Flip Wilson net worth is $6 Million. Also know about Flip Wilson bio, salary, height, age weight, relationship and more …
Flip Wilson Wiki Biography
Clerow Wilson Jr. was born on 8 December 1933, in Jersey City, New Jersey USA, and was an actor and comedian, best known for his variety series entitled “The Flip Wilson Show”. He earned two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe from the series, and all of his efforts helped put his net worth to where it was prior to his passing in 1998.
How rich was Flip Wilson? As of mid-2016, sources estimate a net worth that was at $6 million, mostly earned through a successful career in comedy encompassing film, television and stand-up. He was called “TV’s first black superstar” by Time magazine, and made appearances in a lot of popular shows. All of these ensured the position of his wealth.
Due to poverty brought about by the Great Depression, Flip’s mother would abandon the family and his father would then put them to foster homes as he could not take care of them. Wilson moved around various foster homes and then went to reform school. At the age of 16, he joined the United States Air Force, lying about his true age, and would soon earn popularity due to his comedy skills, getting the nickname Flip from his friends which he would then use as his stage name. After being discharged in 1954, he worked as a bellhop for the Manor Plaza Hotel in San Francisco, and then found work at the hotel’s nightclub, slowly earning his popularity in stand-up.
In the 1960s, he started becoming a regular guest on TV in such as “The Ed Sullivan Show”, “The Tonight Show” and “Laugh-In”. He also released the comedy album entitled “The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress” and it won him a Grammy Award. After a routine entitled “Columbus” became popular, Flip started to get noticed in Hollywood. In the 1970s, he started his own “The Flip Wilson Show” airing on NBC, in which he performed comedy sketches and had many big names as guests including the Jackson Five, the Supremes, the Temptations and even basketball legend Bill Russell. His writer George Carlin also made appearances in the show. During this time, he popularized the lines “What you see is what you get” and “The devil made me do it”. The show would become very popular, getting consistently high ratings and viewership, and steadily increasing his net worth.
After the show’s run, Flip would then appear in various shows including “Here’s Lucy” and “The Dean Martin Show”, and in films such as “The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh and “Uptown Saturday Night”. In 1976, he became part of the television musical “Pinocchio” and then made a cameo appearance in “Living Single”.
During the late 70s, Wilson started to appear less in front of the camera and prioritize spending time with his family. However, in 1984 Wilson was the host of “People Are Funny “, a remake, and in 1985-86 he starred in “Charlie & Co”, a CBS sitcom. Flip’s last appearance was a cameo in the sitcom “Living Single” in late 1993.
For his personal life, he was married to Lavenia Dean from 1957 to 1967. In 1979, he married Tuanchai MacKenzie but they would also divorce in 1984. He was also an active lighter-than-air pilot, but stopped after he was diagnosed with liver cancer. He passed away in 1998 because of the disease.
IMDB Wikipedia $6 Million 1933 1933-12-08 1998 Actor African American American Bill Russell California Clerow Wilson Clerow Wilson Jr. Comedian Cornelia Wilson David Wilson December 8 Flip Flip Wilson Flip Wilson Net Worth George Carlin Jackson Five Jersey City Jr. Kevin Wilson Lovenia Patricia Wilson Lovenia Patricia Wilson (m. 1957–1967) Malibu Michelle Trice New Jersey November 25 Richest Comedians Screenwriter Sr. Stacy Wilson Tamara Wilson Tuanchai MacKenzie Tuanchai MacKenzie (m. 1979–1984) United States United States of America Wilson
Flip Wilson Quick Info
Full Name | Flip Wilson |
Net Worth | $6 Million |
Date Of Birth | December 8, 1933 |
Died | November 25, 1998, Malibu, California, United States |
Place Of Birth | Jersey City, New Jersey, United States |
Profession | Comedian |
Nationality | American |
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. |
IMDB | http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933400/ |
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 |
Flip Wilson Quotes
- One of his famous quotes from the Flip Wilson Show is “In the booth, in the back, in the corner, in the dark.”
Flip Wilson Important Facts
- His remains were cremated.
- He was nominated for the 2015 New Jersey Hall of Fame for his services in the Performance Arts.
- Cousin of Rashon Khan.
- Father of Charles Wilson, Stacy Wilson, and Tamara Wilson.
- Was sacked from a regular Seven-Up commercial spot in 1981, after being arrested for possession of a small amount of cocaine.
- Frequently acted as master of ceremonies at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.
- 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.
- Escaped eight times from the reformatory where he grew up.
- 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.
- Had four children with common-law wife Blonell Pitman.
