History of Late Night TV

Bob Costas is known as an NBC sportscaster but he also hosted a 30 minute late night talk show called Later with Bob Costas from 1988-1994.The show aired from 1:35 am to 2:05 am.

 

This show had no band, studio audience or announcer, just an intimate 30 minute interview with one guest. In this respect it had some simlarities to The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder. Sometimes one could hear the crew of the show laughing in the background.

 

From 1988-1992, the late night lineup on NBC could not be beat, with Carson, then Letterman then Costas.

 

In the years after Costas the show had different incarnations with different hosts. From 1994-1996 the host was actor-comedian Greg Kinnear. He is known as being the host of Talk Soup on E!

 

From 1996-2000 the show was hosted by various guest hosts, many of them being stand up comedians.

 

From 2000-2001, former VH1 VJ Cynthia Garrett was the host.

 

From 2001-2002 NBC aired reruns of the Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV.

 

In 2002 the Carson Daly era began with his program Last Call.