I actually attended 1 of the 2 practice shows Dave did on 1/28 & 1/29. They never aired, but I found out about them when I called NBC guest relations to ask about tickets.
The late night show picks up almost exactly where the daytime show left off---showgirls, back stage tour, a party in the control room...as if the passage of 15 months was only a weekend.
So, so great. Really enjoyed watching this. The simple set, the self-depracating humour (NY, the most exciting city in the tri-state area), and the oddball stuff like closing the show out with memorized dialogue from an old movie, it's all so refreshing (which is ironic since it's 40 years old. What's old is new again).
@@jrh11254 When Letterman moved from NBC to CBS in 1993, the Melman name was retired, as NBC insisted that the character of "Larry 'Bud' Melman" was their intellectual property. However, starting from the very first edition of Late Show with David Letterman, DeForest continued to play exactly the same character he had played on Late Night - he now simply used his own name to do so.
39 years ago today, something happened. Some say it was a revolution that made many people's lives better, some say it was the rise of a national nightmare that lasted until 2015 and whose ripples can still be felt to this day, and some blame it for countless sleepless nights and poor performance at work/school. Whatever it was, one thing is certain: there has been nothing like Late Night with David Letterman before or since. God bless that Hoosier weasel.
As some one who didn't discover Dave until soon after he got his CBS show in the 90's, this is interesting to see. I became a HUGE fan of both Dave and Conan when I was about 14 , and at that time I had no idea that I was witnessing a new era of late night. I knew Conan was new to his job, but I didn't know Dave was his predecessor. I just knew they both cracked me up.
Don, your LNwDL videos never fail to brighten my day. You are greatly appreciated. I hope someday Dave hires you to helm a David Letterman streaming service for his shows.
1:23 Bill Wendell: From New York, one of the most exciting cities in the tri-state area, it's "Late Night With David Letterman". Tonight's guests are: Bill Murray Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert. Also, a tour of the set, a special "Late Night" report on the shame of the city, and the Rainbow Grill Dancing Girls. Plus, Paul Shaffer, and "The World's Most Dangerous Band."
When this aired, I was a college sophomore in a town with virtually no network television reception. I'd hear about Dave and his guests from friends. His reputation for sarcasm was an early theme.
He made at home viewers feel like they were participants of the program. He was fun to watch with friends late Friday nights. Like a big party. He appeared to improvise everything.
What made Late Night great was they experimented! Not everything they tried worked, but they were BOLD. They used the inprov language of "Yes". Plus, even the first show' David hammered the "suits". BIG reason so many young people LOVED his show! Rebel!
I had been watching his 1980 NBC show for a couple years then, which was a daytime (morning) show. This was a pleasant surprise, the evening it was on in the lounge of my college dorm, when we were drinking as usual & I said, "Hey, THERE'S DAVE LETTERMAN! HE'S ON IN THE MORNING, TOO!"
@@dongiller watched almost every one of the daytime shows that summer Until skrewel castrated...hated when it started. Learned more from Letterman than skrewel.
I actually attended 1 of the 2 practice shows Dave did on 1/28 & 1/29. They never aired, but I found out about them when I called NBC guest relations to ask about tickets. I went to a lot of shows in that first 6 months, as it was really easy to get tickets---and get them fast! I went about twice a month---and every time I went, Bill Wendell (who would do the audience warm-ups) would give the latest ratings/rankings. The show was really catching on quickly. I was a senior in high school at the time and there was definitely an excitement about the show with us younger peeps---particularly those in college. I think we all felt like we were on to something pretty cool.
This is great. Are you sure about the Shakedown Show dates? I have the 1/28/82 show - Small Town News, Simon Bond, Rita Stipo and her home movies, Livingston Taylor, a closing sermonette, and donuts made throughout the show. But nothing for Friday the 29th. Any memories?
Television history. Great debut show. When I was like 13-14, me and my buddy grew up old school...no VCRs, so we used to record the audio with our boom boxes and listen to the tapes the next day and just crack up.
I hear that. I taped the shows onto audio cassette until I finally bought my first VCR in mid-February 1985, and it was non-stop taping from there. I eventually acquired all of the shows on video before that, but it took over 30 years to reach 100%.
