Of all the star-studded guests that dropped by The Tonight Show during Johnny Carson's three decades as host, none quite compare to the menagerie of animals that lit up the stage. Whether they were sweet singing dogs or an irate elephant shrew, Carson's four — or sometimes six or eight-legged — guests were truly ones for the ages.
From a very presumptuous python to an adorable baby ape, here are the 20 craziest animal appearances from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
1
Carson and a baby mountain lion stare each other down.
2
Carson hangs out with a baby pygymy hippo.
3
Carson bottle-feeds a bear cub.
4
A bat moments before breaking loose and flying towards the ceiling.
5
Carson greets his gator guests.
6
Carson wrangles a baby Siberian tiger.
7
Carson befriends a bullfrog.
8
A coyote takes a bathroom break live on air.
9
Carson gets beat up by an irritated baboon.
10
A pair of ferrets pop by the beloved late-night series.
11
A Burmese Python gets a little too friendly with Johnny Carson.
12
Carson tries to keep his cool in the face of a giant beetle.
13
A dog sings for Carson’s audience.
14
Carson cozies up to a baby gorilla from the San Diego Zoo.
15
A Koala scales a tree on Carson’s set.
16
A marmoset sits on Carson’s head.
17
Carson braves a tarantula on his hand.
18
Howard the parrot freaks out Carson with his penchant for introducing himself.
19
A singing parrot leaves Carson quite impressed.
20
Flatnose, a tree-climbing bulldog, shows off his chops.
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