The Late Shift
– David Letterman vies with Jay Leno and his manager to succeed Johnny Carson, retiring from "The Toni..
David Letterman vies with Jay Leno and his manager to succeed Johnny Carson, retiring from "The Tonight Show."
24 Feb 1996
English
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.
Betty Thomas
Bill Carter (book), Bill Carter (teleplay), George Armitage (teleplay)
Kathy Bates, John Michael Higgins, Daniel Roebuck, Bob Balaban
HBO movie about the behind-the-scenes network politics responsible for the changes in late-night talk-show hosts, after the retirement of Johnny Carson from the Tonight Show on NBC. Jay Leno and David Letterman were both vying for the position, but Leno's tough manager Helen Kushnick got him the spot. In the wake of her 'stepping on the toes' of powerful network executives and 'playing hardball' tactics with guest bookings, she found herself being pushed out of her job as Tonight Show Executive Producer and Jay's manager. Letterman, devastated by his being passed over, brought in superagent Mike Ovitz to negotiate on his behalf, resulting in his move to CBS.
Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations.
HBO Video