The Midnight Special backdrop
The Midnight Special poster
📺 Series

The Midnight Special

📅 1972 ⭐ 8.6 🕐 1h 30m US US
IMDb tt0229907 TMDB 290

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.

Seasons & Episodes
Season 1 40 episodes ▼
E1
Pilot 1972-08-19
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E2
Host: Helen Reddy 1973-02-02
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E3
Host: Johnny Rivers 1973-02-08
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E4
Host: Mac Davis 1973-02-16
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E5
Host: Harry Chapin 1973-02-23
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E6
Host: Anne Murray 1973-03-02
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E7
Host: Paul Williams 1973-03-09
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E8
Host: Paul Anka 1973-03-16
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E9
Host: Lou Rawls 1973-03-23
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E10
Host: Ray Charles 1973-03-30
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E11
Hosts: The Bee Gees 1973-04-06
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E12
Bill Cosby 1973-04-13
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E13
Host: Doc Severinsen 1973-04-20
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E14
Host: Jerry Lee Lewis 1973-04-27
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E15
Host: Johnny Nash 1973-05-04
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E16
Hosts: Burns and Schreiber 1973-05-11
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E17
Host: Chubby Checker 1973-05-18
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E18
Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips 1973-05-25
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E19
Host: Paul Williams 1973-06-01
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E20
Host: Curtis Mayfield 1973-06-08
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E21
Host: Jim Croce 1973-06-15
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E22
Host:The Bee Gees 1973-06-22
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E23
Host: Paul Williams 1973-06-29
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E24
Host: Jose Feliciano 1973-07-06
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E25
Host: Smokey Robinson 1973-07-13
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E26
Host: Joan Baez 1973-07-20
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E27
Host: Dionne Warwick 1973-07-27
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E28
Host: Al Green 1973-08-03
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E29
Hosts: The Bee Gees 1973-08-10
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E30
Host: Richard Pryor 1973-09-17
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E31
Co-hosts: Loretta Lynn & Marty Robbins 1973-08-24
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E32
Host: Billy Preston 1973-08-31
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E33
Host: Mac Davis 1973-09-07
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E34
Host: Curtis Mayfield 1973-09-14
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E35
Host: Wilson Pickett 1973-09-21
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E36
Host: Seals & Crofts 1973-09-28
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E37
Host: Gladys Knight & The Pips 1973-10-05
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E38
Host: The Bee Gees 1973-10-12
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E39
Host: War 1973-10-19
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E40
Host: Chuck Berry 1973-11-02
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Season 2 50 episodes ▼
E1
Host: Curtis Mayfield 1973-09-14
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E2
Host: Wilson Pickett 1973-09-21
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E3
Hosts: Seals & Crofts 1973-09-28
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E4
Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips 1973-10-05
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E5
Host:The Bee Gees 1973-10-12
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E6
Hosts: War 1973-10-19
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E7
Hosts: Sly and the Family Stone 1973-10-26
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E8
Chuck Berry 1973-11-02
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E9
Host: Jerry Lee Lewis 1973-11-09
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E10
The 1980 Floor Show starring David Bowie 1973-11-16
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E11
Host: Peter Noone 1973-11-23
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E12
Hosts: Procol Harum 1973-11-30
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E13
Hosts: The Four Tops 1973-12-07
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E14
Hosts: Loggins & Messina 1973-12-14
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E15
Host: Jose Feliciano Guests: Clarence Carter, Roger McGuinn, Linda Ronstadt, Sha Na Na 1974-12-21
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E16
Host: Marty Robbins 1973-12-28
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E17
Million Sellers hosted by Wolfman Jack 1974-01-04
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E18
Hosts: Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show 1974-01-11
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E19
Host: Smokey Robinson 1974-01-18
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E20
Host: Steve Miller Guests: Brownsville Station, Tim Buckley, The James Cotton Blues Band, Genesis, The James Gang 1974-01-25
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E21
Host: Helen Reddy 1974-02-01
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E22
Hosts: Ike and Tina Turner 1974-02-08
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E23
Host: Roy Orbison 1974-02-15
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E24
Host: Gordon Lightfoot 1974-02-22
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E25
Hosts: Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show 1974-03-01
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E26
Hosts: Gladys Knight and the Pips 1974-03-08
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E27
Hosts: The Pointer Sisters 1974-03-15
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E28
Host: Bill Withers 1974-03-22
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E29
Hosts: The Guess Who 1974-03-29
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E30
Hosts: The Righteous Brothers 1974-04-05
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E31
Host: Roy Clark 1974-04-12
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E32
Host: Curtis Mayfield 1974-04-19
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E33
Host: Charlie Rich 1974-04-26
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E34
Hosts: The Spinners 1974-05-03
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E35
