text: The longest-serving host to date was Carson , who hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 seasons , from the fall of 1962 through the spring of 1992 .
simplified: In 1962 , Johnny Carson took over and stayed until 1992 , with announcer Ed McMahon as co-host . Carson and McMahon retired from The Tonight Show in 1992 , when Jay Leno became host .