Who was the first host of The Tonight Show?

2024 marks 70 years since The Tonight Show first hit the airwaves, making it the world's longest-running talk show. That’s pretty impressive for a show that has essentially relied on screwball comedy and puns the entire time.

Generations of viewers have been entertained on NBC following the nightly news with the show’s format changing very little over that run. Sure, current host Jimmy Fallon — who’s been on the job for over a decade now — has brought some of his patented games and silliness, but if you were to go back and watch an episode from those early days, it honestly wouldn’t feel that different.

We all have our favorite host, but only one started it all. Who was the very first host of The Tonight Show?