The fourth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 7, 1978, and May 26, 1979.
This season's writers were Dan Aykroyd, Anne Beatts, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Brian McConnachie, Lorne Michaels, Don Novello, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Rosie Shuster, Walter Williams and Alan Zweibel. The head writer was Herb Sargent.
During Zappa's performance of "Rollo", John Belushi, in character as Samurai Futaba, briefly appears on stage with the group.[2] Singing into a microphone duct taped to the body of an electric guitar, Belushi carries out a call and response bit with the band.
Zappa was unpopular with the cast and crew, possibly in part because their lax views on drug and alcohol consumption did not mesh with his anti-drug stance.[2] This is highlighted in the sketch "Night on Freak Mountain", which also features Paul Shaffer as Don Kirshner. Throughout the episode, Zappa regularly mugs for the camera and frequently notes to the audience that he is reading from cue cards.[2]
Van Morrison performs two songs from his September 1978 release Wavelength: the title track and "Kingdom Hall".[1][3]
Final appearance of the Festrunk Brothers.
The last sketch was cut short. When the show closes, Steve Martin announces there were technical problems and that the sketch would resume the next time he hosted.
There is no billed musical guest for this episode. At host Walter Matthau's request, Garrett Morris performs Mozart's "Dalla sua pace" ("On her peace"), an aria from Don Giovanni.
George Coe appears in the Epoxy-Dent commercial parody.
Pepsi is replaced with Coke in the Olympia Cafe sketch.
Mr. Bill Is Late.
This episode features the last appearance of the Bees in a sketch called the Bad News Bees. In the skit, Coach Buttermaker (Matthau reprising his role from the 1976 film The Bad News Bears, albeit in a bee costume) tries to get his team to stop "buzzing off"
Elliott Gould (his 4th time hosting) and Garrett Morris sing "It's Christmas Time in Harlem" during the opening monologue, accompanied by Paul Shaffer.
Garrett Morris, dressed as Cicely Tyson, opens the monologue, then is interrupted by the real Tyson; together they then discuss Morris' contract under which he supposedly plays all character parts "darker than Tony Orlando."
Brian Doyle-Murray is one of John Belushi's sycophants during the cold open and also appears as an audience member with a question in "Women's Problems".
Paul Shaffer plays the bass in Busey's rock-n-roll band in the 1950s sketch.
Milton Berle's opening monologue featured bits from his nightclub stand-up routine, some of which were met with scant laughter.[7][8] After about five minutes, Bill Murray dropped a large pipe offstage, making a loud noise and disrupting Berle's routine.[9] When Berle was told by a producer at the foot of the stage that his monologue segment was complete, Berle responded incredulously.[7] During the audience's applause while transitioning to a commercial, he can be seen angrily yelling, although it is unclear whether he is serious.[8]
While on-air, Berle frequently mugged for the audience, did spit-takes, and ad-libbed straight to the camera.[7]
At the end of the show, Berle broke into a "dreary version" of the 1950s standard "September Song" and, according to Lorne Michaels, loaded the audience with friends and family members who gave it a standing ovation.[7] Michaels told director Dave Wilson immediately afterwards that this show was the worst ever; he kept it from appearing in syndicated reruns later.[10]
The opening monologue featured James Taylor performing "Johnnie Comes Back", his first of three songs in the show. Taylor later performs, "Up on the Roof" and "Millworker", all from his then recently released album, Flag.[1]
Dickens's "Miles Cowperthwaite", Part 2.
Final appearance of Dan Aykroyd's Jimmy Carter impersonation.
Mr Bill opens the show with "Live from New York...", then Jane Curtin interrupts the opening credits, but John Belushi then opens the show, much to Jane's displeasure.
On October 28, 1978, a special episode entitled "Things We Did Last Summer" aired, starring John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd performing 2 songs as The Blues Brothers, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray (playing baseball for the Grays Harbor Loggers), Lariane Newman and Gilda Radner.
^"Season 4: Episode 11". Saturday Night Live Transcripts. February 10, 1979.
^ abcdKovalchik, Kara (July 9, 2008). . Mental Floss. Archived from the original on September 17, 2009.
^ ab"Season 4: Episode 17, 78q: Milton Berle / Ornette Coleman". Saturday Night Live Transcripts. October 8, 2018.
