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The Best Episodes of The Midnight Special

Every episode of The Midnight Special ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Midnight Special!

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...
Network:NBC

Best Episodes Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "The Midnight Special". It scored 8.9/10 based on 28 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 8/19/1972. This episode scored 0.8 points higher than the second highest rated, "The 1980 Floor Show starring David Bowie".

  • Pilot
    8.9/1028 votes
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    #1 - Pilot

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 8/19/1972

    John Denver guest hosted Mama Cass, The Everly Brothers, The Isley Brothers, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Argent and Helen Reddy. Among the musical highlights were Harry Chapin performing his hit "Taxi", Linda Ronstadt sang her popular ballad "Long Long Time", Helen Reddy sang "I Am Woman" and the Britsh group Argent performed their 1972 hit "Hold Tour Head High"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The 1980 Floor Show starring David Bowie
    8.1/1020 votes
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    #2 - The 1980 Floor Show starring David Bowie

    Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 11/16/1973

    Opening credits: male dancers pose forming letters spelling out ""Bowie The 1980 Floor Show"" (dancers appear throughout show). --David Bowie - medley: ""1984,"" ""You Didn't Hear It from Me"" and ""1984"" reprise --David Bowie - ""Sorrow"" --Dooshenka (female impersonator) introduces Carmen --Carmen (band from Spain) - ""Bulerias"" --David Bowie - ""Everything's Alright"" & ""Space Oddity"" --David Bowie - ""I Can't Explain"" --Marianne Faithfull - ""As Tears Go By"" --David Bowie - ""Time"" --The Troggs - ""Wild Thing"" --Carmen - ""Bullfight"" --David Bowie - ""Jean Genie"" --Marianne Faithfull - ""20th Century Blues"" --David Bowie and Marianne Faithfull - ""I Got You, Babe"" --The Troggs - ""I Can't Control Myself"" & ""Strange Movies"" --Closing credits: David Bowie - ""You Didn't Hear It from Me"" and ""1984"" (same performance as earlier in sh

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Chubby Checker
    8.0/107 votes
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    #3 - Host: Chubby Checker

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 5/18/1973

    Chubby Checker - ""Let's Twist Again,"" ""Pony Time,"" Limbo Rock"" & ""Slow Twistin'"" --Jimmy Clanton - ""Just a Dream"" --Danny and the Juniors - ""At the Hop"" & ""Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay"" --Ben E. King - ""Spanish Harlem"" & ""Stand by Me"" --Little Anthony and the Imperials - ""Going Out of My Head"" & ""Two Kinds of People in the World"" --Lloyd Price - ""Personality"" --Lloyd Price and the Skyliners - ""I'm Gonna Get Married"" --The Ronettes - ""Baby I Love You"" & ""Do I Love You"" --The Shirelles - ""Baby It's You"" & ""Will You Love Me Tomorrow"" --The Skyliners - ""This I Swear"" & ""Since I Don't Have You"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Hosts: Ike and Tina Turner
    8.0/108 votes
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    #4 - Hosts: Ike and Tina Turner

    Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 2/8/1974

    Ike and Tina Turner (hosts) - ""City Girl Country Boy,"" ""With a Little Help from My Friends,"" ""Proud Mary"" & ""I Smell Trouble"" --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Showdown"" & ""Bluebird Is Dead"" --David Essex - ""Rock On"" & ""Streetfight"" --Jose Feliciano - ""I Like What You Give"" & ""Blame It On the Sun"" --Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids - ""Dancin' on a Saturday Night"" & ""Muleskinner Blues"" --Mandrill - ""Git It All"" --Todd Rundgren - ""Couldn't I Just Tell You?"" & ""The Dream Goes On Forever""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Al Green
    7.8/107 votes
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    #5 - Host: Al Green

    Season 1 Episode 28 - Aired 8/3/1973

    -Al Green (guest host) - ""Let's Stay Together,"" ""Tired of Being Alone,"" ""Call Me,"" ""How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"" & ""Here I Am"" --Ramblin' Jack Elliott - ""San Francisco Bay Blues"" --Foghat - ""She's Gone"" ""I Just Want to Make Love to You"" --The Stylistics - ""Point of No Return,"" ""I'm Stone in Love with You"" & ""Stop, Look and Listen"" --Livingston Taylor - ""Good Friends"" & ""Over the Rainbow"" --Bobby Womack - ""Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out"" & ""Harry Hippie""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Olivia Newton-John
    7.8/107 votes
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    #6 - Host: Olivia Newton-John

