Saturday Night Live in History

Events in Film & TV

Television Premiere

1975-10-11 "Saturday Night Live" created by Lorne Michaels premieres on NBC with George Carlin as host

1975-10-18 Simon & Garfunkel reunite on "Saturday Night Live", sing "My Little Town"

Film & TV History

1975-12-13 1st time "Saturday Night Live" uses a time delay, Richard Pryor hosts

Music History

1976-11-20 George Harrison appears on "Saturday Night Live": haggling with Lorne Michaels; performing "Here Comes the Sun" and "Homeward Bound" with Paul Simon; and airing two music videos

1977-01-15 Coneheads debut on "Saturday Night Live"

TV Show Appearance

1977-12-17 Elvis Costello & The Attractions 1st US TV appearance on "Saturday Night Live"

1979-03-10 Eubie Blake, a 92-year old ragtime piano player and composer, and Gregory Hines are musical guest on Saturday Night Live

Music History

1979-10-20 Bob Dylan make his only appearance on "Saturday Night Live" performing three songs from his album Slow Train Coming: ‘When You Gonna Wake Up’, ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’ and ‘I Believe in You’'

Music History

1979-12-15 British rocker David Bowie performs three songs on American television program Saturday Night Live - "The Man Who Sold the World", "TVC-15" and "Boys Keep Swinging"

Music History

1980-05-17 Paul & Linda McCartney appear on "Saturday Night Live"

1981-02-21 Charles Rocket clearly says "f*ck" on "Saturday Night Live"

Music History

1982-04-17 Country music legend Johnny Cash hosts Saturday Night Live, participates in skits, performs medley of hits; Elton John is additional musical guest

Film & TV History

1982-11-20 Drew Barrymore at age 7 hosts "Saturday Night Live"

Music History

1984-12-08 Ringo Starr hosts "Saturday Night Live"; Herbie Hancock is the musical guest

1986-11-15 2nd time "Saturday Night Live" uses a time delay (Sam Kinison hosts)
1989-05-20 Toonces The Cat takes the wheel on "Saturday Night Live"

Music History

1990-05-12 Nora Dunn and Sinead O'Connor boycott "Saturday Night Live" to protest Andrew Dice Clay's hosting which was perceived as sexist; the show uses a time delay for the third time in its history

Film & TV History

1990-06-22 Adam Sandler joins "Saturday Night Live"

Film Premiere

1992-02-14 Comedy film "Wayne's World" starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, based on their Saturday Night Live sketch premieres

Streisand on SNL

1992-02-22 Barbra Streisand surprises cast members in a cameo appearance at the end of a "Coffee Talk" sketch on "Saturday Night Live"

1992-10-03 Irish pop singer Sinéad O'Connor rips up a picture of Pope John Paul II on "Saturday Night Live" [1]

Music History

2019-04-13 BTS is the first K-pop band to perform on US TV show "Saturday Night Live"

Film & TV History

2021-05-08 Tesla chief executive Tesla Elon Musk hosts "Saturday Night Live" in the US

Birthdays in Film & TV

1918-02-22 Don Pardo, American television announcer (Jeopardy, Saturday Night Live), born in Westfield, Massachusetts (d. 2014)
1926-04-21 Herbert Schlosser, American television executive (NBC - hired Johnny Carson; championed Laugh-In; conceptualized Saturday Night Live), born in Atlantic City, New Jersey (d. 2021),
1930-12-09 Buck Henry [Zuckerman], American screenwriter and comedian (SNL; Get Smart), born in NYC, New York
1931-04-11 Frank Vicari, American jazz, session, and touring saxophonist (Maynard Ferguson; Woody Herman; Tom Waits; Saturday Night Live), born in New Jersey (d. 2006)
1937-02-01 Garrett Morris, actor (SNL, Martin, Carwash), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1937-07-10 George Young, American jazz and session saxophonist(White Elephant Orchestra; Saturday Night Live Band), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1940-01-05 Michael O'Donoghue, American writer and performer (Saturday Night Live, Scrooged), born in Sauquoit, New York (d. 1994)
1941-08-07 Howard Johnson, American jazz and session baritone saxophonist and tuba player (SNL band), born in Montgomery, Alabama
1943-02-11 Alan Rubin, American jazz and session trumpeter and flugelhorn player (SNL; Blues Brothers) known as "Mr Fabulous", born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2011)
1943-10-08 Chevy Chase, American comedian and actor (SNL, Vacation, Fletch, Caddyshack), born in NYC, New York
1943-12-23 Harry Shearer, American screenwriter, actor (SNL, 1975-85; The Simpsons; This Is Spinal Tap), radio host (Le Show), and musician, born in Los Angeles, California
1944-01-01 Don Novello, American actor and comedian (Father Guido Sarducci-Saturday Night Live), born in Ashtabula, Ohio

