The seventh season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 3, 1981, and May 22, 1982.
The new cast of Saturday Night Live for season7 included most of the repertory players from the final Ebersol-produced episode of season6: Robin Duke, Tim Kazurinsky and Tony Rosato along with the sole surviving cast members from Doumanian's era, Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo, while adding two new cast members Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole. Brian Doyle-Murray, who had been a writer for season 6, joined Ebersol's new cast as a featured player (he was also a featured player during season 5).
Michael O'Donoghue, who Ebersol brought back to the show in March, remained as head writer for the first half of season7. Some sketches, as well as the appearances of artists like Fear and William S. Burroughs, reflected the increasingly bizarre ideas O'Donoghue had for the show. However, after developing a tense relationship with Ebersol and berating the cast in a meeting following the December 12 episode, O'Donoghue was fired, with Bob Tischler taking the role of head writer.[1]
A new logo was introduced for this season, and was used until season 10: it consisted of the words SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in the form of a square, with each word after it increasing in size; a modernized version of this logo was used from 2006 to 2014.
Format changes
Wanting to distance the show from its first five seasons, Ebersol cut the popular opening line Live from New York, It's Saturday Night! from the cold openings. Sometimes there were no cold openings, and the monologues were skipped over almost entirely. These changes were not permanent for the series, as Ebersol decided to reverse them for the eighth season. Each episode began with the announcement "And now from New York, the most dangerous city in America, it's Saturday Night Live!"
Ebersol also revamped Weekend Update. The segment went through its first name change (aside from the temporary change to "Saturday Night Newsline" in the final Doumanian episode from March 1981) and became "SNL Newsbreak". At the news desk was featured player Brian Doyle-Murray with Christine Ebersole and Mary Gross alternating as co-anchor. Brian Doyle-Murray also became the first Weekend Update anchor to be a featured player while serving as anchor. The only other anchors to do this were Michael Che, Tina Fey and Colin Jost.
Additionally, this was the first season without Don Pardo (season 40 would become the next due to Don Pardo's death in 2014) as the show announcer. Instead the voice-overs were done by Mel Brandt, except for two episodes that aired in December 1981 when veteran NBC News announcer Bill Hanrahan handled them.
Cast
During the season, original cast member John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. The original airing of the episode hosted by Robert Urich had a tribute to Belushi.
This season's writers were Barry W. Blaustein, Joe Bodolai, Brian Doyle-Murray, Nate Herman, Tim Kazurinsky, Nelson Lyon, Maryilyn Suzanne Miller, Pamela Norris, Mark O'Donnell, Michael O'Donoghue, Margaret Olberman, Tony Rosato, David Sheffield, Rosie Shuster, Andrew Smith, Terry Southern, Bob Tischler and Eliot Wald. The head writers were Michael O'Donoghue (episodes 1–8) and Bob Tischler (episodes 9-20).
Fear performs "I Don't Care About You", "Beef Bologna", "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones" and "Let's Have a War".[2] Shortly after beginning "Let's Have a War," the group was cut off by a repeat of the filmed piece "Prose and Cons" previously shown on October3.
In the cold opening, Donald Pleasence tries to open the show with "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night" phrase in a different type of spelling, (the only line used for the 7th season, despite it normally didn't use the "Live from New York" catchphrase until its following season.) until Eddie Murphy shows up to suggests Pleasence for a vomit for luck. As Eddie Murphy leaves the bathroom, John Belushi appears from the other stall, stares into the camera, and says nothing.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Saturday Night Live season 7 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message The seventh season of Saturday Night Live an American sketch comedy series originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 3 1981 and May 22 1982 Saturday Night LiveSeason 7Country of originUnited StatesNo of episodes20ReleaseOriginal networkNBCOriginal releaseOctober 3 1981 1981 10 03 May 22 1982 1982 05 22 Season chronology Previousseason 6Next season 8List of episodes Contents 1 Background 2 Format changes 3 Cast 3 1 Cast roster 4 Writers 5 Episodes 6 ReferencesBackground EditFollowing the dismissal of producer Jean Doumanian during the show s sixth season Dick Ebersol the program s developer was hired as Doumanian s replacement In March 1981 Ebersol dismissed several of her cast members repertory players Gilbert Gottfried Ann Risley and Charles Rocket and featured players Yvonne Hudson Matthew Laurance and Patrick Weathers After one episode on April 11 1981 the show was shut down for the rest of the season because of the 1981 Writers Guild of America strike In the break Ebersol would also dismiss repertory players Denny Dillon and Gail Matthius and featured players Laurie Metcalf and Emily Prager were not asked back as cast members The new cast of Saturday Night Live for season 7 included most of the repertory players from the final Ebersol produced episode of season 6 Robin Duke Tim Kazurinsky and Tony Rosato along