The Late Shift (film)

In 1991, behind-the-scenes network politics embroil television executives responsible for NBC's late-night programming after Johnny Carson announces his retirement from The Tonight Show. Carson's permanent guest host, Jay Leno, and the host of the show that follows Carson's each night, David Letterman, both vie for Carson's job. It is widely assumed that Letterman is the hand-picked heir apparent whom Carson favors, but NBC executives privately speculate that Leno could be more popular with 11:30 p.m. audiences, as well as easier for the network to control. They also would not have to deal with Letterman's stipulation for ownership rights to the show.

Leno's manager, Helen Kushnick, secures the spot for Leno with negotiating tactics that could be construed as either shrewd or unethical. Leno is concerned that her methods might alienate Carson, but does not wish to be disloyal, as he believes that she has been responsible for his success and has promised to take care of her after her husband's death. Kushnick harshly instructs Leno to just keep telling jokes and leave the business end to her. Surely enough, Kushnick secures the producer's position for herself at The Tonight Show, on the condition that no public announcement will be made. Letterman continues to believe he is still in contention for the position.

Kushnick's bullying manner angers Leno's colleagues, potential guests, and others to the point of interfering with network airtime and relationships. NBC executives warn the mild-mannered Leno that they are going to fire Kushnick and, if he sides with her, he would be let go as well. Kushnick is dismissed by NBC and barred from the studio lot. Despite Kushnick's pleas to keep his promise to take care of her and her daughter, Leno is angry because she nearly cost him a dream job. Leno eavesdrops on an executive meeting in which they discuss the possibility of having Letterman step in as host.

Letterman, devastated at being passed over, hires Hollywood superagent Michael Ovitz to negotiate on his behalf after Ovitz makes promises that not only will he ensure Letterman is offered an 11:30 p.m. show, he will be offered it by every network. True to Ovitz's word, Letterman is courted by all the major networks and syndicates. He continues to hold on to his lifelong dream of hosting The Tonight Show, but producer Peter Lassally makes it clear that the job is now "damaged goods" and that he would be working with the very people who passed him by, who may also doublecross him.

Taking Lassally's suggestion, Letterman calls Carson to ask for advice; Carson says he would probably leave NBC if he were in Letterman's position. Letterman accepts a lucrative offer to host his own 11:30 show on CBS. Letterman and Leno ultimately go head to head at 11:30, with Letterman winning in the TV ratings in the beginning, then Leno firmly re-establishing The Tonight Show's lead in the ratings.

Real life CBS executive Rod Perth (played by Ed Begley Jr. in the film) appears briefly in a cameo role. (He's the man Howard Stringer mistakes for Perth in the CAA lobby). Actor Ed Begley Jr. and Rod Perth share an extraordinary physical resemblance, something the film makers milk for humor in the scene.

The film received seven Emmy Award nominations in categories including "Outstanding Made for Television Movie,"[1] makeup,[2] casting,[2] writing,[3] directing,[1] and acting.[1] For her role in the film as Helen Kushnick, actress Kathy Bates won awards from the American Comedy Awards,[4] the Golden Globe Awards,[5] the Satellite Awards,[6] and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.[7] The film was also recognized with an award for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials" from the Directors Guild of America Awards.[8] However, David Letterman, who saw clips of the film, called the movie "the biggest waste of film since my wedding photos." He also likened John Michael Higgins' portrayal to that of a "psychotic chimp." Letterman invited Higgins onto his program, but Higgins declined.[9]

Kushnick filed a $30 million lawsuit against Bill Carter, author of the eponymous book upon which the HBO film was based, claiming libel. Specifically, her case related to a claim that she planted a story about Carson's retirement in the New York Post.[12] The then-pending lawsuit was noted in the film's epilogue, as the Broadway tune "There's No Business Like Show Business" plays. The lawsuit settled out of court for an undisclosed sum; Kushnick died of cancer in August 1996.[13]

On January 19, 2010, during Conan O'Brien's final week as host of "The Tonight Show," guest Quentin Tarantino jokingly suggested that he direct a sequel to The Late Shift, cast O'Brien as himself and make it a revenge movie in the style of his film Kill Bill with the title Late Shift 2: The Rolling Thunder of Revenge.[14][15][16] The Toronto Star reported in February 2010 that a sequel to The Late Shift film was in planning stages.[17] In the final episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, O'Brien stated he wished that actress Tilda Swinton could portray him in a film version about The Tonight Show conflict,[18] referring to a running gag about their similar appearance. Swinton subsequently expressed interest in being cast as Conan O'Brien in a sequel to The Late Shift.[19]

When asked in a June 2010 interview with Movieline if there was going to be a film adaptation of The War for Late Night, Carter responded that plans were not serious at that point, stating, "Not really. Nothing serious. Let’s put it this way: There have always been people kicking it around because they think it’s funny. ... Letterman made a ... joke saying that Max von Sydow should play him. So, you know, people are just kicking it around like that."[20] Actor Bob Balaban, who portrayed NBC executive Warren Littlefield in the film The Late Shift said he would like to portray Jeff Zucker, and stated actor Jason Alexander would also be a good choice to play Zucker.[21]

• Carter, Bill (January 30, 1994). "Behind the Headlines in the Leno-Letterman War". The New York Times. p. 628.
• Carter, Bill (2007). Desperate Networks. Broadway. pp. 333–340. ISBN 978-0-7679-1974-6.
• Carter, Bill (2010). The War for Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-02208-3.

Lawsuit

• Helen Gorman Kushnick v. Disney Book Publishing, Inc., et al. (1994) Los Angeles Superior Court

• The Late Shift at IMDb