Johnny Carson once let his reckless ways get him in some major hot water with the wrong man. One stupid mistake nearly cost the popular late-night host more than just his reputation. It set off the city’s most dangerous men. Luckily, Carson had a good friend in Frank Sinatra, who was willing to put his neck on the line.
Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan’s Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, written by writer Mark Malkoff, reveals some Hollywood tea. That night, Carson was in Jilly’s Saloon. One too many drinks, and the boozed-up TV icon got a little too reckless. He crossed the line when he chose to make a move on the wrong woman.
Not just any woman, the girlfriend of a deadly mobster by the name of Joseph “Crazy Joe” Gallo. According to the National Examiner, once Gallo found out that Carson had the nerve to insult him and his woman, he was so angry that he instantly called for revenge.
He ordered a violent hit on Johnny Carson. letting everyone know that the TV icon was a “dead man.” Gallo allegedly sent two men out looking for Carson. His orders were brutal enough that they would have made Tony Soprano look like a teddy bear. Simply, “Find him, beat him to the ground, cut his [expletive] off, and stick it in his mouth.”
Johnny Cash Owed Frank Sinatra Big For a Life-Saving Favor
That is, until a close friend stepped in and saved not only the day, but Johnny’s life. Carson’s saving grace was Frank Sinatra. Lucky for Johnny Carson that Sinatra happened to be the one man in Hollywood who carried enough sway to pull off a serious favor request with the mob.
The decades-old story claims Frank found out about the situation and stepped in before things took a deadly turn. He invited Gallo and his family to one of his shows, giving them the royal treatment.
Following the show, Gallo wanted to know how he could repay Sinatra’s kindness. So Sinatra jumped on the opportunity and asked the mobster to give “Johnny Carson” a lucky break. That single favor was enough to get the hit called off. Gallo agreed to Frank’s request but not without letting Sinatra know that Johnny Carson’s life now depended entirely on him.
So if this legendary tale is accurate, it shows just how much pull Frank Sinatra really carried. For Johnny Carson, it was more than just bad judgment. It was a harsh look into reality that reminded him throughout his years just how close he had come to danger. And who truly had his back. In the end, Sinatra not only saved his friend from a Hollywood scandal, but he also saved his life.