    Season 3 Episode 24 - Aired 3/7/1975

    Olivia Newton-John (host) - ""If You Love Me (Let Me Know),"" ""Have You Never Been Mellow?"" ""You Ain't Got the Right,"" ""The Air That I Breathe"" & ""I Never Did Sing You a Love Song"" --Waylon Jennings - ""Honkey Tonk Heroes"" & ""You Ask Me To"" --Kenny Rankin - ""Silver Morning"" & ""Catfish"" --Ike and Tina Turner - ""Sexy Ida,"" ""Bayou Song"" and ""Baby Get It On"" --Salute to Leo Sayer. Leo is shown singing ""The Show Must Go On,"" ""Long Tall Glasses"" and ""It's Your Way"" --Leo Sayer - ""In My Life"" (or ""I've Got to Do Something with My Life"") and ""The Dancer""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Helen Reddy
    7.4/1014 votes
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    #7 - Host: Helen Reddy

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 2/2/1973

    Helen Reddy (host) - ""I Am Woman,"" ""Peaceful"" & ""Come On John"" --Ed McMahon (walk-on cameo) - wishes the show sucess --Ike and Tina Turner Revue- ""I Can't Turn You Loose"" & ""With a Little Help from My Friends"" --George Carlin (comedian) - stand-up comedy monologue --Curtis Mayfield - ""Superfly"" --Don McLean - ""Dreidel"" & ""If We Try"" --Rare Earth - ""We're Gonna Have a Good Time"" & ""I Just Want to Celebrate"" --Kenny Rankin - ""Comin' Down"" --The Byrds - ""Mr. Tambourine Man"" & ""So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star"" --The Impressions - ""Preacher Man"" --Helen Reddy, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions - ""Amen""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Curtis Mayfield
    7.4/107 votes
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    #8 - Host: Curtis Mayfield

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 6/8/1973

    Curtis Mayfield (guest host) - ""Superfly,"" ""If I Were Only a Child Again"" & ""Back to the World"" --Canned Heat - ""Let's Work Together,"" ""Harley Davidson Blues"" & ""Woodstock Boogie"" --Jose Feliciano - ""Simple Song,"" ""Compartments"" & ""Light My Fire"" --Leroy Hutson - ""Love Oh Love"" --Ravi Shankar - ""Ahir Bhairav"" --Lakshmi Shankar - ""A Bhajan"" --The Spinners - ""One of a Kind Love Affair,"" ""I'll Be Around"" & ""Could it Be I'm Falling in Love"" --Tufano-Giammarese - ""Music Everywhere"" & ""I'm a Loser"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Frankie Avalon
    7.4/108 votes
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    #9 - Host: Frankie Avalon

    Season 2 Episode 36 - Aired 5/17/1974

    Frankie Avalon (host) - ""Why,"" ""Just Ask Your Heart,"" ""De De Dinah,"" ""Gingerbread,"" ""Bobby Sox to Stockings"" & ""Venus"" --Frankie Avalon and Fabian - ""Scrapbook"" & ""Fireball 500"" --Lou Christie - ""The Gypsy Cried"" & ""Lightnin' Strikes"" --Fabian - ""Rock Around the Clock,"" ""Turn Me Loose"" & ""Tiger"" --The Fleetwoods - ""Come Softly to Me"" & ""Mr. Blue"" --Frankie Ford - ""Sea Cruise"" --Jimmie Rodgers - ""Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,"" ""Honeycomb"" & ""Oh Oh I'm Falling in Love Again"" --The Royal Teens - ""Short Shorts"" & 'the Great Midnight Special Rock 'n' Roll Opera"" --Sam and Dave - ""Hold On I'm Comin'"" & ""Soul Man"" --Shirley and Lee - ""Let the Good Times Roll"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Billy Preston
    7.3/107 votes
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    #10 - Host: Billy Preston

