Question: who had the tonight show before jimmy fallon
Answer: 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 ) .