Johnny Carson’s eldest son, Christopher Carson, has died at age 74.
His death was confirmed by his father’s longtime friend, Howard Smith, who revealed that Chris had died earlier this year, though did not reveal his cause of death.
Speaking on Joe Sibilia’s “Nostalgia Tonight” podcast Monday, Smith said he learned of Chris’ death two months ago from the late television host’s nephew, Jeff Sotzing.
“When John died, I tried to keep in communication with Chris,” Smith said. “I moved and bought a house outside of Fort Lauderdale.”
“And at this golf club that I joined, I said to the guys, ‘You guys know Chris Carson?’ The guy said, ‘Oh yeah, he’s a member here.’ And I go, ‘Oh God.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m trying, you know, I’m a friend of his dad and all that. And I’ve been trying to get a hold of Chris, and Chris never got back with me,’” he went on.
“When I went to this show that Jeff put on about John, and it was a fantastic, two-hour show that he did for about 100 people, and I said, ‘So Jeff, what’s happening with Chris?’ And he looks at me, goes, ‘Howard, Chris just died last week.’ ‘Really?’ I go, ‘Oh no.’ ”
The “Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” host had shared three sons with his first wife, Joan Morrill Wolcott. The pair had welcomed Chris in 1960, son Rick the following year, and Cory in 1953.
However, Rick had died in a car accident in 1991 at age 39.
“Cory is still alive,” Smith said. “But I don’t know. They don’t see anybody that much.”
Smith recalled how Cory would tag along to his famous father’s golf trips when he was a youngster.
“Chris was an avid golfer, and so when he used to come, he lived in Florida, Fort Lauderdale, when he used to come to visit his dad, he would bring his clubs, because I would take them,” he said.
“We would play golf together, and John wouldn’t play golf. John did play golf at one time, but he would just ride along with us.”
While Chris had largely kept out of the public eye throughout his life, he made headlines in the 1980s after becoming embroiled in a bitter custody battle with his ex Tanena Love Green over their daughter, Christal Love Carson.
Throughout the trial, it was revealed that Chris had been making a living as a golf instructor — though his main source of income were handouts from his famous father.
His dad, who hosted the final “Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” episode on May 22, 1992, died in January 2005 at age 79.
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