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Late Show with David Letterman

  • TV Series
  • 1993–2015
  • TV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
15K
YOUR RATING
David Letterman, Regis Philbin, Barbara Gaines, Biff Henderson, Alan Kalter, and Paul Shaffer in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)
The Late Show With David Letterman
Play trailer0:22
1 Video
99+ Photos
ComedyMusicTalk Show

The Late Show with David Letterman is an hour-long weeknight comedy and talk-show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City.The Late Show with David Letterman is an hour-long weeknight comedy and talk-show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City.The Late Show with David Letterman is an hour-long weeknight comedy and talk-show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City.

  • Creator
    • David Letterman
  • Stars
    • David Letterman
    • Paul Shaffer
    • Alan Kalter
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    15K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • David Letterman
    • Stars
      • David Letterman
      • Paul Shaffer
      • Alan Kalter
    • 53User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 9 Primetime Emmys
      • 16 wins & 127 nominations total

    Episodes6696

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    Videos1

    The Late Show With David Letterman
    Trailer 0:22
    The Late Show With David Letterman

    Photos342

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    Top cast99+

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    David Letterman
    David Letterman
    • Self - Host…
    • 1993–2015
    Paul Shaffer
    Paul Shaffer
    • Self - Musical Director…
    • 1993–2015
    Alan Kalter
    Alan Kalter
    • Self - Announcer…
    • 1995–2015
    Biff Henderson
    • Self - Stage Manager…
    • 1995–2015
    Regis Philbin
    Regis Philbin
    • Self…
    • 1993–2015
    Barbara Gaines
    • Self - Executive Producer…
    • 2004–2015
    Tony Mendez
    • Self - Cue Card Boy…
    • 1994–2012
    Stephen Colbert
    Stephen Colbert
    • Self - Host…
    • 2005–2015
    Al Chez
    • Self - Horn Section Yay-Sayer #2…
    • 1997–2011
    Jack Hanna
    Jack Hanna
    • Self…
    • 1993–2015
    Rupert Jee
    • Self…
    • 1995–2015
    Tom Malone
    Tom Malone
    • Self - Horn Section Yay-Sayer #1…
    • 2005–2015
    Bruce Kapler
    • Self - Horn Section Yay-Sayer #3…
    • 1993–2011
    Pat Farmer
    • Self - Stagehand…
    • 1997–2011
    Johnny Dark
    • Stanley Cronkite…
    • 2006–2010
    Chris Elliott
    Chris Elliott
    • Self - Guest…
    • 1993–2015
    Jeff Altman
    Jeff Altman
    • Self…
    • 1994–2014
    Joe Grossman
    • Self - Staff Writer…
    • 2008–2015
    • Creator
      • David Letterman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews53

    7.014.5K
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    Featured reviews

    jENNA007

    WOW, The best talk-show EVER ~!

    David Letterman is a smart and insanely funny man. He's brought us this amazing show that has about a thousand unforgettable moments and a mouth-full of witty remarks. The thing I love about his show the most is that it has such an unpredictable-feel to it, its much much better than Leno, and any other talk-show I've seen. Letterman is great at being a talk-show host, its like he was born to do it. I also love Paul Shaffer, he is an awesome music director and a lot funnier than any other music director i have ever seen! I hope this show keeps going forever!! I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT ~!!
    medrjel

    The show that set the new standard

    Dave is King of Late Night. If rumors are true, Carson chose Letterman to replace him, but NBC exec's decided otherwise. I can believe this. Letterman's run of 10 years on late-late night TV was brilliant, though a bit "cheap".

    Well, with this show, some of the "homey" feel of the small show has gone, but the humor and style has stayed the same. From classics such as "Stupid Pet Tricks", to new skits such as the adventures of Mujibur and Sirajoul (apoligies for spelling) - two guys who ran a shop next to the theater where the Late Show was on, Dave finds a way to make anyone entertaining to everyone. It is rare that he can't find a chemistry to work with someone on stage with him, and that's the secret. Steve Allen, Jack Paar (to an extent), and Carson all had that gift. With the larger budget, Dave got bigger, grander, and funnier, while maintaining the "individual" appeal of a smaller budget show. There was Taxi Tic Tac Toe, the cross country trip of our two friends listed earlier and the van of gifts. The only thing missing was "Larry Bud Melman". Calvert DeForest shows up from time to time, but very rarely, and not with the same type of style that we had from Bud.

