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Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and the 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show, and introduced viewers to his recurring character Geraldine. The series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards, and at one point was the second highest rated show on network television. Wilson was the first African American to host a successful TV variety show. In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson's image on its cover and named him "TV's first black superstar".
Birth Name
Clerow Wilson
Born
Friday, 08 December 1933
Died
Wednesday, 25 November 1998
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Self | 2023 |
| Unsung Presents: Best in Black | Self | 2023 |
| Bill Russell: Legend | Self - Host, Flip | 2023 |
| The Super Bob Einstein Movie | Self | 2021 |
| Disclosure | Geraldine / Geraldine (archive footage) | 2020 |
| Visible: Out on Television | Self | 2020 |
| Mansfield 66/67 | Self - Comedian | 2017 |
| O.J.: Made in America | Self | 2016 |
| I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story | Self | 2014 |
| Unsung Hollywood | Self | 2014 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Self | 2023 |
| Unsung Presents: Best in Black | Self | 2023 |
| Bill Russell: Legend | Self - Host, Flip | 2023 |
| The Super Bob Einstein Movie | Self | 2021 |
| Disclosure | Geraldine / Geraldine (archive footage) | 2020 |
| Visible: Out on Television | Self | 2020 |
| Mansfield 66/67 | Self - Comedian | 2017 |
| O.J.: Made in America | Self | 2016 |
| I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story | Self | 2014 |
| Unsung Hollywood | Self | 2014 |
| Autopsy: The Last Hours of | Self - Actor / Comedian / Story Subject | 2014 |
| The Sixties | Self - episode of Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 2013 |
| Pioneers of Television | Geraldine Jones / Self | 2008 |
| The Drew Carey Show | Flip Wilson | 1995 |
| Living Single | Self | 1993 |
| The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show | Self | 1991 |
| The Joan Rivers Show | Self | 1989 |
| Charlie & Co. | Charlie Richmond | 1985 |
| 227 | Ed Fulton / Mr. Grant | 1985 |
| Happy Birthday, Bob! | Self | 1983 |
| An Evening at the Improv | Self - Host | 1982 |
| Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theatre | Self - Host | 1980 |
| The Big Show | Self - Host | 1980 |
| The First 40 Years | Self | 1980 |
| The Toni Tennille Show | Self - Guest | 1979 |
| The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh | Coach 'Jock' Delaney | 1979 |
| Skatetown U.S.A. | Harvey Ross | 1979 |
| Laugh-In | Guest Performer | 1977 |
| They Said It with Music: Yankee Doodle to Ragtime | Self | 1977 |
| The Love Boat | Frank Dalton | 1977 |
| 3 Girls 3 | Self | 1977 |
| Van Dyke and Company | Self | 1976 |
| Pinocchio | Fox | 1976 |
| The Sonny and Cher Show | Various Characters / Self | 1976 |
| Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television | Self | 1975 |
| Saturday Night Live | Various / Self - Host | 1975 |
| Sammy and Company | Self | 1975 |
| Cher | Self | 1975 |
| The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Bob Hope | Self | 1974 |
| Uptown Saturday Night | The Reverend | 1974 |
| The Six Million Dollar Man | Billy Parker / The Prime Minister | 1974 |
| Tomorrow Coast to Coast | Self | 1973 |
| The Helen Reddy Show | Self | 1973 |
| HBO Boxing | Self - Ringside Commentator | 1973 |
| The Bobby Darin Show | Self / Self - Comedian | 1973 |
| Cancel My Reservation | Self - Flip Wilson | 1972 |
| The Midnight Special | Self - Cameo | 1972 |
| Flip | Self - Host / Host | 1970 |
| The Don Knotts Show | Self | 1970 |
| Bing Crosby - Cooling It | Self | 1970 |
| Love, American Style | Big Red (segment "Love and the Hustler") | 1969 |
| The Andy Williams Show | Self - Comedian / Self | 1969 |
| Sesame Street | Self / Himself / (archive footage) | 1969 |
| The David Frost Show | Self | 1969 |
| Della | Self | 1969 |
| The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour | Self | 1969 |
| That's Life | Self | 1968 |
| Here's Lucy | Flip Wilson | 1968 |
| Operation: Entertainment | Self - Host | 1968 |
| The Jerry Lewis Show | Prisoner | 1967 |
| The Carol Burnett Show | Self / Self - Guest | 1967 |
| Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Guest Performer / Self | 1967 |
| The Dean Martin Summer Show Starring Your Host Vic Damone | Self - Guest | 1967 |
| The Joey Bishop Show | Self / Self - Guest Host | 1967 |
| Dream Girl of '67 | Self - Bachelor Judge | 1966 |
| The Dean Martin Show | Self / Self - Cameo | 1965 |
| The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) | Self - Panelist | 1965 |
| Gypsy | Self - comedian | 1965 |
| The Hollywood Palace | Self - Host / Self - Cameo | 1964 |
| The Match Game | Self - Team Captain | 1962 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Himself - Guest Host / Himself - Guest / Himself / Self / Self - Guest Host / Himself - Comedian | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Himself - Comedian / Himself - Co-Host | 1961 |
| The Kraft Music Hall | Self | 1958 |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | Self / Self - Comedian / Self - Singer | 1948 |
Producer Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| The Helen Reddy Show | 1973 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 1973 | Golden Globe | Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical | Nominated |
| 1973 | Emmy | Outstanding Variety Musical Series | Nominated |
| 1973 | Emmy | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music | Nominated |
| 1972 | Golden Globe | Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical | Nominated |
| 1972 | Emmy | Outstanding Variety Series - Musical | Nominated |
| 1972 | Emmy | Outstanding Single Program - Variety or Musical - Variety and Popular Music | Nominated |
| 1972 | Emmy | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music | Nominated |
| 1971 | Golden Globe | Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical | Won |
| 1971 | Emmy | Outstanding Variety Series - Musical | Won |
| 1971 | Emmy | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music | Won |
