Who was the first host of NBC’s Late Night, which premiered in 1982?

David Letterman was the first host of NBC’s Late Night, which premiered in 1982.

Late Night debuted on February 1, 1982, following The Tonight Show. Letterman’s offbeat interviews, absurd comedy pieces and unconventional audience interaction gave NBC a distinct post-midnight identity. The program was produced at Studio 6A in Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Letterman hosted until 1993, when he left NBC for CBS after losing The Tonight Show succession to Jay Leno. Conan O’Brien then became Late Night’s host, followed by Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. Each successor retained the program’s broad role while developing a different comic style.

The title is sometimes confused with Letterman’s later CBS program, The Late Show. That show premiered in 1993 and occupied the time slot after The Tonight Show on CBS, whereas Late Night remained NBC’s later-night franchise.