David Letterman

David Michael Letterman, born April 12, 1947, is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for hosting late-night television talk shows for 33 years. His late-night hosting career began with the premiere of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC on February 1, 1982, and concluded with the final broadcast of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS on May 20, 2015. Letterman hosted 6,080 episodes across both programs, surpassing his friend and mentor Johnny Carson as the longest-serving late-night talk show host in American television history.

Letterman was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, by his father, Harry Joseph Letterman, a florist, and his mother, Dorothy Marie Letterman Mengering, a church secretary. Growing up in the Broad Ripple area, Letterman attended Broad Ripple High School and worked as a stock boy at the local Atlas Supermarket. He later enrolled at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and graduated in 1969 from the Department of Radio and Television. During his college years, he began broadcasting as an announcer and newscaster at campus radio stations WBST and WAGO-AM 570.

After graduating from college, Letterman began his professional career in Indianapolis as a radio talk show host on WNTS and as an anchor and weatherman on television station WLWI. His humorous and unconventional on-air delivery gained local attention. He also worked on local children's programs, hosted a Saturday morning talk show, and served as a pit road reporter for the 1971 Indianapolis 500 telecast. In 1975, Letterman moved to Los Angeles to pursue comedy writing. He performed stand-up at The Comedy Store, wrote jokes for Jimmie Walker, and appeared on various television programs, including The Starland Vocal Band Show, Mary, and several game shows. He eventually became a regular guest and guest host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

In June 1980, Letterman hosted a morning comedy program, The David Letterman Show, on NBC. Following its cancellation, NBC launched Late Night with David Letterman in February 1982. The program developed a cult following for its unpredictable, edgy format and recurring features such as "Stupid Pet Tricks" and the Top 10 list. After Carson retired and NBC selected Jay Leno to host The Tonight Show, Letterman moved to CBS in 1993 to launch Late Show with David Letterman at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Accompanied by bandleader Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra, the show competed directly against NBC's late-night lineup for more than two decades.

Beyond hosting, Letterman formed the production company Worldwide Pants, which produced his late-night programs, The Late Late Show, and primetime comedies including Everybody Loves Raymond. His distinct hosting style influenced numerous television personalities, including Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jon Stewart. Letterman hosted the 67th Academy Awards ceremony in 1995, and his programs earned 67 Emmy Award nominations, winning 12 times during his first 20 years in late-night television. Since 2018, he has hosted the Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.