Jack Paar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Paar

Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American author, radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962. Time magazine's obituary noted that: "His fans would remember him as the fellow who split talk show history into two eras: Before Paar and Below Paar."

Legendary talk-show host and television personality. Started off in broadcasting as a radio announcer in Cleveland and the Midwest. During World War II he entertained troops in the South Pacific with his parodies of military brass, but didn't become a radio star until the post-war years as a summer replacement on Jack Benny's radio show. He hosted "The Tonight Show" from 1957-1962. He even quit the show briefly in 1960 as a matter of principle, after NBC edited out a joke that used the term "water closet." Almost in tears and clearly angry, Paar looked into the camera and said, "I am leaving The Tonight Show. There must be a better way of making a living than this." That famous "walk-off" and Paar's triumphant return a few weeks later had the country abuzz. His oft repeated, most famous phrase from the show was "I kid you not." In 1962, Paar left the show permanently and Johnny Carson took the reigns for the next 30 years. He next appeared on "The Jack Paar Program" which ran for three seasons on NBC. Later, he purchased a television station in Poland Springs, Maine, and sold it several years later. In 1973 he signed with ABC to compete with his NBC successor, Johnny Carson, on a limited schedule of one week a month, but the show failed to garner the acclaim he was once famous for. In 1998 he underwent triple heart bypass surgery, complicated by an embolism discovered during the operation. In March of 2003 he suffered a mild stroke. (bio by: [fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=46576309" target="_blank Anonymous)]