TV TREASURES

“Honey, the devil

made me do it!” - Geraldine Jones

SCREEN MATCH!

Geraldine (Flip Wilson) blue drag dress with geometric motif (top right) from The Flip Wilson Show. Television’s first black superstar, he appeared in many sketches, perhaps none more popular than those featuring female alter ego Geraldine, a woman who su ff ered no foolishness and exclaimed, “the devil made me do it” and “what you see is what you get!”; and the preacher (Flip Wilson) black church frock (bottom right) with elaborate embroidered African American angel on the verso from his recurring sketch The Church of What’s Happening Now. Acquired by series costume designer Bill Belew, who during the same era also created Elvis Presley’s 1970s jumpsuits.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Flip Wilson as Geraldine

VERSO

Flip Wilson as Pastor

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