# 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:** 43
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/841 "2014-05-13T13:12:02Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > So much for all the conspiracy baiting… Yeah. I wonder if any of those who pushed so long and hard for this explanation of things will now have the cojones to step up and say “Gee, guess I was being a little silly, wasn’t I?” ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/842 "2014-05-13T13:13:48Z")
And not to belabor the obvious, but we also now have an explanation for Johnny’s absence in the original photo as posted — he was on the other side of the fold! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/843 "2014-05-13T13:17:55Z")
> [@Vashbul](#): > > Photoplay president [Al Traina](http://s24.postimg.org/l4c7cmio5/johnnys_couch.jpg). > > (Source: _Photoplay_ Feb. 1971) > > I leave it to others to decide what it all means. SUCCESS! Well done, **Vashbul**! ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/844 "2014-05-13T13:20:14Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > And not to belabor the obvious, but we also now have an explanation for Johnny’s absence in the original photo as posted — he was on the other side of the fold! Seeing Johnny on the page opposite was almost as satisfying as getting the name of the mystery man. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/845 "2014-05-13T13:21:30Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Awesome work! It was fun watching the thread zeroing in on the answer, then to have a doper actually pull the physical evidence. I tell ya, it should be a movie. It definitely had enough drama. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/846 "2014-05-13T13:28:52Z")
[The Playboy.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBHURo8lTQc&noredirect=1) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/847 "2014-05-13T13:47:43Z")
About friggin’ time. Congrats. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/848 "2014-05-13T13:53:07Z")
Been tracking this thread. An SDMB Classic, to be sure. Well done on the disciplined research - and well done, **Vashbul**! ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/849 "2014-05-13T13:58:57Z")
This is awesome. Thanks **Vashbul**! I was to the point of accepting that we’d never actually get a definitive answer. I am thrilled to be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/850 "2014-05-13T14:06:54Z")
This thread is now officially _ **LEGEND** _! There are giants in these days. **Vashbul** walks among us! ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/851 "2014-05-13T14:27:24Z")
Oh. My. God. It’s Mr. Traina from the lake. They used to stay in the Brown’s house at Little Squam. I can’t believe it. I haven’t seen those people for at least 35 years. I can’t believe my brain registered it at all. I have to go call my Dad. \*I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but I hated that guy. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/852 "2014-05-13T14:53:52Z")
Oh come on **TruCelt**. You can’t leave that hanging there. What’s the scoop? Well done, \*\* Vashbul\*\*. ---
**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 13, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/853 "2014-05-13T15:05:16Z")
> [@Vashbul](#): > > Photoplay president [Al Traina](http://s24.postimg.org/l4c7cmio5/johnnys_couch.jpg). > > (Source: _Photoplay_ Feb. 1971) > > I leave it to others to decide what it all means. It only means I was right… > [@Stoid](#): > > [Here is the picture.](https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/10257806_10203391221998919_3316284087444893607_n.jpg) > There is a bunch of people on Facebook going crazy trying to figure out who the blonde man closest to Johnny’s desk is. > > \*\* > The Dope collectively can answer almost anything.\*\* I was also,right about who it turned out to be, which I concluded precisely because I have such faith in this place: > [@Stoid](#): > > Me too. (Unknown producerish guy) **This bein’ the Dope n’ all,** given the number of hits and the insane amount of focus being directed at it, if it were anyone with any degree of celebrity, I feel certain we would have our answer by now. Therefore, not a famous person. > [@Stoid](#): > > Just reiterating, should we ever actually get confirmation: i think he will turn out to be someone who was not famous. A “suit”. > [@WordMan](#): > > Been tracking this thread. An SDMB Classic, to be sure. Well done on the disciplined research - and well done, **Vashbul**! Ditto. This thread should definitely be held up as a classic example of Dopitude. Cecil needs to award the medal to Vashbul for embodying the Dope ethos… ---
**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 13, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/854 "2014-05-13T15:08:14Z")
Interesting…in #2 he recalls another Italian, Daniel J. Travanti. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/855 "2014-05-13T15:14:23Z")
When I teach my introduction to computers class, this is one of the reason I bring up the Straight Dope all the time. Something that Facebook or Google can’t do - make connections with people who either know the answer, or dig to find the answer. Thanks **Vashbul**! ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/856 "2014-05-13T17:22:53Z")
“But first - the [Traina.](http://slopeofhope.com/.a/6a00e0098982228833012876f54d15970c-popup)” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/857 "2014-05-13T17:35:44Z")
So…Richman wasn’t lying, it really isn’t him. 😃 ---
**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 13, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/858 "2014-05-13T18:07:40Z")
This is now my favorite thread ever, replacing by a wide margin the lying wheelchair girl. ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/859 "2014-05-13T18:20:58Z")
Wow. I’ve enjoyed this thread immensely. Thanks to everybody and most especially to **Vashbul**. Way to go! He does look a lot like that Richman dude (but with kinder eyes), doesn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321/860 "2014-05-13T18:24:59Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > “But first - the [Traina.](http://slopeofhope.com/.a/6a00e0098982228833012876f54d15970c-popup)” 🙂 Nice. My first thought was the guy who married Danielle Steele - I think his name was John Traina. I remember his name because when I lived in San Francisco, I’d drive by their house, the old Spreckels mansion, which people were then referring to as the Steele-Traina mansion until she divorced him… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenge-who-is-the-man-sitting-with-all-the-stars-on-johnny-carson/687321.md?page=44)