Bill Murray was David Letterman’s first guest on the premiere of CBS’s The Late Show in 1993.
The Late Show with David Letterman debuted on August 30, 1993, after Letterman moved from NBC to CBS. Murray appeared as the opening guest, continuing a long comedic association with Letterman that had already included memorable appearances on Late Night.
The premiere also featured musical performances and established the new program’s identity within CBS’s broader schedule. Letterman’s move was one of the most significant American television changes of the early 1990s because it placed a major late-night competitor directly against NBC’s long-running Tonight Show.
People sometimes confuse this premiere with Letterman’s NBC debut or with later Late Show guests. The CBS program remained under Letterman’s name until his final episode in 2015, when Stephen Colbert became host.