NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Johnny Carson's death has given a boost to sales of DVDs featuring highlights of his 30 years on "The Tonight Show."

"The Ultimate Johnny Carson Collection: His Favorite Moments from The Tonight Show," retailing for $49.99, was low on the totem pole in Amazon DVD sales Sunday, ranking at 1,590. Following the Carson's death, the Carson Collection surged in popularity as the number one selling DVD on Monday morning, according to Amazon spokeswoman Kristin Mariani. The Carson Collection managed to nudge aside the previous top DVD seller, the newly released extended edition of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."

Meanwhile, the $112.48 DVD set "Heeere's Johnny! The Special Collector's Edition" jumped to the third place from its previous rank of 11,529, said Mariani.

"We certainly see, when someone beloved passes, increased interest in related books, films or albums," said Mariani. Mariani said the deaths last year of former president Ronald Reagan and musician Ray Charles also saw sales jumps in related items.

More than 1,000 Carson-related items were listed on eBay within a day of his death, and fans showed their love for Carson with their credit cards. An autographed photo sold for more than ten times its starting bid of $9.99.

"They (people) suddenly have their interest piqued in Johnny Carson," said Scott Hettrick, editor-in-chief for DVD Exclusive, a trade magazine. "Clearly, the first week is pretty strong. Then it drops off pretty quickly."

Television programs are "the fastest growing category" of the DVD industry, doubling in sales last year. Even so, they still make up only a small slice of overall DVD revenue, said Hettrick. In 2004, the DVD industry totaled $24.1 billion, with television shows taking a $2.5 billion piece.

Hettrick said the first and second seasons of "Seinfeld" were the top-selling television DVDs of 2004, taking in $87 million. Of DVDs overall, "Shrek 2" dominated the industry, making $377 million.

Unlike scripted programs like "Seinfeld," Carson relied partly on accidental humor, with bloopers providing a fair number of laughs. Carson himself said that his favorite moments were completely unexpected. "The times I enjoyed most were the spontaneous, unplanned segments that just happened, like Ed Ames' infamous 'Tomahawk Toss' that produced one of the longest laughs in television history," said Carson, quoted on his Web site. "When these lucky moments happen, you just go with them and enjoy the experience." ln that segment, Ed Ames launched a tomahawk at the outline of a human target, chopping it square in the crotch.

DVDs have proved indispensable in allowing fans to watch these "lucky" split-second moments over and over and over again. The tomahawk segment is included in the top-selling box set.

"These DVDs will provide an enormous archive and resource for anyone who wants to be in this business to study [Carson's] craft," said Hettrick. "These will rank among the great classics."

There are plenty more classics to come in 2005, said Hettrick, who has high hopes for next week's expected release of "Miami Vice."

"There is a flood of television series hitting the market," said Hettrick. "There's everything from "Leave it to Beaver" to "Murder, She Wrote."

Carson, a longtime smoker, died of emphysema Sunday at age 79.

An eBay spokeswoman declined to comment, and messages to Carson Entertainment were not returned.