History of Jimmy Fallon in Timeline
Jimmy Fallon is an American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer, widely recognized for his contributions to television. He gained prominence as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (1998-2004). He later hosted Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009-2014) before taking over as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His career is marked by comedy, impressions, musical performances, and celebrity interviews.
September 19, 1974: James Thomas Fallon Born
On September 19, 1974, James Thomas Fallon was born. He is an American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer.
1982: Compares Taxi to 48 Hrs.
In 2004, while discussing his role in Taxi, Jimmy Fallon drew comparisons with Eddie Murphy's film 48 Hrs. from 1982.
1992: Graduates from Saugerties High School
In 1992, Jimmy Fallon graduated from Saugerties High School, where he was a performer in stage productions and class social director.
1995: Moves to Los Angeles to Pursue Comedy
In 1995, Jimmy Fallon dropped out of college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a comedy career.
1997: Appears in the Film Father's Day
In 1997, Jimmy Fallon appeared in the film Father's Day as an extra.
1997: Auditions for Saturday Night Live
In 1997, after working with The Groundlings for two years, Jimmy Fallon auditioned for Saturday Night Live but was unsuccessful.
September 1998: Debuts on Saturday Night Live
In September 1998, Jimmy Fallon debuted on Saturday Night Live as a featured player at the beginning of the show's twenty-fourth season.
1998: Appears on Spin City
In 1998, Jimmy Fallon had a brief appearance on the show Spin City in its second season, playing a man selling photographs.
1998: Joins Saturday Night Live
In 1998, Jimmy Fallon had his breakthrough, becoming a cast member on NBC's Saturday Night Live.
1999: Releases Book
In 1999, Jimmy Fallon released a book titled I Hate This Place: A Pessimist's Guide to Life, co-authored with his sister Gloria.
2000: Appears in Blackface on SNL
In 2000, Jimmy Fallon appeared in blackface in a Saturday Night Live episode, impersonating Chris Rock, which resurfaced online 20 years later, leading to an apology.
2000: Minor Role in Almost Famous
In 2000, Jimmy Fallon played a minor role in the film Almost Famous.
December 2001: Favorite SNL Sketch with Mick Jagger
In December 2001, Jimmy Fallon considered a Saturday Night Live sketch, in which he imitated Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in a mirror opposite Jagger, as his favorite thing he had done up to that point.
2001: Co-hosts MTV Movie Awards
In 2001, Jimmy Fallon co-hosted the MTV Movie Awards.
2002: Releases Comedy Album The Bathroom Wall
In 2002, Jimmy Fallon released his debut comedy album, The Bathroom Wall, which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. Also, he modeled for Calvin Klein.
2003: Splits Time Between SNL and Filming
In the fall of 2003, Jimmy Fallon divided his time between shooting the film Taxi in Los Angeles and returning to New York City for Saturday Night Live.
May 2004: Leaves SNL at Conclusion of Season
In May 2004, Jimmy Fallon signed off at the conclusion of Saturday Night Live's twenty-ninth season, marking his last appearance on the show.
2004: Signs On For First Lead Role in Taxi
In 2004, Jimmy Fallon began to pursue a film career and signed on for his first lead role in Taxi, a remake of a French film.
2004: Leaves Saturday Night Live
In 2004, Jimmy Fallon departed Saturday Night Live after being a cast member since 1998.
2004: Leaves SNL to Star in Films
In 2004, Jimmy Fallon left Saturday Night Live to pursue a film career, including starring in movies like Taxi.
2004: Taxi Premieres
In the fall of 2004, Jimmy Fallon's film Taxi premiered, but it was a flop with critics and audiences.
2005: Stars in Fever Pitch
In 2005, Jimmy Fallon starred in the film Fever Pitch.
February 2007: NBC Gives Fallon Holding Deal
In February 2007, NBC gave Jimmy Fallon a holding deal so that he could not be lured elsewhere for the Late Night franchise.
August 2007: Engagement to Nancy Juvonen
In August 2007, Jimmy Fallon proposed to Nancy Juvonen on the dock of her family home in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, with a bespoke engagement ring.
December 2007: Marries Nancy Juvonen
In December 2007, Jimmy Fallon married producer Nancy Juvonen, whom he met during the production of the film Fever Pitch.
December 22, 2007: Marriage to Nancy Juvonen
Jimmy Fallon married film producer Nancy Juvonen on December 22, 2007. They met on the set of Saturday Night Live and later reconnected on the set of Fever Pitch.
May 2008: Announced as Successor to O'Brien's Late Night
In May 2008, Jimmy Fallon was announced as the successor to Conan O'Brien's Late Night.
March 2009: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Premieres
In March 2009, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon premiered, receiving mixed reviews initially.
