Top 10 Memorable Moments from Early SNL

It wasn’t a foregone conclusion back in the 1970s that the nerds would proverbially take over the world. As a result, a lot of the humor relies on pointing and gawking at teenage awkwardness. This sketch wasn’t a hit at first. It took the work of both Bill Murray and Gilda Radner to make this pair of nerds interesting. Their relationship is adversarial, but in a way that feels natural to their long-standing relationship. Insults are hurled back and forth between Murray and Radner while supporting characters flesh out this world of pocket protectors and bored, dateless Saturday nights.

It was one of the earliest “SNL” catchphrases that took over America and is still repeated by fans today. The sketch may be officially known as “Olympia Café,” but fans would much rather repeat three simple words. It’s a super-simple premise, really, but one that’s also easily relatable. Viewers of a certain age will likely recall how these sorts of greasy spoon diners used to litter American cities and towns. Dining may have become more polite in modern society, but it’s the impatience with which the staff of Olympia Café bring to their establishment that makes the sketch so funny.

“Saturday Night Live” has delivered plenty of funny parodies over the years, but this one came from a guest host. “King Tut” was written and released by Steve Martin as a novelty song. The comedian’s performance of the song on “SNL” turned it into a pop culture milestone. This segment aired during a time when the real Tutankhamun exhibit was making headlines during its tour in American museums. So, the time was right for the proverbial “Egyptian Fever” to hit, as Martin and the “SNL” band dressed to the nines. The results were silly, to say the least, but went over in a big way with the studio audience!

The much-missed Gilda Radner portrayed the character of Roseanne Roseannadanna multiple times during her “SNL” tenure, with every performance garnering bigger laughs. This fictitious consumer affairs reporter probably got her most successful response with her “Weekend Update” bit on smoking. Well, at least her appearance is initially about smoking, before Roseannadanna goes off-topic and off the rails. The character even breaks into song at one point, completely forgetting her initial reason for hosting the segment. It’s glorious “SNL” chaos at its finest and a great snapshot into how anarchic these early years could get at times.

To quote the great film “This Is Spinal Tap,” “There’s a fine line between stupid and clever.” The Land Shark was a recurring “SNL” character created for the most obvious of reasons: to piggyback upon the success of “Jaws.” The show’s bright idea was to have Chevy Chase voice a shark that would terrorize people on land… inside their homes… in disguise. It’s the sort of idea that was probably conceived under the influence of some kind of illicit substance, but also one that really connected with the “SNL” audience. Oh, and that deadpan delivery by Chase serves as the icing on this very silly cake.

The original “Not Ready for Primetime Players” took great pleasure in skewering just about any public figure who got in their sights. That said, not every parodied celebrity appreciated the “SNL” cast’s comedic jabs, including journalistic icon Barbara Walters. It took a while for Walters to appreciate Gilda Radner’s impersonation of her notable speech patterns and diction. The “Baba Wawa” character relied heavily upon Radner’s natural charm, while also needling the habitual soft-focus lighting that peppered Walters’ news segments. We’re glad that the immortal Ms. Walters eventually joined in on the laughter because this one was a parody for the ages.

This series of sketches from “Saturday Night Live’s” early days was another one that’s indicative of the show’s “anything goes” sensibility. On one hand, John Belushi’s modeling of “The Saturday Night Live Samurai” was modeled after an honest-to-goodness cinematic icon, Toshiro Mifune. Then again, the delivery is absolutely out of control and off the rails, which was exactly what the “SNL” audience wanted. The Samurai Futaba sketches ended up being a recurring gag on the show, with Belushi’s violent samurai taking on hotel lobbies and delicatessens during his “not ready for primetime” journey into greatness.

Everybody has their favorite “Weekend Update” anchor, and there are a LOT of great choices out there, too. That said, there’s just something special about the magic Mr. Chevy Chase brought to this segment, the longest-running one in “SNL” history. Chase’s comedic delivery possessed the ability to be both approachable and condescending, sometimes all at once. His catchphrase of “I’m Chevy Chase… and you’re not” became an “SNL” standard, while his frequent asides became “blink and you missed them” moments of live comedy genius. His telephone calls were also a great recurring gag in the sketch. Let’s face it: Chevy Chase left some BIG shoes to fill after he left the “Weekend Update” anchor desk for the final time, and wished us all “a pleasant tomorrow.”

The arrival of Eddie Murphy occurred during the tumultuous sixth season of “Saturday Night Live.” This controversial season was notable for the departure of Lorne Michaels, as well as the original cast and nearly all the writing staff. As a result, Murphy’s tenure on the show became something of a lifeline, thanks in part to sketches like “The Gumby Story Film” and “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood.” The segment’s hilarious parody of PBS’ “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” takes the setting to a place that’s… well, not so safe. Therein lies the fun, however, and Murphy absolutely sells the premise for all he’s worth.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The French Chef”
A Knowing Tribute to Celebrity Chef Julia Child

“Super Bass-O-Matic ‘76”
Dan Aykroyd’s Iconic 70s Salesman

“Killer Bees: Home Invasion”
The Bees Are Coming! And They’re Hilarious!

“The Sweeney Sisters”
A Loving Tribute to Try-Hard Lounge Acts Everywhere

“James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party”
Eddie Murphy’s Delivery is Spot-On

There have been a lot of movies based on “Saturday Night Live” characters - some better than others. Most fans will agree, however, that John Landis’ adaptation of this classic “SNL” skit serves as the standard for which all others are judged. Landis’ film expands upon a series of skits that were already pretty great, however, segments starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Jake and Elwood Blues. The pair were ‘70s coolness personified, as they performed classic blues and soul songs together with the “SNL” band. This was a great idea that was executed to perfection; one that would live on, rent-free within the memories of “SNL” fans around the world.

Which OG “Saturday Night Live” segment is your favorite? Shout out your answers to us in the comments!