# 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:** 37
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/721 "2014-05-09T22:50:43Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > That does _not_ look like Anthony Newley. It actually looks like Francois Truffaut > > [Francois Truffaut - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1296&bih=660&q=Francois+Truffaut&oq=Francois+Truffaut&gs_l=img.3..0l5j0i24l5.1197.1197.0.1710.1.1.0.0.0.0.87.87.1.1.0....0...1ac.1.43.img..0.1.86.PEiBS78af24) It looks like Newley to me, lighting and poor scan explains lighter hair and it looks like some other photos. Plus, IMDB clearly show that he was active on American TV in the right timeframe while Truffaut was doing a string of films in France. and there is the in-person testimonial… ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/722 "2014-05-09T22:50:46Z")
> [@Vashbul](#): > > Widener Library at Harvard has _Photoplay_ on microfilm. I have requested the reels from 1970 -71. > > The bad news is they have to be shipped in from storage, so I won’t be able to look at them until they arrive - Monday at the earliest. If that picture (and any caption or other text) is in there, I’ll find it. > > Or if anyone wants to beat me to the punch, you could check your local big-city or college libraries. > > Veritas! Again, thank-you for the effort. Anything the magazines say about the Photoplay awards would also be interesting. After all this time and aggravation, I feel like there is so much I don’t know about the awards themselves – they are almost as mysterious as the Mystery Man. And since it has been suggested that Mystery Man might be someone on the Photoplay staff, it might help to know who the editors/publishers are from that era. Again, thank-you. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/723 "2014-05-09T22:54:32Z")
**cococ173** : Speaking for myself and for, I’m sure, 99% of the readers, I appreciate your contributions. Don’t let anyone get you down. Has it been confirmed that Carol Burnett gave this answer herself? ---
**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 9, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/724 "2014-05-09T23:00:19Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > But Patrick Wayne was also in the cast of _Big Jake_, so he presumably would have been down in Mexico with his father during the October to December 1970 (per Wiki) shooting of that film. Sure, but he might have returned for the show. The elder Wayne’s presence on the set may have been more critical than Patrick’s so he sent Patrick in his place. The lack of a strong resemblance is a much better argument against him. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/725 "2014-05-09T23:33:57Z")
Two things: 1. Saw the e-mails to Co with my own eyes. Totally legit. (Still no reply, tho.) 2. I am **NOT** suggesting that the MM\*\* is\*\* this person, I don’t believe he is. But IMHO, the resemblance is WAY closer than pretty much any other guess we’ve seen except perhaps for Richman. I think I’m at least in the ballpark, whereas most of the rest were playing a different game. [Leslie Howard](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc9cg5ka5q1qk8mgb.jpg). [Known Best As](http://inafferrabileleslie.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/leslie-howard-2013.jpg) [AShley Wilkes](http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/11424/11704216_1.jpg?v=8CE8DE0B7FD2530) ---
**Author:** ![cococ173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@cococ173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cococ173)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/726 "2014-05-09T23:38:11Z")
I didn’t hear back to know 100% that Newley was Carol’s response. My email must have gone to his spam folder again and I didn’t warn him to look there. I will most likely see him next Wednesday. However, I really feel that was Carol’s answer, not his guess. He had originally guessed Peter Uberoff. At least Anthony Newley was British. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/727 "2014-05-09T23:38:56Z")
Except that Leslie Howard died in 1943. And he didn’t have a cleft or dimple in his chin. eta: in fact, most of the suggestions fail on this point, including Anthony Newley and Francois Truffaut and Patrick Wayne. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/728 "2014-05-10T00:01:14Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > But Patrick Wayne was also in the cast of _Big Jake_, so he presumably would have been down in Mexico with his father during the October to December 1970 (per Wiki) shooting of that film. Also Patrick Wayne was sporting a very thick mustache for that film. MM has no mustache. ---
**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 10, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/729 "2014-05-10T00:08:12Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Also Patrick Wayne was sporting a very thick mustache for that film. MM has no mustache. Yeah, and that mustache had to be real. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/730 "2014-05-10T00:28:25Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > No way is Joel Grey taller than Robert Young, unless he’s sitting on a couple phone books. Oh, BTW, I can speak to this, because I met him once (finally, I can say something concrete). Joel Grey is shorter than I was, and I was wearing low heels, like 1" or 1 1/2", so that make Joel Grey about 5’5. He could be slightly shorter. Robert Young is slouched down, but I seem to remember that he was fairly tall, and Glen Campbell, who was at least 6’, is not a lot taller than MM. I am guessing MM at 5’9, because he looks like he’s sitting up pretty straight, and the chair is giving him an inch or so over the people on the couch. Carol Burnett is sitting forward a little, and I think has one leg under her, so she looks a little taller than she is, but I think she is fairly tall for a woman, although I’m not going to guess. How tall was Anthony Newley? IMDb says 5’9, but it’s notorious for being wrong about such things. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/731 "2014-05-10T01:39:48Z")
Waitaminnit – I think I know why MM seems so strange yet so familiar. Could he be inhabiting our _[dreams?!?](http://www.thisman.org/)_ ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/732 "2014-05-10T02:16:45Z")
Anyone catch that nut-bag woman Saints fan? She frightened me. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/733 "2014-05-10T02:42:25Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Anyone catch that nut-bag woman Saints fan? > > She frightened me. Sorry, wrong thread! This should be in the NFL DRAFT THREAD. ---
**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 10, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/734 "2014-05-10T03:02:44Z")
Ok, it’s not the nut-bag woman Saints fan. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/735 "2014-05-10T03:15:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Ok, it’s not the nut-bag woman Saints fan. Are you sure? Have you checked her left profile? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/736 "2014-05-10T04:03:21Z")
> [@cococ173](#): > > He had originally guessed Peter Uberoff. ??? Who is that? [Peter Ueberroth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ueberroth). [Peter Ustinov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ustinov). ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/737 "2014-05-10T04:34:03Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > 1. I am **NOT** suggesting that the MM\*\* is\*\* this person, I don’t believe he is. But IMHO, the resemblance is WAY closer than pretty much any other guess we’ve seen except perhaps for Richman. I think I’m at least in the ballpark, whereas most of the rest were playing a different game. > > [Leslie Howard](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc9cg5ka5q1qk8mgb.jpg). Heh. Clearly the team in your ballpark is the Angels. 😃 Ignoring the dead factor (although maybe Howard is playing Banquo’s Ghost in this scenario), to me, at least, Howard didn’t look anything like this guy. LH had a longer and thinner face, more aquiline nose, and was general quite handsome in a classic sort of way. This guy’s not a troll or anything, but ain’t no Leslie Howard. (I know you weren’t saying it _was_, I’m just saying I don’t think you’re in the parking lot of the same ballpark either. Actually, even if he hadn’t been killed in a horrible way, he couldn’t have been this guy: Howard would’ve been 77 years old in 1970!) BTW, I sure hope no one is taking it amiss that I’m simply stating that none of us know **cococ173** ’s friend–and heck, we didn’t even know **co** him/herself until this thread. As I said earlier, if this friend works for CB, that’s extremely interesting! Burnett’s been one of my idols for a long time, first for her TV show and then her film work (loved her in _The Four Seasons_) and theatrical / cabaret performances. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/738 "2014-05-10T04:42:44Z")