Don Giller Dang, a VCR in 1985 was still like $300+. That's like $700 today. I noticed the music as the showgirls were lining up was a disco version of the same music Dave would later use when he had the fountain in front of his desk...the dancing water.
I was way too young to watch this back in the day and it's hard to believe the first episode of the best iteration of the Late Night franchise will reach 40 years!!!!
Loved to nod off to sleep watching LNWDL. It was a nightly ritual. Some of the most memorable shows were Ozzy Osbourne, Only a week after the terrible tragedy involving Randy Rhoads. The other memorable show was "The slap heard 'round the world", with the enigmatic Andy Kaufman and wrestler Jerry " the king" Lawler.
The moronic zoomers on RUclips who fixate on Letterman's flirty interviews and call him "creepy" (what a world where they empathize with Paris Hilton!!!!!) have no fucking clue how funny, brilliant, edgy and deeply influential his show was. He's a legend, and thanks to you for reminding people of this fact.
Can’t believe that I was 40 years today that this happened Letterman was one of the best best of all time, I am only 24 years old but I grew up with him on TV. All These guys today Suck with the exception of Conan everything so much better I miss letterman and Conan all the newer late night host are so incompetent
Watching this was like being transported back in time. staying up late, lighting a dube and zoning out to Dave. Me, being a New Yorker familar with the opening sequence sites buildings monuments people places scenes etc, a simpler time. No internet, smart phones, social media, fakebook, fakenews and media tech giants that made this video post possible.
Letterman seems to be completely disarmed by Murray, but he manages to hang in there. He picked a great guess for his first show. It really set the standard for his show.
@@krisscanlon4051 I did watch the first show when it aired, and while I do have a vague recollection of Bill Murray, oddly enough the thing I remember best is the guy at the end of the show reciting the dialogue from some obscure movie from memory. Dave was so fresh and "off the wall" at that point in time, and he came across as much hipper than other talk show hosts of that era like Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, etc. Nothing against any of those guys because I liked them all. But they were geared for my parent's generation, while Dave spoke to a younger audience. Great days, I wish they'd put all those NBC episodes out in reruns or on a streaming service.
Wow what a treat. Studio 8H The Rock. A taste of what was to come with Dave on Late Night. Was Steve Jordan drumming for the band on this show? Way before Anton took over on drums. I was a fan of LNwDL from the beginning. A few years later as a video production student, I watched a taping of the show from that very same control room. Long live LNWDL.
Taped in 6A, not 8H (except during the summer of ‘86 when 6A was being renovated). 8H was SNL. Yes, Steve, from the beginning until Spring ‘86. The history of the musicians here - donzblog.home.blog/2022/04/17/the-musicians-on-late-night-with-david-letterman/
I was hooked on the show from the beginning. I remember in early 1982 between March & April when Letterman had on his show an eccentric woman named Ruth Uriel Norman who told Dave that a friendly armada of spaceships were headed towards Earth to help solve all of mankind's problems. Letterman wasn't amused & seemed to feel sorry for her. Members of the audience however were laughing uncontrollably especially when Ruth rolled a clip showing a welcoming party she had prepared for the imaginary aliens.
He was an NBC employee and was probably working on another program at the time. I've occasionally seen his name in Live-at-Five credits. He was working with Dave as early as the 1980 morning show.
Loved how wild they were trying to be. Felt sorry for David having a crazy Murray to try and deal with. He did good just trying to ignore him. I feel the show just might continue.
On Fridays this was the show to stay up and watch. More laughs on his show in 10 minutes than the whole SNL show on proceeding Saturday.
I. Was 17 how lucky I am!
Maybe, one day in the far-off, dystopian future, humankind will again be blessed with a late night comedy show of this magnitude.
We were . Trump.
@@steveconn Oh yeah he was hilarious. Intentionally and unintentionally.
maybe when we get another David Letterman... but he is irreplaceable
You mean Jimmy Fallon reuniting the California Dreams isn't the height of original comedy?
Conan
Feb 01, 1982 - The beginning of my Late Night happiness started on this day 39 years ago. Thank you Don!!