^Trivia for Saturday Night Live Milton Berle/Ornette Coleman (1979) at IMDb
^Hill, Doug; Weingrad, Jeff (2011). "33: Off the Air". Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. Untreed Reads. ISBN9781611872187. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
January 01, 1970
saturday, night, live, season, fourth, season, saturday, night, live, american, sketch, comedy, series, originally, aired, united, states, between, october, 1978, 1979, saturday, night, liveseason, 4starringdan, aykroyd, john, belushi, jane, curtin, garrett, m. The fourth season of Saturday Night Live an American sketch comedy series originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 7 1978 and May 26 1979 Saturday Night LiveSeason 4StarringDan Aykroyd John Belushi Jane Curtin Garrett Morris Bill Murray Laraine Newman Gilda RadnerNo of episodes20ReleaseOriginal networkNBCOriginal releaseOctober 7 1978 1978 10 07 May 26 1979 1979 05 26 Season chronology Previousseason 3Next season 5List of episodes The season 4 DVD was released on December 2 2008 Contents 1 Cast 1 1 Repertory players 1 2 Featured players 2 Writers 3 Episodes 4 Special 5 See also 6 ReferencesCast editThe entire cast from the previous season returned The only change was Bill Murray s joining Jane Curtin as co anchor for Weekend Update replacing Dan Aykroyd This would be the final season for Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as cast members who both left to work on SNL s first film The Blues Brothers Repertory players edit Dan Aykroyd John Belushi Jane Curtin Garrett Morris Bill Murray Laraine Newman Gilda Radner Featured players edit Tom Davis Al Franken bold denotes Weekend Update anchorWriters editMain article List of Saturday Night Live writers Season 4 Walter Williams creator of the Mr Bill shorts joined the writing staff This season s writers were Dan Aykroyd Anne Beatts Tom Davis Jim Downey Brian Doyle Murray Al Franken Brian McConnachie Lorne Michaels Don Novello Herb Sargent Tom Schiller Rosie Shuster Walter Williams and Alan Zweibel The head writer was Herb Sargent Episodes editMain article List of Saturday Night Live episodes No overallNo inseasonHostMusical guest s Original air date671The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesOctober 7 1978 1978 10 07 The Rolling Stones perform Beast of Burden Respectable and Shattered 1 All were from the June 1978 album Some Girls Two sketches feature Rolling Stones members the Tomorrow Show parody in which Tom Snyder Dan Aykroyd interviews Mick Jagger and the Olympia Cafe sketch which features Charlie Watts and Ron Wood The monologue is delivered by the then Mayor of New York City Ed Koch Bill Murray s first episode as Weekend Update co anchor alongside Jane Curtin A Schiller s Reel film called Sushi by the Pool features Desi Arnaz Jr Carrie Fisher and Steven Keats with special guest Hal Holbrook Starting with this episode the cast is no longer referred to as The Not Ready for Primetime Players 682Fred WillardDevoOctober 14 1978 1978 10 14 Devo performs two songs from its July 1978 debut album Q Are We Not Men A We Are Devo a cover of the Rolling Stones I Can t Get No Satisfaction 1 and Jocko Homo the performance of the latter is preceded by an excerpt from the band s short film The Truth About De Evolution Mr Bill goes to New York NBC re aired the episode on May 23 2020 as a tribute to Willard who had died the week before 693Frank ZappaFrank ZappaOctober 21 1978 1978 10 21 Frank Zappa and his band perform Dancin Fool 1 from the 1979 album Sheik Yerbouti The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing 1 from the 1981 album You Are What You Is and Rollo 1 which was cut from the 1974 album Apostrophe and would remain unreleased until 2006 s Imaginary Diseases 2 During Zappa s performance of Rollo John Belushi in character as Samurai Futaba briefly appears on stage with the group 2 Singing into a microphone duct taped to the body of an electric guitar Belushi carries out a call and response bit with the band Zappa was unpopular with the cast and crew possibly in part because their lax views on drug and alcohol consumption did not mesh with his anti drug stance 2 This is highlighted in the sketch Night on Freak Mountain which also features Paul Shaffer as Don Kirshner Throughout the episode Zappa regularly mugs for the camera and frequently notes to the audience that he is reading from cue cards 2 Mr Bill Moves In 704Steve MartinVan MorrisonNovember 4 1978 1978 11 04 Van Morrison performs two songs from his September 1978 release Wavelength the title track and Kingdom Hall 1 3 Final appearance of the Festrunk Brothers The last sketch was cut short When the show closes Steve Martin announces there were technical problems and that the sketch would resume the next time he hosted This is Martin s sixth time as host 715Buck HenryGrateful DeadNovember 