked as a TV anchor and weatherman at WLWI in Indianapolis. He became known for his funny and unexpected behavior on air. For example, he once congratulated a tropical storm for becoming a hurricane. He also joked about hailstones "the size of canned hams."

He sometimes reported weather for made-up cities. He even claimed the border between Indiana and Ohio had disappeared. Letterman also hosted a kids' show and a late-night movie show. On the movie show, he once acted out a scene from Godzilla with plastic dinosaurs. He also hosted Clover Power, where he interviewed 4-H members.

In 1971, Letterman appeared on national TV for the first time. He was a reporter for ABC Sports at the 1971 Indianapolis 500. He interviewed race car driver Mario Andretti.

Moving to Los Angeles for Comedy

Letterman's comedy career grew at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

In 1975, Letterman moved to Los Angeles, California. His wife Michelle and fraternity brothers encouraged him to become a comedy writer. They drove across the country in his pickup truck. Letterman still owned that truck in 2012. In Los Angeles, he started performing stand-up comedy at The Comedy Store.

Comedian Jimmie Walker saw Letterman perform. Walker then hired Letterman to write jokes for his act. Other famous comedians like Jay Leno also wrote for Walker.

By 1977, Letterman was writing and performing on The Starland Vocal Band Show on CBS. He also hosted a game show pilot called The Riddlers. He appeared in a comedy special called Peeping Times. Later, he was a cast member on Mary Tyler Moore's variety show, Mary. He also made guest appearances on shows like Mork & Mindy and game shows like The $20,000 Pyramid. He even auditioned for the lead role in the movie Airplane!.

Letterman's unique, sarcastic humor caught the attention of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He soon became a regular guest. He was a favorite of Carson and often guest-hosted the show starting in 1978. Letterman says Carson was the biggest influence on his career.

David Letterman's Time at NBC

Morning Show Success

On June 23, 1980, NBC gave Letterman his own morning comedy show, The David Letterman Show. It was first 90 minutes long, then shortened to 60 minutes. Critics loved the show, and it won two Emmy Awards. However, not many people watched it, so it was canceled on October 24, 1980.

Late Night with David Letterman

Letterman interviewing comedian Jerry Lewis in 1982.

NBC decided to keep Letterman and try him in a different time slot. Late Night with David Letterman started on February 1, 1982. The first guest was Bill Murray. Murray became one of Letterman's most frequent guests. He appeared on Letterman's 30th anniversary show and his final CBS show.

The show aired Monday through Thursday nights at 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time, right after The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. A Friday night show was added in 1987. Late Night was known for being fresh and unpredictable. It quickly gained a loyal following, especially among college students.

Letterman was known for his sharp interviewing style. He had memorable conversations with stars like Cher and Madonna. The show also had funny segments and recurring characters. These were inspired by older TV shows from the 1950s and 1960s.

The show featured many unique and funny segments. These included "Stupid Pet Tricks" and "Stupid Human Tricks." He would drop various objects off the roof of a five-story building. He also showed off unusual clothing, like suits made of Alka-Seltzer. A popular segment was the recurring Top 10 list. Other segments included the Monkey-Cam, a funny letter-answering part, and "Small Town News." All these popular segments moved with Letterman to CBS.

Some memorable moments included Letterman interrupting The Today Show with a bullhorn. He also interrupted Al Roker's weather segments on WNBC-TV. He even staged "elevator races" with sports announcer Bob Costas. In one famous appearance, Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler Jerry Lawler had a staged fight on the show.

David Letterman Moves to CBS

Late Show with David Letterman

The Ed Sullivan Theater, where Late Show with David Letterman was filmed.

In 1992, Johnny Carson retired from The Tonight Show. Many people, including Carson himself, thought Letterman would take over. But NBC chose Jay Leno instead. So, Letterman left NBC to host his own late-night show on CBS. It was called the Late Show with David Letterman. It aired at 11:30 p.m., at the same time as The Tonight Show.

The new show started on August 30, 1993. It was filmed at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. This theater was famous for hosting Ed Sullivan's variety show. CBS spent $8 million to renovate the theater for Letterman. CBS also signed Letterman to a big contract, doubling his previous salary.

When Letterman moved to CBS, he kept his unique style. However, Late Show was not exactly the same as his NBC program. The opening monologue became longer. Paul Shaffer and his band, the World's Most Dangerous Band, also moved to CBS. They added a brass section and became the CBS Orchestra. Letterman couldn't use the exact names of his old segments due to legal reasons. But he simply renamed them. For example, the "Top Ten List" became the "Late Show Top Ten." "Viewer Mail" became the "CBS Mailbag."

