The Flip Wilson Show
Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers
TV Flash files “Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers” as a desk essential hour — The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) on NBC, season 2, episode 1, aired 1971-09-16, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S02E01: listed hour 21 of 43 in the The Flip Wilson Show guide, first listed hour of season 2. It aired 1971-09-16 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Don Rickles, Leslie Uggams, Ray Charles” (S01E22). Next is “George Gobel, Joan Rivers, Mahalia Jackson” (S02E02).
Essential hour: “Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers”. Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers: old-network royalty walking into Flip's hour. Variety history sharing a bill with a host who did not have to lecture to own the stage.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers sit in the The Flip Wilson Show guide?
S02E01 is listed hour 21 of 43 — first listed hour of season 2, season 2 episode 1.
When did The Flip Wilson Show S02E01 air?
Lucille Ball, Ed Sullivan, Osmond Brothers aired 1971-09-16 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…