This time around in our "Meet the Stars" feature, we profile "Late Night" host Conan O'Brien - the man slated to succeed Jay Leno in 2009 as host of "The Tonight Show."Since 1993, Conan O'Brien has been combining his talents as writer, performer and interviewer as host of "Late Night" and in 2009, he will take over the reins on the venerable "Tonight Show."
In 2002, O'Brien brought his signature wit and style to his hosting duties on the 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, garnering big laughs and critical acclaim.
"Late Night" has been honored with nominations for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Series since 2003 and for the last ten years, O'Brien and the "Late Night" writing team have consistently been nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series. He and the "Late Night" writing staff have won six Writer's Guild Awards for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series, including two consecutive wins in 2002 and 2003.
Two-time president of the venerable and notorious Harvard Lampoon, O'Brien moved to Los Angeles upon graduation and joined the writing staff of HBO's "Not Necessarily the News." During his two years with the show, he performed regularly with several improvisational groups, including The Groundlings.
By 1988 his talents had come to the attention of Lorne Michaels, executive producer of "Saturday Night Live," who hired O'Brien as a writer in January of that year. His three-and-a-half years on the show produced such recurring sketches as "Mr. Short-Term Memory" and "The Girl Watchers" (first performed by Tom Hanks and Jon Lovitz). In 1989 his work on "SNL" was recognized with an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series.
In the spring of 1991, O'Brien left "SNL" and wrote and produced a TV pilot, "Lookwell," starring Adam West. It was telecast on NBC in July of that year but was not picked up as a series. That fall O'Brien signed on as a writer/producer for the Fox series, "The Simpsons," where he later became the show's supervising producer. Of all the episodes he wrote, his favorite is "Springfield Gets a Monorail."
On April 26, 1993, O'Brien was selected from among the many talented potential hosts of "Late Night" for his particular and unique mix of "vitality, wit and intelligence," according to Michaels.
Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, O'Brien is married with a two children and resides in New York City. His birthday is April 18.
Catch "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" weeknights at 12:35 AM on WKYC.
Courtesy: NBC