- He is the subject of a song by the World/Inferno Friendship Society, “Nosliw Pilf”.
- He also claimed (seriously) that one of the homes he lived in was haunted in some way.
- He won a Grammy in 1970 for Best Comedy Recording for “The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress”.
- He got custody of his children in 1979 and quit show biz to devote more time to them.
Flip Wilson Filmography
Title | Year | Status | Character | Role |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Flip Wilson Special | 1974 | TV Special | Writer | |
Flip | 1970-1974 | TV Series writer – 94 episodes | Writer | |
Clerow Wilson and the Miracle of P.S. 14 | 1972 | TV Movie story | Writer | |
The Drew Carey Show | 1996 | TV Series | Flip Wilson | Actor |
American Playhouse | 1990 | TV Series | Actor | |
227 | 1988-1989 | TV Series | Ed Fulton / Mr. Grant | Actor |
Charlie & Co. | 1985-1986 | TV Series | Charlie Richmond | Actor |
The Love Boat | 1981 | TV Series | Frank Dalton | Actor |
The Cheap Detective | 1980 | TV Short | Eddie Krowder | Actor |
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh | 1979 | Coach ‘Jock’ Delaney | Actor | |
Skatetown, U.S.A. | 1979 | Harvey Ross | Actor | |
Insight | 1978 | TV Series | God | Actor |
The Six Million Dollar Man | 1976 | TV Series | Billy Parker / The Prime Minister | Actor |
Pinocchio | 1976 | TV Movie | Fox | Actor |
Uptown Saturday Night | 1974 | The Reverend | Actor | |
Clerow Wilson’s Great Escape | 1974 | TV Movie | Clerow Wilson Geraldine Jones Ralph the Invisible Dog … (voice) |
Actor |
Clerow Wilson and the Miracle of P.S. 14 | 1972 | TV Movie | Clerow Wilson Geraldine Jones Reverend Leroy … (voice) |
Actor |
Here’s Lucy | 1971 | TV Series | Flip Wilson | Actor |
Laugh-In | 1969-1970 | TV Series | Guest / Performer / Regular Performer | Actor |
Love, American Style | 1969 | TV Series | Big Red (segment “Love and the Hustler”) | Actor |
The Jerry Lewis Show | 1968 | TV Series | Prisoner | Actor |
The Helen Reddy Show | 1973 | TV Series executive producer – 1973 | Producer | |
Flip | 1971 | TV Series performer – 1 episode | Soundtrack | |
Laff Mobb Presents | 2012 | TV Series special thanks – 2 episodes | Thanks | |
Howard Stern | 1997 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Rolonda | 1996 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Living Single | 1993 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Jaleel White Special | 1992 | TV Movie | Himself | Self |
The 11th Annual Black Achievement Awards | 1990 | TV Special | Himself – Host | Self |
The Joan Rivers Show | 1989 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1965-1989 | TV Series | Himself – Guest Host / Himself – Guest / Himself / … | Self |
The 7th Annual Black Achievement Awards | 1986 | TV Special | Himself – Host | Self |
Ebony/Jet Showcase | 1983-1985 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The 6th Annual Black Achievement Awards | 1985 | TV Special | Himself – Host | Self |
People Are Funny | 1984 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Battle of the Network Stars XVI | 1984 | TV Special | Himself – NBC Team Captain | Self |
Saturday Night Live | 1983 | TV Series | Himself – Host / Various | Self |
Happy Birthday, Bob! | 1983 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
The Suzanne Somers Special | 1982 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
The Big Show | 1980 | TV Series | Himself – Host | Self |
Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theatre | 1980 | TV Special | Himself – Host | Self |
The First 40 Years | 1980 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
The Mike Douglas Show | 1974-1979 | TV Series | Himself – Comedian / Himself – Co-Host | Self |
Leif | 1979 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
Happy Birthday, Bob | 1978 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
The Stars Salute Israel at 30 | 1978 | TV Movie | Himself | Self |
A Tribute to Mr. Television Milton Berle | 1978 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Frank Sinatra | 1978 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes 2 | 1977 | TV Movie | Himself – Host | Self |
Laugh-In | 1977 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
US Against the World | 1977 | TV Movie | Himself | Self |
They Said It with Music: Yankee Doodle to Ragtime | 1977 | TV Special | Self | |
Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes | 1977 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
3 Girls 3 | 1977 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Sonny and Cher Show | 1977 | TV Series | Himself / Various Characters | Self |
Van Dyke and Company | 1976 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Joys | 1976 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
Travels with Flip | 1975 | TV Movie | Himself – Host | Self |
HBO Boxing | 1975 | TV Series documentary | Himself – Ringside Guest | Self |
Sammy and Company | 1975 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Bob Hope on Campus | 1975 | TV Special | Self | |
The Flip Wilson Special | 1975 | TV Movie | Himself – Host | Self |
