Saturday Night Live (season 7)

Saturday Night Live (season 7)
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	20
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	October 3, 1981 – May 22, 1982

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.

Background

Following 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, Patrick Weathers, and Matthew Laurance). 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 summer break, Ebersol would also dismiss 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. Two new cast members, Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole, replaced Dillon and Matthius. Brian Doyle-Murray, who had been a writer for Doumanian's shows, joined Ebersol's new cast as a featured player.

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]

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. In fact, sometimes cold openings were not even shown and the monologues were skipped over almost entirely. These changes were not permanent, 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!" After the opening credits, the cast would enter together and pose with the show's host before running to their places for the first sketch.

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 newsdesk was feature player Brian Doyle-Murray with Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole alternating as co-anchor. 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 Tina Fey, Colin Jost and Michael Che.

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 such duties.

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 was also the final season for Doyle-Murray, Ebersole and Rosato. All were let go to make room for new cast members in the following season.

Cast members

Repertory cast members Robin Duke Christine Ebersole Mary Gross Tim Kazurinsky Eddie Murphy Joe Piscopo Tony Rosato

Featured cast members Brian Doyle-Murray

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Writers

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

No. overall	No. in season	Host(s)	Musical guest(s)	Original air date
120	1	(none)	Rod Stewart	October 3, 1981
Rod Stewart performed "Young Turks" and "Hot Legs" (the latter with Tina Turner)[2] Christine Ebersole and Mary Gross's first episode as cast members James Caan was scheduled to host this episode, but he dropped out because his sister was in the hospital being treated for bone marrow cancer Brian Doyle-Murray rejoins the cast after a one-year hiatus Mel Brandt's first episode as announcer A short film made by Yoko Ono is presented Guest appearance by juggler Michael Davis
121	2	Susan Saint James	The Kinks	October 10, 1981
The Kinks performed "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 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 Rickie Lee Jones was the original musical guest for this episode, but backed out at the last minute
122	3	George Kennedy	Miles Davis	October 17, 1981
A stand up and magic routine by Harry Anderson Miles Davis performed "Jean Pierre" Regis Philbin and Ron Howard appeared in the cold open as contestants John Candy appeared as Juan Gavino during the SNL Newsbreak segment First appearance of Velvet Jones.[4]
123	4	Donald Pleasence	Fear	October 31, 1981
In the cold opening, Eddie Murphy suggests to Donald Pleasence to vomit for luck. As Eddie leaves the bathroom, John Belushi appeared from the other stall, stares into the camera, and says nothing. Fear performed "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. Guest appearance by juggler Michael Davis. Neil Levy plays the corpse in the "I'm So Miserable" sketch.
124	5	Lauren Hutton	Rick James	November 7, 1981
Rick James performed "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak".[2] Beat-generation writer William S. Burroughs makes a guest appearance, performing spoken word.
125	6	Bernadette Peters	The Go-Go's Billy Joel	November 14, 1981
Bernadette Peters opens with a parody of a U.S. Army hygiene film as Betty Boop in Johnny Keep Your Gun Clean Peters also performed a song filled with masturbation innuendo called "Making Love Alone" Billy Joel performed "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" and "She's Got a Way,"[2] live from a Manhattan recording studio The Go-Go's performed "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got the Beat"[2]
126	7	Tim Curry	Meat Loaf	December 5, 1981
Frank Nelson cameos in the "Mick!" variety special sketch Meat Loaf performed "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 Bill Hanrahan fills in for Mel Brandt as announcer
127	8	Bill Murray	The Spinners The Whiffenpoofs	December 12, 1981
Bill Murray delivers a short monologue about Santa and introduces "Saint Nick" The Spinners performed a medley of "Then Came You", "I'll Be Around", and "Working My Way Back to You"[2] The Whiffenpoofs performed a medley of Christmas songs with Murray and the SNL cast Guest appearances by Father Guido Sarducci and juggler Michael Davis Bill Hanrahan fills in for Mel Brandt as announcer
128	9	Robert Conrad	The Allman Brothers Band	January 23, 1982
The Allman Brothers Band performed "Midnight Rider", "Southbound", and "One Way Out".[2]
129	10	John Madden	Jennifer Holliday	January 30, 1982
Andy Kaufman makes a special guest appearance as Elvis Presley. Jennifer Holliday performed "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "One Night Only".[2]
130	11	James Coburn	Lindsey Buckingham	February 6, 1982
Lindsey Buckingham performed "Bwana" and "Trouble".[2] Guest appearance by Marc Weiner.
131	12	Bruce Dern	Luther Vandross	February 20, 1982
Luther Vandross performed "Never Too Much" and "A House Is Not a Home".[2] Bruce Dern appears in a surreal and dark parody of the The Wild One called "The Mild One".
132	13	Elizabeth Ashley	Hall & Oates	February 27, 1982
Hall & Oates performed "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.
133	14	Robert Urich	Mink DeVille	March 20, 1982
Mink DeVille performed "Maybe Tomorrow" and "Love & Emotion".[2] Brian Doyle-Murray gives tribute to John Belushi, who died two weeks before this show aired, at the episode's conclusion. The New Mamas and The Papas were the original musical guests for this episode, but canceled at the last minute.
134	15	Blythe Danner	Rickie Lee Jones	March 27, 1982
Rickie Lee Jones performed "Pirates (So Long Lonely Avenue)", "Lush Life", and "Woody and Dutch On the Slow Train to Peking".[2] First appearance of Eddie Murphy as Gumby.[5] Guest appearance by juggler Michael Davis.
135	16	Daniel J. Travanti	John Cougar Mellencamp	April 10, 1982
John Cougar Mellencamp performed "Hurts So Good" and "Ain't Even Done with the Night".[2] 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]
136	17	Johnny Cash	Elton John	April 17, 1982
Elton John performed "Empty Garden" and "Ball & Chain".[2] Johnny Cash performed "Man in Black", "I Walk the Line",[2] "Folsom Prison Blues",[2] "Ring of Fire",[2] and "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down".
137	18	Robert Culp	The Charlie Daniels Band	April 24, 1982
The Charlie Daniels Band performed "Still in Saigon" and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia".[2]
138	19	Danny DeVito	Sparks	May 15, 1982
During his monologue, DeVito brings his castmates from Taxi for a farewell bow after ABC canceled the show (NBC later picked up the sitcom) DeVito appeared in a film where he blew up the ABC corporate headquarters Andy Kaufman appeared to apologize for wrestling women Sparks performed "I Predict" and "Mickey Mouse,"[2] the latter with an introductory monologue by Ron Mael, from its album Angst in My Pants
139	20	Olivia Newton-John	Olivia Newton-John	May 22, 1982
Olivia Newton-John performed "Physical", "Make a Move on Me", and "Landslide"[2] Brian Doyle-Murray, Tony Rosato and Christine Ebersole's final episode as cast members Guest Graham Chapman appeared in several sketches and in the SNL NewsBreak with a humorous promotion for the new movie The Secret Policeman's Other Ball Mel Brandt's last episode as announcer Guest appearance by juggler Michael Davis

References

1. Hill and Weingrad, p. 453-7.
2. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 124–127. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
3. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 138–140. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
4. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 141–143. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
5. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 144–146. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
6. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. p. 147. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
7. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 148–149. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.