In the spring of 1971, Johnny Carson, already reeling from his recent separation from his wife Joanne, narrowly escaped a situation that could have ended tragically.
That night, the late-night television icon, heavily intoxicated, found himself in the crosshairs of one of New York City’s most notorious mobsters—simply because of a reckless, impulsive move.
While stories of this incident have circulated for decades, many of the details have been muddled over time.
Henry Bushkin’s book, Johnny Carson, contains some inaccuracies, including claims that Carson was beaten by mobsters and that William Morris agent George Wood had to negotiate on his behalf—a timeline impossibility, as Wood had died in 1963, years before the events supposedly took place.
The Story as Told by Those Who Were There
Comedian Tom Dreesen, a longtime opening act for Frank Sinatra who appeared on The Tonight Show roughly 60 times, shared a different version of events—one he heard directly from Jilly Rizzo, the owner of the famed Jilly’s Saloon, and Sinatra himself. According to Dreesen, both men recounted the same story, giving it a level of authenticity Bushkin’s book lacks.
Dreesen explains, “Johnny was a naval officer, well-educated and well-mannered… until he had a couple of drinks. Then he became a fool.” On that fateful night, Carson, already drunk, arrived at Jilly’s Saloon with his sidekick Ed McMahon—the voice behind the famous “Heeeeere’s Johnny!”—and McMahon’s manager, Robert Coe.
The Incident That Set Off the Mob
Rizzo greeted the group warmly, but things quickly went awry. Carson, spotting an attractive woman at the bar, allegedly reached under her miniskirt. She screamed, and Rizzo immediately recognized the danger: the woman was the girlfriend of “Crazy” Joe Gallo, a feared mob enforcer recently released from prison.
Gallo, diagnosed with schizophrenia in his youth and notorious for his volatility, was in a different part of the bar. As Rizzo rushed to extract Carson, the mobster’s girlfriend managed to tell Gallo what had happened, prompting him to order a violent pursuit. By then, Carson, McMahon, and Coe had already vanished from the street.
NBC Steps In to Save Carson
Word spread quickly: “Carson’s a dead man.” NBC Vice President of Talent Dave Tebet, a regular at Jilly’s, intervened, knowing that even he could not reason with Gallo. Sinatra, initially hesitant, was also asked for help—but both men knew Gallo answered to no one.
NBC allegedly struck a deal with mob boss Joe Colombo, leveraging the Italian American Civil Rights League—a group Colombo had founded—to smooth relations.
In exchange, NBC aired a positive story about Colombo on May 4, 1971.
However, Colombo’s influence over Gallo was questionable, as Gallo reportedly despised him.
Sinatra’s Intervention
To ensure Carson’s safety, Sinatra took matters into his own hands.
About a week after the hit order, Sinatra invited Gallo and his family backstage during a show.
The singer lavished attention on them, and when Gallo inquired if he could return the favor, Sinatra uttered two words: “Johnny Carson.”
Those words triggered Gallo’s fury. He confronted Sinatra aggressively, leaving visible marks on the singer’s face.
Yet Sinatra persisted, pleading for Carson’s life.
Eventually, Gallo relented, leaving the encounter with a warning: “You tell Johnny Carson that he breathes only because he knows Frank Sinatra.”
A Life Saved by Friendship
Dreesen reflects on the incident with awe: “I don’t believe anybody but Sinatra could have saved Carson’s life.”
What could have been a deadly encounter instead became another legendary story in the life of one of television’s greatest entertainers, all thanks to the intervention of a friend and fellow celebrity.
Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan’s Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend by Mark Malkoff is published by Dutton on October 21.