Name: Lorne Michaels
Class of: 1966
College: University College
Program: English
Hometown: Toronto
Saturday Night Live, created by U of T alumnus Lorne Michaels, has influenced countless comedians throughout its time on air and launched the careers of numerous comedians such as Tina Fey, Chris Rock, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler and Jimmy Fallon.
At U of T, Michaels was a member of the UC Follies theatre troupe where he co-wrote and directed a satirical revue with comedy and music. It was at this time that he realized his preference for production and not performing.
Following his time at U of T, Michaels began his career as a writer and producer at CBC where he starred in The Hart & Lorne Terrific Hour with Hart Pomerantz in 1970. Before The Hart & Lorne Terrific Hour, Michaels and Pomerantz wrote for comedians including Woody Allen and Joan Rivers and went to Los Angeles where they wrote for The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show and Laugh-in.
Michaels was given the opportunity to create a pilot for NBC, developing Saturday Night Live and premiering the show on October 11, 1975.
Although Michaels left SNL in 1980, he returned in 1985 and has since served as the show’s executive producer where he remains involved in every aspect of the show’s production. He and his production company Broadway Video currently produce The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Mulaney, and Portlandia.
Michaels has received the Governor General’s Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award, Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and has been inducted into the Order of Canada.
As a long time SNL viewer, and with its 40th Anniversary Special airing on February 15th, here are some of my favourite sketches (and a best of)!
Kristen Wiig (my favorite cast member!) as flirting expert Rebecca Larue
http://videos.kristenwiig.org/view/114/saturday-night-live-flirting-expert-rebecca-larue/
Best of Stefon (my favorite character!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8osfRW-KTgc
The Shooting AKA Dear Sister (The Lonely Island produced so many great digital shorts at SNL, but I remember being obsessed with The O.C at the time this came out):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmd1qMN5Yo0
A lot of older sketches aren’t available online, but if you get a chance I definitely recommend checking out episodes and sketches from throughout the show’s history!
Image Sources:
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/about/bio/lorne-michaels
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_%28season_40%29
Content Sources:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/lorne-michaels-and-erica-and-molly-jong/
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/about/bio/lorne-michaels
http://www.magazine.utoronto.ca/great-gifts/lorne-michaels-hart-house-theatre-memories/