Hollywood Legend Ed McMahon Dies

If you're old enough to remember Johnny Carson, you'll remember Ed McMahon, his sidekick for 30 years, who died this morning:

Ed McMahon, the loyal "Tonight Show" sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and later carved out his own niche as the host of "Star Search," has died at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 86.

According to his publicist Howard Bragman, the former "Tonight Show" announcer passed away at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California this morning.

Earlier this year, McMahon was in and out of the hospital for pneumonia and other medical issues, according to sources close to him.

While Bragman did not give a cause of death, he said McMahon had "a multitude of health problems the last few months."

McMahon had bone cancer, among other illnesses, according to a person close to the entertainer. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

Best known for his famous catchphrase "Heeeeeere's Johnny," said every night when Johnny Carson took the stage, McMahon spent three decades as the legendary comedian's sidekick.

McMahon and Carson had worked together for nearly five years on the game show "Who Do You Trust?" when Carson took over NBC's late-night show from Jack Paar in October 1962. McMahon played second banana on "Tonight" until Carson retired in 1992.

"You can't imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson," McMahon said an interview with The Associated Press in 1993. "There's the old phrase, hook your wagon to a star. I hitched my wagon to a great star."

I actually ran into McMahon once. During Christmas vacation some years ago we were shopping in Lake Arrowhead Village and found McMahon and some of his family shopping in one of the stores. He was a pretty big guy and hard to miss.