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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

    mhicks

    Made my mornings

    I was in high school when this show appeared and disappeared. I don't remember the circumstances that allowed me to be home to see it (perhaps it ran in the summer), but it was hilarious. Featuring comedian Rich Hall and Edie McClurg, among other regulars, it's not surprising that its often absurdist humor didn't play well enough with a morning audience for it to remain on the air -- it was definitely a better fit for late night. For those who didn't see it (approximately everyone -12), Dave would generally have 1 or 2 real guests and a bunch of skits and recurring characters. Usually if he announced a guest you had heard of, the person who appeared was this one guy from the cast who would claim he was that person (or people -- he claimed on one show to be Donnie and Marie) despite Dave's incredulity.

    I spoke to Rich Hall after he performed at the University of Colorado some years ago and after expressing his surprise at meeting someone who had seen the show, he said that they all knew fairly early in the run that the show was going to be cancelled, which pretty much gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Another poster mentioned having seen the show in reruns -- I'd love to have the chance to see at least some of them again to see if I find them as funny now as I did then.
    8patrickfilbeck

    About the early Letterman...

    A harbinger of his later Late Night show, a celebration of early Letterman. Definitely very easy to see, iconic and always funny. Short-Lived, a uick watch and - although it's Letterman - not too wellknown. Very nice.
    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.
    Liz-59

    The beginning of a legend

    This was the first of David Lettermans phenomenal comic success in Late Night. Although this show didn't go over as well as the others, I've seen re-runs and it was funny, and earned him an Emmy. If anyone knew then what we know now about this "dude" (as Dave would say), I'd be a rich woman today.
    veronicalodge71

    I knew I didn't dream this.

    I was only 8 when this show was on the air, but I remember it! (Vaguely) I remember the set. I remember watching it in the morning and I've asked a few people (some of them older than me) if they remember Dave having a morning show and no one remembers. I was beginning to think I dreamed it. The only thing is, I thought I remembered him having both a morning show and a late show at the same time. Perhaps I was watching the morning show in reruns.

    Also, the name Rich Hall is a blast from the past. I remember him from Not Necessarily the News which ran on HBO in the early 80's. (Remember Sniglets?) I forgot all about that show. The Daily Show of the 80's. I see now, it's all connected...

    More like this

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    7.5
    Not Necessarily the News
    Late Night with David Letterman
    7.5
    Late Night with David Letterman
    Soul Train
    8.1
    Soul Train
    Late Show with David Letterman
    7.0
    Late Show with David Letterman
    Real Life
    7.0
    Real Life
    6.4
    Late Night with David Letterman: 3rd Anniversary Special
    The New Show
    7.4
    The New Show
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    5.3
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
    Late Night with David Letterman: 7th Anniversary Special
    6.7
    Late Night with David Letterman: 7th Anniversary Special
    The Boys in Company C
    6.9
    The Boys in Company C
    My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
    7.8
    My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman

    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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