Richard “Dick” Cavett is a former American television talk show host known for his conversational style and in-depth discussion of issues. He was born in Gibson, Nebraska and directed a live Saturday-morning radio show in eighth grade. Before leaving for college, he worked as a caddy and began doing magic shows for $35 a night.
Cavett attended Yale University, appearing in and directing dramas on the campus radio station. He was a copyboy at Time when he wrote some jokes and gave them to Jack Paar, then host of The Tonight Show, and was hired as a talent coordinator. Cavett continued as a writer after Johnny Carson took over. Cavett began a brief career as a stand-up comedian in 1964 and went on to host a special that received good reviews.
This led to the morning version of The Dick Cavett Show in 1968 which he hosted intermittently in various formats and on various TV and radio networks. Cavett has been nominated for 11 Emmy Awards and won three. His most well—remembered talk show incarnation aired on ABC form 1969 to 1974. His show often featured controversial interviews on taboo subjects that most other talk show hosts avoided.
