History of Conan O'Brien in Timeline
Conan O'Brien is a prominent American television personality renowned for his long-running career as a late-night talk show host. He helmed Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, followed by Conan on TBS. Prior to his hosting endeavors, O'Brien honed his comedic writing skills on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Since 2018, he has hosted the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. His latest venture is the travel show Conan O'Brien Must Go.
1929: Birth of Thomas Francis O'Brien
In 1929, Thomas Francis O'Brien, Conan O'Brien's father, was born.
1931: Birth of Ruth O'Brien
In 1931, Ruth O'Brien, Conan O'Brien's mother, was born.
April 18, 1963: Conan O'Brien's Birth
Conan Christopher O'Brien was born on April 18, 1963, in Brookline, Massachusetts.
1981: Entering Harvard University
In 1981, Conan O'Brien entered Harvard University after graduating as valedictorian.
1984: First Vote
In 1984, Conan O'Brien cast his first vote for president for Walter Mondale and has been a registered Democrat since.
1985: Graduation from Harvard
In 1985, Conan O'Brien graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Literature.
1987: Happy Happy Good Show
In 1987, during a writers' strike from Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien put on an improvisational comedy revue in Chicago with fellow SNL writers Bob Odenkirk and Robert Smigel called Happy Happy Good Show.
January 1988: Hired as Writer for Saturday Night Live
In January 1988, Lorne Michaels hired Conan O'Brien as a writer for Saturday Night Live (SNL).
1988: Writing for Saturday Night Live
In 1988, Conan O'Brien started as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live.
1989: Emmy Award for SNL Writing
In 1989, Conan O'Brien and his fellow SNL writers received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.
1990: SNL Five-Timers Club appearance
In 1990, Conan O'Brien appeared as a doorman in a sketch in which Tom Hanks was inducted into the SNL "Five-Timers Club".
1991: Writing and Producing for The Simpsons
From 1991, Conan O'Brien worked as a writer and producer for The Simpsons.
1991: Lookwell pilot
In 1991, Conan O'Brien and Robert Smigel wrote the television pilot for Lookwell starring Adam West, which aired on NBC.
1991: Writing for The Simpsons
In 1991, Conan O'Brien began writing for the Fox animated sitcom The Simpsons.
1992: Ford Taurus SHO
In 1992, Conan O'Brien brought his 1992 Ford Taurus SHO with him to California.
April 26, 1993: Picked as New Host of Late Night
On April 26, 1993, Conan O'Brien was picked as the new host of Late Night.
September 13, 1993: Premiere of Late Night with Conan O'Brien
On September 13, 1993, Late Night with Conan O'Brien premiered to unfavorable reviews from critics.
1993: Departure from The Simpsons
Conan O'Brien worked as a writer and producer for The Simpsons until 1993.
1993: Hosting Late Night with Conan O'Brien
In 1993, Conan O'Brien started hosting Late Night with Conan O'Brien on NBC.
1993: Taking Over Late Night Hosting Duties
In 1993, Conan O'Brien was selected by Lorne Michaels and NBC to take over David Letterman's position as host of Late Night.
February 1994: David Letterman's Appearance on Late Night
In February 1994, David Letterman appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, providing a morale boost to the show.
1994: Show at Risk for Cancellation
In 1994, Late Night with Conan O'Brien was constantly at risk for cancellation, with NBC threatening to put Conan on a week-to-week contract.
January 1995: Robert Smigel Quits as Head Writer
In January 1995, Robert Smigel quit as head writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
1995: Hosting the White House Correspondents' Dinner
In 1995, Conan O'Brien hosted the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
1995: White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
In 1995, Conan O'Brien served as the master of ceremonies for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C.
1996: Emmy Nomination
In 1996, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing team received a nomination for the Emmy Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series, marking the first of several consecutive nominations.
1997: Writers Guild Award
In 1997, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing staff won the Writers Guild Award for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series, starting a string of wins.
1999: Futurama Appearance
In 1999, Conan O'Brien appeared on Futurama in the "Xmas Story" episode, playing himself as a head in a jar in the year 3000.
2000: Writers Guild Award
In 2000, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing staff won the Writers Guild Award for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series.
