The Midnight Special(1972)

The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC from 1973 to 1981, created by Burt Sugarman. Premiering as a special in August 1972 before becoming a weekly fixture, the ninety-minute show followed The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on Friday nights. The series rotated guest hosts, with singer Helen Reddy serving as regular host from mid-1975 through early 1976, while Wolfman Jack announced and frequently guest-hosted. The Midnight Special showcased live musical performances alongside occasional comedy acts from Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman, and periodically featured archival footage of classic performers. As the show entered its final years in the early 1980s, it increasingly relied on lip-synched performances rather than live music, marking a shift from its earlier emphasis on spontaneous entertainment.