The Wolfman Jack Show

Filmed: Monday 18 October 1976

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Broadcast: Saturday 6 November 1976, 19:30; 5 March 1977, 19:30, CBC, Canada; 7 January 1978, Channel 11, 12:00, USA

Release status: This programme has not been included on any officially released video or DVD

Shown in: Canada

Additional information

The Wolfman Jack Show was a weekly half-hour musical variety program which debuted as Here Comes The Wolfman on 5 October 1976 on CBC and ended on 15 March 1977.  It contained 26 Episodes. 

It was headlined by pop-culture hero Wolfman Jack (real name Robert Weston Smith) on a mock-up radio station set. Canadian singers and dancers, actors and performers, plus some of the country's top musicians were in the spotlight throughout the variety entertainment series. In addition to Canadian stars and newcomers, there were also international guest stars. The series ranged from the hectic early days of 1950s rock through the melodic harmonies of the Beatles era to the more lyrical contemporary music of the superstars of the 1970s.

ABBA performed Dancing Queen and Fernando (both in kimonos) and SOS (in blue satin suits). Whilst the performances were recorded at the same time, they were broadcast on separate episodes:

  1. 6 November 1976, guests were:
    1. The Bay City Rollers
    2. ABBA - which song(s)?
    3. the puppet troupe The Famous People Players.

       
  2. 5 March 1977, guests were:
    1. ABBA - which song(s)?
    2. Little Richard
    3. Bobby Curtola
    4. Sharon Lee Williams.

There was a repeat of Dancing Queen which was sandwiched between guests Johnny Rivers and The Shirelles in that particular episode.  Which broadcast date?

Wolfman Jack died on 1 July 1995 aged 57.

Lyrics available on the Official ABBA site: Dancing Queen, Fernando and SOS

 

Archive data from CBC’s public site:

WOLFMAN JACK SHOW, SHOW #1
A half-hour musical variety program hosted by former disc jockey Wolfman Jack. 
Guests are The Bay City Rollers, ABBA, the puppet troupe The Famous People Players. 
PROGRAM TITLE: WOLFMAN JACK SHOW
EPISODE TITLE: SHOW #1
BROADCAST DATE: 1976-11-06 - 19:30:00
FORMAT: ENT Entertainment
DATELINE: NTW
LENGTH: 00:30:00
PEOPLE: JACK WOLFMAN, KELLEY DONSUBJECT 
HEADING: ABBA (MUSIC GROUP, BAY CITY ROLLERS (MUSIC GROUP), FAMOUS PEOPLE PLAYERS
HOLDING: BY REQUEST

WOLFMAN JACK SHOW, SHOW Z
A half-hour musical variety program hosted by former disc jockey Wolfman Jack. 
Guests are the pop group ABBA, rock legend Little Richard, Bobby Curtola and Sharon Lee Williams. 
PROGRAM TITLE: WOLFMAN JACK SHOW
EPISODE TITLE: SHOW Z
BROADCAST DATE: 1977-03-05 - 19:30:00
FORMAT: ENT Entertainment
DATELINE: NTW
LENGTH: 00:30:00
PEOPLE: KELLEY DON, JACK WOLFMAN, WILLIAMS SHARON LEE, CURTOLA BOBBY, RICHARD LITTLESUBJECT 
HEADING: ABBA (MUSIC GROUP)
HOLDING: D-000138

Thanks to Yuri and Jos Heselmans for information. Extra special thanks to Jun Seo, Stuart Kerry, Philip Muytjens and Jozsef. Also thanks to Petr Mlejnek, Erik Liebstaedter, Carl Magnus Palm and Sam Shervz.
YouTube links c/o thepiperchile and SADLOOKINM00N

 

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