

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.
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Cast
Seasons
- Ep 1
1.Pilot
19-08-197290mJohn Denver guest hosted Mama Cass, The Everly Brothers, The Isley Brothers, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Argent and Helen Reddy. Among the musical highlights were Harry Chapin pe...
- Ep 2
2.Host: Helen Reddy
02-02-197390mHelen Reddy (host) - ""I Am Woman,"" ""Peaceful"" & ""Come On John"" --Ed McMahon (walk-on cameo) - wishes the show sucess --Ike and Tina Turner Revue- ""I Can't Turn You Loose"" &...
- Ep 3
3.Host: Johnny Rivers
08-02-197390mJohnny Rivers (host) - ""Blue Suede Shoes,"" ""Rockin' Pneumonia, Boogie Woogie Flu"" & ""Got My Mojo Workin'"" --The Ace Trucking Company (comedy troupe) - routines about an airpl...
- Ep 4
4.Host: Mac Davis
16-02-197390mMac Davis (host) - ""Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me,"" ""I Believe in Music,"" ""Dream Me Home,"" ""Home"" & ""Half and Half (Song for Sara)"" --The Doobie Brothers - ""Jesus Is Just...
- Ep 5
5.Host: Harry Chapin
23-02-197368mHarry Chapin (Host) - "Sunday Morning Sunshine" "Sniper" and "Taxi." Kerrie Biddell - "Spirit in the Dark." Blood, Sweat and Tears - "Rosemary" "Hip Pickles" and "Snow Queen." The...
- Ep 6
6.Host: Anne Murray
02-03-197368mAnne Murray (Host) - "Snowbird," "Danny's Song" and "I Know." Anne Murray, Steve Martin and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - "Shuckin' the Corn." The Association - "Along Comes Mary,"...
- Ep 7
7.Host: Paul Williams
09-03-197390mPaul Williams (host) - ""Old Fashioned Love Song,"" ""Drift Away"" & ""That's Enough for Me"" --Edward Bear - ""Last Song"" & ""Close Your Eyes"" --Loretta Lynn - ""One's On the Wa...
- Ep 8
8.Host: Paul Anka
16-03-197366mPaul Anka (host) - "Girl," "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," "Hits Medley" and "Jubilation." Bobby Darin - "If I Were a Carpenter," "Splish Splash," and "Roll Over Beethoven." The Co...
- Ep 9
9.Host: Lou Rawls
23-03-197390mLou Rawls (guest host) - ""A Natural Man"" & ""Dead End Street"" --Lou Rawls - medley: ""Memory Lane,"" ""It Was a Very Good Year"" & ""Old Folks"" --Brewer & Shipley - ""One Toke...
- Ep 10
10.Host: Ray Charles
30-03-197390m-Ray Charles (guest host) - ""Eleanor Rigby,"" ""Georgia on My Mind"" & ""What'd I Say"" --Ray Charles with the Raelets (a.k.a. Raylettes) - ""I Can Make It Through the Days (But O...
- Ep 11
11.Hosts: The Bee Gees
06-04-197390mThe Bee Gees; guests: Jerry Lee Lewis; Gladys Knight; Johnny Nash; Skeeter Davis --The Bee Gees (guest hosts) - ""To Love Somebody,"" ""Lonely Days,"" ""I Saw a New Morning"" and a...
- Ep 12
12.Bill Cosby
13-04-197390mBill Cosby (guest host, appearing with a band) - "Ursulena (With Your Washing Machina)," "I've Got to Be Strong" (sung by member of his group) & "I Lost My Baby At the Dance Last N...
- Ep 13
13.Host: Doc Severinsen
20-04-197390mDoc Severinsen (guest host) - ""I Just Want to Celebrate,"" ""Last Tango in Paris,"" ""Does Anybody Know What Time It Is,"" ""Introduction,"" ""Twenty-Five or Six to Four"" & ""Beg...
- Ep 14
14.Host: Jerry Lee Lewis
27-04-197390mJerry Lee Lewis (guest host) - ""Great Balls of Fire,"" ""High School Confidential,"" ""Drinking Wine Spo Dee O'Dee"" & ""Cold Cold Heart"" --Jerry Lee Lewis and Linda Gail Lewis -...
- Ep 15
15.Host: Johnny Nash
04-05-197390mJohnny Nash (guest host) - ""Stir It Up,"" ""Groovy Feeling,"" ""I Can See Clearly Now"" & ""Merry-Go-Round"" --Chi Coltrane - ""Thunder and Lightning"" & ""You Were My Friend"" --...
- Ep 16
16.Hosts: Burns and Schreiber
11-05-197390m-Jack Burns and Avery Schreiber (comedy team, guest hosts) --Mark Almond - ""What Am I Loving For,"" ""Just Another Road Song"" & ""The City"" --Kenny Colman - ""Last Tango in Pari...
- Ep 17
17.Host: Chubby Checker
18-05-1973Chubby Checker - ""Let's Twist Again,"" ""Pony Time,"" Limbo Rock"" & ""Slow Twistin'"" --Jimmy Clanton - ""Just a Dream"" --Danny and the Juniors - ""At the Hop"" & ""Rock and Rol...
- Ep 18
18.Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips
25-05-197390mGladys Knight and the Pips (guest hosts) - ""Friendship Train,"" ""Daddy Could Swear I Declare,"" ""I Don't Want to Do Wrong"" & ""Neither One of Us"" --Dr. John - ""Right Place, W...
