NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Live from New York! for 鈥淪NL.鈥�
The landmark NBC sketch comedy show 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� premiered Oct. 11, 1975, with drop-dead dark humor and pratfalls, George Carlin as host and not one but two musical guests: Billy Preston and Janis Ian.
On Saturday nights, in those early years, young people gathered around TVs to watch the production that served up counterculture to the mass market via the Not Ready for Prime Time Players.
鈥淲hat is attractive and unusual about the program is that it is an attempt, finally, to provide entertainment on television in a recognizable human, non-celebrity voice, and in a voice, too, that tries to deal with the morass of media-induced show business culture that increasingly pervades American life,鈥� The New Yorker's Michael J. Arlen wrote in a 1975 review.
Sept. 28, when the first episode of 鈥淪NL's鈥� half-century season is set to air in a lead-up to a three-hour live primetime special Feb. 16 on, gasp, a Sunday. Jean Smart will host to open the season, with Jelly Roll as musical guest.
Over the decades, some seasons were better than others, with breakout stars like Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Mike Myers and more following the original seven. So what became of the very first cast, the freshman class, post-"SNL?" Here's a catchup.
John Belushi
鈥淣ational Lampoon's Animal House,鈥� 鈥淐ontinental Divide,鈥� 鈥淣eighbors鈥� and all things The Blues Brothers. to pursue music and film projects. That he did, to bad reviews and good.
Following years of drug use, he died March 5, 1982, at 33 after overdosing at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. Belushi's death stunned and saddened his friends and fans and symbolized the end of the hard-living '70s.
In addition to his mischievous, often frenzied performances on 鈥淪NL,鈥� Belushi appeared in other films as well, including the drama 鈥淥ld Boyfriends鈥� and the poorly-reviewed Steven Spielberg鈥揹irected historical comedy 鈥�1941."
Before that, Belushi birthed his 鈥淛oliet鈥� Jake Blues, joining fellow 鈥淪NL鈥� cast member Dan Aykroyd as brother Elwood. Their TV debut as the brothers blue came on 鈥淪NL鈥� in 1978.
The sunglass-wearing, dark-suited Blues Brothers took on a fame of their own with the self-titled 1980 movie, directed by John Landis. After Belushi's death, 鈥淏lues Brothers 2000鈥� was released in 1998 in tribute with most of the first film's original cast.
After Belushi's death, many of his loved ones, including his widow Judith Belushi Pisano, were angered by the negative narrative tone of 鈥淲ired,鈥� the Bob Woodward book about the comic genius. Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby responded with a book of their own, 鈥淏elushi: A Biography.鈥�
Belushi Pisano, his high school sweetheart, died in July from cancer. John Belushi shared a writing Emmy with fellow 鈥淪NL鈥� cast members and writers in 1977.
Gilda Radner
Nasally Roseanne Roseannadanna. Weird teen Lisa Loopner. Weekend Update's 鈥渘ever mind鈥� complainer Emily Litella. Radner contributed an endearing sweetness to the inaugural season of 鈥淪NL.鈥� She stayed for five years.
In 1979, the Emmy and Grammy winner took to Broadway to perform a one-woman show, 鈥淕ilda Live.鈥� Included were some of her most beloved 鈥淪NL鈥� characters, including Baba Wawa, a spoof of Barbara Walters. The show was filmed and released as a movie.
Radner appeared in several other films, including 鈥淔irst Family鈥� and 鈥淭he Woman in Red,鈥� the latter a 1984 hit written and directed by her co-star and future husband, Gene Wilder. Among other projects: She starred in the 1980 Broadway drama 鈥淟unch Hour.鈥�
Radner died May 20, 1989, at age 42 after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Her book detailing her cancer fight was released earlier that year. was released in 2018.
Chevy Chase
Chase was the first to utter the words: 鈥淟ive from New York, it's Saturday night!鈥� And he has a long list of post-"SNL" credits, including many commercial successes and his share of flops. He was also the first cast member to leave the show.
Initially hired as a writer, he was known on 鈥淪NL鈥� for 鈥淲eekend Update,鈥� his bumbling President Gerald Ford, his pratfalls in general and his feuds with cast members. Chase was replaced in the middle of the second season by Bill Murray.