Possibly the most important video on RUclips. Thank you.
This is a thing of beauty. Thanks for sharing, Don!
and Merrill Markoe was a thing of beauty…
Thank you (from England) for these terrific uploads, Don.
Thanks!
I was in the studio audience for this show!!!
How old were you? I was born 56 days after this show lol.
I actually attended 1 of the 2 practice shows Dave did on 1/28 & 1/29. They never aired, but I found out about them when I called NBC guest relations to ask about tickets.
Back when late night tv and new york were cool
I wasn't.
@@rondobson1828 I also attended a practice show! The only guest was Soupy Sales.
The late night show picks up almost exactly where the daytime show left off---showgirls, back stage tour, a party in the control room...as if the passage of 15 months was only a weekend.
Excellent observation.
So, so great. Really enjoyed watching this. The simple set, the self-depracating humour (NY, the most exciting city in the tri-state area), and the oddball stuff like closing the show out with memorized dialogue from an old movie, it's all so refreshing (which is ironic since it's 40 years old. What's old is new again).
How appropriate that Larry "Bud" Melman/ Calvert DeForest should have been the first person we saw.
Also, Chris Elliott appears in the control room. Thus the thumbnail.
psdavenport- too bad he didn’t migrate to the CBS iteration of Dave’s show.
jrh11254 Calvert also opened The Late Show when it's first program aired and was seen from time to time until his passing in early 2000's.
@@jrh11254 When Letterman moved from NBC to CBS in 1993, the Melman name was retired, as NBC insisted that the character of "Larry 'Bud' Melman" was their intellectual property. However, starting from the very first edition of Late Show with David Letterman, DeForest continued to play exactly the same character he had played on Late Night - he now simply used his own name to do so.
@@dongiller I missed it at first. BEARDLESS Chris Elliott. wow
This was the day I was born, and I feel fortunate to have my day of birth be the same as such an iconic show!
39 years ago today, something happened. Some say it was a revolution that made many people's lives better, some say it was the rise of a national nightmare that lasted until 2015 and whose ripples can still be felt to this day, and some blame it for countless sleepless nights and poor performance at work/school. Whatever it was, one thing is certain: there has been nothing like Late Night with David Letterman before or since. God bless that Hoosier weasel.
As some one who didn't discover Dave until soon after he got his CBS show in the 90's, this is interesting to see. I became a HUGE fan of both Dave and Conan when I was about 14 , and at that time I had no idea that I was witnessing a new era of late night. I knew Conan was new to his job, but I didn't know Dave was his predecessor. I just knew they both cracked me up.
The NBC years were gold. I didn't watch much of the CBS run because I was working a lot and just couldn't catch it.
I really loved Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show and was fully prepared to hate Letterman but his show was so brilliant that I just couldn't do it.
Don, your LNwDL videos never fail to brighten my day. You are greatly appreciated. I hope someday Dave hires you to helm a David Letterman streaming service for his shows.
Thanks, but it’ll never happen.
@@dongiller Well, we can still dream, even if there's no chance. #RestoreTheGillerCut
@@dongiller Never say never! : )
Don, thanks did sharing these vids. Late Night was a blast!
I just realized that Dave’s intro to Bill here is pretty much the exact same intro he had for Bill on the penultimate Late Show.
In those days a man could only dream of endless shows featuring joining metal in various ways. The idea in the skit was ahead of its time.
I was 19 when this aired. Rarely ever missed Late Night.
I stayed up late in middle and high school sometimes. This show was a blast. Still remember him trash-talking the “pinheads” of GE.
1:23 Bill Wendell: From New York, one of the most exciting cities in the tri-state area, it's "Late Night With David Letterman". Tonight's guests are:
Bill Murray
Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert.
Also, a tour of the set, a special "Late Night" report on the shame of the city, and the Rainbow Grill Dancing Girls. Plus, Paul Shaffer, and "The World's Most Dangerous Band."
I like how they chose the same music/dance introduction for their first show here as they did for their last show of The David Letterman Show
His debut was three days before my debut! Born February 4th, 1982
And you were ten years to the day before my sister made HER debut. 😊
When this aired, I was a college sophomore in a town with virtually no network television reception. I'd hear about Dave and his guests from friends. His reputation for sarcasm was an early theme.
I’m glad you got to discover Dave, but I think the word “sarcasm” is both cheap and inaccurate.
@@dongiller more irony and dry humor
I was a junior and hitting the books to hard to see this. What a shame.
Happy Anniversary, Dave!
Thank you, Don!
"From New York, one of the most exciting cities in the tri-state area..." 😅
What I'd really like to see is a show about joining metals.
Sounds riveting!
@@johnl5350 Weld done
He made at home viewers feel like they were participants of the program. He was fun to watch with friends late Friday nights. Like a big party. He appeared to improvise everything.
What made Late Night great was they experimented! Not everything they tried worked, but they were BOLD. They used the inprov language of "Yes". Plus, even the first show' David hammered the "suits". BIG reason so many young people LOVED his show! Rebel!
I had been watching his 1980 NBC show for a couple years then, which was a daytime (morning) show. This was a pleasant surprise, the evening it was on in the lounge of my college dorm, when we were drinking as usual & I said, "Hey, THERE'S DAVE LETTERMAN! HE'S ON IN THE MORNING, TOO!"
The morning show lasted only 18 weeks, from late June to late October 1980.
@@dongiller watched almost every one of the daytime shows that summer
Until skrewel castrated...hated when it started. Learned more from Letterman than skrewel.
@@hankkingsley9300 so you’re the one. :)
Letterman Was one of those shows where you went where were you when you first saw it
This was so ahead of its time. Brilliant. I wonder if they let that guy finish reciting Bowery at Midnight, because that was really funny.
I actually attended 1 of the 2 practice shows Dave did on 1/28 & 1/29. They never aired, but I found out about them when I called NBC guest relations to ask about tickets. I went to a lot of shows in that first 6 months, as it was really easy to get tickets---and get them fast! I went about twice a month---and every time I went, Bill Wendell (who would do the audience warm-ups) would give the latest ratings/rankings. The show was really catching on quickly. I was a senior in high school at the time and there was definitely an excitement about the show with us younger peeps---particularly those in college. I think we all felt like we were on to something pretty cool.
This is great. Are you sure about the Shakedown Show dates? I have the 1/28/82 show - Small Town News, Simon Bond, Rita Stipo and her home movies, Livingston Taylor, a closing sermonette, and donuts made throughout the show.
But nothing for Friday the 29th. Any memories?
Television history. Great debut show. When I was like 13-14, me and my buddy grew up old school...no VCRs, so we used to record the audio with our boom boxes and listen to the tapes the next day and just crack up.
I hear that. I taped the shows onto audio cassette until I finally bought my first VCR in mid-February 1985, and it was non-stop taping from there. I eventually acquired all of the shows on video before that, but it took over 30 years to reach 100%.
Don Giller Dang, a VCR in 1985 was still like $300+. That's like $700 today. I noticed the music as the showgirls were lining up was a disco version of the same music Dave would later use when he had the fountain in front of his desk...the dancing water.
Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. :)
Don Giller - Thanks for posting so much of the early Dave! Forgot how great they were, and didn’t discover the show until ‘86 when I bought a VCR.
@@dongiller You're doing the lord's work Don. Thank you.
Man, Bill Murray was on fire on that first show.
Bill Murray was on drugs on that first show.
@@LoveKeepsGiving
Aww, ya ruined the magic. 😉
Yaaaayo, member his salt deficiency
@@weaksignal8009 21:45 looks like Dave might have gotten into the salt as well?
Or on drugs?
I was way too young to watch this back in the day and it's hard to believe the first episode of the best iteration of the Late Night franchise will reach 40 years!!!!
Loved to nod off to sleep watching LNWDL. It was a nightly ritual. Some of the most memorable shows were Ozzy Osbourne, Only a week after the terrible tragedy involving Randy Rhoads. The other memorable show was "The slap heard 'round the world", with the enigmatic Andy Kaufman and wrestler Jerry " the king" Lawler.
