Live From New York, It's Season One!
The first ever episode of Saturday Night Live aired on October 11, 1975 and was hosted by... wait, we'll get to that in a second. In fact, we are going to get to every host and every musical guest that joined the "Not Ready for Primetime Players" during that fateful first season. And they were...
Episode 1: October 11, 1975
Host: George Carlin
Musical Guest: Janis Ian & Billy Preston
Episode Facts: George Carlin didn't appear in any sketches (per his request).
It was on this very first episode that Andy Kaufman did his now-famous Mighty Mouse theme performance.
Monologue: George Carlin on Football and Baseball - SNL, Saturday Night Live
Episode 2: October 18, 1975
Host: Paul Simon
Musical Guest: Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Phoebe Snow, Art Garfunkel & Jessy Dixon Singers
Episode Facts: There were so many musical performances in this episode that the Not Ready for Primetime Players only appeared once (as the Bees, when Paul Simon tells them that their sketch has been cut).
SNL Promo for Oct 18, 1975 (1-2), SeanH777
Episode 3: October 25, 1975
Host: Rob Reiner
Musical Guest: None
Episode Facts: There was no musical guest, but John Belushi did impersonate Joe Cocker and sing "With a Little Help from My Friends".
Commonwealth Club from San Francisco, San Jose, United States, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 4: November 8, 1975
Host:
Musical Guest: Esther Phillips
Episode Facts: A malfunction in the control room led to only Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Michael O'Donoghue, and Gilda Radner being credited for the episode.
This episode marked the debut of Chevy Chase's "Good Evening, I'm Chevy Chase and you're not" Weekend Update greeting.
Episode 5: November 15, 1975
Host: Robert Klein
Musical Guest: ABBA & Loudon Wainwright III
Episode Facts: Lorne Michaels makes his first appearance on the show—via voice over in a sketch with Chevy Chase impersonating rockstar Gregg Allman.
ABBA lip-synced to pre-recorded tracks for both their performances ("SOS" and "Waterloo").
Philkon Phil Konstantin, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 6: November 22, 1975
Host: Lily Tomlin
Musical Guest: Lily Tomlin with Howard Shore & the All Nurse Band
Episode Facts: Tomlin performed three songs ("St James Infirmary Blues", "Bee Bop", "I Got You Babe") with Scred and The Muppets.
Hard Hats - SNL, Saturday Night Live
Episode 7: December 13, 1975
Host: Richard Pryor
Musical Guest: Gil Scott-Heron
Episode Facts: Pryor was the first African American host—and as such, Garrett Morris said the "Live from New York..". line. This was the first time it wasn't Chevy Chase saying it.
This episode also marked the first appearance of John Belushi's Samurai character.
Word Association - Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live
Episode 8: December 20, 1975
Host: Candice Bergen
Musical Guest: Martha Reeves & The Stylistics
Episode Facts: Candice Bergen became the first two-time host.
Super Executive - Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live
Episode 9: January 10, 1976
Host: Elliott Gould
Musical Guest: Anne Murray
Episode Facts: Lorne Michaels appears in a "Killer Bees" sketch gone wrong—it is the first time Michaels appeared on camera on the show.
It was this episode that they submitted for Emmy Award consideration—leading to the show's first Emmy win in 1977.
The Killer Bees: Home Invasion - SNL, Saturday Night Live
Episode 10: January 17, 1976
Host: Buck Henry
Musical Guest: Bill Withers & Toni Basil
Episode Facts: Bill Withers performed "Ain't No Sunshine" on the show, and this episode also marked the first appearance of The Blues Brothers (in the Bees costumes, performing "I'm a King Bee").
Episode 11: January 24, 1976
Host: Peter Cook & Dudley Moore
Musical Guest: Neil Sedaka
Episode Facts: The opening montage of this episode was the first to feature Don Pardo reading aloud the names of the Not Ready for Primetime Players.
