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Season 1

Saturday Night Live

Season 1

  • 1975

The first season of Saturday Night Live, the weekly late-night 90-minute American sketch comedy/variety show on NBC, aired during the 1975–1976 television season. Saturday Night Live premiered on October 11, 1975 and consisted of a total of 24 episodes, the last of which aired on July 31, 1976.

In 1974, NBC Tonight Show host Johnny Carson requested that the weekend broadcasts of “Best of Carson” come to an end, so that Carson could take two weeknights off and NBC would thus air those repeats on those nights rather than feed them to affiliates for broadcast on either Saturdays or Sundays. Given Carson’s undisputed status as the dean of late-night television, NBC heard his request as an ultimatum, fearing he might use the issue as grounds to defect to either ABC or CBS. To fill the gap, the network drew up some ideas and brought in Dick Ebersol – a protégé of legendary ABC Sports president Roone Arledge – to develop a 90-minute late-night variety show. Ebersol’s first order of business was hiring a young Canadian producer named Lorne Michaels to be the show-runner.

  1. George Carlin with Billy Preston and Janis Ian Episode 1 George Carlin with Billy Preston and Janis Ian October 11, 1975, 1 h 6 min Live from New York, It's... George Carlin! Sketches Include: Wolverines, New Dad Insurance, The Courtroom, Victims of Shark Bite, Jamitol, Triopenin, Jim Henson's Muppets, Bee Hospital, Academy of Better Careers,…
  2. Paul Simon with Randy Newman and Phoebe Snow Episode 2 Paul Simon with Randy Newman and Phoebe Snow October 18, 1975, 1 h 6 min Live from New York, It's... Paul Simon! Sketches Include: The Berkeley Collection, Bees, Jim Henson's Muppets, Try-Hard 1-11
  3. Rob Reiner Episode 3 Rob Reiner October 25, 1975, 1 h 6 min Live from New York, it's... Rob Reiner! Sketches Include: National Pancreas Association, Fashion Don'ts, Golden Needles, Dangerous But Inept, Felina Cat Food, Middle American Van Lines, Musical Performance (Joe Cocker),…
  4. Candice Bergen with Esther Phillips Episode 4 Candice Bergen with Esther Phillips November 8, 1975, 1 h 8 min Live from New York, It's... Candice Bergen Sketches include: Ambassador Training Institute, CIA Department of Records, Jaws II, Long Distance, Chanel, Feminine Talk, Midnight Probe, Crank Call, Jim Henson's Muppets,…
  5. Robert Klein with ABBA and Loudon Wainwright III Episode 5 Robert Klein with ABBA and Loudon Wainwright III November 15, 1975, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's... Robert Klein Sketches include: Pong, Minute Mystery, Bee Centennial Minute, Greg Allman How's Your Love Life?, Tough Director, Jamitol, Exterminators, Fireman, Jim Henson's Muppets, K-Put…
  6. Lily Tomlin Episode 6 Lily Tomlin November 22, 1975, 1 h 5 min Live from New York, it's... Lily Tomlin Sketches Include: Beethoven Part 1, Jaws III, Bell-Hop, Edith Ann Skates, Beethoven Part 2, Spud Beer, Patty, Jim Henson's Muppets, Beethoven Part 3,…
  7. Richard Pryor with Gil Scott-Heron Episode 7 Richard Pryor with Gil Scott-Heron December 13, 1975, 1 h 7 min Live From New York, it's... Richard Pryor! Sketches Include: Samurai Hotel, Looks At Books, Line-Up #1, Word Association, Pong, They're Taking Over, Line-Up #2, L-Pill, Jim Henson's Muppets, Line-Up #3,…
  8. Candice Bergen with Martha Reeves and The Stylistics Episode 8 Candice Bergen with Martha Reeves and The Stylistics December 20, 1975, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's... Candice Bergen! Sketches include-- Fireside Chat with Gerald Ford, "Mel's Char Palace", "What Gilda Ate", Billy is guilty of murder, Teddy the Elf, "The Fritzie…
  9. Elliott Gould with Anne Murray Episode 9 Elliott Gould with Anne Murray January 10, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, it's... Elliott Gould! Sketches include "The Dead String Quartet," "Interior Demolitionists," "Vito Corleone in Therapy," "The Killer Bees," "Birthright", "Gilda and Elliot," "New Shimmer," The Muppets,…
  10. Buck Henry with Bill Withers and Toni Basil Episode 10 Buck Henry with Bill Withers and Toni Basil January 17, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Suicide Prevention, "Samurai Deli", Operation Stumblebum, "Citizen Kane II", King Bee(the Blues Brothers), Auto mechanic tells bedtime story, "Presidential Foreplay", Chevy misuses a…
