Nickel Flicks premiered on Nickelodeon in 1979 as one of the network's inaugural programs. It showcased "cliffhanger" serials from the 1920s to the 1940s, in addition to early comic one-reelers and silent short films. It was hosted by producer John Moschitta, who later became famous as the "World's Fastest Talker" in commercials for FedEx. The program aired three times every day from April 1979 until November or December of 1979.