NBC was in the tank in 1982. David Letterman debuted in February. That fall Cheers, Family Ties, A-Team, St.Elsewhere.
Thanks to our lord Brandon Tartikoff and his boss Grant Tiinker (before 1981, it was Fred Silverman)
40 years ago, a new wave and a new style of late night TV began...
The moronic zoomers on RUclips who fixate on Letterman's flirty interviews and call him "creepy" (what a world where they empathize with Paris Hilton!!!!!) have no fucking clue how funny, brilliant, edgy and deeply influential his show was. He's a legend, and thanks to you for reminding people of this fact.
The greatest late night show EVER!!!!
I think it's great that the first thing the nation saw on Ep. #1 was Larry "Bud" Melman.
Thank you Don… keep em coming
Love the helmet hair. Damn I miss this show.
STOKED!! Great upload.
Had no idea the first episode started with Larry Bud.
This is over 40 years old, and the ironic sense of self deprication was so far ahead of its time
Bizarre, but that was the first Salvo of the Letterman style we grew to love! Experimental, and even THEN hammered the suits at NBC!
You don't see metal being joined in late night television anymore
Love these old..episodes. Better then what's on now.
I watched a 2 hour montage of all the letters from fans segments from Letterman, absolute genius..
I was invited to a party to watch this fitst show! Loved it ❤
40 years ago. Classic Dave Letterman.
I'm liking this video the night before the 36th anniversary of this episode. :-)
I put it up on the 35th. :)
Can’t believe that I was 40 years today that this happened Letterman was one of the best best of all time, I am only 24 years old but I grew up with him on TV. All These guys today Suck with the exception of Conan everything so much better I miss letterman and Conan all the newer late night host are so incompetent
I miss this show!
Thanks Don! Comedy gold there
Happy 40th Anniversary to the Late Show!
0.05. This may be Larry Bud Melman’s greatest performance.
Once the show got in the groove it was so good
Damn, no growing pains for Dave & Company- funny and inventive from show #1.
That opening might be the most successful delivery of a script by Mr. DeForest in the entire history of the show. All downhill from there!
😂
I may be wrong but is Chris eEliot in the "Control Room" scene. I think he is near the door but I could be wrong?
Yes; I created this particular thumbnail because Chris is just behind Dave's left wearing a green hat.
Just realized that Bill's entrance music was the Star Wars theme - Paul was in those lounge singer skits with him on SNL.
This is great. The Bill Murray aerobics bit was funny. In addition to being funny, Letterman had a presence about him that very few have.
Watching this was like being transported back in time. staying up late, lighting a dube and zoning out to Dave. Me, being a New Yorker familar with the opening sequence sites buildings monuments people places scenes etc, a simpler time. No internet, smart phones, social media, fakebook, fakenews and media tech giants that made this video post possible.
WOW! who woudda believed that this show would last....great stuff
Letterman seems to be completely disarmed by Murray, but he manages to hang in there. He picked a great guess for his first show. It really set the standard for his show.
Made him his first guest when he went to CBS.
All planned. C'mon.
Was that Chris Elliott at 8:39 to 8:50 with hat on ? He is not listed in the credits until season 1 episode #26 .
That’s the reason I chose the thumbnail. He worked with the production staff.
Was it Octoberfest in there or what?
40 years ago tonight!!
It's like cable access with slightly higher production values.
Anybody know the piece of music playing under the dancers?
I love the fan dancers, ALL late night talk shows should have them!
BTW great name! May Ian Hunter find you also I never saw the first show...holy moley...dancers etc
@@krisscanlon4051 I did watch the first show when it aired, and while I do have a vague recollection of Bill Murray, oddly enough the thing I remember best is the guy at the end of the show reciting the dialogue from some obscure movie from memory. Dave was so fresh and "off the wall" at that point in time, and he came across as much hipper than other talk show hosts of that era like Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, etc. Nothing against any of those guys because I liked them all. But they were geared for my parent's generation, while Dave spoke to a younger audience. Great days, I wish they'd put all those NBC episodes out in reruns or on a streaming service.