Show Popularity and Awards

The Late Show competed directly with NBC's The Tonight Show, hosted by Jay Leno. In 1993 and 1994, the Late Show often had more viewers than The Tonight Show. But by 1995, Leno's show started to consistently win in the ratings.

Leno's show usually had about five million viewers each night. The Late Show lost almost half its audience during this competition. It went from 7.1 million viewers in 1993–94 to about 3.8 million by 2009. When Conan O'Brien took over Tonight for a short time, Letterman's ratings improved. But when Leno returned, he regained his lead.

Letterman's shows received many awards and praise. He earned 67 Emmy Award nominations and won 12 times. From 1993 to 2009, Letterman was ranked higher than Leno 12 times in the Harris Poll of "Nation's Favorite TV Personality." For example, in 2003 and 2004, Letterman was second only to Oprah Winfrey.

Hosting the Academy Awards

On March 27, 1995, Letterman hosted the 67th Academy Awards ceremony. Some critics felt his performance was not good. They thought his casual style didn't fit the formal event. He made a joke introducing Uma Thurman to Oprah Winfrey, and then both to Keanu Reeves. Many of his jokes didn't land well. Even though the show had high ratings, some felt the negative publicity hurt the Late Show's ratings.

Letterman later turned this experience into a running joke on his show. He often made fun of his Oscar hosting. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences still respected him and invited him to host again. He confirmed in 2010 that he had been considered for hosting again.

Taking a Break for Heart Surgery

On January 14, 2000, doctors found a serious blockage in Letterman's heart. He had emergency quintuple bypass surgery. While he recovered, reruns of the Late Show were shown. Friends like Norm Macdonald, Drew Barrymore, and Bill Murray introduced these reruns.

Later, while still recovering, Letterman had guest hosts fill in for him. These included Bill Cosby and Kathie Lee Gifford. When Letterman returned on February 21, 2000, he brought his doctors and nurses on stage. He joked about his surgery, saying, "Bypass surgery: it's when doctors surgically create new blood flow to your heart. A bypass is what happened to me when I didn't get The Tonight Show!" He even joked about renaming a freeway in Indiana "The David Letterman Bypass."

Letterman became friends with his medical team. In 2008, he said they were "among my best friends." The band Foo Fighters played their song "Everlong" on his comeback show. Letterman called them "my favorite band, playing my favorite song."

In February 2003, Letterman had guest hosts again when he had a severe case of shingles. Later that year, he used guest hosts for Friday shows. In March 2007, Adam Sandler hosted when Letterman was sick.

Renewing His Contract with CBS

Letterman interviewing President Barack Obama in 2009.

In 2002, Letterman's contract with CBS was ending. ABC offered him the time slot of their news program Nightline. Letterman was interested because he felt he couldn't beat Leno's ratings at CBS. He thought CBS's local news programs weren't a strong enough lead-in for his show. But he didn't want to replace Ted Koppel, the host of Nightline. He decided to stay at CBS, saying he respected Koppel.

On December 4, 2006, CBS announced Letterman signed a new contract until 2010. Letterman joked, "At my age you really don't want to have to learn a new commute." He even showed a fake tattoo of the ABC logo on his leg.

Leslie Moonves, CEO of CBS, said Letterman was a "defining icon of our network." He praised the show's creativity and quality. In 2007, Forbes magazine reported Letterman earned $40 million a year. In 2009, The New York Times estimated his salary at $32 million.

In June 2009, Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants, and CBS agreed to continue the Late Show until at least August 2012. The contract was shorter than usual. Worldwide Pants agreed to a lower fee for the show.

In 2011, Letterman said he would continue his show for "maybe two years." In April 2012, CBS extended his contract through 2014. It was later extended to 2015.

Retiring from Late Show

On April 3, 2014, Letterman announced he would retire from hosting Late Show. His last show aired on May 20, 2015. He sometimes joked later that he had been fired. Stephen Colbert was announced as his successor.

Letterman's final episode began with a special send-off from four former U.S. presidents. It also featured cameos from The Simpsons and Wheel of Fortune. A "Top Ten List" of things guests wished they could have said to Letterman was performed by stars like Alec Baldwin and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The show ended with a montage of clips from his career, set to a live performance of "Everlong" by Foo Fighters.

The final episode of Late Show with David Letterman was watched by 13.76 million viewers. This was the show's highest ratings since 1994. It was also the highest-rated program on TV that night. Bill Murray, his first guest on Late Night, was his final guest on Late Show. Letterman hosted 6,080 episodes in total, becoming the longest-serving late-night talk show host in U.S. history.

