Johnny Carson’s son, Chris Carson, dies at 74

Johnny CarsonElder son, Christopher Carson, has died.

According to Howard Smith, a close friend of the late TV host, Chris died earlier this year at the age of 74.

During a behavior on Nostalgia tonight Podcast Hosted by Joe Sibilia on Monday June 2, Smith revealed that he learned about Chris’s death two months ago from Johnny’s nephew, Jeff Sotzing.

“When John died, I tried to keep communication with Chris,” Smith explained. “I moved and bought a house outside Fort Lauderdale. And at this golf club I joined, I told the guys: ‘You know Chris Carson?’ The guy said, “Oh yes, he is a member here.” And I go, “Oh God.” ”

He continued: “When I went to this show that Jeff took on John, and it was a fantastic, two hour show that he did for about 100 people, and I said,” So Jeff, what happens to Chris? “And he looks at me, walking, ‘Howard, Chris died just last week.’ ‘Really?’ I go, “Oh no.”

The Tonight show Legend shared three sons with his First wife, Joan “Jody” Morrill Wolcott: Chris, born 1950; Rick, born 1951; and Cory, born in 1953. But Rick suddenly died at the age of 39 in a car accident on June 21, 1991.

“Cory is still alive,” Smith noted. “But I don’t know. They don’t see anyone so much.”

When it comes to his own relationship with Chris, Smith said that they built a band when he was going to join Johnny’s Golf Trips when he was younger.

“Chris was an avid golfer, and so when he used to come, he lived in Florida, Fort Lauderdale, when he used to come to visit his dad, he would bring his clubs, because I would take them,” he recalled. “We would play golf together, and John would not play golf. John played golf at once, but he would just go with us.”

Never miss a story – register for People’s free daily newsletters Keeping up to date on the best of what people have to offer, from celebrity news to compelling stories of human interest.

Chris most recently made headlines in the 1980s after he and his long-term girlfriend, Tanena Love Green, welcomed a daughter, Christal Love Carson. They shared shortly after and went through a very public The court’s struggle for child support.

The trial revealed that Chris worked as a golf instructor, and his primary financial support came from his father, who bought him cars and a home, along with $ 35,000 a year.

He and Cory have both stayed outside the limelight since then. After Johnny died in 2005, his loved ones highlighted his desire for his family to live a privacy.

Sootzing evenly told people then Sharing memories with the public “would be the last thing Johnny would like any of us to do. He wanted his work to speak for him. That’s what he would like me to tell you. Let his work speak for him.”

Cory added by him and Chris: “We must have it inherited the privacy gene. “