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 iconic American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner best known for hosting late-night talk shows for 33 years. He began with 'Late Night with David Letterman' on NBC in 1982 and concluded with 'Late Show with David Letterman' on CBS in 2015. He hosted a total of 6,080 episodes, surpassing Johnny Carson as the longest-serving late-night talk show host in American television history.
1954: Godzilla Release
David Letterman acted out a scene from Godzilla (1954) using plastic dinosaurs on Freeze-Dried Movies.
1969: Letterman Begins Radio and TV Career
In 1969, David Letterman started his career as a radio talk show host on WNTS and as an anchor and weatherman on Indianapolis television station WLWI.
1969: Letterman decides to pursue TV career
In 1969, David Letterman was just out of college and unsure of his career path when he saw someone on TV and decided that's what he wanted to do.
1971: Letterman's First National Telecast Appearance
In 1971, David Letterman made his first nationally telecast appearance as a pit road reporter for ABC Sports' coverage of the Indianapolis 500, where he interviewed Mario Andretti.
1975: Letterman Moves to Los Angeles
In 1975, David Letterman moved to Los Angeles with his then-wife Michelle to pursue a career as a comedy writer.
November 1977: Letterman on Celebrity Cooks
In November 1977, David Letterman appeared on the Canadian cooking show Celebrity Cooks.
January 1978: Letterman in Peeping Times
In January 1978, David Letterman co-starred in the Barry Levinson-produced comedy special Peeping Times.
April 14, 1978: Letterman Appears on 90 Minutes Live
On April 14, 1978, David Letterman made an appearance on the talk show 90 Minutes Live.
1978: Letterman as Guest Host on The Tonight Show
In 1978, David Letterman started as a regular guest host for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He credits Carson as the person who influenced his career the most.
April 3, 1979: Letterman Appears on The Mike Douglas Show
On April 3, 1979, David Letterman made an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show.
February 7, 1980: Letterman Appears on The Mike Douglas Show Again
On February 7, 1980, David Letterman made another appearance on The Mike Douglas Show.
June 23, 1980: Debut of The David Letterman Show
On June 23, 1980, The David Letterman Show, a morning comedy show, premiered on NBC.
August 1980: The David Letterman Show Shortened
In August 1980, The David Letterman Show was shortened from 90 minutes to 60 minutes.
October 24, 1980: Cancellation of The David Letterman Show
On October 24, 1980, The David Letterman Show was canceled after a short run, despite being a critical success.
1981: Letterman's Emmy Nominations
Since 1981, David Letterman has been nominated for 52 Emmy Awards, winning two Daytime Emmys and ten Primetime Emmys for his work as a performer, producer, and writer.
February 1, 1982: Debut of Late Night with David Letterman
On February 1, 1982, Late Night with David Letterman debuted on NBC, marking the beginning of David Letterman's 33-year career as a late-night television host.
1982: Andy Kaufman and Jerry Lawler Incident
In 1982, Andy Kaufman and Jerry Lawler staged a wrestling incident on Late Night with David Letterman.
August 19, 1985: Letterman Interrupts The Today Show
On August 19, 1985, David Letterman interrupted a live interview on The Today Show, pretending to be the NBC News president.
1986: Appearance on Coach Toast pilot episode
In 1986, David Letterman appeared in the pilot episode of the short-lived series Coach Toast.
June 1987: Late Night Adds Friday Broadcast
In June 1987, Late Night with David Letterman added a Friday night broadcast to its schedule.
1991: Founding of Worldwide Pants Incorporated
In 1991, David Letterman started his production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated, which produced his show and several others. The company also produces feature films and documentaries and founded its own record label, Clear Entertainment.
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.
August 30, 1993: Debut of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS
On August 30, 1993, Late Show with David Letterman debuted on CBS, taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
1993: Late Show audience between 1993-94
Between the 1993-94 season, the Late Show attracted 7.1 million viewers nightly.
1993: Late Show Initially Gains Higher Ratings
In 1993, the Late Show initially gained higher ratings than The Tonight Show.
1994: Late Show Initially Gains Higher Ratings
In 1994, the Late Show consistently gained higher ratings than The Tonight Show.