Host: George Carlin 1974-05-10
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E36
Host: Frankie Avalon 1974-05-17
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E37
Host: Richard Pryor 1974-05-24
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E38
Host: Marty Robbins 1974-05-31
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E39
Hosts: The Kinks 1974-06-07
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E40
Host: David Steinberg (All-Comedy show) 1974-06-28
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E41
Host: Anne Murray 1974-07-05
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E42
Host: Bobby Womack 1974-07-12
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E43
Host: Helen Reddy 1974-07-19
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E44
Host: Leon Russell 1974-07-26
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E45
Host: Leon Russell 1974-08-02
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E46
Hosts: Sly and the Family Stone 1974-08-09
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E47
Host: Little Richard 1974-08-16
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E48
Host: B.B. King 1974-08-30
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E49
Marvin Gaye 1974-09-06
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E50
Hosts: The O'Jays 1974-09-13
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Season 3 48 episodes ▼
E1
Host: Randy Newman 1974-09-27
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E2
Host: Al Green 1974-10-04
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E3
Host: Jose Feliciano 1974-10-11
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E4
Host: Paul Anka 1974-10-18
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E5
Host: David Steinberg :Comedy show 1974-10-25
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E6
Host: Fats Domino 1974-11-01
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E7
Host: Redd Foxx 1974-11-08
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E8
Host: Barry White 1974-11-15
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E9
Host: George Carlin 1974-11-15
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E10
Host: Bobby Vinton 1974-11-29
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E11
Tom Jones 1974-12-06
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E12
Million Sellers (Part 1) - Host: Wolfman Jack 1974-12-13
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E13
Million Sellers (Part 2) - Host: Wolfman Jack 1974-12-20
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E14
Host: Charley Pride 1974-12-27
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E15
Hosts: The Guess Who 1975-01-03
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E16
Hosts: The Righteous Brothers 1975-01-10
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E17
Hosts: Electric Light Orchestra 1975-01-17
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E18
Hosts: The Marshall Tucker Band 1975-01-24
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E19
Host: Helen Reddy (2nd Anniversary Show) 1975-01-31
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E20
Host: Dave Mason 1975-02-07
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E21
Host: Neil Sedaka 1975-02-14
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E22
Host: Steppenwolf 1975-02-21
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E23
Hosts: B.T. Express 1975-02-28
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E24
Host: Olivia Newton-John 1975-03-07
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E25
Host: Clive Davis 1975-03-14
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E26
Hosts: Black Oak Arkansas 1975-03-21
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E27
International Acts hosted by Wolfman Jack 1975-03-28
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E28
Hosts: The Ohio Players 1975-04-04
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E29
Co-hosts: Wet Willie and Charlie Daniels 1975-04-11
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E30
Hosts: Earth, Wind & Fire 1975-04-18
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E31
Hosts: Rod Stewart & The Faces 1975-04-25
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E32
Host: Billy Preston 1975-05-02
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E33
Host: Wolfman Jack 1975-05-09
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E34
Host: Chubby Checker 1975-05-16
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E35
Host: Don Cornelius 1975-05-23
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E36
Host: Joan Baez 1975-05-30
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E37
Hosts: Seals & Crofts 1975-06-13
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E38
Host: Herb Alpert 1975-06-20
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E39
Host: The Temptations 1975-06-27
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E40
Host: Frankie Valli 1975-07-04
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E41
Host: Flip Wilson 1975-07-11
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E42
Helen Reddy / Mac Davis / Minnie Riperton 1975-07-18
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E43
Helen Reddy / Jessi Colter / Janis Ian 1975-07-25
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E44
Helen Reddy / Glen Campbell / Uriah Heep 1975-08-15
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E45
Helen Reddy / Roger Daltrey 1975-08-22
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E46
Helen Reddy / Johnny Rivers 1975-08-29
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E47
Helen Reddy / Frankie Valli 1975-09-05
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E48
Helen Reddy / The Bee Gees / Janis Ian 1975-09-12
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Season 4 40 episodes ▼
E1
Helen Reddy / Nitty Gritty Dirt Band / Phoebe Snow 1975-09-19
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E2
Helen Reddy / Isaac Hayes / Barry Manilow 1976-09-26
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E3
Helen Reddy / Roger Miller / Keith Carradine 1976-06-11
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E4
Host: Helen Reddy / Bee Gees / Ike & Tina Turner 1975-10-10
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E5
Host: Glen Campbell / Mac Davis 1975-10-24
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E6
Helen Reddy / J. Geils Band / Hudson Brothers 1975-10-31
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E7
Helen Reddy / Merle Haggard / Roger Daltrey 1975-11-07
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E8
Host: Helen Reddy 1975-11-14
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E9
Helen Reddy / David Essex / Brenda Lee / Jimmie Walker 1975-11-21
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E10
Helen Reddy / Frankie Valli / KISS / Barry Manilow 1976-11-28
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E11
Helen Reddy / Natalie Cole / Bee Gees / Olivia Newton-John 1975-12-05
