September 17, 1970 (1970-09-17) – June 27, 1974 (1974-06-27)
The Flip Wilson Show is an hour-long variety show that originally aired in the US on NBC from September 17, 1970, to June 27, 1974. The show starred American comedian Flip Wilson; the program was one of the first American television programs starring a black person in the title role to become highly successful with a white audience. Specifically, it was the first successful network variety series starring an African American.[1] During its first two seasons, it was the nation's second most watched show according to Nielsen ratings.
Overview
Wilson as Herbie, the ice cream man with an attitude, and guest star Joe Namath, 1972
The show consisted of many skits in a 60-minute variety format. It also broke new ground in American television by using a "theatre-in-the-round" stage format, with the audience seated on all sides of a circular performance area (with some seats located behind the sketch sets on occasion).
Wilson was most famous for creating the role of Geraldine Jones, a sassy, modern woman who had a boyfriend named Killer (who, when not in prison, was at the pool hall). Flip also created the role of Reverend Leroy, who was the minister of the Church of What's Happening Now! New parishioners were wary of coming to the church as it was hinted that Reverend Leroy was a con artist. Wilson popularized the catchphrase "The Devil made me do it!".
Geraldine Jones was a recurring character played by Wilson wearing women's clothing. Some of Geraldine's most famous quotes are, "The Devil made me buy this dress!", "Don't you touch me, honey, you don't know me that well! You devil, you!" and "What you see is what you get!"
While The Flip Wilson Show first shared a studio with other television series, Wilson's massive popularity allowed for him to get his own set of soundstages, starting in the fall 1972 season. As the seasons went on, however, the show's ratings slipped; ratings across the variety show genre began a terminal decline in the mid-1970s. This, coupled with Wilson's repeated demands for higher raises in his salary, caused the series to go over its budget and led to its cancellation.
Half-hour versions of the series aired on TV Land from 1997 to 2006. From 2011 to 2012, the show aired on TV One. From 2012 to 2016, half-hour versions of the show aired on the Aspire network. Decades presented a Weekend Binge of the half-hour version on October 8–9, 2022. Decades' successor network Catchy Comedy ran a "Catchy Binge" of the half-hour version on July 29–30, 2023, and again on April 6–7, 2024.
The Flip Wilson Show won two Emmy Awards out of 18 nominations. The wins were both in 1971, for Outstanding Variety Series—Musical and Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music. Wilson won both awards, with producer Bob Henry and executive producer Monte Kay also earning statuettes for the variety series honor and Herbert Baker, Hal Goodman, Larry Klein, Bob Schiller, Bob Weiskopf and Norman Steinberg for their writing.
Other nominations included Outstanding Variety Series in 1972 and 1973; Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music in 1972 and 1973 (Dick Hills and Sid Green replaced Norman Steinberg in 1972 on the nomination, and Stan Burns, Peter Gallay, Don Hinkley, Mike Marmer and Paul McCauley replaced Hal Goodman, Larry Klein, Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf in 1973); Outstanding New Series in 1971; Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety or Music in 1971, 1972 and 1973, all for Tim Kiley; Outstanding Achievement in Live or Tape Sound Mixing in 1971 and 1972 for Dave Williams; Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Direction in 1971, 1972 and 1973 for Romain Johnston; Outstanding Single Program – Variety or Musical in 1972; Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction in 1972 for John Nance; and Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction in 1972 for technical director Louis Fusari and cameramen Ray Figelski, Rich Lombardo, Jon Olson and Wayne Osterhoudt.[8]
Flip Wilson won one Golden Globe award in 1971 and received two other nominations in 1972 and 1973 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical. The Flip Wilson Show received an additional Golden Globe nomination in 1972 for Best Television Series—Comedy or Musical.[9]
Episodes
Episode #
Original
Air Date
Guests
Season 1
1.
1-1
17 Sep 70
David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets
2.
1-2
24 Sep 70
Roy Clark, Bobby Darin, Stanley Myron, Denise Nicholas
3.
1-3
01 Oct 70
Lily Tomlin, Redd Foxx, The Tempatations, Roger Miller
4.
1-4
08 Oct 70
Perry Como, Charlie Callas, Denise Nicholas, Lola Falana
5.
1-5
15 Oct 70
Raymond Burr, Stanley Myron Handelman, The Muppets, Loretta Long, Sunday's Child
6.
1-6
22 Oct 70
Louis Armstrong, Charlie Callas, Laura Greene, Pat Morita
7.