Lorne Michaels (78 years old)

1944-11-17 Canadian TV producer, actor and comedy writer (Saturday Night Live), born in Toronto, Ontario

1946-06-28 Gilda Radner, American comedian and actress (SNL, 1975-80; Haunted Honeymoon), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1989)
1946-10-18 Howard Shore, Canadian television and film composer (Lord of the Rings trilogy; 1st music director of Saturday Night Live), born in Toronto, Canada
1947-02-25 Anne Beatts, American comedy writer (National Lampoon magazine; Saturday Night Live, 1975-79; Square Pegs), born in Buffalo, New York (d. 2021) [1]
1947-06-16 Tom "Bones" Malone, American jazz musician, arranger, and producer (SNL; Blues Brothers), born in Honolulu, Hawaii

Jane Curtin (75 years old)

1947-09-06 American actress (SNL: Kate & Allie; 3rd Rock From the Sun), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts

1947-10-17 Michael McKean, American actor (Laverne & Shirley, - "Lenny"; Saturday Night Live, 1994-95; This Is Spinal Tap), born in NYC, New York
1948-02-05 Christopher Guest, American actor (SNL, 1984-85; This is Spinal Tap; The Princess Bride), and filmmaker (Best In Show; Waiting for Huffman), born in NYC, New York

Phil Hartman (1948-1998)

1948-09-24 Canadian-American actor (NewsRadio, 1995-98; The Simpsons, 1991-91; SNL, 1986-94: Peewee's Playhouse), and graphic artist, born in Brantford, Ontario

1949-01-24 John Belushi, American comedian (SNL, 1975-80), actor (Animal House), and singer (The Blues Brothers), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1982)
1949-08-28 Charles Rocket, American actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live), born in Bangor, Maine (d. 2005)
1949-11-28 Paul Shaffer, Canadian keyboardist (SNL, 1975-80), orchestra leader (David Letterman, 1982-2015; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and songwriter ("It's Raining Men"), born in Thunder Bay, Ontario
1950-03-03 Tim Kazurinsky, American comic actor and screenwriter (SNL, 1980-84; Police Academy 2, 3, 4), born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Martin Short (72 years old)

1950-03-26 Canadian comedian (SNL; SCTV; 3 Amigos), born in Hamilton, Ontario

1950-04-19 Earl Gardner, American jazz trumpeter (Saturday Night Live), born in NYC, New York

Bill Murray (72 years old)

1950-09-21 American actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live; Stripes; Ghostbusters), born in Evanston, Illinois

1950-10-01 Randy Quaid, actor (Midnight Express, Vacation, Saturday Night Live), born in Houston, Texas
1951-05-18 Denny Dillon, American comedian (SNL, Dream On), born in Cleveland, Ohio
1951-05-21 Al Franken, US politician (Senate-D-Minnesota 2009-18) comedian, writer, actor (SNL, 1975-80; 1985-90), born in NYC, New York
1951-06-17 Joe Piscopo, American comedian (SNL, Miller Lite commercials), born in Passaic, New Jersey
1952-03-02 Laraine Newman, comedienne/actress (Saturday Night Live), born in Los Angeles, California
1952-04-29 Nora Dunn, American comedienne and actress (SNL; Miami Blues; Working Girl), born in Chicago, Illinois

Dan Aykroyd (70 years old)

1952-07-01 Canadian-American comedian, writer and actor (SNL, 1975-79; Ghostbusters), and harmonica player (The Blues Brothers), born in Ottawa, Ontario

