All 6 Tonight Show hosts, ranked from worst to best

The Tonight Show is the longest running talk show of all time. It's been airing regularly since 1954. It's two decades older than the man who's currently hosting it. There have been six men who have gotten a chance to sit behind the desk at The Tonight Show (at least, consistently), and several of them rank among the most famous TV personalities of all time.

As such, we thought it'd be fun to go through the history of the show and determine which host was the best and which was the worst. Some of these takes are going to be polarizing, but that's all part of the fun. Let's begin at the bottom.

6. Jimmy Fallon (2014-)

Jimmy Fallon is a gifted impressionist, and he was a memorable cast member on Saturday Night Live. He brings the right kind of energy to the skits and games he plays with his Tonight Show guests. He is the worst host in the show's history, however.

Fallon is not a particularly good host, as we discussed in our big 4 ranking, and the reports that he's a behind the scenes terror to his staffers doesn't boost his case. He has stiff competition historically, and he simply doesn't size up.

5. Steve Allen (1954-57)

Steve Allen was the first man to host The Tonight Show. He was a wildly successful comedian and TV personality in his day, so his placement this low on the list doesn't reflect his talent. Rather, it reflects the briefness of his Tonight Show stint.

Steve Allen split hosting duties with comedian Ernie Kovacs during the 1956-57 season, and then proceeded to leave when NBC gave him his own variety program, The Steve Allen Show. Allen had his sights set on more than just the Tonight Show, so his impact is ultimately less significant than those who followed.

4. Conan O'Brien (2009-10)

Conan O'Brien is the most naturally funny person on the list. He's a generational late night talent who did his thing on multiple shows before being given his dream job in 2009. Then, due to NBC schedule tampering and Jay Leno shenanigans, Conan decided to step down from The Tonight Show after less than a year.

It's painful to put Conan underneath Jay Leno on this list, but Leno simply had the consistency and the longevity. Conan wasn't around long to bolster his Tonight Show legacy, even if he proved he had the skill to do so elsewhere.

3. Jay Leno (1992-2009, 2010-14)

Jay Leno stock is not high these days. Well, it hasn't really been high in decades. He's generally seen as a villain in the comedy world, due to the way he seemingly nabbed The Tonight Show gig from two of his far more beloved peers: David Letterman and Conan O'Brien.

The first stint of Leno's Tonight Show tenure was well-received. Leno is, of course, a talented comic. It was when he effectively bullied O'Brien out of the host position he gave him, however, and then took it back, that he ceded ground on this list. Tough to have a guy like that in the top two.

2. Jack Paar (1957-1962)

Steve Allen is a legendary TV host in his own right, but Jack Paar did more to establish The Tonight Show format. He served as host from 1957 to 1962, and in that time, he implemented practices that are still active today. Paar's guests were a mixture of celebrities, scholars, and politicians.

He was able to handle each of them with ease and a comedic lightness. He also started the practice of bringing in guest hosts in his absence (one of whom was a young Johnny Carson). Paar left the show on his own volition following a controversial joke, but his reputation remains glowing.

1. Johnny Carson (1962-1992)

Johnny Carson is late night TV incarnate. He's the golden standard, the hosting equivalent of the Beatles. And he did it longer than anybody else. Carson held down the Tonight Show desk for an astonishing three decades, between 1962 and 1992.

In that time, he developed a comedic persona that was memorable without being distracting, and funny without being overbearing. It all just seemed so natural, and every host that has followed him, on the Tonight Show or otherwise, has had to find their own footing in his shadow.