The True Story of Saturday Night and an Explanation of What Happened on the First Episode of SNL

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Saturday night.

Saturday evening tells the true story of what happened in the first episode Saturday Night Livereenacting the beginning of the long-running series. NBC launched the first season of the series Saturday Night NBC in 1975 after Dick Ebersol hired Lorne Michaels to create a new late-night program. In the decades that followed, the sketch comedy show grew in importance and legacy, and it became a place where many famous comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler and Adam Sandler became shining stars.

Although several Saturday Night Live The skits have been turned into films over the years, only in 2024 was a film made specifically about the series itself. Directed by Jason Reitman Saturday evening tells the true story of the show’s originsbringing in young, rising stars to play some of the SNLthe most important actors, creators and many others. The film tells the story of the 90 minutes leading up to the debut Saturday Night LiveThis is the first episode due to which the film tells the true story and events as accurately as possible. Saturday evening The film features an outstanding ensemble cast that includes J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, Nicholas Braun, Dylan O’Brien, Rachel, Sennott and Gabrielle LaBelle.

‘Saturday Night’ Is Based on the True Story of the First SNL Episode

The debut took place on October 11, 1975.

A true story that Saturday evening The events that took place on October 11, 1975 revolve around it. It’s the night the first episode of the show that became known as Saturday Night Live aired on NBC. At that time he was known as Saturday Night NBC because ABC already had Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell on the air. NBC’s need for Saturday Night Live This was due to Johnny Carson’s request not to perform live shows on some weeknights, and the company no longer wanted to air reruns of previous episodes of the series. Evening show in these slots.

The original goal for Saturday Night NBC was supposed to be a 90-minute variety show for the late-night crowd, and Lorne Michaels worked on its development in the mid-1970s.. The show was finally ready to launch in 1975 after assembling a cast of young comedians who became known as the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” and talented writers. Although Saturday Night Live evolved into a full-fledged sketch show, featuring one celebrity host and musical guest in the sketches. Initially, the show was more divided between hosting abilities, sketches, and musical performances.

Who was on the first episode of SNL in 1975?

First actors and guests

First episode Saturday Night Live included the main cast members who would mostly be present throughout the first season or beyond. Players not ready for prime time at the start included Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, George Coe and Michael O’Donoghue. Kou did not return after the first episode. There were also several uncredited cameos. from Richard Belzer, Tom Davis, Audrey Peart Dickman, Al Franken, Neil Levy, Don Pardo, Tom Schiller, Paul Simon, Akira Yoshimura, Alan Zweibel, Jacqueline Carlin, Wendell Craig, and Clifford Einstein.

Several other people were involved in the case. Saturday eveningfirst episode that was not part of the main episode Saturday evening actors. The host was comedian George Carlin, and the musical guests were Billy Preston and Janis Ian. Comedians Valrie Bromfield and Andy Kaufman also performed solo sketches and routines. Billy Crystal was originally scheduled to have a set. too, but it was cut from the live performance.

What sketches were done in the first episode of SNL

The beginning of an iconic sketch

Saturday eveningThe first episode was very different from what the show became, as the sketch comedy was split into various comedy and musical performances. There were several more standard sketches that were made. O’Donoghue and Belushi made a cold open call. Wolverines. Sketches known as New dad, Trial, Shark bite victims, Jamitol, Triopenine, Bee Hospital, Better Career Academy, Home SecuritiesAnd Triple Truck everyone was included. Jim Henson and the Muppets even contributed. doing Land of Gorcha. Pre-recorded sketches with Albert Brooks and one called Show us your weapons also aired.

The most remarkable of the sketches included in the first series Saturday Night NBC this is the first edition Weekend update. Chevy Chase and Herb Sargent were responsible for its creation. Chevy Chase was Weekend update presenter throughout the first season and some in the second season. The segment became a staple of the show, appearing in every episode of the series. Saturday Night Live since then.

Did NBC want Lorne Michaels and Saturday Night Live to fail?

The film suggests this

One plot point in Saturday evening there is speculation that NBC wanted Lorne Michaels and Saturday Night Live fail. Although the film tells a true story SNLorigin, there is no evidence that the studio wanted The Lorne Michaels Show to be anything other than a success.. Need NBC Saturday Night Live to fill a large hole in the programming schedule at the request of Johnny Carson.

While putting a relatively untested producer and unknown actors in charge of filling the time slot occupied by Carson was certainly risky, the suggestion that NBC was secretly rooting for the show to succeed is for narrative purposes only. This gives Lorne Michaels and all the success Saturday Night Live a little more like an underdog success story. However, NBC probably really doubted the show’s long-term viability and didn’t think it would last half a century and spawn a movie like Saturday evening.

How true is Saturday Night to the story?

The film takes a lot of creative liberties based on a true story.

Bye Saturday evening really captures a genuine sense of the chaotic energy leading up to the premiere of the series’ first episode. Saturday Night LiveThe film changed some details of the real story and even created completely new scenes that never happened in real life. Scenes like John Belushi skates at Rockefeller Center twenty minutes before midnight SNL episode went live, Milton Berle showed Chevy Chase after attacking his fiancée Jacqueline Carlin, Johnny Carson’s terrifying phone call to Lorne Michaels and host George Carlin getting lockjaw from doing too much cocaine never actually happened .

There were also a few valid and somewhat accurate points. Saturday evening the timing and emphasis of which were changed to fit into the film. Chevy Chase got into a fight backstage with Bill Murray, not John Belushi.in the third season SNLalthough Belushi is alleged to have instigated the confrontation. Lorne Michaels considered hosting a Weekend Update segment at some point during the show’s development, but it was established early on that Chase would host the classic sketch. Production designers laid bricks on the sets hours, not minutes, before the first show. Saturday evening the premiere took place. Michaels did hire writer Alan Zweibel after meeting him at a bar, but not on the night of Saturday evening The premiere is covered in prop blood.