Rise to Success: Career Highlights of David Letterman
How David Letterman built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
David Letterman is an influential American television host, comedian, writer, and producer known for his long tenure in late-night television. He hosted 'Late Night with David Letterman' on NBC starting in 1982, then moved to CBS with 'Late Show with David Letterman,' ending his run in 2015. Letterman surpassed Johnny Carson to become the longest-serving late-night talk show host in American television history, hosting a total of 6,080 episodes.
1981: Letterman's Emmy Nominations Begin
Since 1981, David Letterman has been nominated for 52 Emmy Awards throughout his career as a performer, producer, or writer, winning two Daytime Emmys and ten Primetime Emmys.
1986: Appearance in "Coach Toast"
In 1986, David Letterman appeared in the pilot episode of the short-lived series "Coach Toast".
May 2, 1989: Oprah Winfrey Appears on Late Night
On May 2, 1989, Oprah Winfrey appeared on David Letterman's show when he was hosting NBC's Late Night. After this appearance, the two had a 16-year feud.
1991: Formation of Worldwide Pants Incorporated
In 1991, David Letterman started his production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated, which produced his show and several others.
August 1993: DL Foundation founded
In August 1993, The Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming (LFCG) was founded as the DL Foundation. Its president and primary contributor was David Letterman, and its treasurer was Fred Nigro.
February 25, 1994: Late Show Ratings Peak after Winter Olympics
On February 25, 1994, Late Show's ratings peaked following the 1994 Winter Olympics.
1996: Seinfeld appearance
In 1996, David Letterman appeared in "The Abstinence" episode of the sitcom Seinfeld.
1996: Voice of Butt-head's father
In 1996, David Letterman provided the voice for Butt-head's father in the animated film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, credited as Earl Hofert.
1999: Appearance in Man on the Moon
In 1999, David Letterman appeared as himself in the Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon.
February 21, 2000: Letterman Returns to Late Show After Heart Surgery
On February 21, 2000, David Letterman returned to the Late Show after recovering from heart surgery. He brought many of the doctors and nurses who had participated in his surgery and recovery on stage.
2001: LFCG Donates over $9.2 Million
According to LFCG's tax returns, from 2001 through 2011, LFCG donated a total of over $9.2 million to various foundations and other organizations.
2001: Foundation known as American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming
Since at least 2001, the DL Foundation, whose president and primary contributor was David Letterman, was known as the American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming.
March 2002: Letterman Considers Offer from ABC
In March 2002, as David Letterman's contract with CBS neared expiration, ABC offered him the time slot for Nightline with Ted Koppel. He considered the offer but ultimately re-signed with CBS.
2002: "The Late Show with David Letterman" Ranked Seventh
In 2002, The Late Show with David Letterman was ranked seventh on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, marking a significant achievement.
February 2003: Letterman Uses Guest Hosts Due to Shingles
In February 2003, David Letterman used several guest hosts (including Bill Cosby, Brad Garrett, and Whoopi Goldberg) on the show because he was diagnosed with a severe case of shingles.
December 1, 2005: Oprah Winfrey Appears on Late Show
On December 1, 2005, Oprah Winfrey appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman after ending her feud with Letterman.
December 2, 2005: Winfrey Appears on Late Show After Feud
On December 2, 2005, Oprah Winfrey appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman in an event Letterman jokingly called "the Super Bowl of Love", signaling the end of their 16-year feud.
2005: Restraining order against Letterman
In 2005, a woman obtained a restraining order from a New Mexico judge against David Letterman, claiming he sent her coded messages via his television program, which caused her bankruptcy and emotional distress.
2005: Carson Sends Jokes to Letterman
In early 2005, it was revealed that Johnny Carson occasionally sent jokes to David Letterman, who used them in his monologue. Letterman would do a characteristic Carson golf swing after delivering one of his jokes.
December 4, 2006: Letterman Signs New Contract with CBS
On December 4, 2006, CBS revealed that David Letterman signed a new contract to host Late Show with David Letterman through the fall of 2010.
February 2007: Letterman and Winfrey in Super Bowl Promo
In February 2007, Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman appeared together in a Late Show promo aired during CBS's coverage of Super Bowl XLI. Letterman wore a Peyton Manning jersey, while Winfrey wore a Brian Urlacher jersey.
March 2007: Adam Sandler Guest Hosts Due to Letterman's Illness
In March 2007, Adam Sandler, who was scheduled to be a guest, served as a guest host while David Letterman was ill with a stomach virus.
September 7, 2007: Dedication of David Letterman Communication and Media Building at Ball State
On September 7, 2007, David Letterman visited Ball State University for the dedication of the David Letterman Communication and Media Building. The $21 million facility opened for the 2007 fall semester, and Letterman delivered an emotional speech.
September 10, 2007: Letterman Appears on The Oprah Winfrey Show
On September 10, 2007, David Letterman made his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
December 2007: Worldwide Pants' contract with WGA
In December 2007, Worldwide Pants received attention for independently negotiating its own contract with the Writers Guild of America, East, allowing Letterman, Craig Ferguson, and their writers to return to work during the strike.
2007: Forbes Article on Letterman's Earnings
According to a 2007 article in Forbes magazine, David Letterman earned $40 million a year.
2007: Late Show went off air
In 2007 Late Show with David Letterman went off air for eight weeks during November and December because of the Writers Guild of America strike.
January 2, 2008: Late Show Returns After WGA Strike
On January 2, 2008, Late Show returned to the air after eight weeks due to the Writers Guild of America strike. David Letterman surprised the audience with a newly grown beard.
January 7, 2008: Letterman's Beard Shaved Off
On January 7, 2008, David Letterman's beard, grown in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America strike, was shaved off during the show.
