Who is Alexis Maas?
Alexis Maas, born in 1952, is an American heiress and socialite who became known as the wife of popular talk show host, Johnny Carson. She was the fourth wife of Carson – before he passed away in 2005, the two enjoyed 18 years of marriage together.
Alexis Maas’ Early Life and Career
Maas was originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, not much is known about her personal life, early education, and family. She preferred to keep things private before meeting Johnny Carson.
In terms of her career, Maas was reportedly a former stock brokerage employee, which was her main source of income before meeting her husband. Unfortunately, she is also a very private person in terms of her career and what she did.
Alexis Maas’ Net Worth
As of late 2018, and based on authoritative sources, Maas’ net worth is reported to be $300 million. She was able to acquire such wealth after she became the heiress of her husband, Johnny Carson. She didn’t keep everything to herself but shared almost half of the money, amounting to around $156 million, to her husband’s foundation, the Johnny Carson Foundation.
Alexis Maas’ Personal Life
In terms of her personal life, Maas was married to well-known television host Johnny Carson until his death in 2005 due to emphysema.
The two met in the ‘80s and dated for a couple of years. Despite people’s negative reception of their relationship due to their large age gap—Maas being 35 and Carson being 61—their relationship grew stronger that led to marriage.
Maas and Carson didn’t have any children together, but enjoyed 18 years of an apparently wonderful marriage together. She has not remarried after the passing of her husband, and seems to now enjoy life as a single woman.
Alexis Maas and Johnny Carson’s Lavish Lifestyle
While being married, Maas and Carson enjoyed a very lavish and luxurious lifestyle. The two had several grandiose properties, including a 16-bedroom mansion on four acres on the oceanfront in Malibu, and another, 14,000-square foot mansion in Beverly Hills.
The once unknown Maas also became featured in various publications thanks to her very popular husband. They were photographed hundreds of times while together, travelling the world and at various high-profile events. They were seen attending the opening of “Les Miserables”, cruising on their yacht, dining at Spago in West Hollywood, attending the American Cinemateque Awards, and joining the Television Academy Hall of Fame special.
After Carson’s death, it was believed that Maas sold most of their properties. After gaining millions from her husband’s death, she also gave half of it to his foundation.
Alexis Maas’s Husband
Born John William Carson on 23 October 1925, Carson was a well-known television host, producer, writer, and comedian who gained most popularity through his late night “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” The show ran from 1962 to 1992, receiving multiple awards including six Emmy Awards, Television Academy’s Governor’s Award in 1980, and a Peabody Award in 1985. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1987.
Carson’s casual approach and extensive interaction with his guests made him a well-loved and iconic host of his time. He went on full retirement in 1992, after which he spent most of his time travelling the world with his wife, Alexis Maas.
In terms of his personal life, Carson was married four times during his life time. His first wife was Jody Wolcott whom he married in 1948. Despite having three children together, the two divorced in 1963.
Carson’s second wife was Joanne Copeland, who he married in 1963, but their marriage also ended in divorce in 1972. That same year, Carson surprised everyone when he announced that he married former model Joanna Holland, but after 10 years of marriage, Holland filed for divorce in 1983, finalized in 1985.
In 1987 Carson met his fourth wife, Alexis Maas. They enjoyed 18 years of marriage until his death in 2005. Carson was a known heavy smoker and even smoked during his years hosting “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson”, including while on air. His addiction to smoking eventually led to his passing, after being diagnosed with respiratory failure from emphysema. He died on 23 January 2005 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His wife, Maas was at his side during his last hours.
