My prayers and wishes go out to himand his family Ed McMahon, 85, hospitalized in Los Angeles By LYNN ELBER – 5 hours ago LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ed McMahon, former sidekick to Johnny Carson on "Tonight" and a familiar TV commercial pitchman, was hospitalized in intensive care, a spokesman said Friday. McMahon, 85, was suffering from pneumonia and other ailments and had been in the hospital for several weeks, spokesman Howard Bragman said. He declined to identify the Los Angeles facility or the other illnesses. "It's serious," Bragman said when asked about McMahon's condition, noting his age. But, Bragman added: "We're hopeful." McMahon's wife and family are with him and appreciate the public expressions of concern, the spokesman said. McMahon had broken his neck in a fall in 2007. He faced foreclosure on his home last year because he said the injury left him unable to work, but a deal was announced last December that would allow him to stay in the house. McMahon was Carson's announcer and second banana on "Tonight" from 1962 until Carson's retirement in 1992, introducing him with a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!" and bolstering the host with hearty laughs. (Carson died in 2005.) McMahon also appeared in commercials for American Family Publishers' sweepstakes and had supporting roles in movies including "Fun with Dick and Jane" (1977) and "Just Write" (1997) and in TV shows including the 1997 WB sitcom "The Tom Show" with Tom Arnold. The Associated Press: Ed McMahon, 85, hospitalized in Los Angeles Ed McMahon Marine Corps Aviator by M.L. Shettle, Jr Edward Peter Leo McMahon, Jr. was born in Detroit Michigan in 1923. McMahon led a somewhat unhappy and nomadic childhood. His father traveled all over the country pursuing various financial ventures including carnival jobs and bingo games. Nevertheless, McMahon had a good lineage. His great-great-great-grandfather, the Duke of Magenta, was a marshal and president of France. The Duke's favorite sauce, named Macmahonaise in his honor, was later shortened to mayonnaise. McMahon's grandmother was the cousin of Rose Fitzgerald, mother of John F. Kennedy. Many of McMahon's summers were spent at his grandparent's in Lowell Massachusetts. McMahon's ambition was to be a radio announcer and had his first announcing job at the age of 15.[/FONT] When the United States began gearing up for World War II, McMahon wanted to become a Marine fighter pilot. Since the Navy's V-5 program required two years of college, he enrolled in Boston College. When the Navy relaxed the two-year requirement, McMahon dropped out of school and signed up. In early 1943, he first went to a civilian-run Wartime Training School in Texarkana where the Navy evaluated cadets' potential by checking them out in a Piper Cub. Then came the three-month Preflight School at Athens, Georgia. McMahon received primary training at Dallas and intermediate training at Pensacola. McMahon received the single engine carrier syllabus and was assigned to the Marines. After receiving his commission and wings in early 1945, McMahon was sent to the Corsair Operational Training Unit at Lee Field, Green Cove Springs, Florida. Upon completion of training, he was "plowed back" and became an instructor in the same unit. On the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, McMahon received orders to join the Marine carrier program on the West Coast. His orders were cancelled and he returned to civilian life. After McMahon graduated from Catholic University, he got a job in television in Philadelphia. In two years, he had become Philadelphia's top TV personality. In 1952, McMahon got his big break when he was offered a job in New York with CBS; however, he was recalled into the Marine Corps due to the Korean War. After several months of training at Miami and El Toro, McMahon arrived in Korea in February 1953. He flew 85 artillery-spotting missions in the Cessna OE Bird Dog before returning home in September 1953. McMahon returned to television in Philadelphia for several years. In 1958, he was hired as the announcer for Johnny Carson's Who Do You Trust? In 1962, Johnny Carson took over as host of The Tonight Show and took McMahon along as his announcer and sidekick. Carson and McMahon became an institution and remained on The Tonight Show for 6,583 programs over a 30-year period. Since retiring from The Tonight Show, McMahon has worked on several other TV shows and served as spokesman for various companies and charities. McMahon remained active in the Marine Reserves retiring as a full colonel in 1966.
I too wish he and his family well, and hope this isn't the final flight for the gentleman. He is a class act in my humble opinion.
I too would like to add my best wishes to Ed & his family. Ed & Johnny were nightly staples in our household. I really hope he defeats pneumonia. I know how tough it can be to get over it-I had double p/ and almost died at the hospital when I was 18. This really is disheartening news and especially more so because on Saturday-we just lost Paul Harvey Sr.--the man with a silvery voice and whose se sign-off line was: "Goooood day." Rest in peace Paul.
I too would like to add my best wishes to Ed & his family. Ed & Johnny were nightly staples in our household. I really hope he defeats pneumonia. I know how tough it can be to get over it-I had double p/ and almost died at the hospital when I was 18. This really is disheartening news and especially more so because on Saturday-we just lost Paul Harvey Sr.--the man with a silvery voice and whose se sign-off line was: "Goooood day." Rest in peace Paul.
Looks like more possible bad news . (CBS) Ed McMahon, former sidekick to Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" and a familiar TV commercial pitchman, is hospitalized in intensive care, and a person close to him said Friday that McMahon has bone cancer.
Loks like we had better start praying a thick carpet for him. I have a very bad feeling--not to jinx him or anything but-very rarely at their age-do they beat this-let alone cancer :-((
