# Challenge! Who is the man sitting with all the stars on Johnny Carson? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321 "2014-04-30T00:42:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/301 "2014-05-02T13:58:41Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > I don’t know if you will solve the mystery, or not, but I know one of my favorite episodes of Carson came when George Goebel, a sort of unknown comedian at the time, was on with a couple of famous guys, and they were all sitting on the benches. By the time he got done with his one-liner responses to what was being said, everyone but him were rolling around in their seats, laughing their asses off. > > Remember? > > [http://rubytooth.com/link/56711](http://rubytooth.com/link/56711) I suppose you mean George Gobel, who was quite well known from 50s TV. You seem to be describing the episode he was on with Bob Hope and Dean Martin (IIRC). eta: didn’t notice your link, that’s definitely the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/302 "2014-05-02T14:00:13Z")
I’ve contacted [johnnycarson.com](http://johnnycarson.com), maybe someone there knows. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/303 "2014-05-02T14:15:22Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > I don’t know if you will solve the mystery, or not, but I know one of my favorite episodes of Carson came when George Goebel, a sort of unknown comedian at the time, was on with a couple of famous guys, and they were all sitting on the benches. By the time he got done with his one-liner responses to what was being said, everyone but him were rolling around in their seats, laughing their asses off. > > Remember? > > [http://rubytooth.com/link/56711](http://rubytooth.com/link/56711) That’s a great Tonight Show moment from an older show that is preserved only because a film of it was made to distribute to servicemen overseas. Makes me wish more shows had been saved. I wouldn’t describe George Gobel as an unknown comedian. He had been in movies and had had his own TV show by the time of this Tonight Show appearance. The humor of his remark comes from the fact that his persona, a low-key everyman, was in much contrast to the more grandiose Dean Martin and Bob Hope. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/304 "2014-05-02T15:06:58Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I suppose you mean George Gobel, who was quite well known from 50s TV. You seem to be describing the episode he was on with Bob Hope and Dean Martin (IIRC). > > eta: didn’t notice your link, that’s definitely the episode. Either this is a very trimmed down version of Gobel’s appearance, or I’m thinking of another one where he rambled on about being in the Army Air Defense Corps during WWII and stationed the whole time in Oklahoma. (“We were good. No Japanese plane ever got past Albuquerque.”) It’s a pity this one doesn’t show Dean flicking his ashes in George’s drink while his back was turned. I must have been 14 or so when I saw this for the first time. I was alone in my room watching a little black and white set, and I almost fell out of bed laughing. I remember another show (I guess it was a different one) from about the same time when Rose Marie was the last guest of the evening, immediately preceded by John Byner. By way of introduction, Johnny said “This next guest has been in show business longer than any of us…” followed by “Uh-oh’s” from the audience. The following ensued: **RM [Deadpan]:** I, uh, couldn’t hear what it was you were saying about me backstage. What was it again? **JC:** _(Tries to stammer out a explanation to the groans of the audience.)_ **JB [Interrupting]:** What he said was: When they built the first stage, you were there to hold a hammer. _(RM stares at Johnny while he continues stammering, then gets up and walks off in a huff, followed by all of the other guests. Johnny is left all alone and asks how much time is left. He’s told “Eleven minutes!” and starts fidgeting, trying to think of some way to fill the time. He gets up and takes off his jacket; the audience hoots and hollers. The band strikes up “The Stripper” and Johnny starts taking off his clothes. After he’s stripped to the waist, he goes back to his chair, and all the guests come back onstage, with all of the other men topless as well.)_ **JC [Straight into the camera without missing a beat]:** Welcome back to _ **Rawhide** _, folks! I always associate (conflate?) this show with the George Gobel bit, since I think so many of the same guests were present that night. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/305 "2014-05-02T15:11:27Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I’ve contacted [johnnycarson.com](http://johnnycarson.com), maybe someone there knows. Some years ago, that website actually had a search engine for looking up guests and when they appeared. That’s how I found the answer about [another mystery guest](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4430606&postcount=205) a decade ago. But somewhere along the line, they pulled the plug on the search facility. So maybe they still have access to it. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/306 "2014-05-02T15:17:01Z")
What Johnny meant, of course, was that she had gotten started in show business at a very early age: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YGt0My15xb0/hqdefault.jpg "Baby Rose Marie") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGt0My15xb0) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/307 "2014-05-02T15:22:09Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Some years ago, that website actually had a search engine for looking up guests and when they appeared. That’s how I found the answer about [another mystery guest](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4430606&postcount=205) a decade ago. But somewhere along the line, they pulled the plug on the search facility. So maybe they still have access to it. I remember Sharon Farrell. She was yummy! 😛 The last time I saw her, she was running a home for wayward girls or something on _ **TJ Hooker** _, and even in her 40s she was hot! The particular episode of _ **Tonight** _ that I’m thinking of, she came on after Johnny was talking with a guest about their shared interest in astronomy. Another guest (Rodney Dangerfield?) eyed Sharon’s boobs and said (to the best of my recollection) “I don’t need a telescope to see the moons of Jupiter!” ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/308 "2014-05-02T15:32:41Z")
