Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...

aired its third season during the 1977–1978 television season on NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

. The season began on September 24, 1977 and ended on May 20, 1978. The DVD for the entire season was released on May 13, 2008.

The entire cast from the previous season returned for season three. The show also introduced the concept of the "featured player." Writers Tom Davis

Tom Davis (comedian)

Tom Davis is an American writer and comedian. He is an Emmy Award winner, and is best known for his former partnership with Al Franken, as half of the comedy duo "Franken & Davis" on Saturday Night Live.-Life and career:...

 and Al Franken

Al Franken

Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....

 became cast members.

The season is also notable for the contest, Anyone Can Host. During the start of the season the show advertised the contest for a non-celebrity to host the show. The winner was 80 year-old grandmother Miskel Spillman

Miskel Spillman

Miskel Spillman was the winner of the first and only "Anyone Can Host" contest on NBC's late-night variety series Saturday Night Live, and hosted the December 17, 1977, broadcast of the show.-Role in SNL history:...

, the only non-celebrity to host an SNL episode. During Spillman's show the musical guest, Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...

, halted his band, the Attractions, seven seconds into the song "Less Than Zero

Less Than Zero (song)

"Less Than Zero" is the eighth track on Elvis Costello's debut album My Aim Is True, and the first Costello single that Stiff Records released.In the liner notes to the Rhino edition of the album, Costello writes:...

", launching into "Radio Radio

Radio Radio

"Radio Radio" was a single by Elvis Costello and The Attractions released in the UK in October 1978. The song had already appeared on the US version of their second album, This Year's Model, released earlier that year...

", an as-yet unreleased song critical of mainstream broadcasting. The change angered Lorne Michaels

Lorne Michaels

Lorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...

, who banned future appearances on the show for a while.

Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase

Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...

's hosted during the season, making him the first cast member to host after leaving the show. Backstage during the show Chase and Bill Murray

Bill Murray

William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...

 engaged in a physical altercation that was broken up by John Belushi

John Belushi

John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...

 and Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd

Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...

. Chase later accused Murray of trying to upstage him on set and for making explicit remarks about Chase's wife. Chase would host the show several times throughout the show's history, though he was unpopular with the cast and crew.

The season introduced new opening credits

Opening credits

In a motion picture, television program, or video game, the opening credits are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production. They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank screen or static pictures, or sometimes on top of action in the show. There...

, depicting:

• The cast members walking through Times Square
  Times Square
  Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
  
   with their names illuminated on a marquee
  Marquee (sign)
  A marquee is most commonly a structure placed over the entrance to a hotel or theatre. It has signage stating either the name of the establishment or, in the case of theatres, the play or movie and the artist appearing at that venue...
  
   behind them.
• The cast members walking out of the subway (with the exception of Dan Akroyd and Gilda Radner).
• The cast members' faces being shown on the marquees alongside their names.
• The first and third openings merged in the afternoon setting.

Cast

Repertory players

• Dan Aykroyd
  Dan Aykroyd
  Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
  
  
• John Belushi
  John Belushi
  John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
  
  
• Jane Curtin
  Jane Curtin
  Jane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne. She is commonly referred to as Queen of the Deadpan.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s...
  
  
• Garrett Morris
  Garrett Morris
  Garrett Gonzalez Morris is an American comedian and actor from New Orleans. He was part of the original cast of the sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live, appearing from 1975 to 1980.-Early life and career:...
  
  
• Bill Murray
  Bill Murray
  William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
  
  
• Laraine Newman
  Laraine Newman
  Laraine Newman is an American comedienne, actress, and writer, and was part of the original Saturday Night Live cast.-Personal life:...
  
  
• Gilda Radner
  Gilda Radner
  Gilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
  
  

Featured Players

• Tom Davis
  Tom Davis (comedian)
  Tom Davis is an American writer and comedian. He is an Emmy Award winner, and is best known for his former partnership with Al Franken, as half of the comedy duo "Franken & Davis" on Saturday Night Live.-Life and career:...
  