March 27, 1995: Letterman Hosts the Academy Awards
On March 27, 1995, David Letterman hosted the 67th Academy Awards ceremony. His performance was considered a failure by critics and may have caused a decline in the Late Show's ratings.
1995: Late Show Ratings Dip
In 1995, the Late Show's ratings dipped, and The Tonight Show, hosted by Jay Leno, consistently beat Letterman's show in the ratings.
1996: Seinfeld Appearance
In 1996, David Letterman appeared in "The Abstinence", an episode of the sitcom Seinfeld.
1996: Voice acting in Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
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: Leno Attracts 5 Million Viewers
Around 1999, Jay Leno typically attracted about five million nightly viewers.
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 Bypass Surgery
On February 21, 2000, David Letterman returned to the Late Show after recovering from heart surgery. He brought the doctors and nurses who participated in his surgery and recovery on stage.
2001: LFCG Donations
From 2001 through 2011, the Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming (LFCG) donated over $9.2 million to various foundations and organizations.
2001: Name Change to American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming
Since at least 2001, the Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming (LFCG) was known as the American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming.
March 2002: ABC Offers Letterman the Nightline Time Slot
In March 2002, as David Letterman's contract with CBS neared expiration, ABC offered him the time slot for the news program Nightline with Ted Koppel. Letterman ultimately decided to re-sign with CBS.
February 2003: Letterman Uses Guest Hosts Due to Shingles Diagnosis
In February 2003, David Letterman handed the reins of the Late Show to several guest hosts due to being diagnosed with a severe case of shingles.
2005: Restraining Order Filed
In 2005, a woman obtained a restraining order against David Letterman from a New Mexico judge, claiming he sent her coded messages through his television program.
December 4, 2006: Letterman Signs New Contract to Host Late Show Through 2010
On December 4, 2006, CBS revealed that David Letterman signed a new contract to host the Late Show with David Letterman through the fall of 2010.
February 2007: Winfrey and Letterman Star in Late Show Promo During Super Bowl XLI
In February 2007, Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman appeared together in a Late Show promo aired during CBS's coverage of Super Bowl XLI. They were sitting next to each other on a couch watching the game. Letterman wore a Peyton Manning jersey, while Winfrey wore a Brian Urlacher jersey.
March 2007: Adam Sandler Guest Hosts Late Show While Letterman is Ill
In March 2007, Adam Sandler, who was scheduled to be the lead guest, served as a guest host for the Late Show while David Letterman was ill with a stomach virus.
September 7, 2007: Letterman Visits Ball State for Building Dedication
On September 7, 2007, David Letterman visited Ball State University for the dedication of the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, a $21 million facility named in his honor. He gave an emotional speech and mentioned the top ten things about having your name on a building.
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 negotiation with WGA East
In December 2007, Worldwide Pants Incorporated received significant attention after independently negotiating its own contract with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). This allowed David Letterman, Craig Ferguson, and their writers to return to work during the WGA strike.
2008: CBS Business Conduct Statement in 2008
In 2008, CBS's Business Conduct Statement indicated that if a consenting romantic or sexual relationship between a supervisor and a direct or indirect subordinate should develop, CBS requires the supervisor to disclose this information to his or her Company's Human Resources Department.
June 1, 2009: Conan O'Brien Hosts The Tonight Show
On June 1, 2009, Conan O'Brien took over hosting duties for The Tonight Show.
June 2009: Letterman's Worldwide Pants and CBS Reach Agreement to Continue Late Show Until August 2012
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: Blackmail Attempt Announced
On October 1, 2009, David Letterman revealed on his show that he was the victim of a blackmail attempt. An individual threatened to expose his sexual relationships with female employees unless Letterman paid him $2 million. Letterman contacted the Manhattan District Attorney's office and participated in a sting operation.
October 2, 2009: Joe Halderman Pleads Not Guilty
On October 2, 2009, Joe Halderman, a producer for CBS's 48 Hours, pleaded not guilty to attempted grand larceny after being arrested for trying to deposit the fake check from Letterman's sting operation.
