Carnac The Munificent

AUGUST 9--In an unprecedented act of celebrity philanthropy, the charitable foundation created by Johnny Carson has reported receiving $156 million from a personal trust established by the entertainer years prior to his January 2005 death, The Smoking Gun has learned.

The nine-figure transfer from the late entertainer’s estate was disclosed in a tax return filed three months ago by the John W. Carson Foundation, records show. The massive bequest leaves the Carson foundation with assets dwarfing the largest Hollywood charities--even the foundation run by entertainment titan David Geffen, whose organization listed assets of $80 million on its most recent tax return.

In a tax return received by the Internal Revenue Service in mid-May, the Carson foundation disclosed its receipt of $35.2 million in cash and $121.2 million in securities and royalty rights from the John W. Carson Trust. The IRS return, excerpted at left, covers the fiscal year ending last June.

Previous tax returns, including those filed when Carson was alive, show that his trust regularly provided funds to the foundation, which then used the money to give grants to a variety of organizations. But those prior transfers from the Carson trust, which was established in 1988, were usually between $1 and $2 million.

There has never been a public accounting of Carson’s estate, so there is no way of knowing its total value, beneficiaries, or what percentage the $156 million represents. The former “Tonight Show” host, who died of emphysema at age 79, was survived by his fourth wife, Alexis, and two sons from his first marriage.

The extremely private comedian did little to publicize his philanthropy, which included hefty donations to environmental groups, AIDS charities, schools, children’s aid organizations, and not-for-profits in Nebraska, where he grew up.

The group's latest tax return lists 67 separate donations totaling nearly $3 million. The filing also lists eight other contributions, totaling $5.7 million, that the foundation approved for future payment. These gifts include $4 million earmarked for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, $100,000 for the Los Angeles Free Clinic, and $125,000 for a Planned Parenthood high school sex education initiative.

The Carson foundation is managed by lawyer Allan Alexander and Lawrence Witzer, an accountant with a Beverly Hills financial management firm. Both men are paid $90,000 annually for their part-time work with the organization. (3 pages)