In the early 1970s, comedian Flip Wilson secured a place in television history as the first African American to headline a successful network variety series. Previous attempts by other black performers, such as Nat "King" Cole, Leslie Uggams, and Sammy Davis, Jr., had all been ratings failures. From 1970 to 1974 The Flip Wilson Show presented comedy skits, musical performances, and top Hollywood guest stars. The main attraction, however, was always Wilson himself. He possessed a sharp and non-confrontational sense of humor that appealed to a diverse audience. During its first two seasons, his show was the second most popular program on television, second only to All in the Family in the ratings. The most popular aspect of the show was the large stable of stock characters portrayed by Wilson each week. His most famous creation was the sassy and liberated Geraldine Jones, who introduced the...