US: Johnny Carson, the Tonight Show TV host who served America a smooth nightcap of celebrity banter and droll comedy for 30 years, died yesterday. He was 79.
"Mr Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning," said his nephew, Mr Jeff Sotzing.
"He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service."
Mr Sotzing would not give further details, including the time of death or the location.
Carson, the boyish-looking Nebraska native with the disarming grin, who survived every attempt to topple him from his late-night talk show throne, was a star who managed never to distance himself from his audience.
Carson's air of modesty dispelled any resentment at his fabulous wealth, the fawning attention of his guests - particularly the many young comics whose careers he launched - and the wry tales of multiple divorces.
"Heeeeere's Johnny!" was the booming announcement from sidekick Ed McMahon that ushered Carson out to the stage. The much-copied formula was the topical monologue, the guests and broadly played skits. But America never tired of the easy-going Carson and he went out on top when he retired in May 1992.
In his final show, he told his audience: "And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it."
His personal life could not match the perfection of his career. Carson was married four times, divorced three. In 1991, one of his three sons, Ricky (39), was killed in a car accident.
Nearly all of Carson's professional life was spent in television, from his post-war start at Nebraska stations in the late 1940s to his three decades with NBC's Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Carson choose to let Tonight stand as his career zenith and his finale, withdrawing into a quiet retirement that suited his private nature and refusing involvement in other show-business projects.
"I have an ego like anybody else," Carson told the Washington Post, "but I don't need to be stoked by going before the public all the time."