  
• Al Franken
  Al Franken
  Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
  
  

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Writers

Tom Davis

Tom Davis (comedian)

Tom Davis is an American writer and comedian. He is an Emmy Award winner, and is best known for his former partnership with Al Franken, as half of the comedy duo "Franken & Davis" on Saturday Night Live.-Life and career:...

 and Al Franken

Al Franken

Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....

 get prominent amounts of screen time. Brian Doyle-Murray

Brian Doyle-Murray

Brian Doyle-Murray is an American comedian, screenwriter, actor and voice artist. He is the older brother of actor/comedian Bill Murray and has acted together with him in several films, including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, The Razor's Edge and Groundhog Day...

 and Don Novello

Don Novello

Don Novello is an American writer, film director, producer, actor, singer, and comedian. Novello is best known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live, from 1977 until 1980, and then 1985 until 1986, often as the character "Father Guido Sarducci". Novello has appeared as "Sarducci" on many...

 join the writing staff. Michael O'Donoghue

Michael O'Donoghue

Michael O'Donoghue was a writer and performer. He was known for his dark and destructive style of comedy and humor, was a major contributor to National Lampoon magazine, and was the first head writer of Saturday Night Live.-Childhood:O'Donoghue was born Michael Henry Donohue in Sauquoit, New York...

 temporarily leaves the show.