with the sole surviving cast members from Doumanian s era Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo while adding two new cast members Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole Brian Doyle Murray who had been a writer for season 6 joined Ebersol s new cast as a featured player he was also a featured player during season 5 Michael O Donoghue who Ebersol brought back to the show in March remained as head writer for the first half of season 7 Some sketches as well as the appearances of artists like Fear and William S Burroughs reflected the increasingly bizarre ideas O Donoghue had for the show However after developing a tense relationship with Ebersol and berating the cast in a meeting following the December 12 episode O Donoghue was fired with Bob Tischler taking the role of head writer 1 A new logo was introduced for this season and was used until season 10 it consisted of the words SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in the form of a square with each word after it increasing in size a modernized version of this logo was used from 2006 to 2014 Format changes EditWanting to distance the show from its first five seasons Ebersol cut the popular opening line Live from New York It s Saturday Night from the cold openings Sometimes there were no cold openings and the monologues were skipped over almost entirely These changes were not permanent for the series as Ebersol decided to reverse them for the eighth season Each episode began with the announcement And now from New York the most dangerous city in America it s Saturday Night Live Ebersol also revamped Weekend Update The segment went through its first name change aside from the temporary change to Saturday Night Newsline in the final Doumanian episode from March 1981 and became SNL Newsbreak At the news desk was featured player Brian Doyle Murray with Christine Ebersole and Mary Gross alternating as co anchor Brian Doyle Murray also became the first Weekend Update anchor to be a featured player while serving as anchor The only other anchors to do this were Michael Che Tina Fey and Colin Jost Additionally this was the first season without Don Pardo season 40 would become the next due to Don Pardo s death in 2014 as the show announcer Instead the voice overs were done by Mel Brandt except for two episodes that aired in December 1981 when veteran NBC News announcer Bill Hanrahan handled them Cast EditDuring the season original cast member John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin The original airing of the episode hosted by Robert Urich had a tribute to Belushi Cast roster Edit Repertory players Robin Duke Christine Ebersole Mary Gross Tim Kazurinsky Eddie Murphy Joe Piscopo Tony Rosato Featured players Brian Doyle Murray bold denotes Weekend Update anchorWriters EditMain article List of Saturday Night Live writers season 7 This season s writers were Barry W Blaustein Joe Bodolai Brian Doyle Murray Nate Herman Tim Kazurinsky Nelson Lyon Maryilyn Suzanne Miller Pamela Norris Mark O Donnell Michael O Donoghue Margaret Olberman Tony Rosato David Sheffield Rosie Shuster Andrew Smith Terry Southern Bob Tischler and Eliot Wald The head writers were Michael O Donoghue episodes 1 8 and Bob Tischler episodes 9 20 Episodes EditMain article List of Saturday Night Live episodes No overallNo inseasonHost s Musical guest s Original air date1201NoneRod StewartOctober 3 1981 1981 10 03 Rod Stewart performs She Won t Dance with Me Young Turks and Hot Legs the latter with Tina Turner 2 Guest appearance by Michael Davis A short film made by Yoko Ono is presented Christine Ebersole and Mary Gross first episode as cast members Brian Doyle Murray rejoins the cast after a one year hiatus Mel Brandt s first episode as announcer 1212Susan Saint JamesThe KinksOctober 10 1981 1981 10 10 The Kinks performs Destroyer and Art Lover 2 Christine Ebersole performed Single Women a song written by head writer Michael O Donoghue Eddie Murphy debuts his Buckwheat character 3 This episode features a film by Andy Aaron called Push Button to Explode Building with Tom Davis his final appearance on the show and Emily Prager This episode also features Sadat a film by John Fox Brian McConnachie plays the title character in another film Let s See What s Bothering Bob Contains the Bizarro World sketch Bizarro president which features Joe Piscopo as Ronald Reagan 1223George KennedyMiles DavisOctober 17 1981 1981 10 17 Miles Davis performs Jean Pierre Ron Howard and Regis Philbin appears in the cold open as contestants John Candy appears as Juan Gavino during the SNL Newsbreak segment A stand up and magic routine by Harry Anderson Final appearance of Mr Bill in a new short film which this time he moves to Los Angeles First appearance of Velvet Jones 4 1234Donald PleasenceFearOctober 31 1981 1981 10 31 Fear performs I Don t Care About You Beef Bologna New York s Alright If You Like Saxophones and Let s Have a War 2 Shortly after beginning Let s Have a War the group was cut off by a repeat of the filmed piece Prose and Cons previously shown on October 3 In the cold opening Donald Pleasence tries to open the show with Live from New York it s Saturday Night phrase in a different type of spelling the only line used for the 7th season despite it normally didn t use the Live from New York catchphrase until its following season until Eddie Murphy shows up to suggests Pleasence for a vomit for luck As Eddie Murphy leaves the bathroom John Belushi appears from the other stall stares into the camera and says nothing Guest appearance by Michael Davis Neil Levy plays the corpse in the I