2000: Meeting Liza Powel
In 2000, Conan O'Brien met Elizabeth Ann "Liza" Powel when she appeared in a pre-taped sketch on Late Night with Conan O'Brien as a copywriter for Foote, Cone & Belding.
2000: O'Brien Reflects on Civil War Baseball Remote
In 2000, Conan O'Brien recalled the remote from Late Night where they visited a Civil War-era baseball league as one of his personal favorites. He stated "When I leave this earth, at the funeral, just show this, because this pretty much says who I'm all about."
2000: Harvard Class Day Speech
In his speech given at Class Day at Harvard in 2000, Conan O'Brien credited The Simpsons with saving him, a reference to the career slump he was experiencing before being hired for the show.
2001: Formation of Conaco & SNL Hosting
In 2001, Conan O'Brien established his own television production company, Conaco, which contributed to the production of Late Night. In the same year, he made a return to Saturday Night Live, hosting the show during its 26th season.
2002: Marriage to Liza Powel
In 2002, Conan O'Brien and Liza Powel married in Powel's hometown of Seattle after dating for nearly 18 months.
2002: Writers Guild Award
In 2002, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing staff won the Writers Guild Award for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series.
2002: Hosts the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards
In 2002, Conan O'Brien hosted the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards.
2002: Hosting the Emmy Awards
In 2002, Conan O'Brien hosted the Emmy Awards.
2002: Rerun of Lookwell on Trio network
In 2002, the Lookwell pilot, which Conan O'Brien wrote with Robert Smigel, was rerun on the Trio network.
2003: Birth of Daughter Neve
In 2003, Conan O'Brien and Liza Powel had a daughter named Neve.
2003: Writers Guild Award
In 2003, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing staff won the Writers Guild Award for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series.
2004: Writers Guild Award
In 2004, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing staff won the Writers Guild Award for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series.
October 2005: Late Night Audience Size
As of October 2005, Late Night with Conan O'Brien consistently maintained an audience averaging approximately 2.5 million viewers for eleven years.
2005: Birth of Son Beckett
In 2005, Conan O'Brien and Liza Powel had a son named Beckett.
September 2006: Stalked by Priest
Starting in September 2006, Conan O'Brien was stalked by Father David Ajemian of the Archdiocese of Boston, who sent letters signed as "your priest stalker" despite warnings to stop.
2006: Finnish Presidential Election Influence
In 2006, Conan O'Brien and Late Night aired mock political ads in support of Tarja Halonen and against Sauli Niinistö during the Finnish presidential election, capitalizing on O'Brien's resemblance to Halonen. This influenced public perception, and Halonen eventually won. Subsequently, O'Brien traveled to Finland and met with Halonen.
2006: Cor Unum Meal Center Opening
In 2006, Conan O'Brien helped open the Cor Unum meal center in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
2006: Hosts the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards
In 2006, Conan O'Brien hosted the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, to critical acclaim.
2006: Hosting the Emmy Awards
In 2006, Conan O'Brien hosted the Emmy Awards.
2007: Emmy Award Win
In 2007, Conan O'Brien and the Late Night writing team won the Emmy Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series, their first and only win in that category.
2007: Purchase of Central Park West Penthouse
In 2007, Conan O'Brien purchased a Central Park West penthouse in New York for $10 million, later attempting to sell it for $35 million in 2010.
2007: Writers' Strike
In 2007, a mock feud crossed over between Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart of The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report during the Writers Guild of America strike.
January 2008: Sports a Beard
In January 2008, after the Writers Guild of America strike, Conan O'Brien reemerged on late-night TV sporting a beard, which guest Tom Brokaw compared to "a draft dodger from the Civil War."
April 8, 2008: Ajemian Pleads Guilty to Stalking
On April 8, 2008, Father David Ajemian pleaded guilty to stalking Conan O'Brien and was later laicized.
2008: Writers' Strike Mock Feud
During the writers' strike in 2008, Conan O'Brien engaged in a mock feud with Jon Stewart of The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report, all shows aired on Comedy Central, over who was responsible for boosting Mike Huckabee's campaign.
February 20, 2009: Last Episode of Late Night
On February 20, 2009, NBC broadcast the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien, featuring past clips, an appearance by Andy Richter, and appearances by Will Ferrell, John Mayer, and the White Stripes. O'Brien concluded by destroying the set.
