The Late Shift 1996

In 1991, behind-the-scenes network politics swirl around NBC’s late-night lineup as Johnny Carson, Rich Little—the longtime host of The Tonight Show since 1962—faces the reality of aging audiences and the impending need for a successor. The decision-making heat builds as talk of a future host becomes more urgent, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest that could reshape late-night television.

Two on-air contenders rise to the forefront: Jay Leno, [Daniel Roebuck], the show’s permanent guest host, and David Letterman, [John Michael Higgins], who leads the rival late-night program that follows Carson’s slot. Inside NBC, the feeling is that Letterman is the favored option, but there is pushback: Leno might appeal to a broader audience and be easier for the network to manage. Meanwhile, NBC insists Letterman’s contract terms are favorable enough to keep him locked in, at least in the eyes of many executives.

Behind the scenes, Helen Kushnick, [Kathy Bates], emerges as a forceful manager who pushes hard to secure Leno’s position, adopting aggressive negotiating tactics that blur the lines between shrewd and potentially unethical. Kushnick instructs Leno to stick to jokes and let her handle the business side. Her success is evident when she lands the producer’s role for The Tonight Show, but she does so with a whispered caveat: no public announcement will be made. Letterman remains convinced he is still in the running.

In the spring of 1991, Carson unexpectedly retires, and NBC bluntly informs Letterman that Leno will take over the Tonight Show. Leno assumes the role on May 25, 1992, while Kushnick’s coercive approach begins to alienate colleagues and guests, threatening NBC’s relationships and airtime. The network warns Leno that Kushnick must be dismissed; she is ultimately barred from the studio lot, and Leno fires her, ending their collaboration. The outcome leaves Letterman watching from the sidelines as NBC weighs its next move.

With Kushnick out of the picture, Letterman turns to Hollywood power broker Michael Ovitz, [Treat Williams], to negotiate his future. Ovitz delivers a bold pitch: Letterman will be offered an 11:30 p.m. slot across multiple networks. The promise is enticing but comes with a tangled web of contractual dynamics—Letterman is technically barred from negotiating with NBC’s competitors, and Ovitz soon secures interest from CBS, effectively guaranteeing Letterman an 11:30 p.m. show. Yet Letterman remains haunted by his dream of hosting The Tonight Show, and his fate hinges on what NBC can offer.

Peter Lassally, [Steven Gilborn], a producer with connections to both Carson and Letterman, presses NBC to present a counteroffer that would keep Letterman in the fold. His warning lands hard: NBC’s terms threaten to make Letterman “damaged goods” in the press, risking public backlash and undermining his future prospects. The pressure mounts as Letterman weighs his options against the rival lure of CBS.

Ultimately, Letterman declines NBC’s offer, choosing CBS’s path toward his own 11:30 show, which would become Late Show with David Letterman, slated to begin on August 30, 1993. The late-night battlefield intensifies as Letterman and Leno prepare to clash at the 11:30 slot: Letterman initially leads in the early ratings, but Leno soon re-establishes The Tonight Show’s dominance, setting the stage for a long-running late-night rivalry that reshaped American television.