On this date in 1962 “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” premiered on NBC.  Johnny was given a “warm-up” by Groucho Marx before taking the stage and addressing his opening night jitters with a cry of “I want my nana!”

Thirty years of memorable moments and only one clip?!  Rather than selecting one of the classic bits– like the Copper Clapper sketch with Jack Webb, or Ed Ames and his errant tomahawk–here’s Johnny letting a guest get all the laughs, and enjoying it more than anybody.