When we say Yvonne Craig, you probably hear “Batgirl,” don’t you? Synonymous with the superhero, Craig had no choice but to appear in full costume and character on “The Merv Griffin Show” on September 5th, 1967. Not breaking character, Craig used her interview to advocate for women’s rights, putting an emphasis on equal pay.
In one commercial, Batman and Robin were in need of saving, but Batgirl refused to release them. This was an act of protest, seeing as Craig was paid less than Robin. Throughout her career, Yvonne Craig was a symbol of female empowerment and remained one to this day.
Carol Wayne
Carol Wayne used her popularity to become one of the most adored talk show sidekicks in television history. Though she appeared in several television shows and movies, her best-known gig was that of the ditzy Matinee Lady on "The Tonight Show"'s Art Fern Tea Time Movie sketches. Wayne appeared in over 100 shows during a thirteen-year run.
Unfortunately, when the show was cut to an hour, Wayne's role declined, sending her through a downward spiral. Wayne found herself making bad business choices, dealing with addiction, and getting herself into a lot of financial trouble. She was such a talented individual.
Whitney Houston
One of the most famous names and voices of our time, Whitney Houston, is one of the best-selling female artists of all time. She's sold over 200 million albums worldwide and is the bestowed female singer to date. She was no stranger to celebrity chat shows and this image was from one of the very best.
In 1990 Jay Leno had the pleasure of congratulating the singer on breaking the Beatles' long-standing record of number-one hits. During her memorable interview on "The Tonight Show," she took both the live studio audiences and the audiences at home breaths away when she performed "I'm Your Baby Tonight."
Judy Landers
Celebrities meeting their celebrity crushes is pretty meta if you ask us. When Judy Landers made an appearance on "The Tonight Show" in 1979, she disclosed that meeting him was a dream come true. The reason? She had a crush on Carson. Now would you believe that?
Landers was in the midst of her time as Stacks from "BJ and the Bear" when she sat down for an interview with the late-night host. When questioned about her ability to drive a semi-truck, Landers answered confidently, letting the host and audiences know she could drive a big rig. What a cool gal!
Diane Lane
When Diane Lane appeared on "The Tonight Show," she had just turned 18. She was on the segment promoting the film adaptation of "Rumble Fish" and, after being introduced, would not kiss Carson on the cheek. Seriously, do you blame her for declining?
Seeing as he was forty years older than her at the time, her decision seemed pretty justifiable. When Carson asked Lane what she had done to celebrate her 18th birthday, she noted that she had spent most of the day doing laundry. Knowing Carson's long history of innuendoes, we're guessing he was looking for something a little juicier.