From Wiki:
Died 1998 - seems like yesterday - he was special.
Clerow Wilson, Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998), known professionally as Flip Wilson, was an American comedian and actor. Wilson was the first African American entertainer to host his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show. The popular series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards.[1]
In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson’s image on their cover and named him “TV’s first black superstar”.[2]
He died in 1998 of liver cancer.