Guide Note

David Letterman hosts the CBS late night talk show The Late Show with David Letterman. His production company, Worldwide Pants, produces The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson that follows his program, and had great success with the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Late Show is known for its nightly Top Ten lists and segments such as "Stupid Pet Tricks." A native of Indiana, Letterman also co-owns an IndyCar racing team.

Letterman's career in broadcasting had an inauspicious beginning; as a college student at Ball State University he was fired from the college radio station for being too irreverent on the air. He helped to start another radio station at the college, however, which became successful. After college, he became a weatherman at Indianapolis' WLWI, where he was frequently in hot water for his irreverent antics. In 1975, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he became a writer and stand-up comic. His act made an impression on Johnny Carson, who welcomed him to The Tonight Show repeatedly, first as a stand-up act, then as a guest host. In 1980 NBC featured him in a morning show called The David Letterman Show, but his antics did not take off, and the show was canceled quickly.

Since Letterman had proven success on The Tonight Show, NBC opted to create a new show to air immediately after, called Late Night with David Letterman. It premiered in 1982. Letterman quickly developed a cult following and grew in popularity, securing great ratings for his time slot.

Letterman's goal was to become host of The Tonight Show when Carson retired. His ratings were so high on his own show, however, that NBC opted to keep Letterman on Late Night and give Jay Leno the coveted Tonight Show hosting job.

Adopting an "if you can't join 'em, beat 'em" attitude, Letterman packed up his skits and most of his writers and crew and moved to CBS to start The Late Show with David Letterman, which airs opposite The Tonight Show. Letterman's ratings have averaged slightly lower than The Tonight Show's, but are still very respectable.

In 1969, Letterman married Michelle Cook. They divorced in 1977. He also had a long-term relationship with Late Night writer/producer Merrill Markoe. He and his current long-term girlfriend, Regina Lasko, have had one child, Harry Joseph Letterman. Letterman's father, Harry, died at the age of 57 from a heart attack. When Letterman was 52, a routine check-up revealed a constricted artery, and he was given a quadruple bypass. Since then, aside from a bad case of shingles, he has been in good health.

Fast Facts

1. Full name: David Michael Letterman
2. Born: April 12, 1947
3. Birthplace: Indianapolis, IN
4. Longtime girlfriend: Regina Lasko
5. Son: Harry Joseph
6. Racing team: Rahal Letterman Racing
7. Team won 2004 Indy 500
8. Graduate of Ball State University
9. Early gig: Local weatherman
10. Idols: Johnny Carson, Steve Allen
11. January 2000: Quintuple heart bypass surgery
12. January 2008: Made a deal with the WGA so his writers could return from strike