A Northwestern alumnus was involved in the creation of a DVD that led to famed television host Johnny Carson’s last public

donation.

Carson died Sunday of complications from emphysema. He was 79.

Carson, the 30-year host of “The Tonight Show,” gave $5.3 million to his alma mater, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in November after he viewed the DVD that researched his time spent at the school.

Kathe Andersen, Medill ’93 and a publications coordinator for Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, co-produced the DVD.

The DVD’s goal was to help raise funds for the renovation and expansion of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln building, where Carson studied in the radio department.

“Johnny Carson is probably the most famous alum that the university has had,” Andersen said. “He hadn’t given the big gift that we knew he was capable of giving. This was an opportunity for him to create a legacy at the university.”

University of Nebraska-Lincoln officials decided nine months ago to create a DVD. The first half of the 12-minute film was a “trip down memory lane” and the second half asked Carson to donate. Andersen researched and edited the script, working alongside her partner Lucy Buntain Comine, director of special projects at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I cannot say enough about her role in this project,” Buntain Comine said. “She did the majority of the research, she helped me edit the script, she was with me every step of the way.

“If Kathe is a reflection of NU, you all get gold stars.”

Within a week Carson had replied to the request for a donation, perhaps because of the DVD’s creative nature, said journalism Prof. Roger Boye, Andersen’s academic adviser and master at Communications Residential College, where Andersen lived for four years.

“What a great idea, to both memorialize and capture Johnny at University of Nebraska-Lincoln by going back through the archives and finding out what the university meant to him,” Boye said.

Anderson’s background in journalism helped her become a strong researcher and storyteller, she said.

“I’m fortunate to have a great deal of responsibility in my current jobs,” Anderson said. “(My) skills were honed and developed at Medill.”

During her undergraduate years at NU, Andersen said she formed a “strong connection” with the university, especially at CRC.

“There’s sort of this core group of CRC alum that keep in touch with each other,” Andersen said.

CRC puts out a newsletter with about 75 alumni on its mailing list.

Current NU students were in elementary school when Carson stopped hosting “The Tonight Show” in May 1992.

In 1992 Carson received America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

There will be no memorial service, at the request of his family.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Reach Ashima Singal at [email protected].