Years later (2013), Chase exited TV's 鈥淐ommunity鈥� during the fourth season amid complaints about racial slurs directed at fellow cast member Donald Glover.
In between 鈥淪NL鈥� and that moment, Chase worked a lot, at least for a time.
There were two 鈥淔letch鈥� movies. There was 鈥淐addyshack鈥� and a poorly-received sequel. 鈥淭here was 鈥淭he Three Amigos!鈥� There were five 鈥淰acation鈥� movies, though his appearance in the last one (in 2015) was a cameo.
Chase's first hit was 鈥淔oul Play鈥� with Goldie Hawn in 1978. He tried his hand at a late-night talk show, 鈥淭he Chevy Chase Show,鈥� on Fox in 1993. It was canceled after six weeks.
Among his awards: A writing Emmy for 鈥淪NL鈥� in 1976, a performance Emmy on the show the same year and a shared writing Emmy for 鈥淭he Paul Simon Special鈥� in 1977.
Chase put out a biography in 2007, 鈥淚'm Chevy Chase ... and You're Not," named for his famous catchphrase as anchor of 鈥淲eekend Update.鈥� In his book, he detailed childhood physical abuse at the hands of his mother and stepfather, John Cederquist 鈥� both of whom are dead.
Now 80, Chase has taken in recent years to hosting screenings with audience Q&As for "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,鈥� the most enduring movie in that franchise.
He also makes chicken sounds and posts fan meetups and family gatherings on TikTok, where he has 1.2 million followers.
Laraine Newman
She left 鈥淪NL鈥� in 1980 after portraying Connie Conehead, Valley Girl stewardess Sherry and ditzy public access TV co-host Christie Christina. She was also a recurring reporter on 鈥淲eekend Update."
Newman has spoken openly about her struggles with depression and drug addiction during that time. She got sober in 1987.
Before leaving 鈥淪NL,鈥� Newman appeared in the 1978 film 鈥淎merican Hot Wax.鈥� Steady film, TV and voice work followed through the 1980s into the 2000s. She was the antagonist in the 1991 comedy 鈥淧roblem Child 2鈥� and appeared in 1993鈥檚 鈥淐oneheads鈥� as Connie鈥檚 Aunt Laarta.
Newman, 72, appeared in episodes of 鈥淔riends,鈥� 鈥�3rd Rock from the Sun,鈥� 鈥�7th Heaven,鈥� 鈥淟averne & Shirley" and 鈥淪t. Elsewhere,鈥� and in the 1994 live action 鈥淔lintstones鈥� film.
She lent her voice to several animated hit films, including 鈥淲all-E,鈥� 鈥淯p," 鈥淭oy Story 3" and 鈥淭angled.鈥� And she has worked as a magazine writer and editor. In 2021, she put out an audio memoir.
Fun fact: After high school graduation, Newman studied mime in Paris with Marcel Marceau.
In 2017, with the rest of 鈥淪NL's鈥� original cast, she was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
Dan Aykroyd
When he wasn't bleeding out as Julia Child or declaring, 鈥淛ane, you ignorant slut!鈥� on 鈥淲eekend Update,鈥� Aykroyd swagged with Steve Martin as one of two wild and crazy guys, and led the Conehead family as patriarch Beldar.
And he before leaving in 1979, including as half of The Blues Brothers and impersonations of talk show host Tom Snyder, Rod Serling and two presidents: Nixon and Carter.
With Belushi, his close friend, and backed by legit players, the bluesy and soulful brothers caught on as a band. They played gigs and released a multimillion-selling album, 鈥淏riefcase Full of Blues.鈥�
His post-"SNL" work has taken him even higher. He and Belushi had a smash with 鈥淭he Blues Brothers鈥� film. Hit after hit followed: 鈥淣eighbors鈥� in 1981, 鈥淭rading Places鈥� in 1983 and the 1984 鈥淕hostbusters鈥� that launched a franchise (Aykroyd and Harold Ramis wrote the first two). He also appeared in 鈥�1941.鈥�
Aykroyd, 72, wrote and narrated a recent audio documentary,
In 1985, Aykroyd co-wrote and starred with Chase in 鈥淪pies Like Us,鈥� directed by Landis. Aykroyd earned a supporting actor Oscar nomination for 1989's 鈥淒riving Miss Daisy."
The 鈥�90s weren鈥檛 so kind. There were many flops, including his directorial debut in 1991, 鈥淣othing but Trouble鈥� starring Demi Moore, Chase, John Candy and Aykroyd with a grisly prosthetic face. A bright spot was the acclaimed 鈥淕rosse Pointe Blank,鈥� in which he played a rival hitman to star John Cusack.
With Hard Rock Cafe co-founder Isaac Tigrett, Aykroyd co-founded House of Blues, a chain of live music halls and restaurants that became a division of Live Nation in 2006.
Jane Curtin
Curtin left 鈥淪NL,鈥� in 1980, after five seasons. She was a master of deadpan, often playing the straight woman off such outsized performers as Belushi and Radner. A regular on 鈥淲eekend Update,鈥� she was also known for the Coneheads sketches as matriarch Prymaat and as Enid Loopner with fellow nerds Radner and Murray.
Curtin, 76, has spoken about being bothered by the drug-fueled lifestyles of some of her castmates. She won two Emmys for her 1980s sitcom 鈥淜ate & Allie.鈥� She later starred as Dr. Mary Albright in the hit series 鈥�3rd Rock from the Sun鈥� (1996-2001).
Her post-"SNL" work stayed mainly on television, including some busts like the 1990 sitcom 鈥淲orking it Out.鈥� It was canceled after 13 episodes. With Fred Savage, she appeared in the sitcom 鈥淐rumbs鈥� in 2006. It was canceled four months later.
There was some Broadway work: Miss Proserpine Garnett in 鈥淐andida,鈥� 鈥淟ove Letters鈥� and the 2002 revival of 鈥淥ur Town鈥� that marked Paul Newman's return to Broadway after 38 years.
Garrett Morris
Initially hired as a writer, he was the oldest on 鈥淪NL's鈥� first cast at 37. He came to the show after 17 years as a singer and arranger with Harry Belafonte, as an actor in plays and musicals, as a playwright and as a civil rights activist who helped desegregate Actor鈥檚 Equity.
Morris was raised in New Orleans by his grandmother and Baptist minister grandfather, spending his childhood singing in the church choir. He later became a Buddhist after moving to New York, where he was homeless for a time well before 鈥淪NL.鈥�
Morris, 87, trained at The Julliard School. Belafonte gave him his first professional break. Morris performed with the Harry Belafonte Singers for 10 years, starting when he was just 22.
He remained on 鈥淪NL鈥� until 1980. He was known for his character Chico Escuela, the Dominican baseball player whose catchphrase, 鈥淏aseball has been berry berry good to me,鈥� caught on in pop culture. He also performed as the shouting interpreter in the 鈥淣ews for the Hard of Hearing鈥� segments and did impersonations of Idi Amin, James Brown, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bob Marley and Muhammad Ali.
Morris once sang a Mozart aria on 鈥淪NL鈥� as the musical guest. He also sang a Schubert composition on the show.
In 1994, Morris was shot and seriously wounded in an attempted holdup in Los Angeles.
In the '80s, Morris appeared in a string of horror films. Later, he was a regular on the series 鈥�2 Broke Girls" and performed on TV comedies 鈥淢artin,鈥� 鈥淭he Jamie Foxx Show鈥� and 鈥淭he Wayans Brothers.鈥� He also appeared on 鈥淢arried with Children,鈥� 鈥淔amily Guy鈥� and 鈥淭he Jeffersons.鈥�
He competed with his family on 鈥淐elebrity Family Feud鈥� in 2016, appeared on 鈥淭his is Us鈥� in 2018 and on a 鈥淏lack Lady Sketch Show鈥� in 2019.
Morris also has a long list of film credits: Sidney Lumet鈥檚 鈥淭he Anderson Tapes,鈥� the classic 鈥淐ooley High,鈥� 鈥淭he Longshots,鈥� 鈥淧awn Shop鈥� and Marvel鈥檚 鈥淎nt-Man鈥� included.
Leanne Italie, The Associated Press
