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 forTelevision 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 an American radio announcer, television host, and actor. A pioneer in interactive broadcasting, he is also known for his 1971 spoken-word recording of the poem Desiderata; he won a "Best Spoken Word" Grammy for it the following year. Crane was the first network television personality to compete head-on with host Johnny Carson after Carson became a fixture of late-night television.