Question: when did the tonight show go from 90 minutes to 60 minutes

title: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
text: Jack Paar 's last appearance was on March 29 , 1962 , and due to Carson 's previous contracts , Carson did not take over until October 1 . His first guests were Rudy Vallée , Tony Bennett , Mel Brooks , and Joan Crawford . Carson inherited from Paar a show that was 1 3 / 4 hours ( 105 minutes ) long . The show broadcast two openings , one starting at 11 : 15 p.m. and including the monologue , the other that listed the guests and re-announced the host , starting at 11 : 30 . The two openings gave affiliates the option of screening either a fifteen - minute or thirty - minute local newscast preceding Carson . Since 1959 , the show had been videotaped earlier the same broadcast day .