I will go on record to say it’s [Dick](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Famerica.aljazeera.com%2Fcontent%2Fajam%2Fwatch%2Fshows%2Fconsider-this%2FConsider-This-blog%2F2014%2F2%2F17%2Fdick-cavett-on-tonightshowtransitionfallonisontopoftheworld%2F_jcr_content%2Fblog%2Fmainpar%2Fimageslideshow%2FslideShowImages%2Fslide1%2Fimage.adapt.960.high.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Famerica.aljazeera.com%2Fwatch%2Fshows%2Fconsider-this%2FConsider-This-blog%2F2014%2F2%2F17%2Fdick-cavett-on-tonightshowtransitionfallonisontopoftheworld.html&h=600&w=960&tbnid=xBiCpXEv4o_UHM%3A&zoom=1&docid=Lxvz6PsxhzOh8M&ei=7KltU6flD8i-oQTGx4CYDQ&tbm=isch&client=firefox&ved=0CF4QMygMMAw&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=2300&page=1&start=0&ndsp=14) [Cavett](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww-tc.pbs.org%2Fwnet%2Fpioneers-of-television%2Ffiles%2F2012%2F12%2Fbio_dcavet_highres_article-148x148.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbs.org%2Fwnet%2Fpioneers-of-television%2Fpioneering-people%2F&h=148&w=148&tbnid=mAzrs_sGHYOUOM%3A&zoom=1&docid=MkYz74nVRq3P0M&ei=Ba1tU563DIvjoAT5v4CgBg&tbm=isch&client=firefox&ved=0CEoQMyhCMEI4yAE&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=791&page=13&start=263&ndsp=23), caught at a weird angle. I just came back to the picture after a day away and I immediately thought it was him. I am of that era and know quite well what he looked like. For people who didn’t grow up with him: the ear is the same, the hair style and color is the same, the and the demeanor is the same. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/739 "2014-05-10T06:38:29Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I will go on record to say it’s Dick Cavett, caught at a weird angle. I just came back to the picture after a day away and I immediately thought it was him. I am of that era and know quite well what he looked like. For people who didn’t grow up with him: the ear is the same, the hair style and color is the same, the and the demeanor is the same. Cavett had a show airing in the same time slot. How much of each show was live? Did the taping of the shows overlap? ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/740 "2014-05-10T07:06:09Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I will go on record to say it’s [Dick](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Famerica.aljazeera.com%2Fcontent%2Fajam%2Fwatch%2Fshows%2Fconsider-this%2FConsider-This-blog%2F2014%2F2%2F17%2Fdick-cavett-on-tonightshowtransitionfallonisontopoftheworld%2F_jcr_content%2Fblog%2Fmainpar%2Fimageslideshow%2FslideShowImages%2Fslide1%2Fimage.adapt.960.high.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Famerica.aljazeera.com%2Fwatch%2Fshows%2Fconsider-this%2FConsider-This-blog%2F2014%2F2%2F17%2Fdick-cavett-on-tonightshowtransitionfallonisontopoftheworld.html&h=600&w=960&tbnid=xBiCpXEv4o_UHM%3A&zoom=1&docid=Lxvz6PsxhzOh8M&ei=7KltU6flD8i-oQTGx4CYDQ&tbm=isch&client=firefox&ved=0CF4QMygMMAw&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=2300&page=1&start=0&ndsp=14) [Cavett](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww-tc.pbs.org%2Fwnet%2Fpioneers-of-television%2Ffiles%2F2012%2F12%2Fbio_dcavet_highres_article-148x148.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbs.org%2Fwnet%2Fpioneers-of-television%2Fpioneering-people%2F&h=148&w=148&tbnid=mAzrs_sGHYOUOM%3A&zoom=1&docid=MkYz74nVRq3P0M&ei=Ba1tU563DIvjoAT5v4CgBg&tbm=isch&client=firefox&ved=0CEoQMyhCMEI4yAE&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=791&page=13&start=263&ndsp=23), caught at a weird angle. I just came back to the picture after a day away and I immediately thought it was him. I am of that era and know quite well what he looked like. For people who didn’t grow up with him: the ear is the same, the hair style and color is the same, the and the demeanor is the same. It’s just…not…him. It’s not. I grew up with him too, and watched him frequently. No way. And as RivkahChaya points out, Cavett’s show aired directly opposite The Tonight Show on ABC. In those days, stars of competing networks didn’t even acknowledge each other’s existence. It simply wasn’t done. Despite Cavett’s prior connection to The Tonight Show, he would never have appeared on NBC while he was on a competing network. I know it’s commonplace now, but it just didn’t happen back then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321.md?page=38)