The Jack Paar Program
| Jack Paar | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Birth name | Jack Harold Paar |
| Born |
May 1, 1918 Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | January 27, 2004 (aged 85) Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Medium | Television |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1947–1998 |
| Genres | Observational comedy |
| Subject(s) | Everyday life, American culture |
| Spouse | Irene Paar (twice divorced) Miriam Wagner (1943–2004, his death) |
| Notable works and roles | Host of Tonight Starring Jack Paar (NBC) |
Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American author, radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962. Time magazine's obituary noted that: "His fans would remember him as the fellow who split talk show history into two eras: Before Paar and Below Paar."
Paar was born in 1918 in Canton, Ohio, the son of Lillian M. (Hein) and Howard Paar. He moved with his family to Jackson, Michigan, approximately 40 miles south of Lansing, as a child. As a child he had a stuttering problem which he conquered. He contracted tuberculosis when he was 14, and left school at 16.
He first worked near home as a radio announcer at WIBM in Jackson and later as a humorous disc jockey at Midwest stations, including WJR in Detroit, WIRE in Indianapolis, WGAR in Cleveland and WBEN in Buffalo. In his book P.S. Jack Paar, he recalled doing utility duty at WGAR in 1938 when Orson Welles broadcast his famous simulated alien invasion, The War of the Worlds over the CBS network (and affiliate WGAR). Attempting to calm possible panicked listeners, Paar announced, "The world is not coming to an end. Trust me. When have I ever lied to you?"
Paar was drafted into the military in 1943 during World War II, interrupting his tenure as host of WBEN's morning show The Sun Greeter's Club (he opted not to return to the station at war's end, instead seeking opportunities in network radio and film). He was assigned to the U.S.O in the South Pacific to entertain the troops. He was a clever, wise cracking master of ceremonies whose impersonations of officers nearly got him into trouble.
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