    Season 1 Episode 32 - Aired 8/31/1973

    -Billy Preston (guest host) - ""Will It Go Round in Circles,"" All Spaced Out,"" ""Music's My Life"""" & ""That's the Way God Planned It"" --Billy Preston and Buddy Miles - ""My Sweet Lord"" --Bo Diddley - ""Bo Diddley"" & ""Bo Diddley-Itis"" --Ned Doheny - ""I Can Dream"" --Gladstone - ""Natural Inclination"" --Maureen McGovern - ""The Morning After"" (theme song from ""The Poseidon Adventure"") --Buddy Miles - ""Them Changes"" & ""Thinking of You"" --Steely Dan - ""Reeling in the Years,"" ""Show Biz Kids"" & ""My Old School"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Anne Murray
    7.2/108 votes
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    #11 - Host: Anne Murray

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 3/2/1973

    Anne Murray (Host) - "Snowbird," "Danny's Song" and "I Know." Anne Murray, Steve Martin and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - "Shuckin' the Corn." The Association - "Along Comes Mary," "Crazy Songs and Looney Tunes" and "Names, Tags, Numbers and Labels." Badfinger - "No Matter What" and "Suitcase." Steve Martin (comedy segment) - routines on parts of the body, sound effects and plays the banjo. Don McLean - "Vincent," "Dreidel" and "If We Try." Sam Neely - "Loving You Just Crossed My Mind" and "Rosalie." Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - "Jambalaya." Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee - "People Get Ready" and "Walkin' My Blues Away."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Mac Davis
    7.1/1010 votes
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    #12 - Host: Mac Davis

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 2/16/1973

    Mac Davis (host) - ""Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me,"" ""I Believe in Music,"" ""Dream Me Home,"" ""Home"" & ""Half and Half (Song for Sara)"" --The Doobie Brothers - ""Jesus Is Just Alright"" & ""Listen to the Music"" --Waylon Jennings - ""You Can Have Her"" --Billy Paul - ""Me and Mrs. Jones"" & ""Brown Baby"" --Billy Preston - ""Blackbird,"" ""Georgia on My Mind"" & ""That's the Way God Planned It"" --Joan Rivers (comedy segment) --On film: the ""Dueling Banjos"" segment from ""Deliverance"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Paul Anka
    7.1/109 votes
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    #13 - Host: Paul Anka

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 3/16/1973

    Paul Anka (host) - "Girl," "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," "Hits Medley" and "Jubilation." Bobby Darin - "If I Were a Carpenter," "Splish Splash," and "Roll Over Beethoven." The Coasters - "Poison Ivy," "Charlie Brown" and "Yakety Yak." Tammy Wynette - "Kids Say the Darnedest Things." The Ace Trucking Company (comedy segment). The Edwin Hawkins Singers - "Oh, Happy Day" and "New World." Paul Anka and The Edwin Hawkins Singers - "Sweet Georgia Mine." The Doobie Brothers - "Natural Thing" and "Listen to the Music." George Jones - "What My Woman Can't Do."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Hosts: Sly and the Family Stone
    7.0/106 votes
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    #14 - Hosts: Sly and the Family Stone

    Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 10/26/1973

    -Sly and the Family Stone (hosts) - ""Stand,"" ""Higher,"" ""Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),"" ""If You Want Me to Stay"" & ""Dance to the Music"" --Mark Almond - ""Get Yourself Together"" & ""The City"" --Little Sister - ""I'm the One You're the One"" --Melissa Manchester - ""Oh Heaven How You've Changed Me"" --Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons - medley of hits & ""The Scalawag Song"" --Freddy Weller - ""The Perfect Stranger"" & ""The Roadmaster"" --Atlee Yeager - ""I Wanna Be Alone with You""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips
    6.8/107 votes
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    #15 - Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 5/25/1973

    Gladys Knight and the Pips (guest hosts) - ""Friendship Train,"" ""Daddy Could Swear I Declare,"" ""I Don't Want to Do Wrong"" & ""Neither One of Us"" --Dr. John - ""Right Place, Wrong Time"" & ""Such a Night"" --Robert Klein (comedy segment) --Skylark - ""Wildflower"" & ""Woodstock"" --The Staple Singers - ""Respect Yourself"" & ""We the People"" --John Stewart - ""Road Away"" & ""Chilly Winds""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Jim Croce
    6.4/107 votes
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    #16 - Host: Jim Croce

