Letterman's Bill Murray highlight reel helps explain why Murray was Letterman's last guest

Bill Murray was Letterman's final guest, and here's why
(Image credit: Late Show)

Wednesday night's final episode of David Letterman's Late Show is something of a mystery. We know that late-night nemesis Jay Leno won't be appearing, but we don't know who is. That makes Letterman's final scheduled guest Bill Murray, who appeared on Tuesday's show inside a giant cake. How do you pick your final guest, after 33 years? Not by the numbers: Regis Philbin tops the most-appearances list (136), followed by Jack Hannah (75) and Tony Randall (70).

Bill Murray, with only 44 visits, probably won that lottery because he was Letterman's first guest on both Late Night, in 1982, and Late Show, in 1993. Letterman showed some highlights from those 44 appearances on Tuesday's show, and the montage points to another reason Murray was the last guest standing: He's extraordinarily fun, and goofy. And wouldn't you want that at your professional wake? Watch the good times below. —Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.