Tuesday, October 11, 2005

"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night"...

"Saturday Night Live" started 30 years ago today, in 1975. The grand-daddy of all parody shows actually began life as plain old "Saturday Night" due to a conflict with the ABC network show "Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell. When Howard and the viewing audience decided that maybe "the coach" wasn't cut out for hosting a variety show, NBC added the word "live"...

George Carlin hosted the first "Saturday Night Live" show on October 11, 1975, doing 3 monologues, Andy Kaufman sang along with the "Mighty Mouse" theme song, there were skits performed by the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players" who were dressed like bees. Add a short film by Albert Brooks, an adult version of Jim Henson's Muppets and tunes by musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston and "Saturday Night Live" was on its way to an historic 30 year journey. Season #31 is already underway...

Original cast members included, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris. Bill Murray would replace Chevy Chase in 1977. Other original cast members included Albert Brooks (one season), the Muppets (one season), short films by writer Tom Schiller and of course, Mr. Bill (oh no)...

"Saturday Night Live" was not a hit in its first season but would develop into a television phenomenon in season 2...

More Saturday Night Live factoids in my commentary...

More October 11 Memories...

1965) The Beatles release "Roll Over Beethoven"...

1966) The Four Tops top the charts with "Reach Out, I'll Be There"...

1967) The Red Sox beat the Cardinals 8-4 in Game 6 of the World Series as Yaz, Reggie Smith & Rico Petrocelli (who would homer twice) hit back-to-back-to-back home runs at Fenway Park...

1968) "Apollo 7" is launched carrying 3 astronauts. Live TV broadcasts are received from orbit for the first time...

1971) Hugh Downs leaves the "Today Show" and "Concentration". He will later resurface as host of ABC's "20/20"...

1975) "Saturday Night Live" debuts (feature story)...

1975) The Islander's Bryan Trottier gets his first career hat trick...

1975) Bill Clinton & Hillary Rodham tie the knot in Fayetteville, AR...

1976) Rick Dees takes "Disco Duck" to the top of the charts...

1984) American Kathryn D. Sullivan becomes the 1st female astronaut to space walk...

1991) Law professor Anita Hill accuses Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment...

1992) Bush, Clinton and Perot conduct 1st 3-way presidential debate...

1999) The Red Sox advance to the ALCS with a 12-8 win over the Indians when injured Pedro Martinez doesn't give up a hit in 6 innings of relief. Troy O'Leary hits a grand slam and a 3-run homer in the win...

2002) Former President Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize...

Happy Birthday To...

1935) Roy Scheider...

1948) Daryl Hall...

1961) Football Hall of Famer Steve Young...

1962) Joan Cusack...

1966) Luke Perry...

Commentary...

Some SNL factoids you may not know:

The "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players" was a take-off of "The Primetime Players" featured on "Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell". Bill Murray was one of Cosell's "Primetime Players"...The original band used was fronted by Howard Shore and his "All-Nurse Band"...The show is done live for 90 minutes but uses some out-take material including bits that had good audience response for its west coast broadcast...

Some famous SNL catch-phrases: "It's always something" (Gilda Radner's Roseanne Roseannadana), "Never mind" (Gilda's Emily Litella), "You look mahvelous" (Billy Crystal's Fernando), "Isn't that special?" (Dana Carvey's Church Lady) and "We are here to pump you up" (Carvey and Kevin Nealon's Hans and Franz)...

And how can we ever forget, Belushi's Samurai, Aykroyd's Jimmy Carter, Murphy's Mr. Robinson, Martin Short's Ed Grimley and on and on it goes...

While today's version of "Saturday Night Live" doesn't measure up to earlier versions, especially the first 5 years, it must be considered one of the most distinctive, significant and enduring shows in the history of U.S. television...

Happy Anniversary to "Saturday Night Live", 30 years young today...