Clerow " Flip " Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and the 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series , The Flip Wilson Show . The series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards , and at one point was the second highest rated show on network television. Wilson was the first African-American to host a successful variety TV show. ( Sammy Davis Jr. had had a short-lived variety show in 1966). In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson's image on its cover and named him "TV's first black superstar".