Born in a small home in Corning on Oct. 23, 1925, Johnny Carson would have been 100 years old today.
The shy boy grew up to become the king of late night television, having hosted The Tonight Show on NBC for 30 years. He was one of the most beloved, trusted figures in America, reaching a nightly audience of about 15 million people.
“What I think is unique about this situation is his parents were just ordinary people,” said Roger Sorensen, president of the Johnny Carson Birthplace Society. “And [he was] born in the least populated county in Iowa and the middle of our country, and then his rise to stardom — it is truly the American dream.”
Carson brought Midwestern charm to his national audience. He even once called Mabel Gaskill, his childhood babysitter, on the air to check in on the city of Corning. His staff invited her to come to Los Angeles for an in-studio appearance, but Gaskill insisted on a phone interview instead, saying she was shy and would die before getting up in front of people.
Though he was born in Iowa, the state has to share claim of him with Nebraska. His family lived in several southwest Iowa towns before putting down roots in Norfolk, Neb. when Carson was eight years old. The Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk has a permanent exhibit on Carson, which includes his Emmy awards, Kennedy Center Honor medallion, costumes and more. The collection follows his formative years in Norfolk, his time in the Navy, his education at the University of Nebraska, his career through The Tonight Show and life afterwards.
Executive Director Libby McKay said that in revamping of the museum’s exhibit in 2021, the goal was to communicate to younger attendees how impactful he was, even if he wasn’t on their screens.
“[The] small-town boy became the most recognized face in the world at one point,” she said. “And so that was something we really considered, is, how can we make Johnny's story relatable, even if you didn't grow up watching him?”
Both the Corning and Norfolk-based museums are hosting centennial events to celebrate Carson’s legacy. Elkhorn Valley also has a temporary exhibit called “Carson Unboxed,” featuring additional items from their Carson collection, on display now through Nov. 29.
In the Iowa Famous series, we're highlighting people with all types of connections to our state who have made an impact in arts, politics, social justice, education, sports and more. View all the Iowa Famous stories here. Have an idea of someone we should feature? Email talkofiowa@iowapublicradio.org.