That green fuzz was probably something designed to hide equipment or wires and made to camouflage into the carpet. Not that that’s the mystery we’re trying to solve here. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/309 "2014-05-02T15:33:14Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > [http://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?615072-Retro-Eastern-Virginia-Wednesday-November-11-1970](http://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?615072-Retro-Eastern-Virginia-Wednesday-November-11-1970) That link also says, “8 PM Make Room For Granddaddy (Hans Conried as Uncle Tonoose; Sid Caesar plays Habib)” was on the same night as the Photoplay awards. Hans Conried and Sid Caesar were both earlier guesses. This provides a possible reason why, if Danny Thomas was receiving a Photoplay award, one of his co-stars might be present. I still think he looks more like Conried than anyone else who’s been mentioned so far. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/310 "2014-05-02T16:22:11Z")
Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of profile shots of Conried for comparison, but I agree that he’s the closest match so far. Anyone wanna try to contact Trilby Conried (his daughter), and ask her about it? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/311 "2014-05-02T16:42:58Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Some years ago, that website actually had a search engine for looking up guests and when they appeared. That’s how I found the answer about [another mystery guest](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4430606&postcount=205) a decade ago. But somewhere along the line, they pulled the plug on the search facility. So maybe they still have access to it. Looks like they moved that search behind a member wall for those interested in licensing clips. ---
**Author:** ![ShallowEnd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@ShallowEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShallowEnd)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/312 "2014-05-02T16:43:12Z")
I’m a huge Hans Conried fan, I think he’s too thin. I personally see James Whitmore, who was in a few episodes of the Virginian at about this time. [Here’s a picture](http://ctva.biz/US/Western/Virginian/V159_JamesWhitmore.jpg). I do like his ear, seems to match the Mystery Man’s. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/313 "2014-05-02T17:10:06Z")
I read the first page or two, but not the whole thread, so I apologize if I’m going somewhere you’ve already gone. I think it looks like Richman, but if it isn’t him, it could be [Joe Campanella](https://www.google.com/search?q=Joseph+Campanella&rlz=1T4GGNI_enUS534US534&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=TdFjU522Hoq8oQTkwYGQDA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=916). ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/314 "2014-05-02T17:15:42Z")
I’m more and more persuaded that MM is a behind the scenes producer, director or show biz executive of some kind. Surely if he were an actor prominent enough to sit in with that group someone here would have positively identified him by now. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/315 "2014-05-02T17:20:30Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > I read the first page or two, but not the whole thread, so I apologize if I’m going somewhere you’ve already gone. > > I think it looks like Richman, but if it isn’t him, it could be [Joe Campanella](https://www.google.com/search?q=Joseph+Campanella&rlz=1T4GGNI_enUS534US534&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=TdFjU522Hoq8oQTkwYGQDA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=916). That’s a good guess. I’m jumping on your bandwagon! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/316 "2014-05-02T17:20:41Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I’m more and more persuaded that MM is a behind the scenes producer, director or show biz executive of some kind. Surely if he were an actor prominent enough to sit in with that group someone here would have positively identified him by now. I would say so except for the poor quality of the photograph. It could be one of the people mentioned, just not recognizable from that angle with that expression, and maybe with with an atypical hairstyle. And since we’re talking about something that happened over 40 years ago it’s not surprising no one can remember that particular incident and the circumstances. We could end up finding that missing plane before we figure this out. Has anyone determined if that photo was actually published? I worked at TV Guide for a while and plenty of people had unpublished photos of the stars. Photograpers shot a lot of pictures, but only a few ever made it into print. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/317 "2014-05-02T17:37:12Z")
Here is a similar shot of Han Conried [http://otrcat.com/z/hans\_1953\_tv\_text.jpg](http://otrcat.com/z/hans_1953_tv_text.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/318 "2014-05-02T18:02:43Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > Here is a similar shot of Han Conried > > [http://otrcat.com/z/hans\_1953\_tv\_text.jpg](http://otrcat.com/z/hans_1953_tv_text.jpg) Having trouble getting them to line up but I think we have the answer. Ears are very similar, Jawline is right, mouth is right, etc. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/319 "2014-05-02T18:15:21Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Having trouble getting them to line up but I think we have the answer. Ears are very similar, Jawline is right, mouth is right, etc. I’ve spent way too much time on this (what started out as fun) internet Where’s Waldo? adventure.:smack: At this point I’ll believe it’s Jesus on toast if it will make it go away. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/320 "2014-05-02T18:43:32Z")
David Niven without a mustache? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321.md?page=17)