Wow what a treat. Studio 8H The Rock. A taste of what was to come with Dave on Late Night. Was Steve Jordan drumming for the band on this show? Way before Anton took over on drums. I was a fan of LNwDL from the beginning. A few years later as a video production student, I watched a taping of the show from that very same control room. Long live LNWDL.
Taped in 6A, not 8H (except during the summer of ‘86 when 6A was being renovated). 8H was SNL.
Yes, Steve, from the beginning until Spring ‘86. The history of the musicians here - donzblog.home.blog/2022/04/17/the-musicians-on-late-night-with-david-letterman/
@@dongiller I stand corrected. How do you know all this?
@@dongiller I read your blog. wow dude
@@jaymo8206 I live alone. :)
@@dongiller Your efforts at sharing these vintage DL shows & LNWDL are epic and appreciated. It's like a trip back to the 80's.
The "green room" joke was fantastic.
Funny he opened with the dancers. He ended his 1980 show with the same. Zany.
Thank you!
I remember watching his morning show, but I don't remember anything from it.
Has Letterman ever said if his snarky approach to the talk show was influenced by Martin Mull's "Fernwood Tonight?"
No I’m pretty sure this was Dave being Dave.
Yeah its kinda similar in that both were antishows so probably influenced it in some way
@@NimsQuarlo I think you're right. Allen seemed to share Letterman's disdain for show-biz phoniness.
I was hooked on the show from the beginning. I remember in early 1982 between March & April when Letterman had on his show an eccentric woman named Ruth Uriel Norman who told Dave that a friendly armada of spaceships were headed towards Earth to help solve all of mankind's problems. Letterman wasn't amused & seemed to feel sorry for her. Members of the audience however were laughing uncontrollably especially when Ruth rolled a clip showing a welcoming party she had prepared for the imaginary aliens.
does anyone know what floor the set was on, i know the offices were on the 14th floor thanks to Meg Parsont
6th floor; Studio 6A.
@@dongiller those studios must have taken up 2 floors
The entrance to the studio was on the 6th floor. The entrance to the audience seats was on the 7th.
Hey Don have you ever posted the show from 1987 where Dave had a live remote at Lambert Airport in St. Louis?
March 2, 1988. Unfortunately, I haven’t. And will no longer be able to.
@@dongiller is the Letterman channel cracking down on stuff?
@@erickziglar7967 It’s complicated, and I’m hesitant to elaborate.
Chris Elliott at 8:45.
Thus the thumbnail.
I thought so, but I didn't know he was kicking around the studio from day 1.
Honest Dave, I know everyone says this but I saw this show the night it was first on. even though I had to get up at 6 the next morning to go to work
40 years ago, almost to the very hour!
Wow. That was astonishing. Thanks, Don. Which drugs was Bill high on?
Some new product on the street called " tequila."
Don Giller Ha ha ha
Wow, the 80s atmosphere, wonder what 2080 will be like..
You the man Don!
I'm surprised this show never really took off! Do I really need to include the winking emoji?
I noticed in the credits that Biff Henderson was not listed as a stage manager. I thought he was with LN the full time. When was he added?
He was an NBC employee and was probably working on another program at the time. I've occasionally seen his name in Live-at-Five credits.
He was working with Dave as early as the 1980 morning show.
Don Giller Thanks.
I grew up with this show.
Bill Murray was on the first show and he was on the last one.
I wonder what I was doing when this was on TV. More than likely fast asleep as my bedtime was 8:00.
Ladies and gentlemen, the birth of TV Boy 👦.
And, of course, you have to open with Larry Bud Melman!
lovely... all of it! and 15:10... just so funny... that should precede all of Bill's highlights in a clip!!!!!
His walk out music was awesome!
Well the Morning Show didn't work out, but this one did!
40 years ago tonight.
Larry Bud and Chris Elliot there from the beginning.
'Hi, I'm Dave Letterman. In 30 years, I'll be a CBS legend.'
You mean, _a has-been_ .
NBC Days Dave on the streets was the best Dave !
BRAVO!
Loved how wild they were trying to be. Felt sorry for David having a crazy Murray to try and deal with. He did good just trying to ignore him. I feel the show just might continue.