Goodbyes are always hard, especially when they're coming from someone that we've known
and loved for many years.
This remains true even when the person saying goodbye is simply a television personality
that has been a host of a popular program for a long, long time.
When Alex Trebek gave his heartfelt farewell in the final episode of Jeopardy that he hosted
in 2020, we were reminded of just how long these kinds of TV personalities have been
a part of our lives.
Seeing Trebek bid farewell to his fans after being on the air for decades also reminded
us of just how big of a hole such hosts leave behind when they are gone.
Whether they are hosts of variety shows, game shows, or late-night talk programs.
Many hosts have devoted decades of their lives to brighten up our lives.
The final broadcast of one of our favorite television personality shows often leaves
us feeling grief just as we would when losing a close friend, companion, or family member.
Join Facts verse as we take a look at the heartbreaking goodbyes of several iconic TV
show host that left us in tears.
Just a fair warning, you might want to grab a tissue because this video is sure to be
an emotional one.
Dick Clark
If you've ever tuned in to watch the ball drop on News Year's Eve, then you've probably
seen the long-running annual television event Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
While the show is currently hosted by American Idol's Ryan Seacrest, for many years, it was
hosted by one of television's most beloved personalities, Dick Clark.
Dick Clark hosted American Bandstand before becoming the face of New Year's Eve on ABC's
yearly celebratory program in 1974.
He continued to host the annual event until 2004 when he had a massive stroke that forced
him to take time off to recover.
Two years later, in 2006, he returned as a co-host and continued his duties until 2011,
when he hosted his final New Year's Eve on December 31st of that year.
During the countdown, Clark shared a heartwarming kiss with his beloved wife before sharing
a few final words of encouragement to the audience.
Sadly, just a few months later, he passed away.
Bob Barker
Many of you probably have fond childhood memories of watching Plinko, showcase showdown, and
another Price is Right staples whenever you were forced to stay home from school due to
coming down with a cold.
The Price is Right has been one of the most iconic daytime game shows on television since
it debuted in 1972, and Bob Barker is the host that most folks consider being the long-running
show best.
No offense to Drew Carey, who took over as host of the show in 2007, but Barker had some
seriously big shoes to fill.
For more than 50 years, Bob Barker reminded us daily of the importance of helping control
the pet population by having our four-legged companions spayed and neutered.
And while he took the opportunity to use his platform to promote his animal activism endeavors,
he also did an incredible job of making The Price is Right one of the most iconic game
shows to ever hit the airwaves.
He started his game show hosting career back in 1956 when he became the host of Truth of
Consequences.
In 1972, CBS offered him a job hosting The Price is Right, and for the next half-century
he held that post while becoming one of the best-known television personalities in America.
During his final goodbye in 2007, Barker thanked his audience for their decades of unwavering
support before passing the torch over to Drew.
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Mr. Rogers
Fred Rogers television career began in 1953 when he landed a job hosting a public access
children’s show called The Children’s Corner.
That show was eventually picked up by Canada’s CBC network in 1962 and was renamed Mr. Roger’s
Neighborhood in 1968.
Fred Rogers hosted the show for the entirety of its run before ending in 2001.
That's when Rogers, after spending decades of his life entertaining, inspiring, and educating
children, decided to finally retire.
In the final episode of the show, Rogers directly addressed the audience by giving them advice
about how to be a good neighbor and express oneself positively.
Before the end of the show, Rogers gave one last final affirmation by telling the viewers
how proud he was of them.
Sadly, Fred Rogers died of stomach cancer in 2003.
Alex Trebek
Many long-time Jeopardy fans might be surprised to learn that Alex Trebek wasn’t the original
host of the classic game show.
Even so, it’s nearly impossible to imagine what the show would have looked like without
him.
Alex hosted Jeopardy from 1984 to shortly before his death in 2020.
By the time of his death, he had hosted more than 8,000 episodes of the beloved show and
was still under contract to keep going as host until at least 2022.
Unfortunately, he died of stage IV pancreatic cancer in November of 2020.
Trebek had first announced that he was battling the disease in March of 2019, but he continued
to host the program while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments right up until the
end.
Viewers could clearly see that Trebek's physical condition was quickly deteriorating, but Alex
remained in high spirits and largely optimistic about the future.
