The Late Shift

The Late Shift is a 1996 American TV movie produced by HBO based on the book by Bill Carter. The movie follows the behind-the-scenes network politics responsible for late-night programming leading up to — and after — the retirement of Johnny Carson (played by Rich Little) from The Tonight Show on NBC in 1992. Jay Leno (Daniel Roebuck) and David Letterman (John Michael Higgins) both vie for the position, but Leno's tough manager, Helen Kushnick (K... more

The Late Shift is a 1996 American TV movie produced by HBO based on the book by Bill Carter. The movie follows the behind-the-scenes network politics responsible for late-night programming leading up to — and after — the retirement of Johnny Carson (played by Rich Little) from The Tonight Show on NBC in 1992. Jay Leno (Daniel Roebuck) and David Letterman (John Michael Higgins) both vie for the position, but Leno's tough manager, Helen Kushnick (Kathy Bates), secures the spot for him. In the wake of some of her more fierce tactics, she is pushed out of her job as The Tonight Show executive producer and dropped by Leno as his personal manager. Letterman, devastated by his being passed over, brings in superagent Mike Ovitz (Treat Williams) to negotiate on his behalf, resulting in his move to CBS. The movie was nominated for seven Emmy Awards in 1996, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie. However it won in no categories. Kathy Bates won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award. The movie... less