The comedy world lost one of its biggest stars and the person who launched the stardom of many of today's most popular entertainers, when Johnny Carson passed away of complications from emphysema in January at the age of 79.

Carson's legend was so big that his successor, Jay Leno, last year opted to retire in 2009 rather than host The Tonight Show into his 60s, as Carson did.

When Carson retired in 1992, after nearly 30 years of hosting the show, the whole cast left with him-even the curtains. Out of respect for Carson, sidekick Ed McMahon, band leader Doc Severinsen, and assistant music director Tommy Newsom departed.

Thanks to his enormous popularity and McMahon's trademark introduction of "Heeeere's Johnny!" Carson is one of the rare comedians, indeed one of the rare people, who can be identified solely by his first name.

Carson was born in 1925 in Corning, Iowa, and grew up in Norfolk, Neb. His biggest comedic influence was Jack Benny. At 14 years old, Carson performed as the magician, "The Great Carsoni." He served in the navy from 1943-46.

He did radio in Nebraska before moving to Los Angeles to work at a local television station, where he had a sketch comedy show, Carson's Cellar, from 1951-53. Famed comedian Red Skelton enjoyed Carson's show, and hired him to write for Skelton's show. The following year, Skelton knocked himself out shortly before airtime, and Carson filled in and became a star.

Before The Tonight Show, Carson hosted the Johnny Carson Show (1954-55), and the game shows Earn Your Vacation (1954) and Who Do You Trust?(1957-62). McMahon was the announcer in the latter game show, which is where the duo met.

However, The Tonight Show is what brought fame to Johnny Carson. His famous introduction by McMahon, followed by a monologue of short jokes, then his trademark golf swing to launch the rest of the show, helped make Johnny a fixture in many American homes for more than a generation.

After the monologue, he would interview guests and perform in short skits, the most famous of which was "Carnac the Magnificent." Carnac was a psychic who revealed the punchline of a joke before opening a "hermetically sealed envelope" and reading the setup. Often McMahon would repeat the punchline and Carnac would make a quip.

Carson would also host many exotic animals and their keepers, making jokes about how the animals looked or behaved, and comically looking overly fearful when the animals surprised him.

Nearly all of the pre-1970 shows were lost when an NBC employee decided to tape over them. That prompted Carson to take control over the show's videotapes.

He was credited with moving the center of television from New York to Los Angeles in 1972 by taking his show from Rockefeller Center to Burbank. That also helped switch television shows from being mostly live to taped.

Hosting guests from Groucho Marx to Bette Midler, under Carson, The Tonight Show made more money than any other show in television history.

Carson also helped to establish many stars, such as Joan Rivers, Barbra Streisand, Steven Wright, Woody Allen, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin, and Jay Leno.

Until 10 years after he retired, Carson held the record for the longest time hosting the same network series: 29 years, 7 months, and 21 days. Bob Barker broke the record in 2002. The Tonight Show received 42 Emmy nominations, and won the award seven times. Carson was nominated for the Golden Globe award in 1975, and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1987.

During his tenure with The Tonight Show, he made many appearances in other shows, including Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, What's My Line, Get Smart, The Dean Martin Show, and more. He hosted several Academy Awards shows, anniversary shows, and retrospectives of other celebrities.

Carson's personal life didn't go as smoothly. He was married four times, and lost one of his three sons in a car accident in 1991. His divorces and his large investment in the failed DeLorean Motor Company cost him a lot of money, although he still lived very well.

After retiring in 1992, he never returned to show business, except for in occasional bits. He did a "cameo" on The Simpsons and made a surprise appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, to which he sometimes submitted jokes for the opening monologue. He also appeared in Conan O'Brien's Wild Desk Ride and The Newton Boys.

However, he deplored situation comedies, and was very introverted. He usually did not speak with his guests before or after the show, and disliked parties.

He closed his final episode of The Tonight Showby saying "And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I bid you a very heartfelt goodnight."

Leno dedicated the Jan. 24 show to Carson, chatting with entertainers who had made indelible marks on The Tonight Show, such as Ed McMahon.

Johnny Carson's comedy legacy is survived by Jay Leno, the current host of The Tonight Show, who frequently was the substitute host in Carson's later years, and David Letterman, who hosts The Late Show with David Letterman, and was considered by Carson to be his "rightful successor." Letterman often uses some of Carson's old routines, such as "Carnac the Magnificent" and "Stump the Band," on his show.