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The sketch comedy show “NBC’s Saturday Night” created by Lorne Michaels premiered 45 years ago on Oct. 11, 1975.
Not slowing down
The 46th season premiere of SNL, hosted by Chris Rock, drew 8.24 million viewers and a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49, leading all of Nielsen-rated television in primetime and late night. The show's total audience was the most for a season premiere since 2016 (8.3 million) and the second-largest since 2008.
The creator
Lorne Michaels was born in Toronto in 1944. He was involved with comedy theater in college before he moved to Los Angeles in his mid-20s to write for comedy shows. In 1974 he was asked to write and produce SNL.
In the first season, Michaels appeared on camera twice. The first time he offered the Beatles $3,000 to reunite on the show. The second time, a month later, he upped his offer to $3,200 with free hotel accommodations.
Michaels left the show in 1980 but returned in 1985.
The beginings
In 1974, NBC aired “The Weekend Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Carson wanted to change his schedule so NBC, under the guidance of Dick Ebersol, hired producer Lorne Michaels to create a 90-minute sketch variety show.
The show was called “NBC's Saturday Night” for the first two seasons because a show titled “Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell” was on ABC in 1975. Cosell's show, which aired at 8 p.m., flopped, and NBC took the name “Saturday Night Live.”
The first show featured host comedian George Carlin and two musical guests, Billy Preston and Janis Ian.
The cast and writers were mostly from The Second City improvisational comedy group or worked at National Lampoon.
The first season had 24 episodes, the most of any season, and went on to become one of the most influential comedy shows in U.S. history.
There have been more than 150 cast members, many of whom have gone on to movie stardom. The show has has won 71 Primetime Emmy Awards, 3 Peabody Awards, and 3 Writers Guild of America Awards.
“I live in a van down by the river!”
— Chris Farley’s catch phrase as motivational speaker Matt Foley