Season 4

From the desk

How this season is filed

Filed by Rex Fontaine · Golden Age Dispatch

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.

TV Flash files Season 4 of The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) on NBC as the last listed season of 4 — 4 listed hours, 1973-10-11–1974-03-07 from “Redd Foxx, Joan Rivers” (S04E03) to “Tony Randall, Bob & Ray, Lena Horne” (S04E17). Titles, dates, and synopses on file — no invented recaps.

Desk essentials in this season

1. S04E03 Redd Foxx, Joan Rivers

   Redd Foxx and Joan Rivers is roast weather on a variety floor. The devil-made-me-do-it brand still the playground liturgy; guests as proof the hour was a hit on Flip's terms.

2. S04E17 Tony Randall, Bob & Ray, Lena Horne

   Tony Randall, Bob & Ray, Lena Horne closes 1974. Four seasons of a major network variety franchise with a Black host as the brand, not the guest — then the hour goes dark.