October 5, 2009: Letterman Publicly Apologizes
On October 5, 2009, David Letterman dedicated a segment of his show to publicly apologizing to his wife and staff following the revelation of his affairs.
2009: Late Show Audience
By 2009, Late Show attracted about 3.8 million viewers per night.
January 22, 2010: Jay Leno Returns to The Tonight Show
On January 22, 2010, Jay Leno returned to hosting The Tonight Show.
March 2010: Halderman Sentenced
In March 2010, Joe Halderman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by probation and community service for attempting to extort David Letterman.
September 7, 2010: Letterman Confirms Consideration for Hosting the Oscars Again
On September 7, 2010, David Letterman appeared on the premiere of the 14th season of 'The View' and confirmed that he had been considered to host the Oscars again.
2010: Release of Dying to do Letterman documentary
In 2010, the documentary Dying to do Letterman, directed by Joke Fincioen and Biagio Messina, was released, featuring Steve Mazan, a standup comic with cancer who wanted to appear on Letterman's show. The film won awards at the Cinequest Film Festival.
February 3, 2011: Letterman States He Will Continue His Talk Show for Two More Years
On the February 3, 2011, edition of the Late Show, David Letterman said he would continue to do his talk show for "maybe two years, I think."
2011: LFCG Donations in 2011
From 2001 through 2011, the Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming (LFCG) donated over $9.2 million to various foundations and organizations.
2011: Receives Johnny Carson Award
In 2011, David Letterman became the first recipient of the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence at The Comedy Awards.
2011: Name change of American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming
In 2011, the American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming changed to its current name, Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming (LFCG).
January 31, 2012: Late Night 30th Anniversary Celebration
On January 31, 2012, Late Night with David Letterman celebrated its 30th anniversary in late-night television. Bill Murray appeared as a guest.
April 2012: CBS Extends Contract with Letterman Through 2014
In April 2012, CBS announced that it had extended its contract with David Letterman through 2014. His contract was subsequently extended to 2015.
May 29, 2012: Guest appearance on Piers Morgan Tonight
On May 29, 2012, David Letterman appeared as a guest on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, interviewed by Regis Philbin.
June 2013: Appearance on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
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 a fiction satire book titled This Land Was Made for You and Me (But Mostly Me).
2013: Appears on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
In 2013, David Letterman appeared on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, filmed in Letterman's 1995 Volvo 960 station wagon, which was powered by a racing engine and built for him by Paul Newman.
April 3, 2014: Letterman Announces Retirement from Late Show by May 20, 2015
During the taping of his show on April 3, 2014, David Letterman announced that he had informed CBS president Les 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 rock band Foo Fighters appeared for a week-long stint on David Letterman's Late Show.
2014: Jay Leno Ends Hosting of The Tonight Show
In 2014, Jay Leno's second stint as host of The Tonight Show concluded.
January 27, 2015: Guest-hosting of The Late Late Show
On January 27, 2015, Regis Philbin interviewed David Letterman and Paul Shaffer while guest-hosting CBS's The Late Late Show.
May 20, 2015: Final Broadcast of Late Show with David Letterman
On May 20, 2015, David Letterman hosted the final broadcast of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS, concluding his 33-year run as a late-night television host.
April 7, 2017: Letterman Gives Induction Speech for Pearl Jam
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: Premiere of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
On January 12, 2018, David Letterman's new show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, premiered on Netflix, with Barack Obama as its first guest.
2018: Hosting My Next Guest Needs No Introduction
In 2018, David Letterman began hosting the Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.
May 31, 2019: Premiere of Season 2 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction
On May 31, 2019, the second season of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman premiered.
October 21, 2020: Premiere of Season 3 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction
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
In 2021, 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. During the appearance, Letterman mocked Bill Belichick and recalled an incident with Roger Goodell.
February 1, 2022: Guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers
On February 1, 2022, David Letterman was the guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers, marking the 40th anniversary of the Late Night franchise's debut.
May 20, 2022: Premiere of Season 4 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction
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 Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv for Netflix Special
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 the Ed Sullivan Theater on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
On November 20, 2023, David Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan theater on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
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