Late Night with David Letterman - and, More Quiz

Answer: Indiana

David Letterman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. To borrow a quote from the book "David Letterman" by Frances Lefkowitz, David was "the middle child of a middle-class family from the middle of the country". Letterman has been known to embrace a rather liberal stance on many issues throughout his career, but he does exude an unmistakable simple charm of the bourgeois.

Answer: Campus Radio DJ

David Letterman attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana during the mid-1960s. Ball State was often sheltered from much of the turbulence that was prominent on other campuses during that decade. Letterman discovered a haven for himself when he began his work as a DJ.

He could talk, listen, talk, play some pranks and talk some more - all without having the dreaded face-to-face experience. His pranks, though, landed him in hot water and without a job before he graduated. This would certainly NOT be the only time his pranks ruffled feathers.

Answer: Wrote scripts for some network programs

Letterman was convinced that he was at least as funny as the people who were already writing comedy scripts for popular shows such as the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977) and the "Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978). He would write scripts for these comedies - and, more - never knowing if they would be read by the show's executives let alone actually used for the series. All the while David Letterman was employed in a rather "fill in" position at local television stations in the Indianapolis area.

Answer: The Comedy Store

The Comedy Store was THE place to perform if you were interested in getting into the comedy business in Los Angeles, CA in the 1970s. Johnny Carson is said to have been one of the first performers on its stage. Its list of alumni is long and noteworthy. David Letterman spent many nights there, and not just as a performer.

He has told of seeing Jay Leno, Steve Martin and Robin Williams - to mention only a few - on stage there.

Answer: Jimmie Walker

It is true! Jimmie Walker hired David Letterman to write jokes for him. Jimmie Walker was already an established comedian and the star of the American television show "Good Times" (1974-1979). Letterman was paid to provide Jimmie with fifteen jokes per week; Letterman was glad to get not only the money but an actual vote of confidence. Even many years later David Letterman could be quoted with saying that he would "always be grateful to Jimmie for that early support".

Answer: Comedy writer Merrill Markoe

Letterman met comedy writer Merrill Markoe on the set of the CBS television show "The Mary Tyler Moore Hour" (1979). This variety show lasted less than one season, but the relationship between David and Merrill lasted much, much longer. They worked well together - personally and professionally - for more than ten years. Accepted as an intelligent and incredibly funny writer, Markoe is credited with many of the ideas and routines (or at least the basics thereof) that became a lasting part of Letterman's shows.

Answer: Midmorning

"The David Letterman Show" proved to be a bit too much for mid-morning television viewers of the early '80s. Most markets ran the show between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The show was cancelled after less than twenty of the (initially) promised 26 weeks. NBC had envisioned a show that was more of a variety show. NBC expected a lot of celebrities reporting the news and calm, cool and collected demonstrations of recipes and such. Letterman (and Markoe) were determined to do mad-cap routines like "Stupid Pet Tricks" and filming David outside the studio in unique situations.

In other words, it was an entire show saturated with comedy. Time would prove what many knew - it was the time slot that needed to change, not necessarily the material.

Answer: February 1982

After the cancellation of "The David Letterman Show", few thought he and most of his staff would take "their show" to a new time slot so quickly. They did it, however, and the sky seemed to be the limit for Letterman. At least, his incredible, sophomoric, creative, unique, zany, etc. humor had found an accepted place. Antics like elevator races and dropping water balloons from various heights and crushing bowling balls with steamrollers just must be funnier to people who are still awake later at night! Some of the features of Letterman's show began in this time slot, too. "The Top Ten List" began on this show and "Stupid Pet Tricks" morphed to include "Stupid Human Tricks", to mention only a few.

Answer: Jay Leno

Even though David Letterman had at one time been the go-to-guy when Johnny Carson needed a fill-in host, since he had been busy filling his own host chair Jay Leno had become Carson's favorite guest host. Much has been written about this choice of Carson's replacement.

The network executives of NBC were quoted as to have considered Leno to be more "polished, socially and politically" than Letterman. Yet at then 44-years-old, Letterman expressed his interest in a more mature show. He was willing to trade his blue jeans and sport coat for a trendy suit AND the earlier time slot that he thought would have an audience who could more identify with him.

Answer: 1994 - Lillehammer, Norway

It was the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway that "Late Show with David Letterman" viewers first saw Dave's Mom (Dorothy Letterman) report on the Olympics. She did a great job, too! One of her most memorable interviews from the 1994 Winter Olympics has to be with then First Lady Hillary Clinton. During that interview Dave's Mom asked Mrs. Clinton if "her husband could fix Dave's speeding tickets". Dave must have been so proud!