(Radio Iowa) – Events are planned in both Iowa and Nebraska tomorrow (Thursday) on what would have been “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson’s 100th birthday. Roger Sorensen — president of the Johnny Carson Birthplace Society — says there’s no charge tomorrow (Thursday) for tours of the home in Corning where Carson was born.

“His parents were just ordinary people and [he was] born in the least populated county in Iowa in the middle of our country,” Sorensen says, “and then his rise to stardom – it is truly the American dream.” Carson started hosting N-B-C’s Tonight Show in 1962 and signed off the program 30 years later.

Photo from AdamsCountyIowa.com.

“His personality was certainly a warm, Midwestern type of humor and personality,” Sorenson says. Sorenson made his comments on Talk of Iowa on Iowa Public Radio. Carson’s family left Corning when Carson was three and they lived in Avoca, Clarinda and Red Oak before settling in Norfolk, Nebraska when Carson was eight. Activities are planned at the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk as well.

The museum has a Johnny Carson gallery that includes exhibits about his childhood in Nebraska and his show business career. A Birthday Party featuring jazz music will be held Thursday night at the Museum.