The David Letterman Show (1980) User Reviews

About the early Letterman...

[patrickfilbeck · 8/10 · 12 November 2021]

A harbinger of his later Late Night show, a celebration of early Letterman. Definitely very easy to see, iconic and always funny. Short-Lived, a uick watch and - although it's Letterman - not too wellknown. Very nice.

I too have memories of this show.

[john-a-rice · 11 January 2006]

I too have fond memories of this show from my childhood, which few people my age or of any age seem to remember. In fact, when he got the nighttime show my reaction was, "Hey, that's the guy who was on that cool morning show that got canceled." I was 9 years old the summer that Letterman had this morning show, and the absurdist humor and out-of-ordinary guests were fascinating to me. It was unlike any other "talkshow" on TV at that time. I remember one show in particular where Dave admitted the show's ratings weren't high and so he took a studio TV monitor and surfed through the channels and begin describing what was currently airing on all the other stations in case viewers at home would rather watch something else.

Never-Before-and-Never-Again would a network allow this kind of show in the mornings

[spambegone · 10/10 · 26 June 2018]

This show is THE reason I, a broke college student, splurged and bought my first VCR - to record Dave's morning show while I was in class. I couldn't miss Dave working with no net and no rules. Some of this weirdness made the transition to Late Night, but I miss the unpolished, disorganized, and off-the-cuff spontaneity of this fledgling creation from Dave and Merrill Markoe. And I miss the cast that never made it to Late Night - Rich Hall, Mrs. Marv Mendenhall, Valry Bromfield, Barry Sand, Bob & Stan...

The 1985 Morning Show Special was NOT the original 1980 Morning Show

[toddsulkoff · 10/10 · 26 May 2015]

On June 23, 1980, Letterman was given his own morning comedy show on NBC, The David Letterman Show. It was originally 90 minutes long, but was shortened to 60 minutes in August 1980.[44] The show was a critical success, winning two Emmy Awards, but was a ratings disappointment and was canceled in October 1980. This show, however was a One-off gag not aired in the morning, but returning to the Morning Show format, three years after Late Night with David Letterman had begun in 1982. This occurred on 2-27-1985. Its the "Morning Show" special, as Dave and his co-host "Tawny Harper Reynolds" simulate a typically vapid network morning program. Larry Bud gives the traffic report, while Dr. Henry gives the weather. Also, while exercising on the floor, Carol Channing repeatedly exposes her underpants to the camera.

Best morning show ever!

[anoracle · 10/10 · 25 February 2014]

I feel certain that many mom's, done with the morning housework, tuned in to this show and imagined someone had laced their coffee with acid.

The show was weird and wonderful. Dave's acceptance speech at the daytime Emmys, one day after cancellation, was short and perfect; "What the heck, it's just American television." was all he said upon collecting his first statuette among the many to come.

Note that Bif Henderson was with Dave from the very beginning, as was Hal Gurnee.

In addition, this was the start of Dave's long association with Chris Elliot. Watching Dave's morning show gave hope that surreal Tee-Vee had a place in the daytime broadcast spectrum.

This was a place to see some great early Andy Kaufman as well.

One can only hope that they'll one day offer it up as a download for collection.

Starting Out a Winner.

[BigEd-4 · 16 September 1999]

Although this program did not remain on the air past the first season, it is interesting to note that Dave has won Emmy's at each of the three shows he has hosted. A winner then, a winner now.

By contrast, Leno has only won one non-technical Emmy in six years on the air - Dave has won best series two years in a row.

Made my mornings

[mhicks · 26 June 2004]

I was in high school when this show appeared and disappeared. I don't remember the circumstances that allowed me to be home to see it (perhaps it ran in the summer), but it was hilarious. Featuring comedian Rich Hall and Edie McClurg, among other regulars, it's not surprising that its often absurdist humor didn't play well enough with a morning audience for it to remain on the air -- it was definitely a better fit for late night. For those who didn't see it (approximately everyone -12), Dave would generally have 1 or 2 real guests and a bunch of skits and recurring characters. Usually if he announced a guest you had heard of, the person who appeared was this one guy from the cast who would claim he was that person (or people -- he claimed on one show to be Donnie and Marie) despite Dave's incredulity.

I spoke to Rich Hall after he performed at the University of Colorado some years ago and after expressing his surprise at meeting someone who had seen the show, he said that they all knew fairly early in the run that the show was going to be cancelled, which pretty much gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Another poster mentioned having seen the show in reruns -- I'd love to have the chance to see at least some of them again to see if I find them as funny now as I did then.

My mom and aunt were guests on Letterman

[Sephardic · 1 July 2005]

My mom and my aunt were both on the 1980's Letterman morning show when they were still in New York. I have no idea how they got selected, but I remember them on TV, I was about 12-13. Their names are Rhonda and Sharon. It was 'stupid pet dress up day' and our cat "Norman" (brown Persian tabby) was dressed as a baby and a dog, "Macho" (a small white mutt) was dressed in a running suit. Both pets are long gone. My family still watches Letterman some 25 years later. If anyone knows where we can get copies of those early-day tapes, I would LOVE to know. Who would ever imagine Dave would become such a huge success. I had heard they would be available on DVD, but I have yet to come across them anywhere.

I knew I didn't dream this.

[veronicalodge71 · 14 December 2005]

I was only 8 when this show was on the air, but I remember it! (Vaguely) I remember the set. I remember watching it in the morning and I've asked a few people (some of them older than me) if they remember Dave having a morning show and no one remembers. I was beginning to think I dreamed it. The only thing is, I thought I remembered him having both a morning show and a late show at the same time. Perhaps I was watching the morning show in reruns.

Also, the name Rich Hall is a blast from the past. I remember him from Not Necessarily the News which ran on HBO in the early 80's. (Remember Sniglets?) I forgot all about that show. The Daily Show of the 80's. I see now, it's all connected...

Morning Show...VHS Copies

[jovibrat · 2 May 2006]

Does anyone know of any collectors who may have any of these old David Letterman Morning shows from 1980 in their collection? I would love to obtain any and all and would even be willing to transfer to DVD at no cost to the owner if interested.

This was by far the funniest show on TV up to 1980, though it didn't find an audience at that time slot. I was in college and watched faithfully everyday and was so blown away by content and the deadpan deliveries.

It is a shame, given that it was on TV only a few months that these didn't make it to DVD commercially.

The beginning of a legend

[Liz-59 · 10 September 1999]

This was the first of David Lettermans phenomenal comic success in Late Night. Although this show didn't go over as well as the others, I've seen re-runs and it was funny, and earned him an Emmy. If anyone knew then what we know now about this "dude" (as Dave would say), I'd be a rich woman today.