The 1975 Annual Entertainment Hall of Fame Awards | 1975 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
Cher | 1975 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Flip Wilson Special | 1974 | TV Special | Himself – Host | Self |
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Bob Hope | 1974 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
Flip Wilson… Of Course | 1974 | TV Movie | Himself – Host | Self |
The Midnight Special | 1974 | TV Series | Himself – Cameo | Self |
Flip | 1970-1974 | TV Series | Himself – Host | Self |
Milton Berle’s Mad Mad Mad World of Comedy | 1974 | TV Movie | Himself | Self |
The Helen Reddy Show | 1973 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Bobby Darin Show | 1973 | TV Series | Himself / Himself – Comedian | Self |
Jack Benny’s First Farewell Special | 1973 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
Cancel My Reservation | 1972 | Himself, Flip Wilson (uncredited) | Self | |
The Hollywood Squares | 1968-1972 | TV Series | Himself – Panelist | Self |
Sesame Street | 1971 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Andy Williams Show | 1969-1971 | TV Series | Himself – Comedian / Himself | Self |
The Don Knotts Show | 1970 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The David Frost Show | 1970 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Ed Sullivan Show | 1967-1970 | TV Series | Himself / Himself – Comedian | Self |
Bing Crosby – Cooling It | 1970 | TV Special | Himself | Self |
The Mad, Mad, Mad Comedians | 1970 | TV Movie | Himself (voice) | Self |
Della | 1970 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Many Moods of Perry Como | 1970 | TV Movie | Himself | Self |
The Carol Burnett Show | 1968-1970 | TV Series | Himself – Guest / Himself | Self |
The Hollywood Palace | 1969 | TV Series | Himself – Host / Himself – Cameo | Self |
The Bob Hope Show | 1969 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Personality | 1968-1969 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
That’s Life | 1968 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Operation: Entertainment | 1968 | TV Series | Himself – Host | Self |
Laugh-In | 1968 | TV Series | Himself / Himself – Guest Performer | Self |
The Match Game | 1968 | TV Series | Himself – Team Captain | Self |
The Kraft Music Hall | 1968 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
Snap Judgment | 1968 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Joey Bishop Show | 1967-1968 | TV Series | Himself / Himself – Guest Host | Self |
The Pat Boone Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Dean Martin Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself | Self |
The Dean Martin Summer Show Starring Your Host Vic Damone | 1967 | TV Series | Himself – Guest | Self |
Dream Girl of ’67 | 1967 | TV Series | Himself – Bachelor Judge | Self |
The Kraft Summer Music Hall | 1966 | TV Series | Regular | Self |
The Sixties | 2014 | TV Mini-Series documentary | Himself – episode of Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Archive Footage |
Unsung Hollywood | 2014 | TV Series documentary | Himself | Archive Footage |
Pioneers of Television | 2008 | TV Mini-Series documentary | Himself / Geraldine Jones | Archive Footage |
BET Comedy Awards | 2004 | TV Special | Himself (In Memory Of) | Archive Footage |
100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time | 2004 | TV Mini-Series | Himself #42 | Archive Footage |
Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television | 2002 | TV Movie documentary | Himself | Archive Footage |
The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | 1999 | TV Special | Himself – Memorial Tribute | Archive Footage |
50 Years of Funny Females | 1995 | TV Movie documentary | Himself | Archive Footage |
Ed Sullivan All-Star Comedy Special | 1995 | TV Movie documentary | Himself | Archive Footage |
Mo’ Funny: Black Comedy in America | 1993 | TV Special documentary | Himself | Archive Footage |
Laugh-In Past Christmas Present | 1993 | TV Special | Himself | Archive Footage |
The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show | 1991 | TV Movie documentary | Himself | Archive Footage |
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television | 1975 | TV Special | Himself | Archive Footage |
Sesame Street | 1971-1972 | TV Series | Himself | Archive Footage |
The Ed Sullivan Show | 1970 | TV Series | Himself – Singer | Archive Footage |
Flip Wilson Awards
Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1971 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best TV Actor – Comedy or Musical | Flip (1970) | Won |
1971 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Series – Musical | Flip (1970) | Won |
1971 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music | Flip (1970) | Won |
1971 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best TV Actor – Comedy or Musical | Flip (1970) | Nominated |
1971 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Series – Musical | Flip (1970) | Nominated |
1971 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music | Flip (1970) | Nominated |