Hard as it may be to imagine now, when David Letterman is rightly being celebrated for his singular comic gifts, plenty of other late-night TV hosts paved the way for his success. Ahead of Lettermen’s final Late Show on Wednesday, here’s a look back at some of the interviewers and comedians who shaped the format—and one of the man himself (in his first year at Late Night, before he moved over to the Late Show), just for old time’s sake.
Read TIME’s 1993 cover story about Letterman, here in the TIME Vault: New Dave Dawning
The Tonight Show starring Steve Allen: (l-r center) Jayne Meadows, Steve Allen (2nd left) Skitch Henderson (4th row right) Patricia Marshall (5th row l-r) Pat Kirby, Eydie Gorme (top row l-r) Andy Williams and Steve Lawrence, in 1955NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Steve Allen, on July 1, 1956: Andy Griffith, Steve Allen, and Elvis Presley (l-r) perform a parody of a Country-Western television showNBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty Images'The Steve Allen Show' circa 1957.Archive Photos—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show with Jack Parr: Season 1's (l-r) Tedi Thurman, host Jack Paar, Fran Warren, Johnny Johnson, Mary Mayo, Jose Melis NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show with Jack Parr: John F. Kennedy (r) on the show in 1962NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show with Jack Parr, 1962: (l-r) Jack Paar, Hugh Downs, Jose Melis.NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show with Johnny Carson: (l-r) Ed McMahon, host Johnny Carson during the first show on Oct. 1, 1962 .NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: Host Johnny Carson in his office in March of 1965.Bob Ganley/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Joey Bishop Show: (l-r) Regis Philbin, Joey Bishop and Jack Benney in 1968. ABC Photo Archives/ABC—Getty ImagesThe Merv Griffin Show: Merv Griffin (R) interviewing actor Marlon Brando in 1968.Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty ImagesMerv Griffin warming up the audience before the show, 1969.Michael Ochs Archives—Getty ImagesThe Dick Cavett Show: The host on May 2, 1969. ABC Photo Archives/ABC—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: (l-r) Announcer Ed McMahon and host Johnny Carson, as Carnac the Magnificent, on Nov. 17, 1970.NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: (l-r) Boxers Ken Norton and Muhammad Ali, with host Johnny Carson, in 1973NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: (l-r) Comedian Jay Leno during an interview with guest host David Letterman on July 4, 1979. NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: (l-r) Announcer Ed McMahon, actor Robin Williams and host Johnny Carson on Oct. 14, 1981.Gene Arias/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesThe Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: (l-r) David Letterman is interviewed by Johnny Carson on Jan. 2, 1981.Gene Arias/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty ImagesComedian and late night television host, David Letterman, warms up his NBC studio audience prior to the taping of his television show at Rockefeller Center in New York City in 1982.George Rose—Getty Images