David Powers Publicity; photographer-Martha Swope, New York, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 12: January 31, 1976
Host: Dick Cavett
Musical Guest: Jimmy Cliff
Episode Facts: At the end of the third "Lowell Brock" sketch, you can see Lorne Michaels playing a prank on John Belushi (tying his shoelaces together). When Belushi realizes what happened, you can just barely make out the multiple swear words he utters over the audience's applause (applauding the sketch, not the prank).
Cavett's School of Hydroplane Operation - Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live
Episode 13: February 14, 1976
Host: Peter Boyle
Musical Guest: Al Jarreau
Episode Facts: Steven Spielberg can be seen in the audience while Peter Boyle sings a love song to his "wife"
Episode 14: February 21, 1976
Host: Desi Arnaz
Musical Guest: Desi Arnaz & Desi Arnaz Jr
Episode Facts: This all "Desi" episode ended with Arnaz Sr leading the cast and crew and the audience in a conga line.
Late Night Saturday: History & Commentary for SNL S1E14, Late Night Saturday
Episode 15: February 28, 1976
Host: Jill Clayburgh
Musical Guest: Leon Redbone & The Idlers
Episode Facts: This episode marked the first appearance of Mister Bill and the last time the Land of Gorch set was seen on camera.
Episode 16: March 13, 1976
Host: Anthony Perkins
Musical Guest: Betty Carter
Episode Facts: At this point, the show was still called NBC's Saturday Night. However, starting with this 16th episode, only Saturday Night appeared on the opening credits.
Allan warren, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 17: April 17, 1976
Host: Ron Nessen
Musical Guest: Patti Smith
Episode Facts: President Gerald Ford delivers the "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night"! line during a filmed segment in the cold open.
Klaus Hiltscher, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 18: April 24, 1976
Host: Raquel Welch
Musical Guest: Phoebe Snow & John Sebastian
Episode Facts: Phoebe Snow became the first two-time musical performer and this episode was the first appearance of Gilda Radner as Baba Wawa.
NBC Television Uploaded by We hope at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 19: May 8, 1976
Host: Madeline Kahn
Musical Guest: Carly Simon
Episode Facts: Chevy Chase played the cowbell in a pre-taped segment featuring Carly Simon singing "Half a Chance/You're So Vain".
Episode 20: May 15, 1976
Host: Dyan Cannon
Musical Guest: Leon and Mary Russell
Episode Facts: John Belushi as Joe Cocker performs "Daylight" with Leon and Mary Russell.
Episode 21: May 22, 1976
Host: Buck Henry
Musical Guest: Gordon Lightfoot & Garrett Morris
Episode Facts: In reference to the full-page ads at the time, offering The Beatles millions of dollars to reunite and perform in New York City—Lorne Michaels appeared during the monologue and offered the band $3,200 and free hotel accommodations to perform three songs.
Original uploader was Piedmontstyle at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 22: May 29, 1976
Host: Elliott Gould
Musical Guest: Leon Redbone, Harlan Collins & Joyce Everson
Episode Facts: Introduced by Don Pardo in the opening credits as "new talent Franken and Davis", writers Al Franken and Tom Davis did a comedy bit together in this episode.
Star Trek: The Last Voyage - SNL, Saturday Night Live
Episode 23: July 24, 1976
Host: Louise Lasser
Musical Guest: Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Episode Facts: Host Louise Lasser pretended to have stage fright during her monologue and locked herself in her dressing room. In actuality, Lasser had actually done exactly that just prior to the show going live on the air—leading to the cast dividing her parts up amongst themselves.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Episode 24: July 31, 1976
Host: Kris Kristofferson
Musical Guest: Rita Coolidge
Episode Facts: Allegedly, Kris Kristofferson got so drunk that he couldn't even say his lines during dress rehearsal—leading Lorne Michaels to send his staff on a quest to find "the biggest coffee pot you can".
A&M Records, Wikimedia Commons
Memories?
What memories do you have of this first season? Best or worst hosts, skits, etc? Let us know in the comments.
You might also like:
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