1953-02-21 Christine Ebersole, American actress (SNL, Valerie, Tootsie), born in Patk Forest, Illinois
1953-03-25 Mary Gross, actress/comedian (SNL, Club Paradise, Feds), born in Chicago, Illinois
1953-05-10 Alex Foster, American jazz and session saxophonist (SNL Band; Mingus Big Band), born in Oakland, California
1953-11-03 Dennis Miller, American comedian, TV host, and political commentator (SNL; Dennis Miller Show), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1953-11-18 Kevin Nealon, American actor (SNL, Hot Shot, Coneheads), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
1954-03-13 Robin Duke, Canadian actress and comedienne (SNL, SCTV, Club Paradise), born in Toronto, Ontario
1954-04-10 Lenny Pickett, American saxophonist and musical director (Saturday Night Live band, 1985-; Tower of Power, 1973-81), born in Las Cruces, New Mexico
1954-06-10 Richard "Rich" Hall, American comedian, writer, and musician (Saturday Night Live, Fridays, Not Necessarily the News), born in Alexandria, Virginia
1954-06-15 James Belushi, American comedian (Saturday Night Live, Trading Places), born in Chicago, Illinois
1954-07-13 Danitra Vance, American comedienne (SNL, 1985), and actress (Jumpin' At The Boneyard), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1994)
1954-12-28 Tony Rosato, Canadian comedian (SCTV, Saturday Night Live), born in Naples, Italy (d. 2017)

Gilbert Gottfried (1955-2022)

1955-02-28 American stand-up comedian, and actor (SNL; Aladdin - "Iago the Parrot"; The Afflac Duck), born in Brooklyn, New York

1955-06-02 Dana Carvey, American comedian and actor (SNL - "George Bush"; Wayne's World - "Garth"), born in Missoula, Montana
1955-10-08 Darrell Hammond, American comedian (SNL), born in Melbourne, Florida
1955-11-19 Peter Aykroyd, Canadian actor, comedian, and writer (SNL, 1980; PSI Factor), born in Ottawa, Ontario (d. 2021)
1957-04-13 Gary Kroeger, American comedian (SNL, Return of Shaggy Dog), born in Cedar Falls, Iowa
1957-04-23 Jan Hooks, American comedienne and actress (SNL, 1986-94; Designing Women, 1991-93; 3rd Rock from the Sun, 1996-2000), born in Decatur, Georgia (d. 2014)
1957-07-21 Jon Lovitz, American actor (SNL: League of Their Own: The Critic), born in Tarzana, California
1958-03-21 Brad Hall, American comedian (SNL, 1982-84), and screenwriter, born in Santa Barbara, California

Alec Baldwin (64 years old)

1958-04-03 American Emmy Award-winning actor (Knots Landing; Beetlejuice; Glengarry Glen Ross; SNL; 30 Rock), born in Amityville, New York

1959-08-02 Victoria Jackson, comedian and actress (Casual Sex, Saturday Night Live), born in Miami, Florida
1959-10-17 Norm MacDonald, Canadian stand-up comedian, writer, and actor (Saturday Night Live, 1993-98; Dirty Work; The Norm Show), born in Quebec City, Quebec (d. 2021)
1960-03-23 Terry Sweeney, American comedian and comedian (SNL), born in Queens, New York
1960-09-04 Damon Wayans, American actor and comedian (In Living Color, SNL), born in New York City, New York

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (62 years old)

1961-01-13 American comedienne and actress (Elaine Benes-Seinfeld, SNL, Veep), born in NYC, New York

Eddie Murphy (61 years old)

1961-04-03 American comedian and actor (SNL, 1980-84; 48 Hours; Beverly Hills Cop; Raw; Pluto Nash), born in Brooklyn, New York

1962-10-11 Joan Cusack, American actress (Working Girl, SNL, Addams Family Values), born in Evanston Illinois
1962-10-22 Bob Odenkirk, American actor (Breaking Bad; Better Call Saul), comic, and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter (SNL,1987-91; The Ben Stiller Show; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 1993-94), born in Berwyn, Illinois

Mike Myers (59 years old)

1963-05-25 Canadian actor and comedian (SNL, Wayne's World), born in Scarborough, Ontario

