Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

David Letterman: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Matt Damon and David Letterman are extras in 'Gilded Age' Season 4. Seriously! • Nov. 2, 2026, 10:23 AM ET (USA Today)

Facts

Born April 12, 1947 (age 79) • Indianapolis • Indiana
Awards And Honors Emmy Award • Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2017) • Kennedy Center Honors (2012)

Photos

David Letterman and Adm. Mike Mullen, 2011
Visiting U.S. troops in Iraq
President Barack Obama smiles while seated next to host David Letterman, who shows him a photograph during an interview on the Late Show set with a cityscape backdrop.
See All Images →
Jay Leno, wearing a dark suit and patterned tie, sits at his desk speaking while hosting The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at NBC Studios in Burbank, California.
Jay Leno
American comedian and writer
Bill Maher stands on stage holding a microphone, performing in a dark setting with a spotlight highlighting him.
Bill Maher
American comedian and talk-show host
Billy Crystal smiling and wearing a dark jacket over a light shirt, photographed against a dark background.
Billy Crystal
American actor, writer, and comedian
Conan O'Brien in a dark suit and purple shirt gestures with one hand while seated in front of a blue patterned background.
Conan O’Brien
American talk-show host
The Tonight Show
Johnny Carson
American comedian
Steve Martin, wearing glasses and a black tuxedo with a bow tie, smiles while posing at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills.
Steve Martin
American actor and writer
Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett
American comedian and actress
Funny man
Seth Meyers
American comedian and television host
Stephen Colbert stands in a suit, looking toward the audience on the set of The Late Show, with the show's logo visible on the front of the desk behind him.
Stephen Colbert
American actor and comedian
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
American comedian, writer, and director
Jimmy Kimmel in a suit smiles slightly while attending an outdoor event, with blurred people and colors in the background.
Jimmy Kimmel
American talk-show host, producer, and comedian
Ellen DeGeneres sits smiling on a white chair with a bouquet of flowers in front, hosting The Ellen DeGeneres Show, with green plants and white orchids in the background.
Ellen DeGeneres
American comedian and television host
Dave Chappelle smiling in a close-up portrait, wearing a green shirt and a dark jacket with a fur-trimmed hood.
Dave Chappelle
American comedian and actor
Bob Newhart stands smiling with arms open in his home office, surrounded by posters and photographs on wood-paneled walls, September 1, 1972.
Bob Newhart
American actor and comedian
Jonathan Winters, wearing a dark suit and tie, smiles while seated in front of a swirling, abstract black and white background, circa 1968.
Jonathan Winters
American comedian
John Oliver
John Oliver
English-American comedian and writer
Byron Allen, 2023
Byron Allen
American comedian, producer, and businessman
Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan
American comedian, actor, and podcaster
Arsenio Hall wearing a purple striped tie, lavender shirt, and black vest, gesturing with both hands while standing in front of a blue and white NBC Universal backdrop.
Arsenio Hall
American actor, comedian, and producer
Taylor Tomlinson
Taylor Tomlinson
American comedian and television host