After the Late Show

Letterman at the 2019 Indianapolis 500.

After the Late Show ended, Letterman was sometimes seen at sports events like the Indianapolis 500. He made a surprise appearance at a show by Steve Martin and Martin Short. He joked about retiring and then delivered a "Top Ten List" making fun of Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

In 2016, Letterman joined the climate change documentary show Years of Living Dangerously. He traveled to India to learn about the country's energy needs. He interviewed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also explored how the U.S. plays a role in India's energy future.

On April 7, 2017, Letterman gave the speech to induct the band Pearl Jam into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Also in 2017, Letterman and Alec Baldwin co-hosted The Essentials on Turner Classic Movies. They introduced seven films for the series.

David Letterman on Netflix

In 2018, Letterman started hosting a new series on Netflix. It's called My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. The show features long interviews and field segments. It premiered on January 12, 2018, with Barack Obama as the first guest. New seasons have featured guests like Kim Kardashian West, Robert Downey Jr., Dave Chappelle, Lizzo, and Billie Eilish. In October 2022, Letterman traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, to interview Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Notable Moments and Relationships

Relationship with Johnny Carson

Even though Johnny Carson wanted Letterman to take over The Tonight Show, NBC chose Jay Leno. Letterman stayed close friends with Carson after leaving NBC. Carson even made a few surprise appearances on Letterman's show. Carson's last TV appearance was on May 13, 1994, on the Late Show.

It was later revealed that Carson sometimes sent jokes to Letterman. Letterman would use them in his monologue. According to a producer who worked for both men, Carson "got a big kick out of it." Letterman would do a special golf swing like Carson's after telling one of his jokes. After Carson passed away in 2005, all the jokes in Letterman's opening monologue were written by Carson as a tribute.

Carson's producer also said that Carson always believed Letterman was his "rightful successor." In the early years of the Late Show, Letterman sometimes used Carson's famous segments. These included "Carnac the Magnificent" and "Stump the Band."

Relationship with Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey appeared on Letterman's NBC show in 1989. After that, they had a disagreement for 16 years. Winfrey later explained that their 1989 interview felt "uncomfortable." The disagreement seemed to end on December 2, 2005. Winfrey appeared on CBS's Late Show, in what Letterman jokingly called "the Super Bowl of Love."

Winfrey and Letterman also appeared in a Late Show commercial during the Super Bowl XLI in 2007. They sat together watching the game. Letterman, from Indianapolis, wore a Peyton Manning jersey. Winfrey, whose show was in Chicago, wore a Brian Urlacher jersey. On September 10, 2007, Letterman made his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Three years later, they appeared in another Late Show commercial during the Super Bowl XLIV. This time, Winfrey sat between Letterman and Leno. Letterman had the idea for the commercial. Leno secretly flew to New York and met them at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Winfrey interviewed Letterman in 2013 on Oprah's Next Chapter. They talked about their past disagreement. Winfrey said she had a "terrible experience" on his show years ago. Letterman didn't remember the incident but apologized.

Writers' Strike of 2007–2008

The Late Show stopped airing for eight weeks in late 2007 due to the Writers Guild of America strike. Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants, was the first to make a special agreement with the writers' union. This allowed his show to return on January 2, 2008. In his first episode back, he surprised the audience with a new beard. This showed his support for the strike. His beard was shaved off a few days later.

Other Appearances and Projects

Letterman appeared in the pilot episode of the 1986 series Coach Toast. He also appeared with a bag over his head on Bonnie Hunt's 1990s sitcom The Building. He had a cameo in the movie Cabin Boy, where he was credited as "Earl Hofert." This was his maternal grandfather's name. He also appeared as himself in the film Private Parts and the 1999 movie Man on the Moon. He was also in a few episodes of Garry Shandling's TV series The Larry Sanders Show and an episode of Seinfeld.

Letterman provided vocals for the Warren Zevon song "Hit Somebody." He also voiced Butt-head's father in the 1996 animated film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, again credited as Earl Hofert.

Letterman was featured in a Marvel comic book, The Avengers, in 1984. The superheroes were guests on Late Night with David Letterman. A parody of Letterman appeared in Frank Miller's comic book The Dark Knight Returns. Letterman also appears in Harvey Pekar's comic book American Splendor, which tells about Pekar's appearances on Late Night.

In 2010, a documentary called Dying to do Letterman was released. It was about a comedian named Steve Mazan who had cancer and wanted to appear on Letterman's show. The film won awards.

