Biography of David Letterman

Nearly 20 years and more than 3,000 broadcasts in the late-night arena, David Letterman remains one of the most influential personalities in the history of television. Recently, TV Guide wrote, "After nearly two decades on the air, [Letterman's] imprint on the culture is undeniable." The New York Times applauded him as "still irreverent and funnier than ever," and Entertainment Weekly called him "a national treasure."

On Aug. 30, 1993, the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN made its debut, and it quickly went on to become one of the most talked-about and critically acclaimed programs of the year. More than eight years later, the LATE SHOW continues to deliver inventive and imaginative comedy night after night. For its efforts, the program has earned four Emmy Awards as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program.

Letterman's first network break was in 1978 on the CBS variety series "Mary," starring Mary Tyler Moore. In November of that year, he made the first of his 22 appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." He also guest hosted "Tonight" numerous times.

In 1980, Letterman began hosting an Emmy Award winning morning comedy-variety program "The David Letterman Show," which ran for three months on NBC. His critically acclaimed show "Late Night with David Letterman" premiered in February 1982. Throughout its 11 years, "Late Night" was honored with many awards, including five Emmys and 40 Emmy nominations.

From the start, Letterman has been critically applauded for redefining the talk show genre. In 1992, he received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for taking "one of TV's most conventional and least inventive forms the talk show and infusing it with freshness and imagination." Letterman has also won two American Comedy Awards as Funniest Male Performer in a Television Series; and, in 1995 and 2001, he was nominated for a Career Achievement Award by the TCA.

Both "Late Night with David Letterman" and CBS's the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN have earned countless awards, including ten Emmys and 66 Emmy nominations. (The LATE SHOW alone has received 31 Emmy nominations and has won Emmys for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000.) In addition, Letterman's morning program, "The David Letterman Show," won two Emmys and was honored with five nominations.