Later (talk show)
A half-hour late-night talk show on NBC.
Later is an American late-night talk show that aired on NBC from 1988 to 2001. It originally occupied the 1:30 a.m. time slot four nights a week, following Late Night with David Letterman and later Late Night with Conan O'Brien. The show is notable for having been hosted by Bob Costas, Greg Kinnear, various guest hosts, and Cynthia Garrett, who became the first African-American woman to host a network late-night show.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 30 minutes
- Creator
- Dick Ebersol
- Presenter
- Bob Costas (1988–1994)
- Greg Kinnear (1994–1996)
- Guest hosts (1996–2000)
- Cynthia Garrett (2000–2001)
- Country
- United States
- Network
- NBC
- First aired
- 22 August 1988
- Last aired
- 18 January 2001
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The show won the 1993 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series.
- It was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Title Sequences in 1989.
- A 1990 interview of Chris Evert by Bob Costas appears in the film Unlawful Entry.
History
In 1988, NBC decided to resume original programming in the 1:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday slot, which had been vacant since the cancellation of NBC News Overnight in late fall 1983. During that period, local affiliates either signed off or programmed the time themselves. NBC sportscaster Bob Costas was announced in late February 1988 as the host of a new program set to debut in August of that year. Costas, then 36, had been with NBC Sports for nearly a decade, serving as studio host of the NFL Live! pre-game show and handling play-by-play for baseball telecasts alongside Tony Kubek, as well as occasional NCAA basketball telecasts. A month after his hosting announcement, he was also appointed to host NBC's late-night coverage of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Outside NBC, since November 1986, he had hosted Costas Coast to Coast, a nationally-syndicated Sunday night radio interview show. Since 1983, he had made regular appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, often as a straight man sportscaster for absurd comedy pieces. According to Costas, Letterman suggested to former NBC executive Dick Ebersol that Costas could host a late-night talk show, and Ebersol, though not formally part of NBC management, retained influence through his friendship with NBC entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Later (talk show) first air?
Later first aired on 22 August 1988.
When did Later (talk show) end?
Later last aired on 18 January 2001.
More in 2000s American Late-night Television Series
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