The Tragic Death Of Johnny Carson's Brother, Dick Carson

Fans and family of Dick Carson are mourning, as news broke the director died back in December 2021.

Dick's claim to fame came from his decades working in the entertainment industry, starting with a career in radio in Nebraska, according to Variety. The celeb then moved to San Diego, switching gears into television, and working his way up the ladder until he began directing commercials and local news programming. After spending some time in Los Angeles directing children's shows, Dick moved to New York in the 1960s to direct his brother Johnny Carson's new show, "The Tonight Show." Dick finally left his brother at "The Tonight Show" seven years later to take on an ABC variety show hosted by Don Rickles, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Dick continued to add to his resume of hit shows with "Get Smart," "The Sammy Davis Jr. Show," "The Merv Griffin Show," and "Wheel of Fortune." Dick retired in 1999 with five Emmys under his belt.

In a statement released by his family, loved ones announced the death of television director Dick Carson, who died on December 19, 2021.

Dick died "peacefully at his home in Studio City, CA," according to his family, "after a brief illness." While the exact cause of death was not revealed, Dick was surrounded by family at the time of his death. "The family wishes to thank Teri David and Anna Santy, who, during the past several months, brought music and laughter, along with their kind, loving care, to Dick and his family," read the statement.

Back in 2015, Dick opened up about his career in a series of interviews for the Directors Guild of America, including the years he spent directing his brother Johnny Carson's show, "The Tonight Show," in the late 1960s. "[Johnny] was my hero, you know," the director said. "He got into magic very early, very early. And got into it and started doing magic shows for different places. I would go along and carry the luggage or bring in the props and things like that."