November 17, 1979

November 17, 1979  Season 5 episode
Episode	91
Season Episode	5
Host	Bea Arthur
Musical Guest(s)	The Roches
Song(s) performed by  Musical Guest(s)	"Bobby's Song" "The Hallelujah Chorus"

Previous Episode November 10, 1979

Next Episode December 8, 1979

The 5th episode of Season 5 and the 91st episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by the actress Bea Arthur, star of the CBS classic sitcom Maude and the NBC's classic hit series The Golden Girls, with musical guest The Roches, a vocal trio. It premiered on November 17, 1979. This was the only time hosting for Bea Arthur, and the only musical guest appearance on SNL for the Roches.

The first episode officially to credit writer Tom Davis and band member Paul Shaffer as a cast members; both being added as a featured player.

Cast

Repertory Players

• Jane Curtin
• Garrett Morris
• Bill Murray
• Laraine Newman
• Gilda Radner

Featured Players

• Tom Davis
• Paul Shaffer (First credited appearance)
• Harry Shearer

Sketches

 Cold Open   Sketch   Pre-recorded   Weekend Update   Music Performance   Other 

Title	Image	Summary
Reagan in Make-up Cold Open		Ronald Reagan’s aide (Harry Shearer) outlines candidate’s nap-filled schedule.
Opening montage		First episode to officially introduced featured players, and the first official credits for Tom Davis and band member Paul Shaffer as featured players.
Bea Arthur Monologue		after host sings “Let Me Love You,” pianist Paul Shaffer passionately kisses her. This was Shaffer's first appearance as a credited cast member.
Spud Beer		boat people lift their spirits with the potato-based brew.
First He Cries		A man (Bill Murray) tries to cope with his wife’s (Gilda Radner) mastectomy.
Drop Out		Son (Tom Davis) not wanting to go to school leads to a Soviet takeover of the USA. Davis' first official appearance as a featured cast member.
The Roches performed "Bobby's Song"
Weekend Update with Jane Curtin & Bill Murray		Shattered backboard footage documents fate of unused DC-10 windshields; In the name of science, Al Franken uses various methods to torture live roaches; Hindenberg footage chronicles end of Thanksgiving parade Snoopy balloon.
Thanksgiving Dinner	Thanksgiving Dinner - SNL	eating Thanksgiving dinner in aunt’s (host) basement makes adults regress.
Woman To Woman		Connie Carson (Gilda Radner) seeks downside to (host)’s ideal motherhood.
Saveco		Tom Clay (Harry Shearer) tells why Saveco’s prices are low- they resell recalled products.
Backer's Audition		Two guys (Paul Shaffer, Harry Shearer) preview their rock opera about Charles Manson & Jay Sebring
The Mr. Bill Show		Mr. Bill Builds A Home
Los Beatalos Cubanos		Revival band Los Beatolos Cubanos performs Latin takes of Fab Four hits.
Andy Kaufman Guest Performance		Andy Kaufman taunts female viewers & invites them to wrestle.
The Roches performed "Hallelujah"
Goodnights

Trivia

• Prior to joining the cast, Tom Davis had been a writer throughout the show's five seasons, and had been credited as a special guest under "The Comedy Team of Franken & Davis", before officially joining the cast as a featured player.
• Paul Shaffer had been a keyboardist on the SNL Band throughout the first five seasons.
  • Shaffer is also the only band member in the history of the show to be credited as a cast member.

Preceded by: November 10, 1979

Saturday Night Live episode

Followed by: December 8, 1979