Editing Doc Severinsen (section)

==''The Tonight Show'' and other television appearances==
In 1949, Severinsen landed a job as a studio musician for [[NBC]], where he accompanied [[Steve Allen]], [[Eddie Fisher]], [[Dinah Shore]], and [[Kate Smith]], and was a member of the original band for ''[[Tonight Starring Steve Allen]]'', and was the soloist playing the closing theme. He left the show with Allen in 1957.<ref name="Jackovich" /> The leader of [[The Tonight Show Band]], [[Skitch Henderson]], asked him to return as first-chair trumpeter in 1962 for what had become ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]'', and five years later, after [[Milton Delugg]], Severinsen was leading the band.<ref name=docseverinsen/>

Under Severinsen's direction, The Tonight Show Band, styled the NBC Orchestra, became perhaps the best known [[big band]] in America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Flash|work=SPIN|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kYhJL9bSu1YC&pg=PT17|date=June 1992|publisher=SPIN Media|page=17|volume=8|issue=3|issn=0886-3032}}</ref> Severinsen became one of the most popular bandleaders, appearing almost every night on television. He led the band during commercials and while guests were introduced. He joked with [[Johnny Carson]], the show's host, and developed an amusing habit of wearing gaudy clothing.<ref name="Huey" />

The show introduced a comic "Stump the Band" segment in which audience members called out the titles of obscure songs to see if the band could play them. Severinsen often cried "key of E", his signal for the band to strike up a western theme, and then he would enthusiastically sing a [[country music]]-flavored nonsense song.

Severinsen substituted for [[Ed McMahon]] on occasions when Ed was absent as Carson's announcer and sidekick. He typically assumed this role when the show featured a guest host, which became increasingly frequent during the program's later years. [[Tommy Newsom]] was usually the band's substitute director when Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for McMahon. The sidekick role was omitted from the show when Leno guest hosted (it was discontinued altogether after Leno replaced Carson permanently). While Leno guest hosted for Carson, Severinsen typically introduced Leno and led the band while interacting with Leno in a similar manner to his interactions with Carson and McMahon.

Doc continued as bandleader until Carson's retirement in May 1992. Doc, along with Tommy Newsom and Ed Shaughnessy, appeared on the January 31, 2005 episode of ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' performing "[[Here's That Rainy Day]]" in honor of Johnny Carson, who died on January 23 of that same year. He appeared on [[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon|Jimmy Fallon's ''Tonight Show'']] in February 2015 when the show traveled to Los Angeles for a week. He played for the evening with [[The Roots]]. The appearance helped to promote his nationwide tour.

Through the 1970s to the 1990s Severinsen also made appearances on ''[[Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In]]'', ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[The Bionic Woman]]'', ''[[Cheers]]'' and ''[[The Larry Sanders Show]]'', among others.