Episodes

Episode Number	Date	Host(s)	Special Guest(s)	Notes
47	September 24, 1977	Steve Martin Steve Martin Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....	Jackson Browne Jackson Browne Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....	First appearance of the Festrunk Brothers (a.k.a. The Wild and Crazy Guys or The Czech Brothers). Franken and Davis are listed as special guests in the opening credits. Jackson Browne performs "Running on Empty Running on Empty (song) "Running on Empty" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. It is the title track to his 1977 live Running on Empty album, recorded at a concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, on August 27, 1977... " and "The Pretender". Dan Aykroyd makes his debut appearance as co-anchor of Weekend Update Weekend Update Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...  alongside Jane Curtin. John Belushi performs a great Roy Orbison.
48	October 8, 1977	Madeline Kahn Madeline Kahn Madeline Kahn was an American actress. Kahn was known primarily for her comedic roles in films such as Paper Moon, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, What's Up, Doc?, and Clue.-Early life:...	Taj Mahal Taj Mahal (musician) Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...  Barry Humphries Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE is an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the...	Australian comedian Barry Humphries Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE is an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the...  appears as his popular character Dame Edna Everage Dame Edna Everage Dame Edna is a character created and played by Australian dadaist performer and comedian, Barry Humphries, famous for her lilac-coloured or "wisteria hue" hair and cat eye glasses or "face furniture," her favorite flower, the gladiola and her boisterous greeting: "Hello Possums!" As Dame Edna,... . Taj Mahal played "Queen Bee."
49	October 15, 1977	Hugh Hefner Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...	Libby Titus Libby Titus Libby Titus is a singer, songwriter, actress and concert producer. Although she released several solo albums in the 1970s and '80s, she is best known as the co-writer, with Eric Kaz, of "Love Has No Pride", a song recorded by many artists including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and Jane Monheit.She...  Andy Kaufman Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...	Andy Kaufman Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...  makes his fifth appearance
50	October 29, 1977	Charles Grodin Charles Grodin Charles Grodin is an American actor, comedian, author and former cable talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including The Virginian. He had a small part as an obstetrician in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby in 1968...	Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...  The Persuasions The Persuasions The Persuasions are an a cappella group that began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the mid 1960s. They have performed interpretations of both secular and non-secular music, and have covered a wide range of musical genres....	Although Simon sang in his two prior hosting stints, this is his first time listed as the musical guest. Simon performed his then-current single "Slip Slidin' Away" and "You're Kind" (a song from Still Crazy After All These Years Still Crazy After All These Years Still Crazy After All These Years is the fourth studio album by Paul Simon.Recorded in 1975, the album produced four US Top 40 hits, "Gone at Last" , "My Little Town" , "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" and the title track . It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1976... ). Simon was accompanied on both songs by harmonica player Toots Thielemans Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...  and a backing band. One sketch featured Paul Simon and Charles Grodin attempting to sing "The Sound of Silence The Sound of Silence "The Sound of Silence" is the song that propelled the 1960s folk music duo Simon & Garfunkel to popularity. It was written in February 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. An initial version preferred by the band was remixed and sweetened, and has become... ", with Grodin wearing an Art Garfunkel wig. After several aborted starts (with Grodin singing off-key and forgetting the lyrics), Simon walked off the stage. Grodin then proceeded to sing a verse of "Bridge Over Troubled Water", after which the real Art Garfunkel walked on stage and asked Grodin to take off the wig. Two of the sketches break the fourth wall Fourth wall The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...  when Grodin addresses the cast members by their real names and players discuss the nature of the characters and situations in "Samurai Dry Cleaners" and "Killer Bees Trick-or-Treat". Roseanne Roseannadanna Roseanne Roseannadanna "Roseanne Roseannadanna" was one of several recurring characters created by Gilda Radner who appeared in the Weekend Update segments of the early seasons of the NBC comedy television show, Saturday Night Live. Like Radner's earlier character, Emily Litella, Roseanne was brought in to give editorial...  makes her debut in this episode's "Hire the Incompetent" sketch. This is the character's only appearance in a sketch other than Weekend Update.
51	November 12, 1977	Ray Charles Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...		Appearance by comedian Franklyn Ajaye Franklyn Ajaye Franklyn Ajaye is an American stand-up comedian. His nickname is "The Jazz Comedian" as he also played jazz for a time earlier in his entertainment career. His name is sometimes alternatively spelled Franklin Ajaye.-Biography:...
