Johnny Carson's Son Found Dead at 74
Johnny Carson and sons 1955. Photo courtesy of CBS Television. Public domain.
Christopher Carson, the famously private son of late-night legend Johnny Carson, has died — and the details, like the man himself, are shrouded in mystery.
His death, which occurred earlier this year, was quietly confirmed by Howard Smith, a longtime friend of Johnny's, during an emotional interview on the "Nostalgia Tonight" podcast. Smith revealed that he learned of Chris's passing from Carson's nephew, Jeff Sotzing, just two months ago — not long after it happened.
A Name From Hollywood Royalty
Christopher Carson, born in 1950, was Johnny Carson's eldest son — a child of the golden era of television and a man who carried the weight of a last name that once commanded America's living rooms. Johnny, host of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," shared three sons with his first wife, Joan "Jody" Morrill Wolcott: Chris, Rick, born in 1951, and Cory, born in 1953.
But while Johnny owned the spotlight, Chris lived far from it. "Chris was an avid golfer," Smith shared on the podcast, according to PEOPLE. "When he used to come to visit his dad, he would bring his clubs ... We would play golf together, and John wouldn't play golf. He would just ride along with us."
A Quiet Passing — And a Quiet Life
Smith described learning of Chris's death almost by accident. After moving to Fort Lauderdale and joining a local golf club, he tried to reconnect. "I said to the guys, 'You guys know Chris Carson?' The guy said, 'Oh yeah, he's a member here.' And I go, 'Oh God.' I said, 'Well, I'm trying, you know, I'm a friend of his dad and all that. And I've been trying to get ahold of Chris, and Chris never got back with me," Smith said, according to the New York Post.
It wasn't until Smith attended a private tribute show for Johnny Carson — a two-hour event hosted by Sotzing for about 100 attendees — that he learned the truth. "I said, 'So Jeff, what's happening with Chris?' And he looks at me, goes, 'Howard, Chris just died last week.' 'Really?' I go, 'Oh no.'" Smith recounted, according to PEOPLE.
Headlines and Heartbreak
Though Chris spent much of his life out of the public eye, the 1980s brought unwanted attention. After splitting up with his ex, Tanena Love Green, Chris found himself in the middle of a headline-grabbing court battle over child support for their daughter, Christal Love Carson.
Court documents from the time revealed that Chris was working as a golf instructor and living largely off support from his father — including cars, a home, and a reported $35,000 annual stipend.
Johnny Carson himself passed away in January 2005 at age 79, years after stepping away from television in 1992. At the time, those close to the family said Carson valued privacy more than publicity. "Let his work speak for him," Sotzing told PEOPLE in a rare posthumous comment — a philosophy Chris seemed to share.
The Last of the Carson Sons
Chris's younger brother Rick died tragically in a car accident in 1991 at age 39. Cory, the youngest, is still alive but remains reclusive. "They don't see anybody that much," Smith noted, according to the New York Post.
Chris Carson's passing marks a quiet end to a life lived in the long shadow of a very public father — a reminder that even within Hollywood dynasties, the most gripping stories often unfold far from the spotlight.
References: Johnny Carson's son, Chris Carson, dead at 74 | Johnny Carson's Son, Chris Carson, Dies at 74