1-7
29 Oct 70
Bill Cosby, Gina Lolabrigida, John Sebastian
8.
1-8
06 Nov 70
Robert Goulet, Lola Falana, Robert Klein, Dean Martin
9.
1-9
13 Nov 70
Moms Mabley, Marcel Marceau, Arte Johnson, Doug Kershaw
10.
1-10
20 Nov 70
Bobby Darin, Charlie Pride, Ella Fitzgerald
11.
1-11
03 Dec 70
Stevie Wonder, Connie Stevens, John Byner, Johnny Brown
12.
1-12
10 Dec 70
Lena Horne, Tony Randall, John Lawrence
13.
1-13
17 Dec 70
Sid Caesar, Bobby Darin, B.B. King
14.
1-14
24 Dec 70
Slim Gaillard, Burl Ives, Sha-Na-Na
15.
1-15
07 Jan 71
Bing Crosby, The Supremes, David Steinberg
16.
1-16
17 Jan 71
Steve Lawrence, Zero Mostel, Roberta Flack
17.
1-17
21 Jan 71
Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin
18.
1-18
28 Jan 71
Bill Cosby, Claudine Longet, Nancy Wilson
19.
1-19
04 Feb 71
Joe Namath, George Carlin, Johnny Mathis, Abbey Lincoln
20.
1-20
11 Feb 71
Art Carney, Barbara Feldon, Hal Frazier, Modern Jazz Quartet
21.
1-21
18 Feb 71
Aretha Franklin, David Frost, Charlie Callas
22.
1-22
25 Feb 71
Don Rickles, Leslie Uggams, Ray Charles
23.
1-23
04 Mar 71
Tim Conway, Diahann Carroll, Robert Klein
24.
1-24
11 Mar 71
George Carlin, Lena Horne, Ray Stevens
25.
1-25
18 Mar 71
Hamilton Camp, Lily Tomlin, Gaylord & Holiday
26.
1-26
01 Apr 71
Johnny Brown, Raymond Burr, Tim Conway, Sandy Duncan
Season 2
27.
2-1
16 Sep 71
Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers
28.
2-2
23 Sep 71
George Gobel, Joan Rivers, Mahalia Jackson
29.
2-3
30 Sep 71
Raymond Burr, Ruth Gordon, Stevie Wonder
30.
2-4
07 Oct 71
Tim Conway, Ruth Buzzi, Erroll Garner
31.
2-5
14 Oct 71
Pat Boone & Family, George Carlin, Sugar Ray Robinson
32.
2-6
21 Oct 71
David Frost, The Supremes, Willie Tyler & Lester
33.
2-7
28 Oct 71
The Smothers Brothers, Melba Moore
34.
2-8
04 Nov 71
The Jackson 5, Lily Tomlin, Dr. David Rueben
35.
2-9
11 Nov 71
Dom DeLuise, Diahann Carroll, the Muppets
36.
2-10
18 Nov 71
Tim Conway, Andy Griffith, Clara Ward
37.
2-11
25 Nov 71
Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Lena Horne
38.
2-12
02 Dec 71
Phyllis Diller, Billy Eckstine, Tony Randall
39.
2-13
16 Dec 71
Petula Clark, Roy Clark, Redd Foxx
40.
2-14
23 Dec 71
Melba Moore, Jimmy Osmond, Marty Feldman
41.
2-15
30 Dec 71
Carol Channing, David Steinberg, Modern Jazz Quartet
42.
2-16
06 Jan 72
Ray Charles, Dan Blocker, Kaye Ballard
43.
2-17
13 Jan 72
Tim Conway, Bobby Darin, Redd Foxx
44.
2-18
20 Jan 72
George Carlin, Aretha Franklin, Dom DeLuise
45.
2-19
27 Jan 72
Jim Brown, Johnny Cash, June Carter
46.
2-20
03 Feb 72
Phil Silvers, B.B. King, Barbara Feldon
47.
2-21
10 Feb 72
Sandy Duncan, Jim Nabors, Slappy White
48.
2-22
17 Feb 72
Roy Clark, Barbara McNair, Stiller and Meara
49.
2-23
24 Feb 72
Joe Namath, George Carlin, Miss Black America
50.
2-24
02 Mar 72
Sammy Davis Jr., Lily Tomlin, Ed McMahon
51.
2-25
09 Mar 72
Ruth Buzzi, Lee Marvin, Jackie Vernon, Chi-Lites
52.
2-26
16 Mar 72
Bing Crosby, Tim Conway, Melba Moore
Season 3
53.