52	November 19, 1977	Buck Henry Buck Henry Henry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry , is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.-Early life:...	Leon Redbone Leon Redbone Leon Redbone is a singer and guitarist specializing in interpretations of early 20th-century music, including jazz and blues standards and Tin Pan Alley classics....  Franken and Davis	Henry uses his monologue to introduce the five finalists in the "Anyone Can Host" contest. The five finalists are then featured sporadically throughout the episode, including an appearance in a film by Gary Weis Gary Weis Gary Weis is a movie and television director. He was the second creator of short films for Saturday Night Live .-Selected Filmography:*Jimi Hendrix *Saturday Night Live... . In this episode, John Belushi John Belushi John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...  plays himself as a retired athlete, endorsing "Little Chocolate Donuts", a parody of Bruce Jenner Bruce Jenner William Bruce Jenner is a former U.S. track and field athlete, motivational speaker, socialite and television personality. He won the gold medal for decathlon in the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympics.... 's Wheaties Wheaties Wheaties is a brand of General Mills breakfast cereal. It is well known for featuring prominent athletes on the exterior of the package, and has become a major cultural icon...  ad. The voice over for the commercial while Belushi is running is done by sportscaster Marv Albert Marv Albert Marv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called... . Al Franken Al Franken Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....  and Tom Davis Tom Davis (comedian) Tom Davis is an American writer and comedian. He is an Emmy Award winner, and is best known for his former partnership with Al Franken, as half of the comedy duo "Franken & Davis" on Saturday Night Live.-Life and career:...  are listed as special guests in the opening credits. A film by Tom Schiller Tom Schiller Tom Schiller is an American Emmy Award winning writer best known for his eleven-year stint writing and directing short films for Saturday Night Live...
53	December 10, 1977	Mary Kay Place Mary Kay Place Mary Kay Place is an American actress, singer, director and screen writer. She is best known as portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, a role which won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series in 1977...	Willie Nelson Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...  Andy Kaufman Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...	Andy Kaufman Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...  makes his sixth appearance Willie Nelson and Mary Kay Place sang their current duet, Something to Brag About Don Pardo mentions during the closing credits that the Sex Pistols Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...  would be the musical guest for the following episode. However, they were unable to obtain passports, and so Elvis Costello and the Attractions performed as a last-minute replacement.
54	December 17, 1977	Miskel Spillman Miskel Spillman Miskel Spillman was the winner of the first and only "Anyone Can Host" contest on NBC's late-night variety series Saturday Night Live, and hosted the December 17, 1977, broadcast of the show.-Role in SNL history:...	Elvis Costello Elvis Costello Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...  Franken and Davis Michael O'Donoghue Mr. Mike Mike Walls , better known as Mr. Mike, is an American rapper best known for his time spent with Suave House Records from the mid to late 90s....	Miskel Spillman was the winner of SNL's "Anyone Can Host" contest, and is the only non-celebrity to host the show. Buck Henry Buck Henry Henry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry , is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.-Early life:...  serves as a surrogate to Miskel Spillman in many instances throughout the episode. Elvis Costello halted his band the Attractions seven seconds into the song "Less Than Zero", launching into "Radio Radio", an as-yet unreleased song critical of mainstream broadcasting. He did not appear on the show again until the 1989 episode hosted by Mary Tyler Moore. Franken and Davis, and Michael O'Donoghue Michael O'Donoghue Michael O'Donoghue was a writer and performer. He was known for his dark and destructive style of comedy and humor, was a major contributor to National Lampoon magazine, and was the first head writer of Saturday Night Live.-Childhood:O'Donoghue was born Michael Henry Donohue in Sauquoit, New York...  ("Mr. Mike") are listed as special guests in the opening credits. The elderly couple that appeared in the "Franken & Davis Show" sketch really were Al Franken's parents, Joseph and Phoebe Franken. John Belushi is told in the opening skit that he would be lucky to get around at 80 years of age like the host.He replied, "I plan on being dead by 30."
55	January 21, 1978	Steve Martin Steve Martin Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....	Randy Newman Randy Newman Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores.... The Dirt Band	Members of The Dirt Band perform backing vocals during Randy Newman's performance of "Short People."
56	January 28, 1978	Robert Klein Robert Klein Robert Klein is an American stand-up comedian, singer and actor.-Early life:Klein was born in the Bronx, the son of Frieda and Benjamin Klein, and was raised in a "prototypical 1950s Bronx Jewish" environment. After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School, Klein planned to study medicine...	Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...	The cold open features Paul Shaffer Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...  as Don Kirshner Don Kirshner Don Kirshner , known as "The Man With the Golden Ear", was an American song publisher and rock producer who is best known for managing songwriting talent as well as successful pop groups, such as The Monkees, Kansas and The Archies.-Early life:Don Kirshner was born to Gilbert Kirshner, a tailor,...  