1963-06-01 Shawn Pelton, American session and touring drummer and percussionist (SNL band; Sheryl Crow; Shawn Colvin: Darryl Hall, Rod Stewart; Rosanne Cash), born in Kansas City, Missouri
1963-10-31 Rob Schneider, American actor (Saturday Night Live, Jamie Coleman-Men Behaving Badly), born in San Francisco, California

Chris Farley (1964-1997)

1964-02-15 American actor and comedian (SNL, Wayne's World, Coneheads), born in Madison, Wisconsin

1964-07-22 David Spade, American comedian and actor (SNL; Tommy Boy; Black Sheep; : Just Shoot Me!), born in Birmingham, Michigan

Janeane Garofalo (58 years old)

1964-09-28 American comedienne (SNL, Truth about Cats & Dogs), born in Newton, New Jersey

Chris Rock (58 years old)

1965-02-07 American Grammy and Emmy Award-winning comedian (SNL, 0990-93; CB4; Everybody Hates Chris), and film maker, born in Andrews, South Carolina

1965-09-07 Ron Blake, American jazz saxophonist, (SNL band; Christian McBride Big Band; Art Farmer), band leader, composer, and music educator (Juilliard), born in the Virgin Islands
1965-11-29 Ellen Cleghorne, American comedienne (Saturday Night Live), born in Brooklyn, New York
1965-12-16 J.B. Smoove [Jerry Brooks], American actor, comedian and writer (SNL, 2003-06; Curb Your Enthusiasm), born in Plymouth, North Carolina
1966-07-19 Nancy Carell [Walls], American actress (Saturday Night Live), born in Cohasset, Massachusetts

Adam Sandler (56 years old)

1966-09-09 American actor and comedian (Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Saturday Night Live), born in Brooklyn, New York

1966-12-04 Fereydun "Fred" Armisen, American comedian (Saturday Night Live), actor, writer (Portlandia), and musician (8G Band), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
1967-05-04 Ana Gasteyer, American actress (Saturday Night Live), born in Washington, D.C.
1967-07-16 Will Ferrell, American Emmy and Raspberry Award-winning comic actor and writer (SNL, 1995-2002; Anchorman; Elf; Step Brothers), born in Irvine, California
1967-09-07 Leslie Jones, American comedian and actress (Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters), born in Memphis, Tennessee
1968-04-14 Anthony Michael Hall, American actor (SNL, Breakfast Club), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1970-04-21 Rob Riggle, American comedian and actor (Modern Family; The Daily Show, 2006-08; SNL, 2005-05), born in Louisville, Kentucky

Tina Fey (52 years old)

1970-05-18 American actress and comedian (Saturday Night Live; 30 Rock), born in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania

1970-06-17 Will Forte, American writer, actor and comedian (SNL, 2002-10; The Last Man on Earth), born in Alameda County, California

Amy Poehler (51 years old)

1971-09-16 American comedian and actress (Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation), born in Newton, Massachusetts

Seth Meyers (49 years old)

1973-12-28 American actor, comedian, writer and producer (Late Night with Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live), born in Evanston,, Illinois

Jimmy Fallon (48 years old)

1974-09-19 American actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live; The Tonight Show), born in NYC, New York

1975-09-18 Jason Sudeikis, American comedian, writer, and Emmy Award-winning actor (Horrible Bosses; Ted Lasso; SNL, 2005-13), born in Fairfax, Virginia
1978-05-10 Kenan Thompson, American actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live), born in Columbus, Ohio
1978-06-07 Bill Hader, American comedian and actor (Saturday Night Live, Barry), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
1982-04-01 Taran Killam, American comedian, actor, and writer (Saturday Night Live, 2010-16; Single Parents), born in Culver City, California
1982-08-26 John Mulaney, American comedian, writer and actor (Saturday Night Live), born in Chicago, Illinois
1984-02-08 Cecily Strong, American actress and comedian (Saturday Night Live), born in Stringfield, Illinois
1987-02-11 Julio Torres, Salvadoran writer and comedian (Saturday Night Live, Los Espookys), born in San Salvador, El Salvador
1988-07-20 Chloe Fineman, American comedian and actress (Saturday Night Live), born in Berkeley, California
1990-11-06 Bowen Yang, Australian-born American comedian, actor and writer (Saturday Night Live), born in Brisbane, Australia
1991-03-12 Lauren Holt, American comedian (Saturday Night Live), born in Charlotte, North Carolina

