Meet Johnny Carson's three sons: inside his family's private life now amid tragedy | HELLO! (2025)

During his lifetime, Carson was married four times, with the first three of those ending in long and acrimonious divorces (his last marriage to Alexis Maas lasted until his death in 2005). However, he only welcomed children with his first wife, Jody Wolcott.

Here's what you need to know about Johnny Carson's three sons now…

Christopher "Chris" Carson was the oldest of Johnny's three sons, born in November 1950. He kept out of the spotlight, just like his younger siblings, although joined his father for some of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson's final broadcasts in 1992.

Chris attracted attention in the '80s after his split from long-term girlfriend Tanena Love Green resulted in a very public trial for child support over their daughter Christal. The trial records revealed he was a golf instructor but was primarily financially supported by his father, who paid him $35,000 annually.

During a recent appearance on the podcast Nostalgia Tonight, family friend Howard Smith revealed that Chris died earlier this year at the age of 74, sharing that he was an avid golfer and reportedly living in Florida at the time of his death.

Kim Arthur "Ricky" Carson was born in June 1952, and was a US Navy man like his father. After his return from the Navy, he pursued his passion for art and became a professional photographer.

Tragically, Ricky died at the age of 39 in 1991 in a road accident. Per police reports from the time, he was taking photos on California's Central Coast before accidentally falling from an embankment.

Johnny reportedly did not attend his son's memorial service so as not to draw attention, but addressed his loss upon returning to his talk show weeks later. "He had a laugh that was contagious as could be. Luckily, he left some marvelous memories for the whole family, and that's what you kind of hang on to," he shared.

Barry William "Cory" Carson, born in November 1953, is the youngest of the late night host's sons, and as of 2025, his only surviving son.

Not much is known about Cory's life now, save for the fact that he is a classical guitarist and recording artist. After his father's passing, a statement he'd shared alongside other members of the family explained that they all preferred to lead private lives.

Howard Smith shared a bit of insight into Cory's life now during his podcast appearance, simply saying: "Cory is still alive. But I don't know. They don't see anybody that much."