and Mr. Mike First appearance of the Olympia Cafe Olympia Cafe The Olympia Cafe was a fictional diner or greasy spoon featured in a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch. The staff, led by the late John Belushi as Pete Dionasopolis, were Greeks. As various guest stars discovered, only three items on the long menu could actually be ordered successfully: the... Bill Murray Bill Murray William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and... 's "Nick Winters" lounge singer performs "Star Wars, nothing but Star Wars..." First appearance of the Nerds Lisa Loopner "The Nerds" was a series of sketches on American sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live. The protagonists of the sketch were Lisa Loopner and Todd DiLaMuca , whose repartée with one another would be the focus of the sketch, and regular character Mrs Loopner Lisa's mother, in whose home the... Because of the recent crash of the highly radioactive Soviet spy satellite Cosmos 954 Cosmos 954 Kosmos 954 was a Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite with an onboard nuclear reactor. The satellite was launched on September 18, 1977 and was designed to track nuclear submarines...  in northern Canada this episode makes continuing reference to giant mutant lobsters reportedly heading for NYC, climaxing with them invading the studio during the show's ending credits.
57	February 18, 1978	Chevy Chase Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...	Billy Joel Billy Joel William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...	Chase is the first former cast member to host. Opening credits are reverted to those of season 1 Saturday Night Live (Season 1) 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...  and 2 Saturday Night Live (Season 2) Saturday Night Live aired its second season during the 1976–1977 television season on NBC. The second season started on September 18, 1976, and ended on May 21, 1977....  for this episode only. Chevy Chase appears on Weekend Update Weekend Update Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance... , as "senior anchorperson".
58	February 25, 1978	O. J. Simpson O. J. Simpson Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...	Ashford and Simpson	Every cast member, as well as Don Novello and O.J. Simpson, are featured in Samurai Night Fever, a parody of Saturday Night Fever Saturday Night Fever Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance... . John Belushi dances to The Bee Gees Bee Gees The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a... ' Stayin' Alive Stayin' Alive "Stayin' Alive" is a song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on 13 December 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever... . Simpson was the only former guest host not to be invited to the 25th anniversary special in 1999, mostly due to his highly publicized murder trial O. J. Simpson murder case The O. J. Simpson murder case was a criminal trial held in Los Angeles County, California Superior Court from January 29 to October 3, 1995. Former American football star and actor O. J... . Simpson is also the second football player to host SNL (after Fran Tarkenton Fran Tarkenton Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive.... ) and the first black athlete to host. Franken and Davis are listed as special guests in the opening credits.
59	March 11, 1978	Art Garfunkel Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and actor, best known as being a member of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel...	Stephen Bishop Stephen Bishop (musician) Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist.-History:Bishop was born in San Diego, California, and attended Will C. Crawford High School...  Andy Kaufman Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...	This episode features the short film, Don't Look Back in Anger, in which an aged John Belushi visits the graves of the "Not Ready for Primetime Players" cast and claims that he's the last living member. Ironically, Belushi would be the first SNL cast member to die four years later. Belushi first visits Gilda Radner's grave. Radner was the second cast member to die, seven years after John Belushi. Andy Kaufman Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...  makes his seventh appearance.
60	March 18, 1978	Jill Clayburgh Jill Clayburgh Jill Clayburgh was an American actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.-Personal life:...	Eddie Money Eddie Money Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
61	March 25, 1978	Christopher Lee Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...	Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...	In the opening sketch, Belushi is going to replace Dan Haggerty Dan Haggerty Dan Haggerty is an American actor, best known for the title role in The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams....  as "Grizzly Adams", and have his name changed to "Kevin Scott". In the following show's opening credits, Belushi's introduction is moved to last, in alphabetical order (after Gilda Radner) as "Kevin Scott". On Weekend Update Weekend Update Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance... : The Writers Guild strike against Sesame Street Sesame Street Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The... : "picket" "scab" "don't, it might get infected" The first appearance of "Point/Counterpoint" "Jane, you ignorant slut!" A Gary Weis Gary Weis Gary Weis is a movie and television director. He was the second creator of short films for Saturday Night Live .-Selected Filmography:*Jimi Hendrix *Saturday Night Live...  short film, titled “Cold as Ice”, features an uncredited Stacy Keach Stacy Keach Stacy Keach is an American actor and narrator. He is most famous for his dramatic roles; however, he has done narration work in educational programming on PBS and the Discovery Channel, as well as some comedy and musical...  being repeatedly stabbed with scissors and a gun and eventually shot with a shotgun, all in slow-motion, by a unnamed blonde to the tune of the Foreigner song. Richard Belzer Richard Belzer Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...  makes a stand-up appearance, including Muzak versions of Rolling Stones hits; he does an impersonation of Mick Jagger Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones.... , with the SNL band as backup.