Pete Davidson (29 years old)

1993-11-16 American comedian and actor (Saturday Night Live), born in New York City

Weddings in Film & TV

Gene Wilder

1984-09-14 Stage and screen actor Gene Wilder (51) weds "Saturday Night Live" actress-comedian Gilda Radner (38) in France

2000-08-12 "Saturday Night Live" actor-comedian Will Ferrell (33) weds Swedish actress Viveca Paulin (31)

Tina Fey

2001-06-03 American writer and actress Tina Fey (31) weds "Saturday Night Live" composer Jeff Richmond (40) in a Greek Orthodox ceremony at The Merion Tribute House, Merion Station, Pennsylvania

2005-09-03 Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kevin Nealon (51) weds actress Susan Yeagley (33) inside the town hall in Bellagio, Italy

Jimmy Fallon

2007-12-22 Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member, and "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon (33) weds Hollywood producer Nancy Juvonen (40) on Necker Island in the Caribbean

2008-06-28 "Saturday Night Live" actor-comedian Chris Kattan (37) weds model Sunshine Tutt (31) at Chateau Du Sureau in Yosemite, California
2012-09-08 "How I Met Your Mother" actress Cobie Smulders (30) weds "Saturday Night Live" actor Taran Killam (30) at the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang, California

Deaths in Film & TV

1982-03-05 John Belushi, American comedian (SNL, 1975-80), actor (Animal House), and singer (The Blues Brothers), dies of a drug overdose at 33
1989-05-20 Gilda Radner, American comedian and actress (SNL, 1975-80; Haunted Honeymoon), dies of ovarian cancer at 42
1994-08-21 Danitra Vance, American comedienne (SNL, 1985), and actress (Jumpin' At The Boneyard), dies of breast cancer at 40
1994-11-08 Michael O'Donoghue, American comedy writer (SNL), dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 54

Chris Farley (1964-1997)

1997-12-18 American actor and comedian (SNL, Wayne's World, Coneheads), dies of a drug overdose at 33

Phil Hartman (1948-1998)

1998-05-28 Canadian-American actor (NewsRadio, 1995-98; The Simpsons, 1991-91; SNL, 1986-94: Peewee's Playhouse), and graphic artist, murdered by his wife in his sleep at 49

2005-10-07 Charles Rocket, American actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live), dies at 56
2006-10-20 Frank Vicari, American jazz, session, and touring saxophonist (Maynard Ferguson; Woody Herman; Tom Waits; Saturday Night Live), dies at 75
2011-06-08 Alan Rubin, American jazz and session trumpeter and flugelhorn player (SNL; Blues Brothers) known as "Mr Fabulous", dies of cancer at 68
2014-08-18 Don Pardo, TV announcer (Jeopardy, Saturday Night Live), dies at 96
2014-10-09 Jan Hooks, American comedienne and actress (SNL, 1986-94; Designing Women, 1991-93; 3rd Rock from the Sun, 1996-2000), dies of throat cancer at 57
2017-01-10 Tony Rosato, Italian-born Canadian comedian (SCTV, Saturday Night Live), dies at 63
2021-04-07 Anne Beatts, American comedy writer (National Lampoon magazine; Saturday Night Live, 1975-79; Square Pegs), dies at 74
2021-08-06 Herbert Schlosser, American television executive (NBC - hired Johnny Carson; championed Laugh-In; conceptualized Saturday Night Live), dies at 95
2021-09-14 Norm MacDonald, Canadian stand-up comedian, writer, and actor (Saturday Night Live, 1993-98; Dirty Work; The Norm Show), dies of cancer at 61
2021-11-06 Peter Aykroyd, Canadian actor, comedian, and writer (SNL, 1980; PSI Factor), dies of septicemia caused by an untreated abdominal hernia at 65

Gilbert Gottfried (1955-2022)

2022-04-12 American stand-up comedian, and actor (SNL; Aladdin - "Iago the Parrot"; The Afflac Duck), dies at 67