<P> The Tonight Show began broadcasting in 1954 . It has had seven official hosts , beginning with Steve Allen ( 1954 -- 57 ) , followed by Jack Paar ( 1957 -- 62 ) , Johnny Carson ( 1962 -- 92 ) , Jay Leno ( 1992 -- 2009 , 2010 -- 14 ) , Conan O'Brien ( 2009 -- 10 ) , and Jimmy Fallon ( 2014 -- present ) . It has had several recurring guest hosts , a practice especially common during the Paar and Carson eras . </P>
<P> The Tonight Show began broadcasting in 1954 . It has had seven official hosts , beginning with Steve Allen ( 1954 -- 57 ) , followed by Jack Paar ( 1957 -- 62 ) , Johnny Carson ( 1962 -- 92 ) , Jay Leno ( 1992 -- 2009 , 2010 -- 14 ) , Conan O'Brien ( 2009 -- 10 ) , and Jimmy Fallon ( 2014 -- present ) . It has had several recurring guest hosts , a practice especially common during the Paar and Carson eras . </P>
who were the hosts of the tonight show
who were the hosts of the tonight show
Jack Paar Johnny Carson Jay Leno Conan O'Brien Jimmy Fallon Steve Allen
Jack Paar Johnny Carson Jay Leno Conan O'Brien Jimmy Fallon Steve Allen