Season 7 is the seventh season of Saturday Night Live premiered on October 3, 1981 on NBC, had no host, with musical guest Rod Stewart, and ended on May 22, 1982, with host and musical guest Olivia Newton-John. Many changes were made in this season, as many cast members were removed, and many added. During this season, original (and former) cast member John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin in 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.
Cast Changes[]
After the end of the previous season, which was cut short because of the 1981 Writers Guild of America strike, Ebersol dismissed two more of Jean Doumanian's hires, repertory players Denny Dillon and Gail Matthius.[14] Featured players Laurie Metcalf and Emily Prager, who were hired for and credited in the previous season's final episode (though Metcalf only appeared in a pre-recorded piece, and Prager didn't appear at all), were not asked back as cast members. Prager would appear, however, as an uncredited participant in a short film in this season's second episode.
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]
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 2006-14.
History[]
The season was the first full season for new producer Dick Ebersol, who brought in an almost entirely new cast. Also joining the show was head writer Michael O'Donoghue. Tempers began to flare, however, due to O'Donoghue's angry and belligerent style. The previous season, he had scared Catherine O'Hara off the show before her first episode; during the first part of the season, most of the cast took a strong dislike to him and the other writers. Tim Kazurinsky contemplated quitting, only to be talked out by former SNL cast member John Belushi.[1] At a pre-Christmas break meeting to discuss constructive criticism, which O'Donoghue was excluded from but showed up anyway, O'Donoghue ranted against the current cast, telling Mary Gross that she was "so untalented that she should be selling shoes" and shouting that Eddie Murphy needed acting lessons. Tired of his style and the problems he was causing, Ebersol fired him in short order, and he was gone by the first episode in January.[2]
In an attempt to reinvent the show, the opening format was significantly changed. Original announcer Don Pardo was dropped before the season, and another network announcer, Mel Brandt, started the show instead. (Pardo would return for the following season, though Brandt would continue contributing voiceovers for sketches for many years.) Also gone were the cold open sketches, replaced often by title card gags listing a fictional sponsor. The opening sketches later returned, but the classic "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night" wasn't heard again until the following season. This new theme was conducted by new band director Tom Malone (who at the time, had been with the band since the show's premiere in 1975; returning for his seventh season), as Kenny Vance (the music director for the previous season) did not return to the show this season.
Beginning this season, starting with the October 10, 1981 episode, hosts are announced as “with host [celebrity name]” rather than “with [celebrity name].”
Most of the cast had been hired for the last episode of the previous season, but there were two additions: Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole. Brian Doyle-Murray, who had gone from writer, to featured player in season 5, to writer in season 6, was re-promoted to featured player, of which he was the only one. Murray hosted the news segment, retitled SNL Newsbreak.
Due to creative differences, Tony Rosato, Christine Ebersole, and Brian Doyle-Murray were let go at the end of the season.
Cast[]
Repertory Players[]
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Featuring[]
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Episode Guide[]
- October 3, 1981: No host / Rod Stewart
- October 10, 1981: Susan Saint James / The Kinks
- October 17, 1981: George Kennedy / Miles Davis
- October 31, 1981: Donald Pleasence / Fear
- November 7, 1981: Lauren Hutton / Rick James & The Stone City Band
- November 14, 1981: Bernadette Peters / The Go-Go's, Billy Joel
- December 5, 1981: Tim Curry / Meatloaf & The Neverland Express
- December 12, 1981: Bill Murray / The Spinners, Yale Whiffenpoofs
- January 23, 1982: Robert Conrad / The Allman Brothers Band
- January 30, 1982: John Madden / Jennifer Holliday
- February 6, 1982: James Coburn / Lindsey Buckingham
- February 20, 1982: Bruce Dern / Luther Vandross
- February 27, 1982: Elizabeth Ashley / Hall & Oates
- March 20, 1982: Robert Urich / Mink Deville
- March 27, 1982: Blythe Danner / Rickie Lee Jones
- April 10, 1982: Daniel J. Travanti / John Cougar
- April 17, 1982: Johnny Cash / Elton John
- April 24, 1982: Robert Culp / Charlie Daniels Band
- May 15, 1982: Danny Devito / Sparks
- May 22, 1982: Olivia Newton-John / The Saturday Night Live Band
The May 22 show credited the SNL Band as the musical guest, though it was host Olivia Newton-John who performed the musical numbers.
Births[]
- Vanessa Bayer (November 14, 1981)
- Nasim Pedrad (November 18, 1981)
- John Milhiser (November 29, 1981)
- Alex Moffat & Jenny Slate (March 25, 1982)
- Taran Killam (April 1, 1982)
- Colin Jost (June 29, 1982)
Deaths[]
- John Belushi (March 5, 1982)
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Live From New York: An Uncensored History Of Saturday Night Live]]
- ↑ Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live
| Preceded by: Season 6 |
Season 7 (1981— 1982) |
Followed by: Season 8 |
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