3-1
14 Sep 72
Pearl Bailey, the Muppets, Jack Benny
54.
3-2
21 Sep 72
The Fifth Dimension, Tim Conway
55.
3-3
28 Sep 72
Melba Moore, Don Knotts, Dan Hicks & Hot Licks
56.
3-4
05 Oct 72
Ruth Buzzi, Burns and Schreiber, the Supremes
57.
3-5
12 Oct 72
Stiller and Meara, Bill Russell, Kenny Rankin, Paul McCartney and Wings (video)
58.
3-6
26 Oct 72
Diana Sands, David Steinberg, the Jackson Five
59.
3-7
02 Nov 72
Carol Channing, Ed Asner, Donny Hathaway
60.
3-8
09 Nov 72
Don Adams, the Staple Singers, Roscoe Lee Browne
61.
3-9
16 Nov 72
Burt Reynolds, Roberta Flack, Tim Conway
62.
3-10
23 Nov 72
The Temptations, Joan Rivers, Frank Gorshin
63.
3-11
30 Nov 72
Raymond Burr, Dom DeLuise, Gladys Knight and the Pips
64.
3-12
07 Dec 72
Tony Randal, Dionne Warwick, Burns and Schreiber
65.
3-13
14 Dec 72
Albert Brooks, Bill Russell, Johnny Cash & June Carter
66.
3-14
21 Dec 72
Tim Conway, Slappy White, Rita Coolidge, Kris Kristofferson
67.
3-15
04 Jan 73
Jim Nabors, James Coco, Barbara McNair
68.
3-16
11 Jan 73
Andy Griffith, Curtis Mayfield, Roscoe Lee Browne
69.
3-17
18 Jan 73
Howard Cosell, Marty Feldman, Taj Mahal
70.
3-18
25 Jan 73
Sammy Davis Jr., Marilyn Michaels, Ed Sullivan
71.
3-19
01 Feb 73
Ray Charles, Phyllis Diller, The Committee
72.
3-20
08 Feb 73
Dom Deluise, Helen Reddy, Diana Sands, Kreskin
73.
3-21
15 Feb 73
Roy Clark, George Carlin, Della Reese
74.
3-22
22 Feb 73
Rich Little, Ed McMahon, Cicely Tyson, Bill Withers
75.
3-23
01 Mar 73
Tim Conway, Joe Namath, Papa John Creach
76.
3-24
08 Mar 73
Don Knotts, Richard Pryor, Oscar Brown Jr, Jean Pace
Season 4
77.
4-1
20 Sep 73
Buddy Hackett, Ruth Buzzi, Richard Pryor, William Attmore II, Flippettes
78.
4-2
27 Sep 73
The Pointer Sisters, Monty Hall, Sandy Duncan, William Windom
79.
4-3
04 Oct 73
Richard Pryor, Ralph Edwards, Bobby Sandler, Nat Purefoy
80.
4-4
11 Oct 73
Redd Foxx, Joan Rivers, Helen Reddy
81.
4-5
18 Oct 73
Burns & Schreiber, Falumi Prince, Harry Belafonte
82.
4-6
25 Oct 73
Robert Goulet, Carol Lawrence, Slappy White
83.
4-7
01 Nov 73
Lee Grant, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Andrew Johnson, Henry Aaron
84.
4-8
15 Nov 73
Tim Conway, Richard Pryor & Romark the Mentalist
85.
4-9
29 Nov 73
Ed McMahon, Leonard Nimoy, Charlie Callas
86.
4-10
06 Dec 73
Stiller and Meara, Aretha Franklin, Tim Conway
87.
4-11
13 Dec 73
The Fifth Dimension, Burns and Schreiber
88.
4-12
20 Dec 73
Anthony Newley, Jack Klugman, Roscoe Browne, Ajaye
89.
4-13
03 Jan 74
Pointer Sisters, Ted Knight, Philip Paley
90.
4-14
10 Jan 74
Roy Clark, George Carlin, Della Reese
91.
4-15
17 Jan 74
Steve Lawrence, Richard Pryor, Kitty Lester
92.
4-16
07 Feb 74
Dennis Weaver, O.J. Simpson, Len Glascow, Ernie Robinson
93.
4-17
21 Feb 74
Don Adams, Redd Foxx, McLean Stevenson, Mac Davis
94.
4-18
28 Feb 74
Tony Randall, Bob Elliott & Ray Goulding, Lena Horne
95.
4-19
07 Mar 74
Andy Williams, Jonathan Winters, Arte Johnson, Bob Hope
