- Born
- Died
- Birth nameEdward Peter Leo McMahon Jr.
- Height6′ 4″ (1.93 m)
- Ed McMahon's first appearance before a microphone was as a 15-year-old "caller" at a bingo game in Maine. After that, he spent the next three years touring the state fair and carnival circuit. A Marine fighter pilot during World War II, McMahon sold vegetable slicers on Atlantic City's boardwalk to put himself through Catholic University in Washington, DC. In the 1950s, he hosted a late-night interview show in Philadelphia before working as a clown on the show Big Top (1950). His next assignment was as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. After that, he resumed his career in television. In 1959, he was hired as Johnny Carson's straight man on the daytime quiz show Who Do You Trust? (1956). When Carson succeeded Jack Paar on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1957), which became The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), he took McMahon with him. This job lasted for 30 years and made McMahon wealthy and famous. On the big screen, he played straight roles in the dramatic The Incident (1967) -- for which he got very good reviews -- and in the comic Fun with Dick and Jane (1977). He also appeared in made-for-TV movies and hosted daytime game shows in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, McMahon teamed with Dick Clark on TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (1984) and hosted his own long-running talent show, Star Search (1983). He also made commercial appearances for a multitude of products. In 1994, he was cast as himself in Love Affair (1994) with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
- SpousesPam McMahon(February 22, 1992 - June 23, 2009) (his death)Victoria Valentine(March 6, 1976 - 1989) (divorced, 1 child)Alyce Ferrill(July 5, 1945 - 1976) (divorced, 4 children)
- His laugh
- His call, "Hi-ooooo!"
- Usually appears as a sidekick
- Strong baritone voice.
- His catchphrase "Heeeere's Johnny!" when introducing Johnny Carson
- Retired as a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. During World War II, he was a pilot-instructor and test pilot. During the Korean War, he flew 85 combat missions after being called back to active service in 1952. Was commissioned a Brigadier General in the California Air National Guard in 1966 and continued to serve after he began his acting career. Along with James Stewart, he held the highest active military rank of any actor in history. McMahon was the highest-ranking officer to become an actor, and Stewart was the established actor who achieved the highest rank. Both were decorated combat aviators.
- Was present for the 2007 demolishing of the old Burbank studio where he had taped the last The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), calling this an end of an era.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 20, 1986.
- Was a decorated Marine fighter pilot during World War II.
- Retired from U.S.M.C. reserve status in 1983 to host Star Search (1983) full time, a show on which such performers as Britney Spears and Arsenio Hall (his own successor to the show) were later discovered.
- Heeeeeere's Johnny!
- It's like a pitcher who has a favorite catcher. The pitcher gets a little help from the catcher, but the pitcher's got to throw the ball. Well, Johnny Carson had to throw the ball, but I could give him a little help.
- You can't imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson [Johnny Carson]. There's the old phrase, 'Hook your wagon to a star.' I hitched my wagon to a great star.
- [on Johnny Carson] He doesn't give friendship easily or need it. He packs a tight suitcase.
- [on Johnny Carson] Most comic teams are not good friends or even friends at all. Laurel and Hardy didn't hang out together, Abbott and Costello weren't best of friends. Johnny and I were the happy exception. For 40 years Johnny and I were as close as two nonmarried people can be. And if he heard me say that, he might say, 'Ed, I always felt you were my insignificant other.'
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