The Flip Wilson Show
Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin
TV Flash files “Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin” as a desk essential hour — The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) on NBC, season 1, episode 17, aired 1971-01-21, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E17: listed hour 15 of 43 in the The Flip Wilson Show guide, hour 15 of 20 in season 1. It aired 1971-01-21 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Steve Lawrence, Zero Mostel, Roberta Flack” (S01E16). Next is “Bill Cosby” (S01E18).
Essential hour: “Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin”. Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin is first-season booking as a dare. Catchphrases invading playgrounds; Geraldine and Reverend Leroy already the characters the country quoted.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin sit in the The Flip Wilson Show guide?
S01E17 is listed hour 15 of 43 — hour 15 of 20 in season 1, season 1 episode 17.
When did The Flip Wilson Show S01E17 air?
Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin aired 1971-01-21 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
- S01E01 David Frost, James Brown, The Muppets
- 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