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The Midnight Special

Season 9

25 listed hours · 1972–1981 · NBC

← All seasons · Show package

From the desk

How this season is filed

Filed by Rex Fontaine · Golden Age Dispatch

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.

TV Flash files Season 9 of The Midnight Special (1972–1981) on NBC as the last listed season of 9 — 25 listed hours, 1980-09-05–1981-03-27 from “Host: Ted Nugent” (S09E01) to “Hosts: Skip Stephenson & Byron Allen” (S09E25). Titles, dates, and synopses on file — no invented recaps.

Desk essentials in this season

  1. S09E25 Hosts: Skip Stephenson & Byron Allen

    Hosts: Skip Stephenson and Byron Allen is the 1981 tail. Nine seasons of post-Carson rock television, then a comedian-host bow: MTV about to eat the model, the speakers still warm.

  1. S09E01

    Host: Ted Nugent

    Host: Ted Nugent — Season 9, Episode 1 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-09-05. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  2. S09E02

    Host: Christopher Cross

    Host: Christopher Cross — Season 9, Episode 2 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-09-12. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  3. S09E03

    Hosts: Cher and Black Rose

    Hosts: Cher and Black Rose — Season 9, Episode 3 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-09-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  4. S09E04

    Host: Chevy Chase

    Host: Chevy Chase — Season 9, Episode 4 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-09-26. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  5. S09E05

    Host: America

    Host: America — Season 9, Episode 5 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-10-03. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  6. S09E06

    Hosts: The Spinners

    Hosts: The Spinners — Season 9, Episode 6 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-10-10. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  7. S09E07

    Host: Mac Davis

    Host: Mac Davis — Season 9, Episode 7 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-10-17. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  8. S09E08

    Host: The Oak Ridge Boys

    Host: The Oak Ridge Boys — Season 9, Episode 8 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-10-24. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  9. S09E09

    Host: Stephanie Mills

    Host: Stephanie Mills — Season 9, Episode 9 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-11-07. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  10. S09E10

    Host: Billy Crystal

    Host: Billy Crystal — Season 9, Episode 10 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-11-14. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  11. S09E11

    Hosts: The Captain & Tennille

    Hosts: The Captain & Tennille — Season 9, Episode 11 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-11-28. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  12. S09E12

    Host: REO Speedwagon

    Host: REO Speedwagon — Season 9, Episode 12 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-12-05. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  13. S09E13

    Host: Robert Klein

    Host: Robert Klein — Season 9, Episode 13 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-12-12. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  14. S09E14

    Host: The Pointer Sisters

    Host: The Pointer Sisters — Season 9, Episode 14 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1980-12-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  15. S09E15

    Host: Harry Chapin

    Host: Harry Chapin — Season 9, Episode 15 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-01-09. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  16. S09E16

    Host: Larry Hagman

    Host: Larry Hagman — Season 9, Episode 16 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-01-16. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  17. S09E17

    Host: Andy Kaufman

    Host: Andy Kaufman — Season 9, Episode 17 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-01-23. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  18. S09E18

    Host: Lily Tomlin

    Host: Lily Tomlin — Season 9, Episode 18 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-01-30. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  19. S09E19

    Host: Lynda Carter

    Host: Lynda Carter — Season 9, Episode 19 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-02-06. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  20. S09E20

    Host: Bob Uecker

    Host: Bob Uecker — Season 9, Episode 20 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-02-13. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  21. S09E21

    Host: Marilu Henner

    Host: Marilu Henner — Season 9, Episode 21 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-02-20. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  22. S09E22

    Host: Laraine Newman

    Host: Laraine Newman — Season 9, Episode 22 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-03-06. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  23. S09E23

    Host: John Schneider

    Host: John Schneider — Season 9, Episode 23 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-03-13. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  24. S09E24

    Host: Patricia Davis

    Host: Patricia Davis — Season 9, Episode 24 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-03-20. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  25. S09E25

    Hosts: Skip Stephenson & Byron Allen

    Hosts: Skip Stephenson & Byron Allen — Season 9, Episode 25 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1981-03-27. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

More from the 1970s.