Chris Carson’s most public chapter began with his partner Tanena Love Green during a relationship that would lead to one of the 1980s’ most high-profile custody battles.
Christopher Carson, the eldest son of legendary Tonight Show host Johnny Carson, died at the age of 74 earlier this year.
Howard Smith, a longtime friend of Johnny Carson, revealed the news during an appearance on Joe Sibilia’s “Nostalgia Tonight” podcast on Monday, June 2nd.
Smith learned about Chris’s passing from Jeff Sotzing, Johnny Carson’s nephew, approximately two months prior to the podcast announcement, though no cause of death was disclosed.
Smith attempted to maintain contact with Chris following Johnny Carson’s death in 2005, but faced challenges reconnecting with him.
After relocating to Fort Lauderdale, Smith discovered that Chris was a member of the same golf club he had joined.
Despite this connection and Smith’s efforts to reach out, Chris never responded to his attempts at communication.
The tragic news came to light when Smith attended a memorial show that Jeff Sotzing organized to honor Johnny Carson.
During the event, Smith inquired about Chris’s well-being, only to learn from Sotzing that Chris had died the previous week.
This revelation shocked Smith, who had been unaware of Chris’s declining health or the circumstances leading to his death.
Chris Carson was born on November 7, 1950, as the first of three sons Johnny Carson shared with his first wife, Joan Morrill Wolcott.
His brothers were Rick, born in 1951, and Cory, born in 1953. Tragically, Rick died in a car accident in 1991 at the age of 39, leaving Chris and Cory as Johnny Carson’s surviving sons.
According to Smith, Cory remains alive but maintains a very private lifestyle, rarely seeing people.
Throughout his life, Chris chose to stay out of the public spotlight, inheriting what his brother Cory once called “the privacy gene” from their father.
He lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was an avid golfer who often accompanied his father on golf trips during his younger years.
Smith recalled how Chris would bring his golf clubs when visiting his father, and they would play together while Johnny would simply ride along, having given up playing golf himself.
Chris Carson’s Partner, Tanena Love Green, Fought For Their Daughter’s Support
Chris Carson’s most significant romantic relationship was with Tanena Love Green, a partnership that brought him into the public eye during the 1980s in ways he had successfully avoided throughout most of his life.
Green, who was 35 years old during their highly publicized court battle, lived with Chris in Florida during their long-term relationship.
The couple welcomed a daughter together in 1986, whom they named Christal Love Carson.
However, their relationship deteriorated shortly after their daughter’s birth, leading to a separation that would result in one of the most publicized custody and child support battles of the decade.
The case attracted significant media attention due to Chris’s connection to his famous father and the stark contrast in financial circumstances between the former partners.
Green found herself living in poverty following the separation, subsisting on welfare payments of $182 per month and food stamp assistance that was later discontinued.
She resided in a trailer park, struggling to make ends meet while caring for their young daughter.
This dire financial situation prompted her to take legal action against Chris for child support, seeking adequate financial assistance for their child’s upbringing.
The court proceedings revealed intimate details about Chris’s financial situation and dependency on his father.
Despite working as a golf instructor, Chris’s primary source of income came from Johnny Carson, who provided him with $35,000 annually and had purchased his $119,000 Fort Lauderdale home and two cars.
The court also learned that Chris maintained a bank account with approximately $35,000, funds that were largely provided by his famous father.
Initially, the court awarded Green $125 per week in child support from Chris, though she continued to pursue additional financial support through her legal team.
The case became so high-profile that Green was forced into hiding due to relentless media attention from tabloid newspapers and television networks seeking interviews and exclusive stories.
The media frenzy surrounding the case transformed Green into an unwilling celebrity.
Reporters followed her in vehicles, attempted to enter her trailer, and even paid her neighbors for information about her personal life.
The intense scrutiny led to what her publicist described as “physical encounters” with aggressive reporters, forcing Green to live in seclusion to protect herself and her daughter.
During the proceedings, Green made the strategic decision to fire her original attorney, Jeffrey Miller, and hire Ellis Rubin, a flamboyant celebrity lawyer known for handling high-profile cases in South Florida.
This change in legal representation reflected the serious nature of the case and Green’s determination to secure adequate support for their daughter.
The publicity surrounding the custody battle brought unexpected opportunities to Green, including offers for commercial endorsements, modeling work, book deals, and television interviews.
Major network news programs expressed interest in her story, though the constant media attention proved overwhelming and invasive for someone thrust into the spotlight against her will.
Throughout the ordeal, Green maintained her focus on securing financial stability for their daughter while dealing with the challenges of sudden fame and media scrutiny.
The case concluded with Green receiving child support payments, though the exact terms of the final settlement were not widely publicized.
Both Chris and Green eventually retreated from public attention, with Chris maintaining his preference for privacy until his death earlier this year.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Chris was known by the nickname “Kit” to his friends and family members.
- Chris never responded to Howard Smith’s attempts to reconnect after Johnny Carson’s death, despite Smith’s multiple efforts to reach out to him through their shared golf club connections.
- Chris was described as commonly tagging along on his father’s golf trips when he was younger, establishing his lifelong love for the sport during these early experiences with Johnny Carson.
