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The David Letterman Show

  • TV Series
  • 1980
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
784
YOUR RATING
The David Letterman Show (1980)
ComedyTalk Show

After several guest hosting appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Dave was given his own morning talk-show. This show included a full orchestra, news breaks, and a cast of regu... Read allAfter several guest hosting appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Dave was given his own morning talk-show. This show included a full orchestra, news breaks, and a cast of regulars. Although not long-run, it introduced Dave to the general public on a wide scale and ... Read allAfter several guest hosting appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Dave was given his own morning talk-show. This show included a full orchestra, news breaks, and a cast of regulars. Although not long-run, it introduced Dave to the general public on a wide scale and in a way was the test run for his wildly popular Late Night with David Letterman, which ra... Read all

  • Stars
    • David Letterman
    • Wil Shriner
    • Rich Hall
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    784
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • David Letterman
      • Wil Shriner
      • Rich Hall
    • 12User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations total

    Episodes90

    Browse episodes
    1 season1980

    Photos5

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    Top Cast74

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    David Letterman
    David Letterman
    • Self - Host
    • 1980
    Wil Shriner
    Wil Shriner
    • Self
    • 1980
    Rich Hall
    Rich Hall
    • Self
    • 1980
    Andy Kaufman
    Andy Kaufman
    • Self
    • 1980
    Jon Alpert
    Jon Alpert
    • Self
    • 1980
    Edwin Newman
    Edwin Newman
    • Self
    • 1980
    Steve Martin
    Steve Martin
    • Self
    • 1980
    Bill Murray
    Bill Murray
    • Self - Guest
    • 1980
    Cloris Leachman
    Cloris Leachman
    • Self - Guest
    • 1980
    Mary Tyler Moore
    Mary Tyler Moore
    • Self - Guest
    • 1980
    Edie McClurg
    Edie McClurg
    • Self - Mrs. Marv Mendenhall
    • 1980
    John Hamburg
    John Hamburg
    • Self
    • 1980
    Irene Cara
    Irene Cara
    • Self
    • 1980
    Nancy Reagan
    Nancy Reagan
    • Self
    • 1980
    Steve Allen
    Steve Allen
    • Self
    • 1980
    Isaac Asimov
    Isaac Asimov
    • Self - Guest
    • 1980
    Ruth Warrick
    Ruth Warrick
    • Self
    • 1980
    Fran Lebowitz
    Fran Lebowitz
    • Self - Guest
    • 1980
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    7.1784
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    Featured reviews

    Sephardic

    My mom and aunt were guests on Letterman

    My mom and my aunt were both on the 1980's Letterman morning show when they were still in New York. I have no idea how they got selected, but I remember them on TV, I was about 12-13. Their names are Rhonda and Sharon. It was 'stupid pet dress up day' and our cat "Norman" (brown Persian tabby) was dressed as a baby and a dog, "Macho" (a small white mutt) was dressed in a running suit. Both pets are long gone. My family still watches Letterman some 25 years later. If anyone knows where we can get copies of those early-day tapes, I would LOVE to know. Who would ever imagine Dave would become such a huge success. I had heard they would be available on DVD, but I have yet to come across them anywhere.
    10toddsulkoff

    The 1985 Morning Show Special was NOT the original 1980 Morning Show

    On June 23, 1980, Letterman was given his own morning comedy show on NBC, The David Letterman Show. It was originally 90 minutes long, but was shortened to 60 minutes in August 1980.[44] The show was a critical success, winning two Emmy Awards, but was a ratings disappointment and was canceled in October 1980. This show, however was a One-off gag not aired in the morning, but returning to the Morning Show format, three years after Late Night with David Letterman had begun in 1982. This occurred on 2-27-1985. Its the "Morning Show" special, as Dave and his co-host "Tawny Harper Reynolds" simulate a typically vapid network morning program. Larry Bud gives the traffic report, while Dr. Henry gives the weather. Also, while exercising on the floor, Carol Channing repeatedly exposes her underpants to the camera.
    john-a-rice

    I too have memories of this show.

    I too have fond memories of this show from my childhood, which few people my age or of any age seem to remember. In fact, when he got the nighttime show my reaction was, "Hey, that's the guy who was on that cool morning show that got canceled." I was 9 years old the summer that Letterman had this morning show, and the absurdist humor and out-of-ordinary guests were fascinating to me. It was unlike any other "talkshow" on TV at that time. I remember one show in particular where Dave admitted the show's ratings weren't high and so he took a studio TV monitor and surfed through the channels and begin describing what was currently airing on all the other stations in case viewers at home would rather watch something else.
    10spambegone

    Never-Before-and-Never-Again would a network allow this kind of show in the mornings

    This show is THE reason I, a broke college student, splurged and bought my first VCR - to record Dave's morning show while I was in class. I couldn't miss Dave working with no net and no rules. Some of this weirdness made the transition to Late Night, but I miss the unpolished, disorganized, and off-the-cuff spontaneity of this fledgling creation from Dave and Merrill Markoe. And I miss the cast that never made it to Late Night - Rich Hall, Mrs. Marv Mendenhall, Valry Bromfield, Barry Sand, Bob & Stan...
    jovibrat

    Morning Show...VHS Copies

    Does anyone know of any collectors who may have any of these old David Letterman Morning shows from 1980 in their collection? I would love to obtain any and all and would even be willing to transfer to DVD at no cost to the owner if interested.

    This was by far the funniest show on TV up to 1980, though it didn't find an audience at that time slot. I was in college and watched faithfully everyday and was so blown away by content and the deadpan deliveries.

    It is a shame, given that it was on TV only a few months that these didn't make it to DVD commercially.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Graham Norton in The Graham Norton Show (2007)
    Talk Show

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Within weeks after the show was canceled, Westinghouse Broadcasting was talking about an offer for a syndicated show. NBC acted swiftly, signing David Letterman to a holding contract. The contract stated that NBC would have to pay Letterman a million-dollars as a penalty if it didn't come up with a new show for him before the contract ended.
    • Connections
      Featured in Words (1987)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 23, 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Шоу Дэвида Леттермана
    • Production companies
      • National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
      • Space Age Meat
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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