- Ep 19
19.Host: Paul Williams
01-06-1973Paul Williams (guest host) - ""My Love and I,"" ""Let Me Be the One,"" ""We've Only Just Begun,"" ""Rainy Days and Mondays"" & ""I Never Had It So Good"" --Argent - ""God Gave Rock...
- Ep 20
20.Host: Curtis Mayfield
08-06-197390mCurtis Mayfield (guest host) - ""Superfly,"" ""If I Were Only a Child Again"" & ""Back to the World"" --Canned Heat - ""Let's Work Together,"" ""Harley Davidson Blues"" & ""Woodsto...
- Ep 21
21.Host: Jim Croce
15-06-197390mJim Croce (guest host) - ""Operator,"" ""Roller Derby Queen,"" ""You Don't Mess with Jim,"" ""Speedball Tucker,"" ""Big Bad Leroy Brown,"" ""Careful Man"" --Little Anthony and the...
- Ep 22
22.Host:The Bee Gees
22-06-197390mHosts: The Bee Gees; guests: Wilson Pickett; Steve Miller Band; Jimmie Spheeris; Maxine Weldon ""I Gotta Get a Message to You,"" ""Alexander's Rag Time Band,"" ""Run to Me,"" ""Mo...
- Ep 23
23.Host: Paul Williams
29-06-197390mPaul Williams (guest host) - ""Someday Man,"" ""That's What Friends Are For"" & ""Look What I Found"" --Paul Williams, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Collidge - ""Me and Bobby McGee""...
- Ep 24
24.Host: Jose Feliciano
06-07-197390mJose Feliciano (guest host) - ""California Dreamin',"" ""Compartments"" & ""Papa Was a Rolling Stone"" --Savoy Brown - ""Shot in the Head"" & ""Jack the Toad"" --The Staple Singers...
- Ep 25
25.Host: Smokey Robinson
13-07-197390mSmokey Robinson (guest host) - ""Want to Know My Mind,"" ""Sweet Harmony"" & ""You Are the Sunshine of My Life"" --The Miracles - ""What Is Heart Good For,"" ""Tears of a Clown"" &...
- Ep 26
26.Host: Joan Baez
20-07-197390m-Joan Baez (host) - ""The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,"" ""Joe Hill,"" ""Love Song to a Stranger,"" ""Prison Trilogy"" & ""Rider Pass By"" --Joan Baez and Mimi Farina - ""Best...
- Ep 27
27.Host: Dionne Warwick
27-07-197390mDionne Warwick (host) - ""I Say a Little Prayer"" and a medley of Burt Bachrach hits. --Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis - ""My Love"" --Johnny Mathis - ""Killing Me Softly with He...
- Ep 28
28.Host: Al Green
03-08-197390m-Al Green (guest host) - ""Let's Stay Together,"" ""Tired of Being Alone,"" ""Call Me,"" ""How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"" & ""Here I Am"" --Ramblin' Jack Elliott - ""San Francis...
- Ep 29
29.Hosts: The Bee Gees
10-08-197390mGuest Hosts: The Bee Gees; guests: The Hollies, Herman's Hermits, Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders, The Searchers, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, Gerry & the Pacemakers --The Bee Ge...
- Ep 30
30.Host: Richard Pryor
17-09-197390mRichard Pryor (guest host) --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Roll Over Beethoven"" --Joe Hicks - ""Train of Thought"" --Doug Kershaw - ""Fisherman's Luck,"" ""Diggy Diggy Lo"" & ""Lou...
- Ep 31
31.Co-hosts: Loretta Lynn & Marty Robbins
24-08-197390mLoretta Lynn and Marty Robbins (Co-hosts) - ""The Midnight Special"" & ""Singin' the Blues"" --Loretta Lynn (Co-host) - ""One's on the Way"" & ""Love is the Foundation"" --Loretta...
- Ep 32
32.Host: Billy Preston
31-08-1973-Billy Preston (guest host) - ""Will It Go Round in Circles,"" All Spaced Out,"" ""Music's My Life"""" & ""That's the Way God Planned It"" --Billy Preston and Buddy Miles - ""My Sw...
- Ep 33
33.Host: Mac Davis
07-09-197390mMac Davis (guest host) - ""Something's Burning,"" ""I'll Paint You a Song,"" ""Naughty Girl,"" ""Lonesomest Lonesome"" & ""I Believe in Music"" --Mark Almond - ""Neighborhood Man""...
- Ep 34
34.Host: Curtis Mayfield
14-09-197370mCurtis Mayfield (guest host) - "Future Shock," "Back to the World," Right On for the Darkness." Sly & The Family Stone - "Everybody is a Star." Helen Reddy - "Delta Dawn." Jim Croc...
- Ep 35
35.Host: Wilson Pickett
21-09-197365m - Ep 36
36.Host: Seals & Crofts
28-09-197370mSeals & Crofts (guest hosts) - "Diamond Girl," "Dust On My Saddle," " We Never Pass This Way Again," "Ruby Jean and Billie Lee" & "Pop Goes the Weasel." T. Rex - "Hot Love" & "Bang...
- Ep 37
37.Host: Gladys Knight & The Pips
05-10-197370m - Ep 38
38.Host: The Bee Gees
12-10-197365m - Ep 39
39.Host: War
19-10-197370m - Ep 40
40.Host: Chuck Berry
02-11-1973Chuck Berry (host) - ""Tulane,"" ""School Days,"" ""Johnny B. Good,"" ""Got It and Gone"" & ""Rock and Roll Music"" --Rick Derringer and the Edgar Winter Group - ""Rock and Roll Ho...
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