May 2009: Receives Bachelor of Arts and Honorary Doctorate
In May 2009, Jimmy Fallon returned to The College of Saint Rose to receive a Bachelor of Arts in communications and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
2009: Monty Python Documentary Appearance
In 2009, Jimmy Fallon appeared in the television documentary Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut), discussing the influence of Monty Python on his comedy.
2009: Hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
In 2009, Jimmy Fallon became the host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
2010: Hosts Primetime Emmy Awards
In 2010, Jimmy Fallon hosted the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards.
2010: Show Finds Footing and Goes Viral
In 2010, Jimmy Fallon's Late Night found its footing and embraced social media, and the show scored its first viral clip: Fallon and Timberlake performing a "History of Rap."
2011: Interview with NPR
In a 2011 interview with NPR, Jimmy Fallon expressed his fondness for the Latin Mass but stated that he was no longer a regular churchgoer.
2012: Releases Comedy Album Blow Your Pants Off
In 2012, Jimmy Fallon released his second comedy album, Blow Your Pants Off, which compiles his musical performances on Late Night.
April 3, 2013: Announced as Successor to Jay Leno
On April 3, 2013, it was announced that Jimmy Fallon would succeed Jay Leno to become the sixth permanent host of The Tonight Show.
August 2013: Earns $11 Million Salary
As of August 2013, Jimmy Fallon was earning a salary of $11 million a year for his work on Late Night.
2013: Birth of First Daughter
In 2013, Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen welcomed their first daughter via surrogate.
2013: Wins Grammy Award
In 2013, Jimmy Fallon won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album for Blow Your Pants Off.
February 17, 2014: Tonight Show Debut
On February 17, 2014, Jimmy Fallon's debut on The Tonight Show engaged 11.3 million viewers.
2014: Birth of Second Daughter
In 2014, Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen welcomed their second daughter via surrogate.
2014: Becomes Anchor of The Tonight Show
In 2014, Jimmy Fallon became the anchor of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
June 2015: Releases Children's Book
In June 2015, Jimmy Fallon's third book, Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada, a children's book, was released.
June 26, 2015: Ring Avulsion Injury
On June 26, 2015, Jimmy Fallon suffered a ring avulsion injury at home. He underwent microsurgery and spent 10 days in the ICU. He discussed the incident on The Tonight Show in July.
September 2015: Billboard Interview about Finger Injury
In September 2015, Jimmy Fallon explained in an interview with Billboard magazine that his finger, injured in June, still had limited mobility, and he would require another surgery.
September 20, 2015: Emmy Awards Appearance After Injury
On September 20, 2015, Jimmy Fallon appeared at the 67th Emmy Awards without a bandage on his injured finger for the first time since his June accident, but he stated that his finger still had limited mobility.
September 15, 2016: Hosts Donald Trump on The Tonight Show
On September 15, 2016, Jimmy Fallon hosted Donald Trump on The Tonight Show during the United States presidential election, leading to criticism.
March 2017: Apologizes for Trump Interview
In March 2017, Jimmy Fallon apologized for his interview with Donald Trump on The Tonight Show, saying he didn't intend to humanize him.
November 4, 2017: Death of Mother, Gloria
On November 4, 2017, Jimmy Fallon's mother, Gloria, passed away at the age of 68. He paid tribute to her on The Tonight Show a week later, calling her "the best audience".
June 2018: Apologizes Again for Trump Interview
In June 2018, Jimmy Fallon again apologized for his interview with Donald Trump on The Tonight Show, saying that he "made a mistake".
2020: Creates Limited-Edition Pacifiers
In 2020, Jimmy Fallon and pacifier company WubbaNub created limited-edition pacifiers based on the penguin and cow characters from his children's books.
November 2021: NFT Purchase
In November 2021, Jimmy Fallon reportedly purchased an NFT for approximately $216,000, which later became a point of controversy when he discussed it on his show in January 2022.
January 4, 2022: COVID-19 Diagnosis
On January 4, 2022, Jimmy Fallon announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 over the holiday season. He credited the COVID-19 vaccine for his mild symptoms.
January 2022: Criticism for discussing NFTs
In January 2022, Jimmy Fallon faced criticism for discussing and promoting NFTs, including one he owned, on his show during an interview with Paris Hilton, potentially violating NBCUniversal's conflict-of-interest policies.
November 16, 2022: Twitter Hoax
On November 16, 2022, a hoax with the hashtag #RIPJimmyFallon spread on Twitter, trending nationwide. Fallon joked with Twitter owner Elon Musk about the situation and addressed the rumors on his show the following day in a comedic skit.
August 30, 2023: Comedy Podcast Strike Force Five
On August 30, 2023, Jimmy Fallon started hosting the comedy podcast Strike Force Five, alongside Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and John Oliver, to support their staff members affected by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.
September 2023: Rolling Stone Article and Apology
In September 2023, Rolling Stone published an article detailing allegations of a toxic workplace environment at The Tonight Show under Jimmy Fallon. Fallon apologized to his staff on a Zoom call after the article's publication.
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