m So Miserable sketch 1245Lauren HuttonRick JamesNovember 7 1981 1981 11 07 Rick James performs Give It to Me Baby and Super Freak 2 Beat generation writer William S Burroughs makes a guest appearance performing spoken word 1256Bernadette PetersThe Go Go sBilly JoelNovember 14 1981 1981 11 14 The Go Gos performs Our Lips Are Sealed and We Got the Beat 2 Billy Joel performs Miami 2017 Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway and She s Got a Way 2 live from a Manhattan recording studio Bernadette Peters opens with a parody of a U S Army hygiene film as Betty Boop in Johnny Keep Your Gun Clean Bernadette Peters also performs a song filled with masturbation innuendo called Making Love Alone 1267Tim CurryMeat LoafDecember 5 1981 1981 12 05 Meat Loaf performs Promised Land and Bat Out of Hell 2 The Rocky Horror Picture Show co stars Curry and Meat Loaf appeared in a parody sketch where they sell chintzy Rocky Horror related merchandise Frank Nelson cameos in the Mick variety special sketch Bill Hanrahan fills in for Mel Brandt as announcer 1278Bill MurrayThe SpinnersThe WhiffenpoofsDecember 12 1981 1981 12 12 The Spinners performs a medley of Then Came You I ll Be Around and Working My Way Back to You 2 Bill Murray delivers a short monologue about Santa and introduces Saint Nick The Whiffenpoofs performs a medley of Christmas songs with Bill Murray and the SNL cast Guest appearances by Michael Davis and Father Guido Sarducci Bill Hanrahan fills in for Mel Brandt as announcer A young Fred Stoller makes an uncredited appearance as an extra in the first sketch A very young Seth Green appears as one of the children Mary Gross interviews during her segment on SNL Newsbreak1289Robert ConradThe Allman Brothers BandJanuary 23 1982 1982 01 23 The Allman Brothers Band performs Midnight Rider and Leavin 2 12910John MaddenJennifer HollidayJanuary 30 1982 1982 01 30 Jennifer Holliday performs And I Am Telling You I m Not Going and One Night Only 2 Andy Kaufman makes a special guest appearance as Elvis Presley 13011James CoburnLindsey BuckinghamFebruary 6 1982 1982 02 06 Lindsey Buckingham performs Bwana and Trouble 2 Guest appearance by Marc Weiner 13112Bruce DernLuther VandrossFebruary 20 1982 1982 02 20 Luther Vandross performs Never Too Much and A House Is Not a Home 2 Bruce Dern appears in a surreal and dark parody of The Wild One called The Mild One Among those interviewed in the Who Do You Hate film is theatre critic historian Peter Filichia Contains the second and final Bizarro World sketch Bizarro Broadcasting Company which pokes fun at NBC which was in last place Among the big three 13213Elizabeth AshleyHall amp OatesFebruary 27 1982 1982 02 27 Hall amp Oates performs You Make My Dreams I Can t Go for That No Can Do and You ve Lost That Lovin Feelin 2 Harry Anderson performed a stand up and magic routine 13314Robert UrichMink DeVilleMarch 20 1982 1982 03 20 Mink DeVille performs Maybe Tomorrow and Love amp Emotion 2 Brian Doyle Murray gives tribute to John Belushi who died two weeks before this show aired at the episode s conclusion 13415Blythe DannerRickie Lee JonesMarch 27 1982 1982 03 27 Rickie Lee Jones performs Pirates So Long Lonely Avenue Lush Life and Woody and Dutch On the Slow Train to Peking 2 Guest appearance by Michael Davis First appearance of Eddie Murphy as Gumby 5 13516Daniel J TravantiJohn Cougar MellencampApril 10 1982 1982 04 10 John Cougar Mellencamp performs Hurts So Good and Ain t Even Done with the Night 2 Daniel J Travanti s Hill Street Blues co star Bruce Weitz appeared in a Hill Street parody There s a recurring sketch throughout the episode in which viewers at home can phone in to decide whether Larry the Lobster lives or is killed 6 First appearance of The Whiners 7 13617Johnny CashElton JohnApril 17 1982 1982 04 17 Elton John performs Empty Garden and Ball amp Chain 2 Johnny Cash performs Man in Black I Walk the Line 2 Folsom Prison Blues 2 Ring of Fire 2 and Sunday Mornin Comin Down 13718Robert CulpThe Charlie Daniels BandApril 24 1982 1982 04 24 The Charlie Daniels Band performs Still in Saigon and The Devil Went Down to Georgia 2 13819Danny DeVitoSparksMay 15 1982 1982 05 15 Sparks performs I Predict and Mickey Mouse 2 the latter with an introductory monologue by Ron Mael from its album Angst in My Pants During his monologue Danny DeVito brings his castmates from Taxi for a farewell bow after ABC canceled the show NBC later picked up the sitcom Danny DeVito appeared in a film where he blew up the ABC corporate headquarters Andy Kaufman appeared to apologize for wrestling women 13920Olivia Newton JohnOlivia Newton JohnMay 22 1982 1982 05 22 Olivia Newton John performs Physical Make a Move on Me and Landslide 2 Guest appearance by Michael Davis Guest Graham Chapman appears in several sketches and in the SNL NewsBreak with a humorous promotion for the new movie The Secret Policeman s Other Ball Brian Doyle Murray Christine Ebersole and Tony Rosato s final episode as cast members Mel Brandt s last episode as announcer References Edit Hill and Weingrad p 453 7 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 Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 138 140 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 141 143 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 144 146 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 147 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Saturday Night Live The First Twenty Years Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1994 pp 148 149 ISBN 0 395 70895 8 Retrieved from 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