The Midnight Special
Host: Roy Orbison
TV Flash files “Host: Roy Orbison” as hour 316 of 350 in the TV Flash guide — The Midnight Special (1972–1981) on NBC, season 8, episode 25, aired 1980-05-16, 65 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S08E25: listed hour 316 of 350 in the The Midnight Special guide, hour 25 of 34 in season 8. It aired 1980-05-16 (65 min). The listed hour before it is “Host: Gladys Knight and the Pips” (S08E24). Next is “Hosts: Billy Preston and Syreeta” (S08E26).
Viewer FAQ
Where does Host: Roy Orbison sit in the The Midnight Special guide?
S08E25 is listed hour 316 of 350 — hour 25 of 34 in season 8, season 8 episode 25.
When did The Midnight Special S08E25 air?
Host: Roy Orbison aired 1980-05-16 and is listed at 65 minutes.
Do I watch in order?
No. Concert anthology after Carson. Sample for the acts; Wolfman Jack is the howl that stitches Fridays together.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Wolfman Jack howls after Carson, and NBC hands the late slot to actual rock and pop acts before MTV ate the model. Guest-host roulette, live-ish performances, post-prime anything-goes. The network stage where 1970s music television still had sweat, speakers, and no countdown clock.
Picture Friday after Carson, when the network still handed the late slot to sweat. NBC's The Midnight Special (1972–1981), from Burt Sugarman: a concert show of live-ish performances from the era's biggest and coolest musical acts, Wolfman Jack as announcer and host presence, guest-host roulette, post-prime anything-goes. Glam and disco and soul and rock crossovers captured on network tape. Primary network stage for 1970s rock and pop before MTV ate the model. On the palate: speakers, no countdown clock, a howl…
Filed against
- Wolfman Jack as Announcer / Host presence
Wolfman Jack howled The Midnight Special after Carson — NBC handing the late slot to actual rock and pop acts before MTV ate the model. Guest-host roulette, live-ish performances, post-prime anything-goes. TV Flash files him as 1970s…