Jack Paar was only host of The Tonight Show from 1950 to 1955.
Jack Harold Paar ( May 1 , 1918 -- January 27 , 2004 ) was an American author , radio and television comedian and talk show host , best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962 . The Tonight Show . It has had six official hosts , beginning with Steve Allen ( 1954 -- 57 ) , followed by Jack Paar ( 1957 -- 62 ) , Johnny Carson ( 1962 -- 92 ) , Jay Leno ( 1992 -- 2009 , 2010 -- 14 ) , Conan O'Brien ( 2009 -- 10 ) , and Jimmy Fallon ( 2014 -- present ) .