The original producer was
Bob Stewart, a veteran quiz-show creator who had enlisted Letterman as a panelist on
Pyramid from 1978 onward. However, due to creative differences, Stewart left the show four days before its premiere, and production of the first several shows fell to head writer
Merrill Markoe, who acted as the show's
de facto producer despite having absolutely no prior experience in the role. Much more comfortable as a writer than as producer, Markoe stayed aboard as the show's head writer for the entire run of the series but was succeeded as producer by Barry Sand. Sand joined the show on July 15 and remained at the helm for the rest of its run; Sand would later return to working with Letterman as producer for the first five years of
Late Night.
Michael McDonald of the
Doobie Brothers wrote the opening theme of the show. After the first month,
Hal Gurnee began directing the show; he'd remain Letterman's director through the mid-1990's.
Biff Henderson was the stage manager, a role he served for the next 35 years of Letterman's career. The writing staff initially consisted of
Merrill Markoe (head writer),
Valri Bromfield,
Rich Hall, Harold Kimmel,
Edie McClurg,
Gerard Mulligan, Paul Raley,
Wil Shriner,
Bob Sarlatte and Ed Subitsky. (Bromfield, McClurg, Kimmel, and Sarlatte left before the show's end; added to the staff through the run were Ron Richards,
Gary Jacobs and Letterman himself, not credited as a writer on early episodes.) All the writers appeared on camera, some fairly frequently. Seen most often, usually in character (when not on as themselves) being interviewed by Dave, were: •
Edie McClurg as regular correspondent Mrs. Marv Mendenhall, a housewife who shared various tips, advice and opinions with Dave and the audience. McClurg was also seen in the recurring roles of Dot Duncan; one of the Timkie sisters; and a 105-year-old version of herself. •
Valri Bromfield as confused teen Debbie Smith; intense, no-nonsense Mrs. Bjorkman; one of The Timkie Sisters; singer Lila DeGay, and other characters. •
Paul Raley as paranoid ex-FBI agent P.J. Rails, and other characters. •
Rich Hall, as himself, using plastic toys to present recreations of news events in the (fictional) town of Pitkinville, Montana. •
Will Shriner, also as himself, usually presenting a short film. •
Ed Subitzky as an unnamed character who would be announced as a well-known celebrity (e.g.,
Gary Coleman,
Suzanne Somers,
Donna Summer), but—after appearing on stage—would then almost immediately embarrassedly confess to NOT being that celebrity, but just a guy who wanted to get on TV. (this bit was reprised on early episodes of
Late Night with David Letterman.) •
Bob Sarlette was the announcer for the first six weeks, and also occasionally interacted with Dave in conversations and desk bits. Familiar bits that became staples of Letterman's comedy on his later shows were originally introduced on this show. They include: "Small Town News", "Stupid Pet Tricks", and an ever-changing non-sequitur opening introduction immediately before Letterman is seen on camera. Because Letterman owned the rights to
The David Letterman Show, he was able to claim ownership of all the sketches that originally aired on it; this would prove valuable in 1993, when Letterman left NBC to launch
The Late Show on
CBS. NBC wanted to claim that much of the work he did on
Late Night was the property of NBC, but because those sketches were carryovers from
The David Letterman Show, he was allowed to take them to CBS. The production staff consisted of George Callahan, Kim Carney, Lee B. Chernick,
Barbara Gaines,
Edd Hall, Tim Holton, Brian J. McAloon, Meg Mortimer, Dency Nelson, and
David Reale. Edd Hall (later the announcer on
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno) and
Late Show producer
Barbara Gaines were both
production assistants.
Bob Sarlatte was succeeded partway through the run by
Bill Wendell, who also announced on Dave's next two shows until leaving the show in 1995. The news producer was Alan Mohan, and the news writer was Nick Allen. Bill Kelley was the technical director. The musical director was Frank Owens who led the "David Letterman Symphony Orchestra" (actually a four-person combo) and interacted with Letterman. Longtime NBC newsman
Edwin Newman provided live news updates in the studio during each broadcast in the 90-minute version of the series; studio audience members often interrupted his reporting with applause, laughter or groans, as if Newman were an anchor on
Saturday Night Live's "
Weekend Update". The program was produced by Space Age Meats, a precursor to Letterman's later production company,
Worldwide Pants Incorporated. ==Guests==