The secret to the success of “Saturday Night Live”
The 50-year-old TV show has constantly changed, but always remained the same
IN 1975 a 30-year-old Canadian named Lorne Michaels persuaded the least popular of America’s three broadcast television networks, NBC, to let him develop a live 90-minute sketch-comedy show. It would air at 11:30pm on Saturdays. Mr Michaels compared the time slot to “a vacant lot on the edge of town”, fringe enough to offer him the freedom to experiment. His cast was described as the “not ready for prime-time players”. Though the first episode included several actors who would become stars, including Chevy Chase and John Belushi, most people who tuned in would not have bet on longevity.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Infinite jest”
Culture
February 15th 2025- The secret to the success of “Saturday Night Live”
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