Discover Images of Over 30 Iconic Figures from the Past Whose Faces You Might Not Recall

JAY LENO | BORN 1950

Hailing from New Rochelle, New York, and raised in Andover, Massachusetts, Jay Leno completed his tertiary education with a speech therapy degree from Emerson College. It was during his time at college that he began to explore comedy, leading to the establishment of his own comedy club in 1973. Before Leno became a household name on television, he pursued stand-up comedy.

By 1986, he had begun to carve out a niche for himself as a late-night talk show host, often filling in for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” He took over as the show’s permanent host in 1992, a position he held until 2009 and again from 2010 to 2014. Post his tenure on “The Tonight Show,” Leno shifted gears to indulge his passion for automobiles, hosting “Jay Leno’s Garage” since 2014.