62	April 8, 1978	Michael Palin Michael Palin Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....	Eugene Record Eugene Record Eugene Record was the American lead vocalist of the Chicago, Illinois based band, The Chi-Lites, during the 1960s and 1970s.He was born Eugene Booker Record in Chicago...	In the opening monologue, Michael Palin plays his manager, who ends up stuffing live cats down his trousers; one of the cats defecates freely all over his arm. Palin, with only a one-minute costume change afterward, has to perform the RC Priest and Very Famous Man (Trunk Escape) sketches with feces still on his clothes.
63	April 15, 1978	Michael Sarrazin Michael Sarrazin Michael Sarrazin was a Canadian film and television actor who found fame opposite Jane Fonda in the drama film They Shoot Horses, Don't They? .- Early life :...	Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett is an American pianist and composer who performs both jazz and classical music.Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey, moving on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s he has enjoyed a great deal of success in jazz, jazz fusion, and classical music; as... Gravity with Howard Johnson Howard Johnson (jazz musician) Howard Lewis Johnson in Montgomery, Alabama, is an American jazz musician known mainly for his work on tuba and baritone saxophone, although he also plays the bass clarinet, trumpet and other reed instruments....	A short black & white film "La Dolce Gilda" Howard Johnson Howard Johnson (jazz musician) Howard Lewis Johnson in Montgomery, Alabama, is an American jazz musician known mainly for his work on tuba and baritone saxophone, although he also plays the bass clarinet, trumpet and other reed instruments....  was at the time a tuba player for SNL.
64	April 22, 1978	Steve Martin Steve Martin Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....	The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...	This episode was nominated for an Emmy The cold opening features Paul Shaffer Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...  as Don Kirshner Don Kirshner Don Kirshner , known as "The Man With the Golden Ear", was an American song publisher and rock producer who is best known for managing songwriting talent as well as successful pop groups, such as The Monkees, Kansas and The Archies.-Early life:Don Kirshner was born to Gilbert Kirshner, a tailor,... , introducing The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...  singing "Hey Bartender Hey Bartender "Hey Bartender" is the title of a song written by Floyd Dixon in 1954, covered and recorded live by the Blues Brothers in 1978 and recorded American country music artist Johnny Lee. It was released in June 1983 as the first single from his album Hey Bartender... " The third appearance of the Czech brothers "Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber" Martin and Radner dance sketch Martin performs "King Tut King Tut (song) "King Tut" is a novelty song performed by Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons . It was released as a single in 1978, sold over a million copies, and reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Martin previewed the song in a live performance during the April 22, 1978 episode of Saturday... " A Gary Weis Gary Weis Gary Weis is a movie and television director. He was the second creator of short films for Saturday Night Live .-Selected Filmography:*Jimi Hendrix *Saturday Night Live...  film with ballet dancers and breakdancers Nerds at the Science Fair Blues Brothers sing "I Don't Know I Don't Know (Willie Mabon song) "I Don't Know" is a 1952 song by Willie Mabon and His Combo on Chess Records. The single was Mabon's first chart hit, reaching number one on the U.S. R&B chart in December 1952.... " This episode was selected as TV Guide's #12 Top Episode of all time.
65	May 13, 1978	Richard Dreyfuss Richard Dreyfuss Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...	Jimmy Buffett Jimmy Buffett James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"... Gary Tigerman Father Guido Sarducci Father Guido Sarducci Father Guido Sarducci is a fictional character made famous by American comedian Don Novello. Sarducci, a chain-smoking priest with tinted eyeglasses, works in the United States as gossip columnist and rock critic for the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano .-Background:Novello...	First appearance of Father Guido Sarducci Father Guido Sarducci Father Guido Sarducci is a fictional character made famous by American comedian Don Novello. Sarducci, a chain-smoking priest with tinted eyeglasses, works in the United States as gossip columnist and rock critic for the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano .-Background:Novello...  (Don Novello Don Novello Don Novello is an American writer, film director, producer, actor, singer, and comedian. Novello is best known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live, from 1977 until 1980, and then 1985 until 1986, often as the character "Father Guido Sarducci". Novello has appeared as "Sarducci" on many... ). Sarducci is listed as a special guest in the opening credits. Paul Shaffer Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...  makes two appearances in this episode: As lounge singer Nick Winter's piano player Richard sings "Seduced" by Gary Tigerman sitting on a piano played by Paul. Twice in the episode, Richard hears the Jaws Jaws (film) Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,... theme. During the closing credits, Richard is attacked by the Land Shark.
66	May 20, 1978	Buck Henry Buck Henry Henry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry , is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.-Early life:...	Sun Ra Sun Ra Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...	Franken and Davis, and Michael O'Donoghue ("Mr. Mike") are listed as special guests in the opening credits.