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The Midnight Special

★ 8.6 471 votes 1972–1981 9 seasons · 246 episodes Returning Series NBC
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About

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.

All Seasons

Season 11972
7.3218331h 30m
Season 21973
7.214746
Season 31974
023
Season 41975
022
Season 51976
8.2921
Season 61977
0261h 30m
Season 71979
8.48271h 30m
Season 8
024
Season 9
7.525241h 30m

Full Cast & Crew

Cast

Wolfman Jack Self - Announcer, Self, Self - Host
Helen Reddy Self - Host, Self - Hostess, Self
Donna Summer Self, Self - Hostess
Gladys Knight Self, Self - Guest Host
Tina Turner Self, Self - Host
Olivia Newton-John Self, Self - Co-Hostess
KC & The Sunshine Band Themselves, Themselves - Host, Themselves - Guest Host
Paul Williams Self, Self - Guest Host
Gladys Knight & The Pips Themselves, Themselves - Guest Hosts, Themselves - Host
The Spinners Themselves, Themselves - Guest Hosts, Themselves - Host

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