Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live is a late-night sketch comedy series which premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, and introduced a number of new comics and distinctive, recurring characters -- much like Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In years earlier, but with an edgier, late-night sensibility. The Muppets were regular performers in the first season of Saturday Night Live (1975-76).

The Land of Gorch



 * For more information see Land of Gorch

Jim Henson's Muppets were regular performers in the first season of Saturday Night Live (1975-76). The characters, which were specifically created for the show, appeared in the Land of Gorch segments. Fifteen sketches were produced, featuring performances by Muppeteers Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, Alice Tweedie, Fran Brill, and Richard Hunt.

The series of sketches lasted from SNL's first episode to April of 1976 (and became a recurring joke in the show's second season). The book Live From New York by TV critic Tom Shales details the backstage conflict between the writers of the show, who resisted integrating the Muppets into the show during the first year, and the Muppet performers.

Guest Appearances

 * December 18, 2004 (Robert De Niro / Destiny's Child) - Kermit the Frog sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with Robert De Niro during the opening monologue. Later in the show, Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie and Animal sing the annual SNL Christmas song, "Christmas is Number One," with Horatio Sanz. All four Muppets (and their performers) are also present at the close of the show when De Niro thanked them for being there. The Muppeteers were Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz and David Rudman. Kermit and Robert's duet was later included in the show's 2009 Christmas compilation special, "A Very Gilly Christmas". (transcript)
 * December 18, 2010 (Jeff Bridges / Eminem) - Cookie Monster sings "Silver Bells" with Jeff Bridges during the opening monologue. The appearance references Sesame Workshop's Cookie Monster should host Saturday Night Live! campaign. Cookie Monster, his performer David Rudman and assistant puppeteer Matt Vogel were also present at the close of the show when Bridges thanked Cookie Monster for being there. (transcript)

Connections


"Motherlover", a song by Justin Timberlake performed on SNL, was nominated at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, versus "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus", from A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa. Both lost to Hugh Jackman's opening number at the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

Cast & Crew

 * Don Pardo, announcer (1975-current)
 * Dan Aykroyd, cast member (1975-1979)
 * John Belushi, cast member (1975–1979)
 * Chevy Chase, cast member (1975–1976)
 * Jane Curtin, cast member (1975–1980)
 * Laraine Newman, cast member (1975–1980)
 * Gilda Radner, cast member (1975–1980)
 * Brian Doyle-Murray, cast member (1979-1980), (1981-1982)
 * Mitchell Kriegman, writer (c. 1980)
 * Gilbert Gottfried, cast member (1980–1981)
 * Eddie Murphy, cast member (1980–1984)
 * Julia Louis-Dreyfus, cast member (1982–1985)
 * Billy Crystal, cast member (1984–1985)
 * Martin Short, cast member (1984–1985)
 * Joan Cusack, cast member (1985–1986)
 * Robert Downey, Jr., cast member (1985–1986)
 * Robert Smigel, writer and featured performer (1985–present)
 * Kevin Nealon, cast member (1986–1995)
 * Conan O'Brien, writer (1987-1991)
 * Ben Stiller, featured performer (1988–1989)
 * Mike Myers, cast member (1989-1995)
 * Amy Poehler, cast member (2001-2008)
 * Chris Rock, cast member (1990–1993)
 * Rob Schneider, cast member (1990–1994)
 * Adam Sandler, cast member (1991-1995)
 * Sarah Silverman, featured performer (1993–1994)
 * Michael McKean, cast member (1993–1995)
 * Molly Shannon, cast member (1994–2001)
 * Hugh Fink writer (1995-2002)
 * Stephen Colbert, voice of Ace in "The Ambiguously Gay Duo" (1996–present)
 * Tina Fey, writer and cast member (1997-2006)
 * Jimmy Fallon, cast member (1998-2005)
 * Horatio Sanz, cast member (1998–2006)
 * Seth Meyers. writer and cast member (2001-current )