June 1, 2009: Tonight Show Debut
On June 1, 2009, Will Ferrell was Conan O'Brien's first couch guest and Pearl Jam was his first musical guest on The Tonight Show.
September 25, 2009: Concussion on The Tonight Show
On September 25, 2009, Conan O'Brien suffered a mild concussion after slipping and hitting his head during a comedy sketch with Teri Hatcher on The Tonight Show. He was released from the hospital the same day and returned to work the following Monday.
November 2009: Decline in Tonight Show Ratings
By November 2009, ratings for Conan O'Brien's The Tonight Show had declined by approximately 2 million viewers compared to the previous year when Jay Leno was the host.
2009: Hosting The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
In 2009, Conan O'Brien began hosting The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on NBC.
2009: Hosting The Tonight Show
In 2009, Conan O'Brien moved to Los Angeles to host his own incarnation of The Tonight Show.
2009: Moves to Los Angeles
In 2009, Conan O'Brien purchased a $10.5-million mansion in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, to prepare for his move from New York City to host The Tonight Show.
2009: Irish Catholic Heritage
On a 2009 episode of Inside the Actors Studio, Conan O'Brien stated that he is 100% Irish Catholic, with ancestors from both sides of his family moving to America from Ireland starting in the 1850s and marrying only other Irish Catholics.
January 7, 2010: NBC Discusses Leno's Return to Late Night
On January 7, 2010, NBC executive Jeff Zucker met with Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien to discuss moving Leno back to late night and keeping O'Brien on The Tonight Show at 12:05 am.
January 2010: NBC Orders Pilots from Conaco
In January 2010, NBC ordered two pilots from Conan O'Brien's production company, Conaco: the one-hour courtroom drama Outlaw and a half-hour comedy.
January 21, 2010: Agreement to Leave The Tonight Show
On January 21, 2010, Conan O'Brien reached an agreement with NBC to exit The Tonight Show the following day. The deal included a $45 million settlement, with $12 million allocated for his staff.
January 22, 2010: Final Tonight Show Episode
On January 22, 2010, the final episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien aired, featuring guests Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Neil Young, and Will Ferrell. The episode included musical performances and farewells.
February 8, 2010: Attempt to Sell Central Park West Penthouse
On February 8, 2010, Conan O'Brien attempted to sell his Central Park West penthouse in New York for $35 million, having purchased it in 2007 for $10 million.
March 11, 2010: Announcement of Live Tour
On March 11, 2010, Conan O'Brien announced via his Twitter account that he would embark on a 30-city live tour starting April 12, 2010, titled "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour".
April 12, 2010: Start of Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour
On April 12, 2010, Conan O'Brien began his two-month comedy tour, "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour", in Eugene, Oregon.
May 2, 2010: 60 Minutes Interview
On May 2, 2010, Conan O'Brien discussed his Tonight Show conflict on the CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes, expressing disappointment but also emphasizing his well-being and lack of regrets.
September 15, 2010: Outlaw Premieres
On September 15, 2010, Outlaw, a one-hour courtroom drama produced by Conan O'Brien's production company Conaco, premiered on NBC.
September 2010: Eligibility to Work for Another Network
Under the $45 million agreement with NBC, Conan O'Brien was permitted to begin working for another network as early as September 2010.
November 8, 2010: Debut of Conan on TBS
On November 8, 2010, Conan O'Brien's new show, Conan, premiered on TBS, airing Monday through Thursday at 11:00 pm ET/10:00 pm CT.
2010: Hosting Conan on TBS
In 2010, Conan O'Brien began hosting Conan on the cable channel TBS.
2010: Grows a Beard
In 2010, after leaving The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, Conan O'Brien grew a beard.
2010: Host Change at The Tonight Show
In 2010, highly publicized network politics prompted a host change at The Tonight Show after Conan O'Brien had hosted it for seven months.
March 2011: Premiere of Conan O'Brien Can't Stop
In March 2011, the documentary film Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, chronicling O'Brien's comedy tour, premiered at the South by Southwest media festival to positive reviews.
May 2011: Beard Shaved on Conan
In May 2011, Conan O'Brien's beard was partially shaved on the set of Conan by Will Ferrell (and completely shaved off-screen by a professional barber).
