Ed McMahon

For nearly 30 years McMahon played sidekick to Johnny Carson on the late-night hit The Tonight Show. Their edition of the show ran from 1962 to 1992, making both men household names; along the way McMahon became the accepted king of TV's jovial second bananas. (In the 1990s McMahon was introduced to a new generation via Phil Hartman's impersonations on Saturday Night Live.) McMahon also hosted the TV talent shows Star Search and Next Big Star, and in later years joined Dick Clark as a pitchman for the American Family Publishers sweepstakes.

Extra credit: Before The Tonight Show McMahon was also Carson's announcer on the TV game show Who Do You Trust?... McMahon was a longtime co-host of the annual Jerry Lewis telethon for muscular dystrophy... McMahon made the news in 2008 when he defaulted on his home mortgage. The New York Times has the story here.