11 1978 1978 11 11 The Grateful Dead performs Casey Jones and I Need a Miracle Good Lovin medley 1 John Belushi as Elizabeth Taylor chokes on chicken First appearance of Uncle Roy sketch Samurai Optometrist sketch First appearance of Chico Escuela Buck Henry s seventh time as host Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann makes a non verbal cameo appearance during the Nick Sands the Lounge Singer skit 726Carrie FisherThe Blues BrothersNovember 18 1978 1978 11 18 The Blues Brothers open the show with Soul Man and perform a medley of Got Everything I Need Almost and B Movie Box Car Blues 1 An appearance by Father Guido Sarducci Also seen are Al Franken Tom Davis Alan Zweibel Brian Doyle Murray and future cast member Harry Shearer in the Beach Blanket sketch Mr Bill Goes Fishing 737Walter MatthauGarrett MorrisDecember 2 1978 1978 12 02 There is no billed musical guest for this episode At host Walter Matthau s request Garrett Morris performs Mozart s Dalla sua pace On her peace an aria from Don Giovanni George Coe appears in the Epoxy Dent commercial parody Pepsi is replaced with Coke in the Olympia Cafe sketch Mr Bill Is Late This episode features the last appearance of the Bees in a sketch called the Bad News Bees In the skit Coach Buttermaker Matthau reprising his role from the 1976 film The Bad News Bears albeit in a bee costume tries to get his team to stop buzzing off 748Eric IdleKate BushDecember 9 1978 1978 12 09 Kate Bush in her only US appearance to date performs The Man with the Child in His Eyes and Them Heavy People 1 The sketch What Do You written by Idle originally appeared on Monty Python s Previous Record Father Guido Sarducci makes an appearance during Weekend Update Dan Aykroyd portrays Julia Child cutting her finger and bleeding uncontrollably 4 Candy Slice performs If You Look Close 5 Idle s third time as host 759Elliott GouldPeter ToshMick JaggerDecember 16 1978 1978 12 16 Peter Tosh and Mick Jagger perform You Gotta Walk And Don t Look Back and Tosh performs Bush Doctor 1 Mommie Dearest sketch Point Counterpoint regarding relations with China The comedy team of Bob and Ray Elliott Gould his 4th time hosting and Garrett Morris sing It s Christmas Time in Harlem during the opening monologue accompanied by Paul Shaffer 7610Michael PalinThe Doobie BrothersJanuary 27 1979 1979 01 27 The Doobie Brothers perform What a Fool Believes and Takin It to the Streets 1 Michael Palin 2nd time hosting reprises his sleazy music teacher character Mr Brighton for another sketch with The Nerds Dickens Miles Cowperthwaite Part 1 Mr Bill Goes to Court 7711Cicely TysonTalking HeadsFebruary 10 1979 1979 02 10 Garrett Morris dressed as Cicely Tyson opens the monologue then is interrupted by the real Tyson together they then discuss Morris contract under which he supposedly plays all character parts darker than Tony Orlando Talking Heads perform Take Me to the River and Artists Only from their album More Songs About Buildings and Food 1 6 7812Ricky NelsonJudy CollinsFebruary 17 1979 1979 02 17 Judy Collins performs Hard Times for Lovers 1 Ricky Nelson performs a medley of his classic hits from the 1950s Hello Mary Lou Travelin Man and Fools Rush In for the monologue he later performs his version of Dream Lover 1 Twilight Zone sketch features classic TV shows Leave it to Beaver Father Knows Best Make Room for Daddy and I Love Lucy Candy Slice performs in Rock Against Yeast with Paul Shaffer playing Don Kirshner and the drummer of her band 7913Kate JacksonDelbert McClintonFebruary 24 1979 1979 02 24 McClinton performs B Movie Boxcar Blues 1 A running gag throughout the show is Fred Silverman trying to sabotage NBC s line up Brian Doyle Murray is one of the people taking a tour during the opening monologue Kate Jackson plays a nurse who Bill Murray falls for in a sketch involving the Nerds Andy Kaufman plays the bongos and yodels Final appearance of The Coneheads sketch Bad Cabarat for Children with Leonard Pinth Garnell Mr Bill Goes on a Diet 8014Gary BuseyEubie Blake amp Gregory HinesGary Busey with Rick Danko amp Paul ButterfieldMarch 10 1979 1979 03 10 Eubie Blake and Gregory Hines performs a medley of Low down Blues I m Just Simply Full of Jazz and I m Just Wild about Harry 1 Gary Busey s band performs Stay All Night 1 Brian Doyle Murray is one of John Belushi s sycophants during the cold open and also appears as an audience member with a question in Women s Problems Paul Shaffer plays the bass in Busey s rock n roll band in the 1950s sketch Bill Murray stars in the Tom Schiller short Perchance to Dream 8115Margot KidderThe ChieftainsMarch 17 1979 1979 03 17 The Chieftains performs If I Had Maggie in the Woods and Morning Dew 1 Lorne Michaels and the production staff appear with Margot Kidder and Gilda Radner in the opening monologue Point Counterpoint regarding Lee Marvin s palimony