Conan O'Brien grew up in a large, Irish Catholic family in Massachusetts. At an early age, he began a love of comedy and goofing off, this carried on when he entered the prestigious Harvard University, acting out many pranks in his time, as well as become the president of the Harvard humor magazine, the Harvard Lampoon. After leaving Harvard, Conan found his way into a television writing job in LA. After jumping around on many unsuccessful shows, Conan moved out to New York to win an Emmy for his writing on SNL 25. Later, he moved on to work for The Simpsons, when SNL Executive Producer Lorne Michaels offered him the job of producer for the now vacant 12:30 slot on NBC. Conan, after searching for a new host, decided to audition for the job himself, and eventually wound up as the host of Late Night with Conan O'Brien.


"The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" (2009): $14,000,000/year (2009-10)

Worked as a warmup comic for the "The Wilton North Report" (1987). Appeared as an extra and bit player on a number of skits on "Saturday Night Live" (1975) - notably as "Sheriff Andy" in a "Twin Peaks" (1990) parody with Kyle MacLachlan, and drinking in the bar in the "Irish Drinking Songs" commercial parody. His favorite episode of "The Simpsons" (1989) is "Marge vs. the Monorail". Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, with a BA in American History & Literature. [1985] Has a golden retriever named Hudson. Lives in Manhattan's fabled West Side apartment building, the Apthorp, whose residents include Rosie O'Donnell, Steve Kroft, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Nelligan and Lena Horne. A graduate of Brookline High School. Took tap dancing lessons as a child Daughter Neve O'Brien born October 14, 2003 in New York (6 lbs., 10 oz.). Calls where he sits "The Chat Zone." Replaced David Letterman in the late night slot on NBC after Letterman left for CBS. Virtually no one thought the show, now in its 11th year, would make it. He will host "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) until 2009 when he will replace Jay Leno as host of NBC's Tonight Show. Both of his parents are of Irish descent. In the beginning season of the show, he signed a new contract every week because the network was doubtful of the show's future and his ratings. Son, Beckett O'Brien, was born on November 9, 2005 in New York City, weighing in at 8 lbs. 4 oz. When Burt Ward was asked to give a speech at Harvard about his role on "Batman" (1966), he brought the original costume, said to be valued at half a million dollars. Some students came up to him dressed as security guards and told him they would keep the costume safe. Then in the middle of the speech, one student stood up and asked, "When is a costume not a costume? When it's stolen." The lights dimmed and the students grabbed the costume and made off. After snapping pictures with one another in the cape, they later called Ward and gave the costume back. The ringleader of the gang? Harvard Lampoon editor, Conan O'Brien. For Conan, the most beautiful woman in the world is Gisele Bündchen. He had the opportunity of telling her personally this when she was a guest on his show in 2005. Son-in-law of Seattle Dixieland band-leader Jake Powel. Owns a summer home in Norfolk, Massachusetts. Met Lisa Kudrow in an acting class. They dated, and the two remain very good friends to this day. Often tries to calm his Late Night audience with the term "Cool Babies". This is a lyric from the Talking Heads song Burning Down The House. Was the last guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. At 46 years old, he is the oldest person to start hosting "The Tonight Show".