Which Kubrick film features a character who says "Here's Johnny!"?

The story behind the answer

The Kubrick film featuring the line “Here’s Johnny!” is The Shining.

Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 psychological horror film adapts Stephen King’s 1977 novel. The line is spoken by Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, as he breaks through a bathroom door with an axe while pursuing his wife, Wendy. Nicholson improvised the delivery during filming.

The phrase references Ed McMahon’s famous introduction of Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Kubrick had lived in England and was reportedly unfamiliar with the American television reference, so he nearly rejected the take. The moment became one of the film’s most recognizable scenes.

A common mix-up is attributing the line to Doctor Sleep, the later sequel. Doctor Sleep continues the story of Danny Torrance, but “Here’s Johnny!” belongs to Jack’s violent confrontation in The Shining. The film stars Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: