Television's Best Fill-Ins
Guest hosts have long played an important role in late-night television. When Johnny Carson or David Letterman took time away from their desks, networks relied on trusted substitutes to keep viewers entertained. Some appeared only occasionally, while others became familiar faces whose appearances were eagerly anticipated.
Joey Bishop
Joey Bishop was among the earliest and most frequent guest hosts of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson during the 1960s and 1970s. A seasoned entertainer and member of the Rat Pack, Bishop helped establish the tradition of high-profile substitutes for Carson.
NBC Television., Wikimedia Commons
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers began guest-hosting The Tonight Show in 1983. Her popularity with audiences quickly made her one of the program's most recognizable substitutes, and she became one of the most prominent guest hosts in late-night television history.
David Brenner
David Brenner was a regular guest host of The Tonight Show throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. His frequent appearances reflected the confidence Carson and NBC had in his ability to manage the program.
Jay Leno
Jay Leno became Carson's permanent guest host in 1987 after years of occasional appearances. His success in the role helped position him as Carson's eventual successor and familiarized audiences with his style long before the transition occurred.
Michael Albov, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
David Letterman
Before launching his own late-night franchise, David Letterman guest-hosted The Tonight Show several times during the early 1980s. These appearances significantly raised his profile and demonstrated his potential as a future late-night star.
![Title: David Letterman [CBS talkshow host, New York]
Creator(s): Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1982.
Medium: 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35mm (slide format)
Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-gtfy-02272 (digital file from origina](https://www.factinate.com/storage/app/media/theshot/2026/6/25/1782376626a1e09c66795ecc88f2c4e84b81c5c81299c281cb.jpg)
Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, Wikimedia Commons
Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling served as a guest host on The Tonight Show during the 1980s. His appearances were well received and helped establish him as one of the most respected comedic voices of his generation.
Bob Newhart
Bob Newhart guest-hosted The Tonight Show numerous times during the 1970s and 1980s. His understated style provided a contrast to many of the show's other substitute hosts and gave viewers a different late-night experience.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
McLean Stevenson
McLean Stevenson became a recurring guest host on The Tonight Show during the 1970s and 1980s. His television experience and familiarity with audiences made him a dependable choice whenever Carson was absent.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis guest-hosted The Tonight Show on several occasions during the 1970s and 1980s. Already one of America's best-known entertainers, he brought his distinctive comedic personality to the host's chair.
John Davidson
John Davidson appeared as a guest host on The Tonight Show during the 1970s and 1980s. His broad experience as a singer, actor, and television personality made him well suited to the format.
George Carlin
George Carlin guest-hosted The Tonight Show during the 1970s and 1980s. His appearances showcased a comedic voice that differed substantially from many traditional late-night hosts.
Richard Dawson
Richard Dawson served as a guest host on The Tonight Show during the 1970s. His skill as a television personality and interviewer helped him transition smoothly into the role.
Don Rickles
Don Rickles occasionally filled in for Carson during the 1970s and 1980s. His trademark insult comedy gave audiences a version of The Tonight Show that felt very different from its usual presentation.
Robert Klein
Robert Klein was the regular host of Saturday Night Live in its first season in 1975, and again in 1978. His success as a stand-up comedian made him a natural fit for late-night television.
Philkon Phil Konstantin, Wikimedia Commons
Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin became one of the most frequent guest hosts of Late Show with David Letterman in February 2003 while David Letterman was off the show because of a case of shingles. After being a guest numerous times on the show, it was a chance for him to step in and lend his old friend Letterman a helping hand.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford guest-hosted Late Show with David Letterman in February 2000. Already a familiar television personality, she brought daytime television experience and a comfortable on-air presence to the program.
Tom Snyder
Long time talk show host Tom Snyder hosted Late Show with David Letterman in February 2000. His background as a respected interviewer on his own show, The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder, provided a somewhat different atmosphere from Letterman's usual approach.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg served as a guest host on Late Show with David Letterman in March 2003. Her broad entertainment experience and conversational style made her a natural substitute.
Library of Congress Life, Wikimedia Commons
Candice Bergen
Candice Bergen guest-hosted Saturday Night Live in 1975, and became the first woman to host the comedy show twice, which was a milestone at the time. Her intelligence, humor, and extensive television background made her one of the more notable substitutes of the Letterman era.
Peabody Awards, Wikimedia Commons
Tom Dreesen
Tom Dreesen appeared as a guest host on Late Show with David Letterman in March 2003. His long association with comedy and television helped him become a trusted replacement.
Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer moved from the bandstand to the host's chair four times on Late Show with David Letterman during the early 2000s. As Letterman's longtime musical director, he already had a unique relationship with the audience.
The Carson Tradition
Johnny Carson's use of recurring guest hosts helped establish a model that later programs would follow. Many of his substitutes became stars in their own right, and several used the opportunity to launch even bigger careers.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
The Letterman Legacy
David Letterman continued the guest-host tradition during his tenure at CBS. His substitutes included comedians, actors, broadcasters, and longtime colleagues, creating a diverse lineup that kept the show fresh whenever he stepped away.
Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, Wikimedia Commons
You May Also Like:
Everybody survived, but they still cringed at these awkward celebrity interview moments.
Funny And Furious Facts About Johnny Carson, The King Of Late Night
.jpg){kind=link}