June 12, 2011: Honorary Degree from Dartmouth
On June 12, 2011, Conan O'Brien was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and delivered the commencement speech.
October 21, 2011: Ordained as a Minister
On October 21, 2011, Conan O'Brien was ordained as a minister by the Universal Life Church Monastery.
November 3, 2011: Same-Sex Marriage on Conan
On November 3, 2011, Conan O'Brien performed a same-sex marriage on the stage of the Beacon Theatre for his show Conan. The ceremony was the first to be broadcast on American late night television.
2011: Web Therapy Guest Appearance
In 2011, Conan O'Brien starred as himself in three episodes of the web series Web Therapy, opposite Lisa Kudrow.
2011: The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour
In 2011, The documentary 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' was released, it was the subject of the 32-city live comedy tour titled The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour hosted by Conan O'Brien.
2013: Hosting the White House Correspondents' Dinner
In 2013, Conan O'Brien hosted the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
2013: White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
In 2013, Conan O'Brien served as the master of ceremonies for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C.
2013: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Voice Role
In 2013, Conan O'Brien voiced talk show host Dave Endochrine in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Part 2), a DC Universe Animated Original Movie.
2014: Hosts the 2014 MTV Movie Awards
In 2014, Conan O'Brien hosted the MTV Movie Awards.
2014: TBS Show Extended Through 2018
In 2014, TBS extended Conan O'Brien's show through 2018.
February 2015: Filming in Cuba
In February 2015, Conan O'Brien became the first American television personality in over half a century to film in Cuba.
May 20, 2015: O'Brien Becomes Longest-Working Late-Night Host
On May 20, 2015, with the retirement of David Letterman, Conan O'Brien became the longest-working late-night talk show host active in the United States.
April 2016: Visit to South Korea and North Korea
In April 2016, Conan O'Brien visited South Korea and, technically, North Korea by stepping across the border at the Korean Demilitarized Zone with Steven Yeun.
2016: Hosts the 5th NFL Honors
In 2016, Conan O'Brien hosted the 5th NFL Honors in San Francisco, California.
2016: Ocean-front House
In 2016, Conan O'Brien purchased an ocean-front house in Carpinteria, California.
2017: TBS Show Extended Through 2022
In 2017, TBS extended Conan O'Brien's show through 2022.
November 18, 2018: Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend Podcast Debut
On November 18, 2018, Conan O'Brien's weekly podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, debuted in partnership with Earwolf. Will Ferrell was the first guest. The podcast became the top podcast on iTunes and received strong reviews.
2018: Hosting Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast
In 2018, Conan O'Brien began hosting the podcast series Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend.
2018: Hosts Game of Thrones Reunion Special
In 2018, Conan O'Brien hosted a reunion special in Northern Ireland for Game of Thrones.
2018: Emmy Win for Conan Without Borders
In 2018, Conan Without Borders won an Emmy award.
2018: Three-Month Hiatus for Comedy Tour
In late 2018, Conan O'Brien took a three-month hiatus from his show to launch another national comedy tour.
January 22, 2019: Return of Conan in Half-Hour Format
On January 22, 2019, Conan returned to TBS in a new half-hour format without a live band.
2019: Death Stranding Appearance
In 2019, Conan O'Brien made a guest appearance as the "Wandering MC" in the video game Death Stranding, communicating with the player using voice lines and facial expressions.
2019: Late Night Clips Posted Online
In 2019, clips from Conan O'Brien's tenure on Late Night were uploaded to his TBS website and the Team Coco YouTube channel.
March 30, 2020: Remote Production Due to COVID-19
Starting March 30, 2020, Conan's program transitioned to a remotely produced format from his home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020: Filming at Largo at the Coronet
In July 2020, Conan's show continued remotely but began filming with limited staff from the Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles, becoming the first American late-night show to film outside the host's residence.
November 2020: Announcement of Conan Ending
In November 2020, TBS announced that Conan would end in June 2021.
June 2021: Retirement from Late-Night Television
In June 2021, Conan O'Brien retired from late-night television, marking the end of a nearly 30-year run as a late-night host.
