About
Jay Leno, born James Douglas Muir Leno on April 28, 1950, in New Rochelle, New York, and raised in Andover, Massachusetts, is an American television host and comedian. He earned a bachelor's degree in speech therapy from Emerson College in 1973, where he founded a comedy club. He first appeared on The Tonight Show in 1977 and became the permanent guest host in 1987. He hosted The Tonight Show from 1992 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2014. He won two Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series in 1995. In 2014, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. An avid car collector, he owns about 286 vehicles and hosted Jay Leno's Garage.
* 1950-04-28
Major works
- Leading with My Chin (1996)memoir
- If Roast Beef Could Flychildren's book
- Jay Leno's Garage (2015)television show
- You Bet Your Life (2021)television show
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)television show
Key milestones
- 1973Earns a degree in speech therapy from Emerson College.
- 1992Becomes host of The Tonight Show.
- 2014Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
Themes
HumorAutomobilesTelevisionStand-up comedyCollecting
Sources: televisionacademy.com · kennedy-center.org · britannica.com