Carnac the Magnificent

Common card · No. 301561

Carnac the Magnificent was a recurring comedic role played by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. One of Carson's most well-known characters, Carnac was a "mystic from the East" who could psychically "divine" answers to unseen questions. The character was introduced in 1964. As Carnac, Carson wore a large feathered turban and a cape. The character would emerge from behind the show's curtain accompanied by Indian music and make his way towards the desk, where he would invariably stumble on the step in front of the desk and lose his balance. On two occasions that were frequently shown on anniversary specials, Carson's desk was replaced with a lightweight balsa-wood version; this allowed Carson to trip and smash through it. In the first instance, the replica desk looked like the ornate desk from the early to mid 1970s, while a second instance of the stunt was performed with a replica of the late 1970s plain desk. The character was taken from Steve Allen's essentially...

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