2008: Concerns over Letterman's affairs with subordinates
In 2008, questions arose regarding whether David Letterman's affairs with subordinates created an unfair working environment at CBS. It was pointed out that CBS's business conduct policies required supervisors to disclose any romantic or sexual relationships with direct or indirect subordinates to the Human Resources Department.
June 2009: Letterman's Contract Extended with CBS
In June 2009, David Letterman's Worldwide Pants and CBS reached an agreement to continue the Late Show until at least August 2012.
October 1, 2009: Letterman announces blackmail attempt
On October 1, 2009, David Letterman announced on his show that he had been the victim of a blackmail attempt regarding his sexual relationships with female employees.
October 2, 2009: Joe Halderman indicted
On October 2, 2009, Joe Halderman pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted grand larceny.
October 5, 2009: Letterman Apologizes to Wife and Staff on Air
On October 5, 2009, David Letterman publicly apologized to his wife and staff on his show for his affair.
March 2010: Joe Halderman sentenced
In March 2010, Joe Halderman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by probation and community service.
2010: New CBS contract ends
In 2010 David Letterman completed a term in his CBS contract to host Late Show with David Letterman.
2010: Worldwide Pants agreement with CBS
In 2010, the previous contract between David Letterman's Worldwide Pants and CBS had been set to expire.
February 3, 2011: Letterman Discusses Future on Late Show
On the February 3, 2011 edition of the Late Show, during an interview with Howard Stern, David Letterman said he would continue to do his talk show for "maybe two years, I think."
2011: LFCG Donates over $9.2 Million
According to LFCG's tax returns, from 2001 through 2011, LFCG donated a total of over $9.2 million to various foundations and other organizations.
2011: Letterman receives the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence
In 2011, David Letterman became the first recipient of the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence at The Comedy Awards.
2011: Foundation name changed to The Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming
In 2011, the American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming, whose president and primary contributor was David Letterman, assumed the name The Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming.
April 2012: Letterman Extends Contract with CBS
In April 2012, CBS announced it had extended its contract with David Letterman through 2014.
May 29, 2012: Guest on Piers Morgan Tonight
On May 29, 2012, David Letterman appeared as a guest on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, interviewed by Regis Philbin.
August 2012: End of contract term
In August 2012 the Late Show contract between David Letterman's Worldwide Pants and CBS ended.
January 2013: Letterman Interviewed on Oprah's Next Chapter
In January 2013, David Letterman was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on Oprah's Next Chapter. They discussed their past feud, and Winfrey revealed a negative experience she had on Letterman's show years earlier, prompting an apology from Letterman.
June 2013: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee appearance
In June 2013, David Letterman appeared in the second episode of season two of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
November 5, 2013: Publication of "This Land Was Made for You and Me (But Mostly Me)"
On November 5, 2013, David Letterman and Bruce McCall published their fiction satire book, This Land Was Made for You and Me (But Mostly Me).
2013: Letterman appears on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
In 2013, David Letterman appeared on Jerry Seinfeld's show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Part of their conversation was filmed in Letterman's 1995 Volvo 960 station wagon, which was powered by a 380-horsepower racing engine and built for Letterman by Paul Newman.
April 3, 2014: Letterman Announces Retirement
During the taping of his show on April 3, 2014, David Letterman announced that he had informed CBS president Leslie Moonves that he would retire from hosting Late Show by May 20, 2015.
October 2014: Foo Fighters' week-long stint on Late Show
In October 2014, the Foo Fighters appeared for a week-long stint on David Letterman's Late Show.
October 17, 2014: Foo Fighters performance of "Miracle"
On the October 17, 2014, show, David Letterman introduced the Foo Fighters' performance of "Miracle" and shared a personal story about the song's significance to him and his son.
2014: Extended contract with CBS
In 2014, David Letterman's CBS contract was subsequently extended to 2015.
January 27, 2015: Guest-hosting The Late Late Show
On January 27, 2015, Regis Philbin interviewed David Letterman and Shaffer while guest-hosting CBS's The Late Late Show.
2015: Extended contract with CBS
In 2015, David Letterman's CBS contract was extended.
2016: Letterman Joins 'Years of Living Dangerously'
In 2016, David Letterman joined the climate change documentary show Years of Living Dangerously as a celebrity correspondent, traveling to India to investigate the country's energy efforts.
April 7, 2017: Letterman Inducts Pearl Jam into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
On April 7, 2017, David Letterman gave the induction speech for the band Pearl Jam into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame at a ceremony held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City.
January 12, 2018: My Next Guest Needs No Introduction Premieres
On January 12, 2018, David Letterman's show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, premiered on Netflix with Barack Obama as the first guest.
May 31, 2019: Season 2 of 'My Next Guest' Premieres
On May 31, 2019, the second season of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman premiered.
October 21, 2020: Season 3 of 'My Next Guest' Premieres
On October 21, 2020, Season 3 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman premiered, featuring Kim Kardashian West, Robert Downey Jr., Dave Chappelle and Lizzo as guests.
2021: Manningcast Appearance
During Week 13 of the 2021 NFL season, David Letterman joined Peyton and Eli Manning on their Manningcast feed of the Monday Night Football game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.
February 1, 2022: Guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers
On February 1, 2022, David Letterman appeared as a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers, marking the 40th anniversary of the franchise's debut.
May 20, 2022: Season 4 of 'My Next Guest' Premieres
On May 20, 2022, Season 4 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman premiered, with Billie Eilish as the first guest.
October 2022: Letterman Interviews Zelenskyy in Ukraine
In October 2022, David Letterman traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, to film a special standalone episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, interviewing Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
November 20, 2023: Return to Ed Sullivan Theater
On November 20, 2023, David Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan theater on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
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