Jay Leno

Jay Leno

ProducerWriterActor
Born
April 28, 1950
Awards
6 wins, 33 nominations

Jay Leno began his career in night clubs, where he worked 300 nights a year before hitting it big in 1992 with his own late-night talk show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992). By that time he had appeared on television, acted in a few films (American Hot Wax (1978)) but hit paydirt with his…

Biography

Jay Leno began his career in night clubs, where he worked 300 nights a year before hitting it big in 1992 with his own late-night talk show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992). By that time he had appeared on television, acted in a few films (American Hot Wax (1978)) but hit paydirt with his late-night television appearances (he made a record number of visits to [error]); for several years, he served as Johnny Carson's permanent guest host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). A big, sweet guy with a very good comedy routine, he vied with David Letterman to inherit Carson's seat when Johnny retired in 1992. His victory was well-publicized, but empty, though he did gain a measure of revenge when his show beat Letterman's for the Emmy in 1995. Though he consistently lost in the ratings to Letterman except on special occasions, like Hugh Grant's first TV appearance after his encounter with Divine Brown, he surged ahead in 1996, as CBS plunged further into oblivion.

Actor

Shifting GearsShifting Gears(2025)as Jay Leno
Mr. ThrowbackMr. Throwback(2024)as Jay Leno
Midas ManMidas Man(2024)as Ed Sullivan
Bug TherapyBug Therapy(2023)as Fly
Boundless: Betty SkeltonBoundless: Betty Skelton(2022)as Historian

Self

Come What MayCome What May(2026)as Self - Interviewee
Jay Leno's GarageJay Leno's Garage(2006)as Self - Host, Self - Presenter, Self
TodayToday(1952)as Self, Self - Guest, Self - Guest - Comedian, Self - Guest 4th Hour Co-Host, Self - Guest Host
DAZN F1DAZN F1(2019)as Self - Spectator Paddock
Formula 1Formula 1(1950)as Self - Spectator

Archive Footage

Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight(1981)as Self, Self - Host
Alejandro Sanz: When No One Sees MeAlejandro Sanz: When No One Sees Me(2026)as Self
TV We LoveTV We Love(2025)as Self
Being EddieBeing Eddie(2025)as Self - Host, The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno
The Whole Story with Anderson CooperThe Whole Story with Anderson Cooper(2023)as Self - Host, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Archive Sound

Too Many Tabs - der PodcastToo Many Tabs - der Podcast(2022)as Self, Self - Host

Known for

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Photos 197

Eddie Murphy and Jay Leno in Being Eddie (2025)Paul Reubens and Jay Leno in Pee-wee as Himself (2025)Jay Leno in Saturday Night Live (1975)Jay Leno in Wild 'N Out (2005)Jay Leno and Dennis Gage in My Classic Car (1997)Jay Leno and Dennis Gage in My Classic Car (1997)

Credit Score: Jay Leno

987654
199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018
Jay Limo
Fri Jun 09 2006
#NameScoreYearWinNomKnownWinsNomsVotes
1Cars7.5020067.302535578
2Contact4.5019977.501313184
3John Q3.7520027.100153654
4Wag the Dog3.7519987.10293411
5Ice Age: The Meltdown3.0020066.800318091
6Space Cowboys2.5020006.50191194
7Edtv2.5019996.10046778
8Dave2.5019936.90160307
9First Daughter2.3820045.20031466
10Micmacs1.5020107.10032111