Dick Carson, Director. Norfolk, NE
The younger brother of late night television legend Johnny Carson, Richard Carson (known as “Dickâ€) is a five-time Emmy-winning director of many popular shows including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show and Wheel of Fortune.
In 1934, the Carson family moved from Corning, Iowa, to Norfolk, Nebraska. Dick Carson graduated from Norfolk High School in 1947, attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and then entered the U.S. Navy. Eventually, he was stationed in Southern California, just down the road from Los Angeles where older brother Johnny was working on his own local TV show. When his stint in the service ended, Dick traveled north to L.A. where he landed a job directing The Soupy Sales Show.  After Johnny got his break in 1962, he asked his brother to join the team as a director.
By 1978, Dick was juggling directing roles on both Wheel of Fortune and The Merv Griffin Show. When Griffin’s show ended in 1986, after 15 years and 3,600 episodes, Dick turned his full attention to Wheel of Fortune.  And in 2000, after more than 5,000 Wheel of Fortune episodes, Dick retired from the business. He now makes his home in California with wife Karlyn.
AWARDS
- Won Daytime Emmy for Best Individual Director for a Talk, Service or Variety Program (1974). The Merv Griffin Show.
- Won Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Direction for a Variety Show (1983). The Merv Griffin Show.
- Won Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Talk/Service Show (1985). The Merv Griffin Show.
- Won Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Direction in a Game or Audience Participation Show (1986). Wheel of Fortune.
- Won Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Game or Audience Participation Show (1997). Wheel of Fortune.
- Plus an additional 12 nominations.
IMDb:Â http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0141225/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm