Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

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.

It&#39;s like a pitcher who has a favorite catcher. The pitcher gets a little help from the catcher, but the pitcher&#39;s got to throw the ball. Well, <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0001992/?ref_=nmqu_qu">Johnny Carson</a> had to throw the ball, but I could give him a little help.

You can&#39;t imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson [<a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0001992/?ref_=nmqu_qu">Johnny Carson</a>]. There&#39;s the old phrase, &#39;Hook your wagon to a star.&#39; I hitched my wagon to a great star.

[on <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0001992/?ref_=nmqu_qu">Johnny Carson</a>] He doesn&#39;t give friendship easily or need it. He packs a tight suitcase.

[on <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0001992/?ref_=nmqu_qu">Johnny Carson</a>] Most comic teams are not good friends or even friends at all. Laurel and Hardy didn&#39;t hang out together, Abbott and Costello weren&#39;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, &#39;Ed, I always felt you were my insignificant other.&#39;

Quotes

Ed McMahon

Contribute to this page

More from this person

More to explore

Recently viewed