"DAVID LETTERMAN: A LIFE ON TELEVISION," A CBS PRIMETIME SPECIAL CELEBRATING THE TALK SHOW HOST'S LEGENDARY CAREER, TO BE BROADCAST MONDAY, MAY 4

Emmy Award Winner Ray Romano to Host the Special

CBS will salute David Letterman and his legendary broadcasting career with DAVID LETTERMAN: A LIFE ON TELEVISION, a 90-minute primetime special celebrating his more than three decades in television, on Monday, May 4 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. As previously announced, Letterman will retire as host of CBS's LATE SHOW on Wednesday, May 20.

The special will be hosted by Emmy Award winner Ray Romano, whose own career was propelled by a 1995 stand-up appearance on the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN. That appearance led into the development of his Emmy Award-winning classic comedy series, "Everybody Loves Raymond," which was produced for CBS by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. Romano will take viewers through a retrospective of Letterman's career, starting from his time as a weathercaster in Indiana to his final nights as host of the LATE SHOW on the Network.

The special will mine the video vault, with highlights including some of the best of Letterman's interviews with presidents, world leaders, sports figures and the biggest names in entertainment and music. Also, it will feature highlights of Letterman's trademark show segments, including the Top Ten List, Stupid Pet and Human Tricks, as well as signature stunts that played out against the backdrop of his beloved New York City. The special will also look at some of the most important and poignant moments he has given audiences, including Letterman's LATE SHOW broadcast from Sept. 17, 2001, the show's first broadcast after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

When he retires on May 20, Letterman will have hosted 6,028 late night talk show broadcasts over 33 years, spanning his time on "Late Night" and the LATE SHOW, more than any other late night talk show host. He and his shows have been honored with numerous accolades, including 16 Emmy Awards and a staggering 112 Emmy nominations, a 1992 Peabody Award and a prestigious 2012 Kennedy Center Honor. Through his more than three decades on television, Letterman has been credited with changing the talk show genre, providing viewers nightly with an unpredictable hour of inspired interviews and innovative comedy. He has given audiences one-of-a-kind talk show moments with superstars and unknowns, budding comics and headliners, emerging musicians and established legends, top politicians and fascinating human interest guests, while sharing his own personal stories with viewers, becoming one of the most influential broadcasters in television.

DAVID LETTERMAN: A LIFE ON TELEVISION is produced by CBS Eye Productions.