MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO UNIVERSITY SATELLITE SEMINAR SERIES, THE: BEHIND THE SCENES: SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum
of Television & Radio. In this seminar, New York City
and moderated by Museum president Robert M. Batscha,
past and present members of the cast and creative team
reflect on their experiences on America's landmark
comedy showcase, "Saturday Night Live," and answer
questions from various universities across the country
via satellite.
The program begins with a taped
introduction by Mike Wallace. Batscha then introduces
the panelists: writer/producer James Downey;
writer/producer/performer Al Franken; co-producer
Marci Klein; repertory player Tim Meadows; creator and
executive producer Lorne Michaels; and co-producer
Michael Shoemaker. (Panelist biographies immediately
follows this summary.) Next is a screening of a clip reel
featuring excerpts from twenty-four years of "Saturday
Night Live." Then, panelists discuss the following
topics, among others: the reasons for the show's
immediate success in 1975; the six months of
preparation prior to the show's premiere; the pros and
cons of a live television show; its relatively
consistent format and tone during its history; the most
controversial guests and subject matter; the way
characters are developed through collaboration between
cast members and writers; the selection of the week's
sketches from a large pool of scripts; recruiting new
cast members; the weekly writing process; the selection
of musical artists for the program; the way the original
cast set standards for the show; the influence of the
corporate sponsors and the network; the tragic deaths of
several "Saturday Night Live" cast members; the vital
work that is done during the hectic hours before each
show is aired; and the teamwork and strong chemistry
that is required among cast and crew in order to achieve
a season of quality programs.
Biographies
Al Franken was part of Saturday Night LiveÕs original
writing staff; he wrote for the program from 1975 to
1980 and from 1985 to 1995. Franken received five
Emmy awards for writing and producing "SNL." He also
performed on the show: as part of the comedy team of
Franken and Davis; as his "Al Franken Decade" persona;
and as new age cable television host, "Stuart Smalley,"
whom Franken portrayed in the feature film "Stuart
Saves His Family." Franken is a screenwriter; the
best-selling author of "Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot
and Other Observations;" and, most recently, the
cocreator and star of "Lateline," a comedy series about
life behind the scenes of a late-night news program.
Tim Herlihy has been with "Saturday Night Live" since
1994, serving as writer, head writer, and currently as
producer. He has also written or cowritten such feature
films as "Happy Gilmore," "The Wedding Singer," and "The
Waterboy."
James Downey first came to "Saturday Night Live" in
1976 as the showÕs youngest writer, and he stayed with
the show until 1980. He then served as head writer of
"Late Night with David Letterman" from 1982 to 1983.
He returned to "SNL" in 1984 and served as the showÕs
head writer and producer from 1986 to 1995. From 1994
to 1997 he was the head writer and producer of "Weekend
Update with Norm MacDonald." During his long tenure,
Downey teamed with Al Franken to write the majority of
"SNLÕs" political sketches.
Marci Klein serves as coproducer of "Saturday Night
Live." She started as an assistant to the talent
executive in 1988, was named talent executive in 1993,
and later served as an associate producer. Klein heads
the showÕs talent department, booking hosts and musical
guests and overseeing casting. She also arranged the
network television debuts of such groundbreaking
musical acts as Nirvana and Counting Crows on "SNL."
Tim Meadows is now in his eighth season as a repertory
player on "Saturday Night Live." In addition to
impersonations of, among others, O.J. Simpson, Johnnie
Cochran, Oprah Winfrey, Ike Turner, and Michael Jackson,
Meadows has created such popular characters as "Leon
Phelps, The LadiesÕ Man," and "Lionel Osbourne," host of
Perspectives. Meadows came to "SNL" from ChicagoÕs
famed "Second City" comedy troupe.
Lorne Michaels,the creator and executive producer of
"Saturday Night Live," has been with the show for
nineteen of its twenty-four seasonsÑfrom 1975 to 1980
and from 1985 to the present. He has personally
received eight Emmy Awards, five for "SNL." In 1979 he
founded Broadway Video, which produced "The Kids in the
Hall" and the series "Night Music." Michaels has also
served as executive producer of "Late Night with Conan
OÕBrien" since its inception in 1993. Among the films
Michaels has produced are "WayneÕs World," "Tommy Boy,"
and "A Night at the Roxbury." Before "SNL," Michaels
wrote for Woody Allen and Rowan & MartinÕs "Laugh-In."
Michael Shoemaker joined "Saturday Night Live" as a
production assistant in 1986. He currently serves as
one of the showÕs coproducers and has been producing
"Weekend Update with Colin Quinn" since January 1998.
He has held many different positions at "SNL," including
casting and hiring writers, in addition to producing
many installments of the "Best of Saturday Night Live"
series.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: April 19, 1999 4:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:27:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:56786
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Robert M. Batscha … Moderator
- James Downey … Panelist
- Al Franken … Panelist
- Tim Herlihy … Panelist
- Marci Klein … Panelist
- Tim Meadows … Panelist
- Lorne Michaels … Panelist
- Michael Shoemaker … Panelist
- Mike Wallace