    Dave is the King. It's a shame he had to leave the old court and build a new one.
    swat611

    Letterman is king of Late Night.

    David Letterman is the king of Late Night TV. On the air now for 21 years, apporching 10 years as host of the "Late Show" on CBS. Leno is no match to Letterman, nor is Jimmy Kimmel on ABC. I feel like the "Late Show" has more class then other late night talk shows, though you might think not it at times. When Dave retires he will leave BIG shoes to fill.
    7mazunderscore

    Good late night entertainment

    As far as American talk show hosts go, I find David Letterman the least pretentious and the least fake out of all of them. He seems to mostly say what he thinks and not JUST for the sake of being shocking or funny.

    Letterman is mostly a likable guy and can at times be very witty, and of course satirical, which is something about him (as indeed his writers) that I enjoy. Yes I know, he is at times cocky and a bit of a show pony, but he's a talk show host and he's meant to have a personality and in my opinion he's the best there is.

    I enjoy the little sketches like "Great Presidential Speeches" and "Will it Float?," I always enjoy watching Biff Henderson's little adventures and of course hearing from the always wonderful, Alan Kalter.

    It's a nice little piece of late night entertainment and while some episodes are obviously going to be better than others depending on the guests - you know you're always going to have a bit chuckle.
    SandraD82

    Dave is turning back to the old Dave!

    I have been a big Letterman fan for years. I would tape shows when I was only 13, never missed a show. I agree that Letterman had his years where you could tell he felt like a failure and didn't put much into it. But I will add that he is much more real than Jay Leno. Jay Leno is your typical phony talk show host. You really saw how real Dave is if you saw his show on January 31, 2005 remembering Johnny Carson. I saw both his and Leno's shows on Johnny. Jay seemed much more scripted and fake. This was probably due to how the death of Johnny Carson hit the two, being that Dave was close with Johnny. (Johnny even wrote jokes in retirement and sent them to Dave to use). I have noticed lately that Dave's comedy is turning back around to the old Dave. Hopefully he realizes that he is appreciated and keeps up the turn around!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Many, including rival talk show host Jay Leno, whom NBC chose over David Letterman as Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show (1962) successor in a bitter competition between the two, saw Carson's Late Show with David Letterman (1993) cameo appearance as a signal that Carson preferred Letterman over Jay.
    • Quotes

      [David is working at McDonald's]

      David Letterman: Welcome to Mc Donald's.

      Customer: Get me a cheeseburger.

      David Letterman: Your order is a cheeseburger?

      Customer: Yep.

      David Letterman: Are you busy right now?

      Customer: I gotta head to work. Why?

      David Letterman: Could you swing by the grocery store and get us a bag of onions?

      Customer: A bag of onions?

      David Letterman: Yeah. We're running low.

      [Later, David takes new customer]

      David Letterman: United 16957, 727. This is Kennedy Ground Control. What's the problem? Power it on in.

      Customer: I have your onions here.

      David Letterman: What?

      Customer: The ten-pound bag of onions.

      David Letterman: You're got the onions? All right. Come on through. We really appreciate it. Thanks for helping out.

    • Connections
      Edited into The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys (1996)

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    FAQ20

    • How many seasons does Late Show with David Letterman have?Powered by Alexa
    • Why is it always daytime during the outdoor scenes?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 30, 1993 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Instagram
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Late Show Backstage
    • Filming locations
      • Ed Sullivan Theater - 1697 Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Worldwide Pants
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby

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    David Letterman, Regis Philbin, Barbara Gaines, Biff Henderson, Alan Kalter, and Paul Shaffer in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)
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