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E12
Helen Reddy / Anne Murray / Rufus feat. Chaka Khan 1975-12-12
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E13
Helen Reddy / Petula Clark / Peter Frampton 1975-12-19
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E14
Host: Helen Reddy / Dolly Parton / Charlie Rich 1975-12-26
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E15
Host: Helen Reddy 1976-01-09
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E16
Staple Singers / Poco/Kenny Rankin 1976-06-16
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E17
Helen Reddy / Natalie Cole / Petula Clark 1976-01-23
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E18
Helen Reddy / 5th Dimension / Tom T. Hall 1976-01-30
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E19
Host: Wolfman Jack (3rd Anniversary Show, Part 1) 1976-02-13
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E20
Host: Wolfman Jack (3rd Anniversary Show, Part 2) 1976-02-20
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E21
Host: David Brenner 1976-02-27
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E22
Helen Reddy / Miracles / Tanya Tucker / ELO 1976-03-05
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E23
Helen Reddy / Peter Frampton / Rufus feat. Chaka Khan 1976-03-19
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E24
Helen Reddy / Gordon Lightfoot / Little Richard 1976-03-26
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E25
Host: Natalie Cole 1976-04-02
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E26
Host: Helen Reddy 1976-04-09
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E27
Janis Ian 1976-04-23
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E29
Host: Paul Anka 1976-05-21
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E30
Host: Neil Sedaka 1976-06-04
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E31
Host: Helen Reddy 1976-06-11
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E33
Host: Natalie Cole 1976-06-25
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E34
Host: Glen Campbell 1976-07-02
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E35
Host: Rita Coolidge 1976-07-09
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E37
Hosts: The Spinners 1976-07-23
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E38
Host: David Brenner 1976-07-30
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E39
Host: James Brown 1976-08-06
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E40
Host: Paul Williams 1976-06-11
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E42
Host: Jimmie Walker 1976-08-27
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E43
Host: Aretha Franklin 1976-09-10
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E44
Host: Neil Sedaka 1976-06-04
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Season 5 23 episodes ▼
E1
Hosts: The Spinners 1976-09-17
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E2
Lesley Gore 1976-09-24
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E3
Host: George Carlin 1976-10-01
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E4
Host: James Brown 1976-10-08
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E5
Co-hosts: Jackie DeShannon & Johnny Rivers 1976-10-15
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E6
Host: Helen Reddy 1976-10-22
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E7
Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band 1976-10-29
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E14
Host: Tom Jones 1976-12-17
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E15
Million Sellers of 1976, Part 2 1977-01-07
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E16
Host: Judy Collins 1977-01-21
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E17
Host: Helen Reddy (4th Anniversary Show) 1977-01-28
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E18
Host: Glen Campbell 1977-02-04
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E19
Hosts: The Electric Light Orchestra 1977-02-18
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E21
Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band 1977-03-04
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E22
Hosts: Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. 1977-03-18
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E23
Host: Aretha Franklin 1977-03-25
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E25
Host: Gabe Kaplan 1977-04-08
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E26
Host: George Benson 1977-04-22
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E27
British Rock hosted by Wolfman Jack 1977-04-29
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E28
Host: Helen Reddy 1977-05-06
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E30
Host: Lou Rawls 1977-05-20
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E31
Host: Neil Sedaka 1977-05-27
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E32
Hosts: Bread 1977-06-03
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Season 6 15 episodes ▼
E1
Hosts: The Captain and Tennille 1977-09-09
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E2
Host: David Brenner 1977-09-16
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E3
Host: George Benson 1977-09-23
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E4
Host: Kenny Rogers 1977-10-07
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E6
Host: Elvin Bishop 1977-10-21
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E7
Host: David Soul 1977-10-28
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E8
Host: Lou Rawls 1977-11-04
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E9
Host: Glen Campbell 1977-11-11
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E10
Hosts: The Spinners 1977-11-18
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E16
Hosts: The Bay City Rollers 1978-01-06
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E18
Host: Aretha Franklin 1978-01-27
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E23
Host: Rick Nelson 1978-03-03
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E32
Host: Dicky Betts 1978-05-12
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E35
Host: Crystal Gayle 1978-06-02
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E36
Hosts: The O'Jays 1978-01-13
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Season 7 3 episodes ▼
E1
Host: Blondie 1979-01-19
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E24
Hosts: The Beach Boys 1979-04-27
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E25
Episode 25 1979-05-04
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Season 8 4 episodes ▼
E1
Episode 1
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E2
The Cars 1979-09-28
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E13
Episode 13 1980-01-11
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E25
Roy Orbison 1980-05-16
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Production
Burt Sugarman Productions
US
NBC
US
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