The Midnight Special
The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981. The ninety-minute program followed the Friday night edition of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The show typically featured guest hosts, except for a period from July 1975 through March 1976 when singer Helen Reddy served as the regular host. Wolfman Jack served as the announcer and frequent guest host. The series also occasionally aired vintage footage of older acts. As the program neared the end of its run in the early 1980s, it began to frequently use lip-synched performances rather than live. The program also featured occasional comedic performances such as Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman.
Cast
Seasons & Episodes
1. Pilot
1972-08-19
2. Host: Helen Reddy
1973-02-02
3. Host: Johnny Rivers
1973-02-08
4. Host: Mac Davis
1973-02-16
5. Host: Harry Chapin
1973-02-23
6. Host: Anne Murray
1973-03-02
7. Host: Paul Williams
1973-03-09
8. Host: Paul Anka
1973-03-16
9. Host: Lou Rawls
1973-03-23
10. Host: Ray Charles
1973-03-30
11. Hosts: The Bee Gees
1973-04-06
12. Bill Cosby
1973-04-13
13. Host: Doc Severinsen
1973-04-20
14. Host: Jerry Lee Lewis
1973-04-27
15. Host: Johnny Nash
1973-05-04
16. Hosts: Burns and Schreiber
1973-05-11
17. Host: Chubby Checker
1973-05-18
18. Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips
1973-05-25
19. Host: Paul Williams
1973-06-01
20. Host: Curtis Mayfield
1973-06-08
21. Host: Jim Croce
1973-06-15
22. Host:The Bee Gees
1973-06-22
23. Host: Paul Williams
1973-06-29
24. Host: Jose Feliciano
1973-07-06
25. Host: Smokey Robinson
1973-07-13
26. Host: Joan Baez
1973-07-20
27. Host: Dionne Warwick
1973-07-27
28. Host: Al Green
1973-08-03
29. Hosts: The Bee Gees
1973-08-10
30. Host: Richard Pryor
1973-09-17
31. Co-hosts: Loretta Lynn & Marty Robbins
1973-08-24
32. Host: Billy Preston
1973-08-31
33. Host: Mac Davis
1973-09-07
34. Host: Curtis Mayfield
1973-09-14
35. Host: Wilson Pickett
1973-09-21
36. Host: Seals & Crofts
1973-09-28
37. Host: Gladys Knight & The Pips
1973-10-05
38. Host: The Bee Gees
1973-10-12
39. Host: War
1973-10-19
40. Host: Chuck Berry
1973-11-02
