Osher Online Community Event: 50 years of SNL - From Sketchy Beginnings to a Sketch Comedy Legacy

Saturday Night Live turns 50 this October. When the show debuted on October 11, 1975, no one at NBC thought it would last. Stiff buttoned-down NBC executives found creator Lorne Michaels and his ragged counterculture team repugnant. That the show made it to 50 weeks (much less 50 years) is a bit of a miracle.

This special Osher Online community event will feature Jeff Weingrad, co-author of Saturday Night, A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, the definitive recounting of the show's creation and first ten years.

Hear how Lorne assembled his cast, most of whom had little TV experience. Learn why he hired John Belushi (who despised TV) and how the cast came to be known as the Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Find out why Chevy Chase skyrocketed to fame, why he and Bill Murray came to blows moments before airtime, and what President Ford thought of being an SNL punchline.

We will explore NBC's battles with the SNL crew, the legendary haze in its hallways, and how everyone in the show's early years managed, or mismanaged, the supercharged rocket ride of adoration and fame.

We'll discuss how the departure of Lorne and most of the SNL team in 1980 brought renewed turmoil until along came Eddie Murphy. And the rocket ride was reignited.

Don't miss these stories, laughs, and SNL secrets! The presentation will be 60 minutes followed by a Q&A.

About the speaker: Jeff Weingrad is a journalist and co-author of Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, the definitive account of the show's tumultuous beginnings. First published in 1986, the book has been reissued in a special 50th-anniversary edition with new forward. Weingrad's career has included reporting for outlets such as The New York Post, The Associated Press, and TV Guide. His work offers a vivid look at how Saturday Night Live overcame its rocky start to become a cultural institution.

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Fall 2025

10-10-2025, Friday

2:00 PM (MT)

Location: Online via Zoom Webinar

This event has passed. To find out more about this event you may call 801-585-5442. See a list of our current events.

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Questions? Call Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at 801-581-6461 or use our online form.