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 6/15/1973

    Jim Croce (guest host) - ""Operator,"" ""Roller Derby Queen,"" ""You Don't Mess with Jim,"" ""Speedball Tucker,"" ""Big Bad Leroy Brown,"" ""Careful Man"" --Little Anthony and the Imperials - ""Dance to the Music"" & ""La La La at the End"" --Savoy Brown - ""Tell Mama"" & ""Coming Down Your Way"" --Barbara Fairchild - ""Teddy Bear"" --Shawn Phillips - ""Anello (Where Are You)"" & ""America"" --Wishbone Ash - ""Jailbait"" --Bobby Womack - ""It's All Over Now"" & ""Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host:The Bee Gees
    6.4/107 votes
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    #17 - Host:The Bee Gees

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 6/22/1973

    Hosts: The Bee Gees; guests: Wilson Pickett; Steve Miller Band; Jimmie Spheeris; Maxine Weldon ""I Gotta Get a Message to You,"" ""Alexander's Rag Time Band,"" ""Run to Me,"" ""Morning of My Life,"" ""Holiday,"" ""Let There Be Love,"" ""My World"" & ""Wouldn't I be Someone"" --The Bee Gees and Wilson Pickett - ""Hey Jude"" --Wilson Pickett - ""In the Midnight Hour"" & ""Mr. Magic Man"" --Steve Miller Band - ""Loving on the U.S.A."" & ""Shu ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma"" --John Kay - ""I'm Movin' On"" and ""Moonshine (Friend of Mine)"" --Jimmie Spheeris - ""The Original Tap Dancing Kid"" & ""Beautiful News"" --Maxine Weldon - ""Johnny One Time"" --The Muledeer and Moondoog Medicine Show English

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Paul Williams
    6.2/108 votes
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    #18 - Host: Paul Williams

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 6/1/1973

    Paul Williams (guest host) - ""My Love and I,"" ""Let Me Be the One,"" ""We've Only Just Begun,"" ""Rainy Days and Mondays"" & ""I Never Had It So Good"" --Argent - ""God Gave Rock and Roll to You,"" ""Hold Your Head Up"" & ""It's Only Money Part 2"" --Gunhill Road - ""Back When My Half Was Short"" & ""Mr. Keyboard"" --Sydney Jordan - ""Sunday Morning Sunrise"" --Slade - ""Goodbuy T'Jane"" & ""Cum On Feel the Noize"" --The Statler Brothers - ""Flowers on the Wall"" & ""The Class of '57"" --The Stylistics - ""Betcha By Golly, Wow,"" ""Break Up to Make Up"" & ""I'm Stone in Love with You"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Chuck Berry
    6.0/107 votes
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    #19 - Chuck Berry

    Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 11/2/1973

    Chuck Berry (host) - "Tulane," "School Days," "Johnny B. Good," "Got It and Gone" & "Rock and Roll Music" --Rick Derringer and the Edgar Winter Group - "Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo" --Fleetwood Mac - "Miles Away" & "Believe Me" --Shawn Phillips - "Technotronic Lad" & "Spaceman" --Johnny Taylor - "Who's Making Love" & "I Believe in You" --Muddy Waters - "Can't Get No Grindin'" & "Got My Mojo Working" --The Edgar Winter Group - "Free Ride" & "Dying to Live"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Johnny Rivers
    NaN/100 votes
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    #20 - Host: Johnny Rivers

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 2/8/1973

    Johnny Rivers (host) - ""Blue Suede Shoes,"" ""Rockin' Pneumonia, Boogie Woogie Flu"" & ""Got My Mojo Workin'"" --The Ace Trucking Company (comedy troupe) - routines about an airplane flight; 2 old friends and a prayer meeting. --Albert Hammond - ""It Never Rains in Southern California"" and ""If You Gotta Break Another Heart"" --Merilee Rush - ""Start Again"" & ""Comfort and Please You"" --The Spinners - ""Could It Be I'm Falling in Love"" and ""I'll Be Around"" --Steely Dan - ""Do It Again"" and ""Reeling in the Years"" --Paul Williams (singer / songwriter) - ""Out in the Country"" and ""I Won't Last a Day Without You"" --Wolfman Jack - sings ""I Ain't Never Seen a White Man

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Harry Chapin
    NaN/100 votes
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    #21 - Host: Harry Chapin

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 2/23/1973

    Harry Chapin (Host) - "Sunday Morning Sunshine" "Sniper" and "Taxi." Kerrie Biddell - "Spirit in the Dark." Blood, Sweat and Tears - "Rosemary" "Hip Pickles" and "Snow Queen." The Committee (comedy segment). The Hollies - "Magic Woman Touch" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." Curtis Mayfield - "Freddie's Dead" and "Superfly." Timmy Thomas - "Why Can't We Live Together?"