Even in his final taping, he was still in high spirits.
In the closing moments of that final episode, Trebek told the audience that he was immensely
grateful for all of their support before a montage of his highlights on the show began
to play.
Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite was a journalist and news anchor with the CBS Evening News for the better
part of two decades.
He got his start delivering the news back in 1937 and over the course of his prolific
career, he covered some of the most significant historical events of the 20th century, including
the Second World War, the Vietnam War, the moon landing, JFK's assassination, and the
Watergate scandal.
It’s safe to say, Cronkite was a man who saw a lot in his lifetime, and he wasn’t
afraid to tell it how it was.
Cronkite was famous for his departing catchphrase "And that's the way it is".
He would utter this phrase nightly at the close of his segment on CBS Evening News.
In time, he became known as 'the most trusted man in America'.
At the age of 65, Cronkite was forced into retirement by a mandate that CBS had that
time.
On his final broadcast in 1961, Cronkite fittingly bid farewell to his audience with the words
‘and that’s the way it is’ before signing off for the last time.
Johnny Carson
Carson was 36 when Jack Paar handed over the reins as host of the Tonight Show in 1962.
He went on to host the late-night talk show for the next 30 years before NBC aired the
final farewell episode of his incarnation of the program on May 22, 1992.
While there have been several hosts that have helmed the show since then, including its
current host Jimmy Fallon and previous incumbents Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno, Carson will forever
be remembered as the most beloved host of the long-running program.
The final episode of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show was a gentle, nostalgic, and emotional
affair.
It began as usual, with Carson emerging from behind the curtain to sit on his stool and
deliver his nightly monologue.
But instead of taking witty jabs at politicians, making light of current events, and speculating
about the entertainment world, Carson used this time to thank his fans for their continued
support and admiration over the previous three decades.
He thanked his production crew for their years of hard work and dedication and took a moment
to reflect on some of the most memorable moments of his tenure as host of the show.
What followed was a video montage beginning with a look back at his first show in 1962.
We got to see Carson in perfect form, showing off his Midwestern tongue-in-cheek charm and
signature humor.
After saying that he would 'do it all over again' if he could, we were treated to clips
featuring some of Carson's most famous guests, including Robert Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Bob
Hope, Groucho Marx, and Judy Garland.
We were also reminded of some of the most entertaining musical guests that had graced
the Tonight Show's stage in years past, including Elton John, ZZ Top, Liberace, Ella Fitsgerald,
Yo-Yo Ma, and Itzhak Perlman.
After running through a list of past guests that had passed away since the show's start,
including Jane Fonda, John Wayne, Charlton Heston, Natalie Wood, and Orson Welles, the
credits began to roll as tears streamed down Carson's face.
Before it was all over, the credits froze briefly to show a beautiful sunset scene overlaid
with the name of Carson's late son Rick.
And with that, the era of Johnny Carson ended.
Ed Sullivan
Aside from Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan is arguably one of the most iconic television host of
all time.
Sulivan’s hit variety show, Toast of the Town, aired every Sunday evening before being
rebranded as The Ed Sullivan Show in 1948.
At that point, it shifted away from the variety format to instead become more of a talk show.
The program would become famous for making stars out of its guests.
Perhaps most notably, The Beatles rose to the top of the charts in the United States
after making their historic appearance on the show in 1964.
Throughout the 50s and 60s, musical guests such as Elvis Presley, The Doors, and The
Rolling Stones would also make appearances on the groundbreaking program.
The Ed Sullivan show also developed a reputation for popularizing young up-and-coming comedians.
While the show was immensely popular with audiences, in 1971, CBS canceled a handful
of shows without warning, including The Ed Sullivan Show.
Because of this, Ed's final episode which aired on March 28, 1971, wasn't any different
than any other installment.
Sullivan had not been informed that his show was canceled prior to the taping and because
of this he wasn’t able to say goodbye to the audience.
Tragically, Ed died of cancer just a couple years after his show was given the ax.
We’re just about out of time, but we’d love to hear from you.
Which TV show host's goodbye was the most emotional for you, and did you know that Ed
Sullivan was never able to properly bid farewell to his fans despite spending decades of his
life as host of his groundbreaking talk show?
Let us know in the comments.
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