| Flip Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Clerow Wilson Jr. December 8, 1933 Jersey City, New Jersey, USA |
| Died | November 25, 1998 (aged 64) Malibu, California, USA |
| Occupation | Variety Show Host |
| Years active | 1969 - 1986 |
| Spouse(s) | Peaches (1957 - 1957), Cookie MacKenzie (1979 - 1985) |
Clerow Wilson Jr. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Malibu is an incorporated city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A variety show or variety entertainment is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts especially Musical performances and Comedy Skits and Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) , known professionally as Flip Wilson, (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works
Contents |
Early life
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, he was one of 18 children in an impoverished household. Jersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. After years of bouncing from foster homes to reform school, 16-year-old Wilson lied about his age and joined the United States Air Force. His outgoing personality and funny stories made him popular; he was even asked to tour military bases to cheer up other servicemen. Claiming that he was always "flipped out", Wilson's barracks mates gave him his famous nickname. Discharged in 1954, Wilson started working as a bellhop in San Francisco's Manor Plaza Hotel. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city
At the Plaza's nightclub, Wilson found extra work playing a drunken patron in between regularly scheduled acts. His inebriated character proved popular and Wilson began performing it in clubs throughout California. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. He managed to get jobs at various comedy clubs using his nickname, Flip. At first Wilson would simply ad-lib on-stage, but in time, he added written material and his act became more sophisticated.
Career
Wilson eventually became a regular at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and was a favorite guest on The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African American cultural and business center The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as appropriate --> The Tonight Show is a long-running Here Comes The Judge redirects here for the 1968 song see Shorty Long. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television Variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, Finally, Wilson got his own television program, The Flip Wilson Show, debuting on NBC in 1970. The Flip Wilson Show is a Variety show that aired in the US on NBC from September 17, 1970 to June 27, The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's He played host to many African American entertainers and performed in comedy sketches. He greeted all his guests with the "Flip Wilson Handshake," which started with hand slaps and progressed to hip-bumps. George Carlin was one of the show's writers along with him. George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12 1937 – June 22 2008 was an American stand-up comedian, often considered one of the best of all time His characters included Reverend Leroy, pastor of the Church of What’s Happening Now; and Geraldine, whose line “The devil made me do it” became a national expression.
The show aired through 1974, gaining high ratings and popularity among viewers. It also won strong critical acclaim, nominated for 11 Emmys during its run, winning two. Wilson himself won a Golden Globe award for Best Actor In A Television Series. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner
He also won a Grammy Award in 1970 for his comedy album "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress". The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
Wilson's stand-up comedy routine "Columbus," from his album Cowboys and Colored People, earned him the good notices which led to his getting his own television show. Wilson re-tells the story of Christopher Columbus from a slightly 'urban' perspective, with Columbus finally convincing the Spanish monarchs to fund his voyage by noting that discovering America means that he can thus also discover Ray Charles. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American Hearing this, Queen Isabella, sounding not unlike Wilson's celebrated "Geraldine," says that "Chris" can have "all the money you want, Honey — You go find Ray Charles!!" When Columbus departs from the dock, Isabella is there, testifying to one and all that "Chris gonna find Ray Charles!!"
He made many guest appearances on other TV comedies and variety shows, such as Here's Lucy starring Lucille Ball and The Dean Martin Show among others. Here's Lucy is Lucille Ball 's third network television sitcom Lucille Ball (August 6 1911 – April 26 1989 was an American comedienne, film television stage and radio Actress, model, film The Dean Martin Show is a TV variety - comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974, for 245 episodes Ed Sullivan gave Wilson numerous guest shots on his popular Sunday night show, and Wilson would single out Sullivan as providing his biggest career boost. Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan ( September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American Entertainment Writer Wilson acted in TV and theatrical movies including Uptown Saturday Night and The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh. For the Camp Lo album see Uptown Saturday Night (album Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 Comedy The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is an American sports/fantasy comedy Film that was released in 1979.
From 1985 to 1986, Wilson played the lead role in the sitcom Charlie & Co.. Charlie & Co was a mid-1980s American Television Sitcom starring Flip Wilson, Gladys Knight, Kristoff St
One of Wilson's best-known jokes was relayed as follows: "Lots of crazy things happen in traveling. Just last week I was on a train. There was a woman traveling with a baby. UGLY baby! I mean, I'm not one to make comments about anyone's kid -- but this was an UGLY baby. A guy walks down the train -- he's half smashed -- and he stops. And he stares. And the lady says "What are you looking at?" The guy says "I'm looking at that ugly baby. " A scene ensues, whereupon the conductor arrives. He says "What's going on here?" The woman says "This man just insulted me!" The conductor says "Now calm down Madam, calm down. We here at the railroad want to make sure that there are no altercations between our passengers and that everyone's trip is as relaxing as possible. Accordingly, if you allow us, please step into the dining car and the railroad will buy you a free meal. And maybe we can find a banana for your monkey. "
Later life and death
After the final season of his show, Wilson made several appearances in films and other television programs. However, after winning custody of his children in 1979, he performed less in order to spend time with his family. He passed away from complications due to liver cancer in Malibu, California at the age of 64.
What You See Is What You Get
This popular phrase was often used by Flip's Geraldine character and inspired researchers at PARC and elsewhere to create the acronym WYSIWYG. PARC (Palo Alto Research Center Inc formerly Xerox PARC, is a Research and development company in Palo Alto California that began as a division of WYSIWYG (ˈwɪziwɪg or /ˈwɪzɪwɪg/ is an Acronym for W hat Y ou S ee I s W hat Y ou G
References
- Answers. com (2007). http://www.answers.com/topic/flip-wilson.
- Encyclopedia Britannica (1998). http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9124128/Wilson-Flip.
- Miles, J. H. , Davis, J. J. , Ferguson-Roberts, S. E. , and Giles, R. G. (2001). Almanac of African American Heritage. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall Press.
- Potter, J. (2002). African American Firsts. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corp.
External links
- Flip Wilson at the Internet Movie Database
- Flip Wilson Article at The Museum of Broadcast Communications
- Biographical Information on Flip Wilson by Professor Kathleen Fearn-Banks at the University of Washington.
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic