The Flip Wilson Show
David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets
TV Flash files “David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets” as a desk essential hour — The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) on NBC, season 1, episode 1, aired 1970-09-17, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E01: listed hour 1 of 43 in the The Flip Wilson Show guide, first listed hour of season 1. It aired 1970-09-17 (60 min). No earlier hour is listed in this guide. Next is “Roy Clark, Bobby Darin, Stanley Myron, Denise Nicholas” (S01E02).
Essential hour: “David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets”. David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets: the 1970 open. Flip owns a hit NBC variety hour on his own brand terms — first Black host at this franchise scale, packaged as entertainment.
Viewer FAQ
Where does David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets sit in the The Flip Wilson Show guide?
S01E01 is listed hour 1 of 43 — first listed hour of season 1, season 1 episode 1.
When did The Flip Wilson Show S01E01 air?
David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets aired 1970-09-17 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Where should I start in a variety run?
Any complete hour: Wilson's host persona plus Geraldine and Reverend Leroy. Guest stars rotate; the characters are the brand.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Flip Wilson owns a hit NBC variety hour on his own brand terms: Geraldine, Reverend Leroy, musical guests, and catchphrases that invaded playgrounds. First Black host of a major network variety franchise at this scale, packaged as entertainment rather than a lecture. The devil made him do it — and the sketches did.
The devil made him do it — and NBC made Flip Wilson the first Black host to own a major hit network variety franchise on his own brand terms. The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) ran four seasons, 43 hours, mixing Geraldine Jones and Reverend Leroy with musical guests in a colorful early-1970s blast from Wilson and Bob Henry. Charm disarmed. Sketches invaded playgrounds. Variety's door opened wider without asking the audience to treat the hour as civic spinach. On the palate: sequins, a catchphrase, and a host who…
Filed against
- Flip Wilson as Host / Geraldine Jones / Reverend Leroy
Flip Wilson owned NBC variety as himself — Geraldine, Reverend Leroy, musical guests, catchphrases that invaded playgrounds, and the first Black host of a major network variety franchise at this scale, packaged as entertainment rather…
Also in season 1
- S01E02 Roy Clark, Bobby Darin, Stanley Myron, Denise Nicholas
- S01E03 Lily Tomlin, Redd Foxx, The Tempatations, Roger Miller
- S01E04 Perry Como, Charlie Callas, Denise Nicholas, Lola Falana
- S01E05 Raymond Burr, Stanley Myron, The Muppets, Loretta Long, Sunday's Child
- S01E06 Louis Armstrong
- S01E07 Bill Cosby, Gina Lolabrigida