The Flip Wilson Show
Bill Cosby
TV Flash files “Bill Cosby” as hour 16 of 43 in the TV Flash guide — The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) on NBC, season 1, episode 18, aired 1971-01-28, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E18: listed hour 16 of 43 in the The Flip Wilson Show guide, hour 16 of 20 in season 1. It aired 1971-01-28 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Muhammed Ali, Lily Tomlin, Bobby Darin” (S01E17). Next is “Joe Namath, George Carlin, Johnny Mathis” (S01E19).
Viewer FAQ
Where does Bill Cosby sit in the The Flip Wilson Show guide?
S01E18 is listed hour 16 of 43 — hour 16 of 20 in season 1, season 1 episode 18.
When did The Flip Wilson Show S01E18 air?
Bill Cosby aired 1971-01-28 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