
The Midnight Special (1972)
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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Episode 1 - Episode 1
Release Date: -
Episode 2 - Host: David Brenner
Release Date: 1977-09-16Guests: --The Average White Band - ""Star in the Ghetto"" --The Average White Band and Ben E. King - ""Keeping It to Myself"" --Joan Baez - ""Diamonds and Rust,"" ""Time Rag,"" ""Honest Lullaby"" & ""A Heartfelt Line or Two"" --The Brothers Johnson - ""Strawberry Letter 23"" --REO Speedwagon - ""Keep Pushin'"" & ""Ridin' the Storm Out"" --Midnight Special salute to Yes
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Episode 6 - Hosts: The Bay City Rollers
Release Date: 1978-01-06The Bay City Rollers (hosts) - ""Money Honey,"" ""The Way I Feel Tonight,"" ""Pie,"" ""Don't Let the Music Die"" & ""Wouldn't You Like It?"" --Black Oak Arkansas - ""Race with the Devil"" & ""Not Fade Away"" --Greg Lake - ""C'est la Vie"" --New Riders of the Purple Sage - ""Jasper"" & ""Take a Red"" --Randy Newman (on film) - ""Short People"" --Queen (on film) - ""We Are the Champions"" music video --Kenny Rogers - ""Sweet Music Man,"" ""Morgana Jones"" & ""Something's Burnin
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Episode 7 - Host: David Soul
Release Date: 1977-10-28David Soul (host) - ""Don't Give Up on Us,"" ""Silver Lady,"" ""Playing to an Audience of One,"" ""Nobody but a Fool or a Preacher,"" ""Flute Thing"" & ""Hooray for Hollywood"" --David Soul and Debby Boone - ""Oregon"" --David Soul and Lynne Marta - ""Tennessee Blues"" --Debby Boone - ""You Light Up My Life"" & ""My Dangerous Heart"" --Little River Band - ""Help Is on Its Way"" --Paul Nicholas - ""Heaven on the 7th Floor"" --Styx - ""Come Sail Away"" & ""Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)"" --Midnight Special to the Electric Light Orchestra
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Episode 9 - Host: Glen Campbell
Release Date: 1977-11-11Glen Campbell - "William Tell Overture," ""MacArthur Park," "Amazing Grace" & a Beach Boys medley --Brick - "Dusic" & "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" --Glen Campbell & Dorothy Moore - "How Sweet It Is" --Dorothy Moore - "Let the Music Play" & "I Believe In You" --Dianne Steinberg - "Amazing" & "The Wish" --Midnight Special salute to Anne Murray
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Episode 10 - Hosts: The Spinners
Release Date: 1977-11-18The Spinners (hosts) - ""I'll Be Around,"" ""Heaven on Earth,"" ""Baby I Need Your Love"" & ""Easy Come, Easy Go"" --Ronee Blakely and the Spinners - ""Then Came You"" --Gato Barbieri - ""Ruby"" & ""I Want You"" --J.J. Barrie - ""Bing's Gone"" --Ronee Blakely - ""Need a New Sun Rising"" --Crystal Gayle - ""Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue?"" --Heatwave - ""Boogie Nights"" --Alan Price - ""I Want to Dance"" & ""I've Been Hurt"" --Midnight Special salute to the Average White Band
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Episode 23 - Host: Rick Nelson
Release Date: 1978-03-03Rick Nelson (guest host) - ""I Wanna Move with You,"" ""Gimme a Little Sign,"" ""Something You Can't Buy,"" ""Garden Party"" & ""Mystery Train"" --George Benson - ""Here Comes the Sun"" --Paul Davis - ""I Go Crazy,"" ""Bad Dream"" & ""I Never Heard the Song At All"" --Sweet Inspirations - ""Dance"" & ""Sweet Inspiration"" --10cc (music videos) - ""The Things We Do for Love"" & ""Five O'Clock in the Morning"" --Midnight Special salute to the Captain and Tennille
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Episode 35 - Host: Crystal Gayle
Release Date: 1978-06-02 -
Episode 36 - Hosts: The O'Jays
Release Date: 1978-01-13