Flip Wilson was an American comedian and actor. In the early 1970s, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show. The series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards. In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson's image on their cover and named...
December 8, 1933, Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Died
November 25, 1998, Malibu, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Jersey City
Profession
Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter
Nationality
United States of America
Spouse
Tuanchai MacKenzie (m. 1979–1984), Lovenia Patricia Wilson (m. 1957–1967)
Children
Stacy Wilson, Michelle Trice, David Wilson, Kevin Wilson, Tamara Wilson
Parents
Clerow Wilson, Sr., Cornelia Wilson
Nicknames
Clerow Wilson Jr. , Clerow Wilson , Wilson, Flip , Flip , Clerow Wilson, Jr.
Awards
Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Variety Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Or Music Program
Nominations
WGA Award for Best Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series - Television, WGA Award for Best Variety Series or Special: Musical or Comedy - Television
Movies
Uptown Saturday Night, Skatetown, U.S.A., Pinocchio, Clerow Wilson and the Miracle of P.S. 14, Flip Wilson: Vols. 3 & 4, 18. Episode 18, 17. Episode 17, 16. Episode 16
Star Sign
Sagittarius
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Quote
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One of his famous quotes from the Flip Wilson Show is "In the booth, in the back, in the corner, in the dark."
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Fact
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His remains were cremated.
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He was nominated for the 2015 New Jersey Hall of Fame for his services in the Performance Arts.
Was sacked from a regular Seven-Up commercial spot in 1981, after being arrested for possession of a small amount of cocaine.
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Frequently acted as master of ceremonies at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.
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Stand-up comic and teller of circuitous and outrageous stories, usually in jive slang. While serving in the Air Force, his penchant for crazy dialects led some of his fellow servicemen to think he was 'flipping out', and so the nickname 'Flip' evolved. His commanding officer encouraged him to take up studying and, by the time of his discharge in 1954, he embarked on a career as a professional comedian.
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Escaped eight times from the reformatory where he grew up.
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As a child, Wilson was put into a foster home, but he was unhappy there. He asked to be sent to the reformatory where his brother was. His request was granted.
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Had four children with common-law wife Blonell Pitman.
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He is the subject of a song by the World/Inferno Friendship Society, "Nosliw Pilf".
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He also claimed (seriously) that one of the homes he lived in was haunted in some way.
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He won a Grammy in 1970 for Best Comedy Recording for "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress".
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He got custody of his children in 1979 and quit show biz to devote more time to them.
$6 Million