case Mr Bill hides from Mr Hand 8216Richard BenjaminRickie Lee JonesApril 7 1979 1979 04 07 Rickie Lee Jones performed Chuck E s In Love and Coolsville 1 In the cold open John Belushi is sick and is replaced by an actor from NBC s replacement pool Rodney Dangerfield Tom Davis Brian Doyle Murray and Al Franken make cameo appearances in The China Syndrome parody The Pepsi Syndrome One of the most popular sketches involving the Nerds where Todd and Lisa finally kiss Chico Escuela tries for a comeback with the Mets with cameos from several Mets players 8317Milton BerleOrnette ColemanApril 14 1979 1979 04 14 Ornette Coleman performed Times Square 1 Milton Berle s opening monologue featured bits from his nightclub stand up routine some of which were met with scant laughter 7 8 After about five minutes Bill Murray dropped a large pipe offstage making a loud noise and disrupting Berle s routine 9 When Berle was told by a producer at the foot of the stage that his monologue segment was complete Berle responded incredulously 7 During the audience s applause while transitioning to a commercial he can be seen angrily yelling although it is unclear whether he is serious 8 While on air Berle frequently mugged for the audience did spit takes and ad libbed straight to the camera 7 At the end of the show Berle broke into a dreary version of the 1950s standard September Song and according to Lorne Michaels loaded the audience with friends and family members who gave it a standing ovation 7 Michaels told director Dave Wilson immediately afterwards that this show was the worst ever he kept it from appearing in syndicated reruns later 10 8418Michael PalinJames TaylorMay 12 1979 1979 05 12 The opening monologue featured James Taylor performing Johnnie Comes Back his first of three songs in the show Taylor later performs Up on the Roof and Millworker all from his then recently released album Flag 1 Dickens s Miles Cowperthwaite Part 2 Final appearance of Dan Aykroyd s Jimmy Carter impersonation Mr Bill Runs Away From Home 8519Maureen StapletonLinda Ronstadt amp Phoebe SnowMay 19 1979 1979 05 19 Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow performs duets of The Shoop Shoop Song It s in His Kiss and The Married Men which also included King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp on Frippertronics visible behind the duo along with his reel to reel tape decks to create the Frippertronics loop Ronstadt also appears in the Nick the Lounge Singer sketch 1 Point Counterpoint regarding nuclear energy Mr Bill Goes to the Movies 8620Buck HenryBette MidlerMay 26 1979 1979 05 26 Mr Bill opens the show with Live from New York then Jane Curtin interrupts the opening credits but John Belushi then opens the show much to Jane s displeasure Bette Midler performed Married Men and Martha 1 from her Thighs and Whispers album with The Harlettes Katey Sagal and Jocelyn Brown and Luther Vandross as backup singers Schiller s Reel film called Clones Exist Now The final appearance of Samurai Futaba and Olympia Cafe sketches Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi s final episode as cast members Special editTitleOriginal air date Things We Did Last Summer October 28 1978 1978 10 28 On October 28 1978 a special episode entitled Things We Did Last Summer aired starring John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd performing 2 songs as The Blues Brothers Garrett Morris Bill Murray playing baseball for the Grays Harbor Loggers Lariane Newman and Gilda Radner See also editRecurring SNL characters and sketches introduced in season 4 History of Saturday Night Live 1975 1980 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 124 127 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 a b c d Saturday Night Live gt Season 4 gt Episode 3 Frank Zappa TV com October 21 1978 Saturday Night Live gt Season 4 gt Episode 4 Steve Martin Van Morrison TV com November 4 1978 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty url help Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 91 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 119 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Season 4 Episode 11 Saturday Night Live Transcripts February 10 1979 a b c d Kovalchik Kara July 9 2008 5 Awful Saturday Night Live Hosts of the 70s Mental Floss Archived from the original on September 17 2009 a b Season 4 Episode 17 78q Milton Berle Ornette Coleman Saturday Night Live Transcripts October 8 2018 Trivia forSaturday Night LiveMilton Berle Ornette Coleman 1979 at IMDb nbsp Hill Doug Weingrad Jeff 2011 33 Off the Air Saturday Night A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live Untreed Reads ISBN 9781611872187 Retrieved May 1 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saturday Night Live season 4 amp oldid 1218796508, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