June 2021: End of Conan on TBS and Move to HBO Max
In June 2021, it was announced that Conan O'Brien would move to HBO Max for a weekly variety show, focusing on his podcast and travel shows.
June 24, 2021: Final Conan Show on TBS
On June 24, 2021, the final episode of Conan aired on TBS, featuring a live audience and marking the end of Conan O'Brien's 28-year run as a late-night host. Homer Simpson, Will Ferrell, and Jack Black appeared on the show.
August 2021: Podcast Download Numbers
In August 2021, Deadline Hollywood reported that Conan O'Brien's podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, had been downloaded over 250 million times and was averaging more than 9 million downloads per month.
2021: Game of Thrones Reunion Special Released
In 2021, The Game of Thrones reunion special hosted by Conan O'Brien in 2018 was released on HBO Max.
February 26, 2022: Saturday Night Live Cameo
On February 26, 2022, Conan O'Brien made a cameo appearance as himself on Saturday Night Live, inducting John Mulaney into the Five-Timers Club with other celebrities.
May 2022: Sale of Team Coco to SiriusXM
In May 2022, Conan O'Brien's podcast and the entire Team Coco digital media business, including podcasts like Inside Conan and Parks and Recollection, was sold to SiriusXM for $150 million. The deal also included the development of a comedy channel for SiriusXM radio service.
July 2022: Lists House for Sale
In July 2022, Conan O'Brien listed his ocean-front house in Carpinteria, California for sale for $16.5 million.
2022: TBS Show Extended Through 2022
In 2017, TBS extended Conan O'Brien's show through 2022.
2022: Cameo Appearance on Saturday Night Live
In 2022, Conan O'Brien made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live.
2023: Longest-Serving Late Night Host
As of 2023, Conan O'Brien is the longest-serving host in the history of the Late Night franchise.
April 18, 2024: Release of Conan O'Brien Must Go on Max
On April 18, 2024, HBO released Conan O'Brien Must Go, a four-episode international travel series on Max. The show featured Conan traveling to meet fans he had previously featured on his podcast and received widespread critical acclaim.
May 2024: Renewal of Conan O'Brien Must Go
In May 2024, Conan O'Brien Must Go was renewed for a second season of six episodes.
2024: Starring in Conan O'Brien Must Go
In 2024, Conan O'Brien starred in the travel show Conan O'Brien Must Go on Max.
2024: Death of Thomas Francis O'Brien
In 2024, Thomas Francis O'Brien, Conan O'Brien's father, passed away.
January 2025: Announcement of Mark Twain Prize
In January 2025, it was announced that Conan O'Brien would receive the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
March 2, 2025: Hosts the 97th Academy Awards
On March 2, 2025, Conan O'Brien hosted the 97th Academy Awards for the first time. His performance was well received, and the ceremony achieved its best U.S. television ratings in five years. He was asked to return for the 98th Academy Awards.
2025: Hosting the Academy Awards and Receiving Mark Twain Prize
In 2025, Conan O'Brien is set to host the Academy Awards and is the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Mentioned in this timeline
Home Box Office HBO is a flagship American pay television...
John Mulaney is an American stand-up comedian actor writer and...
California is the most populous US state located on the...
Saturday Night Live SNL is a late-night American sketch comedy...
Tom Hanks is a highly celebrated American actor and filmmaker...
Washington D C the capital of the United States is...
Trending
6 minutes ago Edwin Diaz's Velocity Down; Blames Cold Weather After Mets' Loss, Mendoza Unconcerned.
7 minutes ago JJ Redick Clinches Playoff Berth, Finds Coaching More Rewarding Than Playing
7 minutes ago Pete Alonso impresses, earns Soto's vote, and shows defensive improvements amidst trade predictions.
7 minutes ago Will Ferrell teams up with PayPal for 'Pay Later' campaign and sweepstakes.
1 hour ago Luka Don?i? scores 45 points, hosts youth event, and leads Mavericks.
1 hour ago Luka Doncic's Spiteful Performance, New Video & Jordan Brand's "Bad Luka" Trailer
Popular
Doug Ford is a Canadian politician and businessman currently serving...
Peter Navarro is an American economist and author known for...
Justin Trudeau served as the rd Prime Minister of Canada...
Bruce Pearl is an American college basketball coach currently head...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...