  11. Peter Cook & Dudley Moore with Neil Sedaka Episode 11 Peter Cook & Dudley Moore with Neil Sedaka January 24, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include-- Bomb Squad, Prisoner Auditions, "Don Pardo's Holiday on A Elevator", "Table Talk", "Backstage Banter", Sonny and Cher, The Baby Jesus, Chevy talks…
  12. Dick Cavett with Jimmy Cliff Episode 12 Dick Cavett with Jimmy Cliff January 31, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Voodoo on Chevy Chase, Alcohol and Firearms, Lowell Brock of H&R Brock, "Looks at Books", Dick Cavett's School of Hydroplane Operation, Dance To…
  13. Peter Boyle with Al Jarreau Episode 13 Peter Boyle with Al Jarreau February 14, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include "The Valentine's Day Massacre," "Samurai Divorce Court," "Jason and Sunshine," "The Corrida." "All Pro Wrestling," "Remembering of Things Past", "Dueling Brandos," "A…
  14. Desi Arnaz with Desi Arnaz Jr. Episode 14 Desi Arnaz with Desi Arnaz Jr. February 21, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include-- Gerald Ford gives a word association, Literary Recital, Very White(Chevy Chase)sings unsoulful songs, "The Failed Pilots of I Love Lucy", Cuban accupunture,…
  15. Jill Clayburgh with Leon Redbone Episode 15 Jill Clayburgh with Leon Redbone February 28, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include-- No More Falls, "Great Moments in Herstory", White Guilt Relief Fund, Inquisitive Girlfriend, Grable and Lombard, Car Yummies, Paying the Milkman, Jill…
  16. Anthony Perkins with Betty Carter Episode 16 Anthony Perkins with Betty Carter March 13, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--'SNL is not ad-libbed' says Chevy Chase, A President's View on Marijuana, Dominatrix Cleaning Tips, "Norman Bates School of Hotel Management", Low-budget Movie…
  17. Ron Nessen with the Patti Smith Group Episode 17 Ron Nessen with the Patti Smith Group April 17, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Gerald Ford Sketches include-- "The Dead String Quartet", Super Bass-O-Matic 76, An Oval Office, David Eisenhower is Anti-Nixon, Thomas Jefferson denies slavery, The New Stoner Volunteer…
  18. Raquel Welch with Phoebe Snow and John Sebastian Episode 18 Raquel Welch with Phoebe Snow and John Sebastian April 24, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include-- "Get to the fall Chevy!", Purina Rat Chow, Joseph Franklin's 10-letter Metric Alphabet, "The Claudine Longet Ski Invitational", "One Flew Over The…
  19. Madeline Kahn with Carly Simon Episode 19 Madeline Kahn with Carly Simon May 8, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, it's Chevy Chase! Sketches are "Ronald Reagan's Jam Session," Not for Ladies Only, Wilderness Comedian, "Slumber Party," Bride of Frankenstein, "Fondue Pots for Namibia," "The Muppets…
  20. Dyan Cannon with Leon & Mary Russell Episode 20 Dyan Cannon with Leon & Mary Russell May 15, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Chevy has to do the fall again, "Hearing Test," "The Adulterer," "Vacationland Adventure", "Minister with Hiccups," "Dyan Cannon's Dream," "Orange Juice," "The Bathwater…
  21. Buck Henry with Gordon Lightfoot Episode 21 Buck Henry with Gordon Lightfoot May 22, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Emmy winner Chevy tries to get Laraine todo the fall, Samurai Tailor, "Talk Back!", "Dell Stator's Toad Ranch Resturaunt", "Looks at Books", The…
  22. Elliott Gould with Leon Redbone and Harlan Collins & Joyce Everson Episode 22 Elliott Gould with Leon Redbone and Harlan Collins & Joyce Everson May 29, 1976, 1 h 7 min Sketches include "Wax Museum," "Phone Operator Academy," "European Poker Player," "Babs's Uvula," "The Last Voyage of the Starship Enterprise," "The Bee Honeymooners," "Shirley Temple Black," "Vibramatic," "Uncle Charlie's School," and…
  23. Louise Lasser with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band Episode 23 Louise Lasser with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band July 24, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Belushi thinks Chevy has a big head, Louise Lasser locks herself dressing room, General "V.D" Amin, Sven and Inger, John Belushi tries to…
  24. Kris Kristofferson with Rita Coolidge Episode 24 Kris Kristofferson with Rita Coolidge July 31, 1976, 1 h 7 min Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Kristofferson signs "Help Me Make it Through The Night", new SNL employer Sherry, Samurai General Practitioner, the Great White Athelete, Gerald Ford dosent…