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The Midnight Special

  • TV Series
  • 1972–19811972–1981
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
294
YOUR RATING
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Midnight Special (1972)
Trailer for The Midnight Special: 3 DVD Edition
Play trailer2:42
3 Videos
17 Photos
MusicTalk-Show

Late night rock and pop music performances are featured.Late night rock and pop music performances are featured.Late night rock and pop music performances are featured.

IMDb RATING
8.5/10
294
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Wolfman Jack
    • Helen Reddy
    • Donna Summer
Top credits
  • Stars
    • Wolfman Jack
    • Helen Reddy
    • Donna Summer
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 2 nominations total

    Episodes235

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos3

    The Midnight Special: Three Disc Collection
    Trailer 2:42
    The Midnight Special: Three Disc Collection
    The Midnight Special: Complete Collection
    Trailer 2:39
    The Midnight Special: Complete Collection
    The Midnight Special
    Trailer 2:38
    The Midnight Special

    Photos17

    Jobriath Boone in The Midnight Special (1972)
    Helen Reddy in The Midnight Special (1972)
    Helen Reddy in The Midnight Special (1972)
    Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty in The Midnight Special (1972)
    ABBA in The Midnight Special (1972)
    ABBA in The Midnight Special (1972)
    ABBA in The Midnight Special (1972)
    ABBA in The Midnight Special (1972)
    The Midnight Special (1972)
    Peter Banks, Colin Carter, and Ray Bennett in The Midnight Special (1972)
    David Bowie in The Midnight Special (1972)
    The Midnight Special (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Wolfman Jack
    Wolfman Jack
    • Self - Announceras Self - Announcer…
    107 episodes107 eps • 1972–1981
    Helen Reddy
    Helen Reddy
    • Self - Hostas Self - Host…
    17 episodes17 eps • 1973–1977
    Donna Summer
    Donna Summer
    • Selfas Self…
    10 episodes10 eps • 1976–1981
    Gladys Knight
    Gladys Knight
    • Selfas Self…
    9 episodes9 eps • 1973–1980
    Tina Turner
    Tina Turner
    • Selfas Self…
    8 episodes8 eps • 1973–1979
    Olivia Newton-John
    Olivia Newton-John
    • Selfas Self…
    8 episodes8 eps • 1974–1981
    KC & The Sunshine Band
    KC & The Sunshine Band
    • Themselvesas Themselves…
    8 episodes8 eps • 1976–1979
    Paul Williams
    Paul Williams
    • Selfas Self…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1973–1975
    The Spinners
    The Spinners
    • Themselvesas Themselves…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1973–1980
    Gladys Knight & The Pips
    Gladys Knight & The Pips
    • Themselvesas Themselves…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1973–1974
    Curtis Mayfield
    Curtis Mayfield
    • Selfas Self…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1973–1974
    The Bee Gees
    The Bee Gees
    • Themselvesas Themselves…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1973–1975
    Electric Light Orchestra
    Electric Light Orchestra
    • Themselvesas Themselves…
    8 episodes8 eps • 1973–1979
    Randy Jones
    Randy Jones
    • Selfas Self…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1978–1980
    David Bowie
    David Bowie
    • Selfas Self…
    6 episodes6 eps • 1973–1981
    Billy Preston
    Billy Preston
    • Selfas Self…
    6 episodes6 eps • 1973–1980
    Ike Turner
    • Selfas Self…
    6 episodes6 eps • 1973–1975
    Lou Rawls
    Lou Rawls
    • Self - Hostas Self - Host…
    6 episodes6 eps • 1973–1977
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    "The Midnight Special" was a Friday night Pop Rock variety show on NBC TV that ran in the same weekly time slot of 12:30 AM to 2AM EST for 9 years (1972-1981). It was taped in front of a live studio audience at NBC Burbank Ca. Concert footage was included at times. During the show's run there were some reruns on Saturday nights and 3 hr. compilation specials. Wolfman Jack appeared each week as announcer and main host, with a different guest host each week. Pop Rock and comedy performers appeared on the show. In changing times, the show's time slot was later filled by "Friday Night Videos"(1983), with the sudden popularity of the music video. —efffee@aol.com
    stand up comedysingingsongsingermusical number1 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Music
      • Talk-Show
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The theme of the Pilot, first aired during the summer of 1972, was to encourage 18-year-olds to vote in the upcoming presidential election. The 26th Amendment, passed in July 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
    • Connections
      Featured in Super Night of Rock 'n' Roll (1984)

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    GREATEST MUSIC SHOW OF ALL TIME
    It's not really fair just reviewing the Andy Kaufman episode just because it's the only one ever released on video. The show was much more than an Andy Kaufman episode. It showcased the best that the music world had to offer in the 1970s and it's archives house some of the best performances of all time. It's really a shame that the owner, Paul Brownstein, does nothing with the tapes but just sell "clips" to corporations that sell disco albums on TV at hundreds of bucks a clip. Too bad the real fans won't ever be able to see the show again like it was presented. The same thing has happened to Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. It's only offered as "clips". I'm glad I have my own library of original tapings of the shows to watch over and over.
    helpful•8
    2
    • sentra14
    • Dec 7, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 19, 1972 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • ミッドナイト・スペシャル (テレビシリーズ)
    • Filming locations
      • NBC Studios - 3000 W. Alameda Avenue, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Burt Sugarman Productions
      • National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

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    Herbert Schlosser, NBC Executive Who Oversaw ‘Laugh-In’ and ‘SNL,’ Dies at 95
    Aug 6Variety Film + TV
    Jello Biafra
    Jun 22Trailers from Hell

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