Letterman appeared as a guest on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight in 2012. He was interviewed by his friend Regis Philbin. Philbin also interviewed Letterman on The Late Late Show in 2015. In 2013, Letterman appeared on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld. In November 2013, he and Bruce McCall published a funny book called This Land Was Made for You and Me (But Mostly Me).

In 2021, Letterman joined Peyton and Eli Manning on their Manningcast for a Monday Night Football game. He joked about Bill Belichick and shared a story about Roger Goodell. On February 1, 2022, Letterman was a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers for the show's 40th anniversary. In November 2023, Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan theater on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Business Ventures and Philanthropy

Letterman started his production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated, in 1991. It produced his show and others, as well as films and documentaries. The company also started its own record label. In 2007, Worldwide Pants was the first company to make a separate agreement with the writers' union during a strike. This allowed Letterman's show to return to air.

Letterman is also a co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, an auto racing team. The team competes in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and NTT IndyCar series. They have won the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 2004 and 2020.

The Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming is a private foundation started by Letterman. Through it, he has given millions of dollars to charities. These include organizations in Indiana and Montana, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Ball State University, the American Cancer Society, and the Salvation Army.

Influences and Legacy

Letterman's biggest influence and mentor was Johnny Carson. Other comedians who influenced him include Paul Dixon, Steve Allen, Jonathan Winters, and Don Rickles.

Many comedians today say Letterman influenced them. These include Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon.

Personal Life

Letterman has tinnitus, which means he hears a constant ringing in his ears. He talked about this on his show in 1996. In August 2021, he was hospitalized after hitting his head. He spoke positively about the care he received.

Family Life

On July 2, 1968, Letterman married his college sweetheart, Michelle Cook. They divorced in 1977. He then had a long relationship with Merrill Markoe, who was a writer and producer for Late Night. Markoe helped create famous segments like "Stupid Pet/Human Tricks."

Letterman began dating Regina Lasko in 1986. Their son, Harry Joseph Letterman, was born on November 3, 2003. Harry is named after Letterman's father. In 2005, police found a plot to kidnap Letterman's son for ransom. A house painter who worked for Letterman was charged in the plan.

Letterman and Lasko got married on March 19, 2009. It was a small ceremony in Choteau, Montana, where he owns a ranch. Letterman announced the marriage on his show. He joked that he almost missed it because his truck got stuck in mud. The family lives in North Salem, New York.

Friendship with Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl was a frequent guest on The Late Show and performed with Foo Fighters.

Letterman has a close friendship with the rock band Foo Fighters. They first appeared on his show when he returned from heart surgery. The band appeared many times on the Late Show. In October 2014, they performed for a whole week. Letterman once shared how their song "Miracle" was used in a video of him and his son learning to ski. He said the song would "always have great, great meaning for me." This was the first time the band heard this story. Letterman's company also helped produce Dave Grohl's Sonic Highways TV series. Grohl said, "Letterman was the first person to get behind this project."

Interests

Letterman loves cars and has a large collection. In 2012, it was reported he owned many Ferraris, Porsches, and other classic cars. In a 2013 episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, part of the conversation was filmed in Letterman's 1995 Volvo station wagon. This car has a powerful racing engine and was built for him by Paul Newman.

Filmography

Film Appearances

Documentary Films

Television Appearances

Awards, Honors, and Legacy

David Letterman Communication and Media Building

Letterman at the 39th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1987.

In 1996, TV Guide ranked Letterman 45th on its list of the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. In 2002, The Late Show with David Letterman was ranked seventh on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

On September 7, 2007, Letterman visited his old college, Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. A new communications building was named in his honor. The $21 million David Letterman Communication and Media Building opened in 2007. Thousands of students and locals welcomed him. Letterman gave an emotional speech about his struggles as a student and his late father. He also shared a "top ten good things about having your name on a building." He ended by saying, "if reasonable people can put my name on a $21 million building, anything is possible." Letterman has given a lot of help to Ball State's Telecommunications Department, including an annual scholarship.

At the same time, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels gave Letterman the Sagamore of the Wabash award. This award recognizes great service to the state of Indiana.

Awards and Nominations

Letterman has received many nominations for the Emmy Awards. He has 52 nominations and has won two Daytime Emmys and ten Primetime Emmys since 1981. He also won four American Comedy Awards. In 2011, he was the first person to receive the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence.

Letterman received the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors. He was called "one of the most influential personalities in the history of television." On May 16, 2017, Letterman was named the next recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He received the prize in a ceremony on October 22, 2017.

Images for kids

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  David Letterman's signature

See also

In Spanish: David Letterman para niños