For more than five decades, families across the United States have welcomed a slate of CBS late-night shows into their living rooms, bedrooms and — thanks to smartphones and tablets — even bathrooms.
But CBS said on Thursday that it was getting out of the late-night television business by canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” when the host’s contract ends in May. Executives at the network said in a joint statement that the decision was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
(In March, the network canceled “After Midnight,” a late-night comedy panel game show hosted by Taylor Tomlinson.)
During Thursday’s taping of “The Late Show,” when Colbert announced the news, he said that he empathized with the boos from the audience and that he had the pleasure of working on the show for the past 10 years.
“And let me tell you, it is a fantastic job,” he said. “I wish somebody else was getting it.”
Here is a brief history of CBS’s late-night television eras.
‘The Merv Griffin Show’ (1969-72)
When CBS announced that it had hired Merv Griffin to host a late-night show beginning in 1969, the host’s syndicated talk show, also called “The Merv Griffin Show,” had already been around for several years and was a successful staple on more than 140 stations.
The network’s decision to enter the late-night landscape was unsurprising given the success of NBC’s long-established “Tonight Show” starring Johnny Carson, who had succeeded Steve Allen and Jack Paar. Griffin’s show was expected to earn close to $40 million in network revenue annually.
The CBS version of “The Merv Griffin Show” lasted three seasons and featured a variety of outspoken guests. But in the end, The New York Times called the partnership a “flop.”
‘The Pat Sajak Show’ (1989-90)
After a lengthy late-night hiatus, CBS made the strategic move to compete with Carson’s show through “The Pat Sajak Show,” led by the host of “Wheel of Fortune.” Sajak brought a round of monologues, celebrity interviews, musical guests and comedy sketches.
A Times review of the show’s debut in January 1989 said it made “no attempt to conceal its role model” and took jabs at Sajak’s appearance. “Physically, Mr. Sajak is almost eerily ordinary,” the review said. “His haircut suggests Yale 1958. From certain angles, he resembles Frank Gorshin doing an impersonation of Dan Quayle.”
About nine months into the show’s run, CBS announced it would shorten the 90-minute episodes to one hour; months later the network canceled the show altogether. The Times wrote that “The Pat Sajak Show” was largely considered a failure after it never managed to lure viewers from Carson.
‘Late Show With David Letterman’ (1993-2015)
For 11 years on NBC, “Late Night With David Letterman” revolutionized the format largely by making fun of its conventions. It also made Letterman the most obvious candidate to take over “The Tonight Show” when Carson, his idol, announced in 1991 that he would retire the following year. When the network gave the job to Jay Leno instead, CBS scooped up Letterman. “Late Show” was born.
It debuted in August 1993, drawing millions of what The Times called “unaccustomed viewers for late-night television.” It also began a ratings war between Letterman and Leno. For more than 20 years and 4,000 episodes, Letterman was a staple on CBS, delivering his signature style of sarcastic comedy.
In his last episode in 2015, Letterman offered an enthusiastic endorsement of Colbert, who was taking over the show. “I think he’s going to do a wonderful job,” he said, “and I wish Stephen and his staff and crew nothing but the greatest success.”
‘The Late Late Show’ (1995-2023)
“The Late Late Show,” which aired after “Late Show,” went through four full-time hosts before being taken off the air in 2023.
A Times review of Tom Snyder’s debut in 1995 said the show went for the “interactive jugular.” Craig Kilborn took over in 1999, bringing an echo of “The Daily Show,” which he had hosted. Craig Ferguson became the host in 2005, and James Corden picked up the mantle in 2015, ushering in its final era.
Corden’s version of the show brought a mix of starry karaoke bits and ghoulish games that often made guests gag in disgust.
‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ (2015-2026)
Colbert took over “The Late Show” in 2015 after a successful turn as a blowhard pundit on his Comedy Central series “The Colbert Report.” After a slow start, the show began to thrive when Colbert embraced political commentary, often ruminating on the latest headlines out of Washington and hurling zingers at President Trump.
When the stock market slumped in April after the president announced new tariffs, Colbert joked: “Worst day for our economy since Covid. Just a little reminder: This time, he’s the disease.”
CBS shocked many observers when it announced that it was canceling the show after its next season. Colbert had recently criticized Paramount for agreeing to pay the president $16 million to settle a lawsuit over an interview on “60 Minutes.”