Les Crane

Les Crane
Crane on the set of his television talk show, 1964
Born
Lesley Gary Stein

(1933-12-03)December 3, 1933
New York City, U.S.
DiedJuly 13, 2008(2008-07-13) (aged 74)
Alma materTulane University
Known forTalk-show host
SpousesFive marriages, including:
  • (m. 1966; div. 1971)
  • Ginger Crane
    (m. 1988)
ChildrenCaprice Crane

Les Crane (born Lesley Stein; December 3, 1933 – July 13, 2008) was a radio announcer and television talk show host, a pioneer in interactive broadcasting who also scored a spoken word hit with his 1971 recording of the poem Desiderata, winning a "Best Spoken Word" Grammy. He was the first network television personality to compete with Johnny Carson after Carson became a fixture of late-night television.