The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Season 12 Episode 106 Robert Blake, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth

In the 106th episode of season 12 of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the guests are actor Robert Blake, singer Cleo Laine, and her husband and music composer John Dankworth. The show opens with Carson joking about a hypothetical settlement between President Reagan and the Soviet Union, followed by him making fun of a peculiar church sign on his drive to the studio.

After the opening monologue, Carson brings out Robert Blake, whom he introduces as "an actor with a long and varied career." The segment starts with Blake cracking jokes about his appearance and the nature of fame in Hollywood. Carson then asks him about his role as a detective in the film "In Cold Blood," and Blake explains how he prepared for the part by spending time with actual police officers.

Blake goes on to discuss his latest TV series "Helltown," in which he plays a priest navigating a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles. Carson jokes that "if anyone can whip a gang into shape, it's a Catholic priest." The conversation then turns to Blake's personal life, including his motorcycle racing and his marriage to Sondra Kerr, whom he met on the set of "Baretta."

Next up is Cleo Laine, the British jazz singer, and her husband John Dankworth, who is also a musician and composer. Laine and Dankworth perform a song together, which Carson praises for its beauty and elegance. Carson then asks Laine about her childhood and how she got started in music, to which she reveals that she never had any formal training but grew up listening to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

Dankworth chimes in and talks about his own formative years in music, including his experience working with the likes of Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. He explains how he and Laine write and arrange their songs together, often experimenting with new sounds and styles.

The rest of the episode features a variety of skits and segments, including a recurring bit called "Carnac the Magnificent," in which Carson dresses up as a mystical guru and predicts the future by reading jokes off of cards. The segment is a fan favorite and elicits plenty of laughs from the live audience.

Overall, the 106th episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a fun and engaging watch, featuring a diverse lineup of guests who bring plenty of humor and talent to the stage. Whether you're a fan of classic late-night TV or just looking for a good laugh, this episode is definitely worth checking out.