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Paul Williams
    NaN/100 votes
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    #22 - Host: Paul Williams

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 3/9/1973

    Paul Williams (host) - ""Old Fashioned Love Song,"" ""Drift Away"" & ""That's Enough for Me"" --Edward Bear - ""Last Song"" & ""Close Your Eyes"" --Loretta Lynn - ""One's On the Way"" & ""Coal Miner's Daughter"" --Seals & Crofts - ""Hummingbird"" & ""Summer Breeze"" --Sha Na Na - ""Hound Dog,"" ""Yakety Yak"" & ""I Wonder Why"" --Lakshmi Shankar (Ravi's sister) - sings ""Nata Nagara"" in praise of Krishna. --Ravi Shankar - ""Tilak Shyam"" --Jonathan Winters (cameo appearance, following Paul Williams' first song) --On film: the ""Dueling banjos"" segment from ""Deliverance""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Lou Rawls
    NaN/100 votes
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    #23 - Host: Lou Rawls

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 3/23/1973

    Lou Rawls (guest host) - ""A Natural Man"" & ""Dead End Street"" --Lou Rawls - medley: ""Memory Lane,"" ""It Was a Very Good Year"" & ""Old Folks"" --Brewer & Shipley - ""One Toke Over the Line"" --George Burns - ""Mr. Bojangles"" and ""You Made Me Love You"" (2nd song with the Honey Cone) --George Burns & Honey Cone - ""You Made Me Love You"" --The Committee (comedy segment) - routines about a surprise party; movies; an argument; a police station --The Grass Roots - ""Midnight Confession"" & ""Love Is What You Make It"" --Honey Cone - ""Want Ads"" --The O'Jays - ""Backstabbers"" & ""Love Train"" (2nd song with Lou Rawls) --Eric Weissberg and Deliverance - ""Dueling Banjos"" and ""I'm My Own Grandpa""

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Host: Ray Charles
    NaN/100 votes
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    #24 - Host: Ray Charles

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 3/30/1973

    -Ray Charles (guest host) - ""Eleanor Rigby,"" ""Georgia on My Mind"" & ""What'd I Say"" --Ray Charles with the Raelets (a.k.a. Raylettes) - ""I Can Make It Through the Days (But Oh Those Lonely Nights)"" --Bill Cosby talks with Ray Charles and dances while Charles sings ""Every Saturday Night"" --Carol Burnett talks with Ray Charles --Aretha Franklin - ""A Brand New Me"" --Aretha Franklin & Ray Charles - ""Takes Two to Tango"" --The Raelets - sing ""Shake"" (while Charles plays the piano) --The Earl Scruggs Revue - ""T for Texas"" & ""Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven"" --Freeman and Murray (comedy team of Freeman King and Murray Langston) - team reenacts the boxing scene from ""Great White Hope"" in slow motion

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Hosts: The Bee Gees
    NaN/100 votes
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    #25 - Hosts: The Bee Gees

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 4/6/1973

    The Bee Gees; guests: Jerry Lee Lewis; Gladys Knight; Johnny Nash; Skeeter Davis --The Bee Gees (guest hosts) - ""To Love Somebody,"" ""Lonely Days,"" ""I Saw a New Morning"" and a medley of hits (""New York Mining Disaster 1941,"" ""I Started a Joke,"" ""Massachusetts"" and ""How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"") --The Bee Gees and Jerry Lee Lewis - medley: ""Money,"" ""Good Golly Miss Molly,"" ""Long Tall Sally,"" ""Jenny Jenny,"" ""Tutti Frutti"" and ""Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"" --Skeeter Davis - ""One Tin Soldier"" & ""End of the World"" --Gladys Knight & the Pips - ""Neither One of Us"" & ""I Heard It Through the Grapevine"" --Jerry Lee Lewis - ""Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"" --Johnny Nash - ""Stir it Up"" & ""I Can See Clearly Now"" --Jim Weatherly - ""You Are a Song"" --Frank Welker (comedian) - does imitations of animals; Marlon Brando (""Godfather"" character); and other imitations.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A