Saturday Night Live (season 5)

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Saturday Night Live
Season 5
The title card for the fifth season of Saturday Night Live.
Starring
  • Jane Curtin
  • Garrett Morris
  • Bill Murray
  • Laraine Newman
  • Gilda Radner
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes20
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseOctober 13, 1979 (1979-10-13) –
May 24, 1980 (1980-05-24)
Season chronology
← Previous
season 4
Next →
season 6
List of episodes

The fifth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 13, 1979, and May 24, 1980.

Cast[]

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi left the show at the end of season 4, leaving a void in the cast that most fans thought would be the beginning of the end of the late-night sketch comedy show.

To keep the show going, Lorne Michaels upgraded many of the show's writers to featured cast member status: Peter Aykroyd (Dan's brother), Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray (Bill's brother), Don Novello (also credited as Father Guido Sarducci), Tom Schiller and Alan Zweibel. Band leader Paul Shaffer also joined the cast, becoming the first person from the SNL band to become a cast member. Harry Shearer joined the show as a featured cast member and was promoted to repertory status during the season.

This season was the first to have two members of the same family as cast members (Bill Murray and Brian Doyle-Murray).

This would be the final season for everyone in the cast. Tom Davis and Jim Downey would return to the show in future seasons as writers. Al Franken, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello and Harry Shearer would rejoin the cast in future seasons (Al Franken would also return as a writer).

Cast roster[]

  • Jane Curtin
  • Garrett Morris
  • Bill Murray
  • Laraine Newman
  • Gilda Radner
  • Harry Shearer (first episode: October 20, 1979; upgraded to repertory status: February 9, 1980)

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Featured cast members announced and shown during the "Opening Introductions" varied from week to week, as noted below in each episode's description.

Writers[]

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live writers § Season 5

As previously mentioned, Michaels upgraded many of the show's writers to cast member status, including Aykroyd, Downey, Doyle-Murray, Novello, Schiller and Zweibel. Doyle-Murray would be the only one to return, as a writer, in the following season.

This season's writers were Peter Aykroyd, Anne Beatts, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Tom Gammill, Lorne Michaels, Matt Neuman, Don Novello, Sarah Paley, Max Pross, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Harry Shearer, Rosie Shuster and Alan Zweibel. The head writer was Herb Sargent.

Episodes[]

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		Host(s)Musical guest(s)Original air date
871Steve MartinBlondieOctober 13, 1979 (1979-10-13)

  • Blondie performs "Dreaming" and "The Hardest Part".[1]
  • The All-New Mr. Bill Show.
  • Buck Henry has a cameo.
  • Don Novello's first episode as a cast member.
  • Credited Featured Player: Don Novello.
882Eric IdleBob DylanOctober 20, 1979 (1979-10-20)

  • Eric Idle's fourth and final time hosting.
  • Dylan performs "Gotta Serve Somebody", "I Believe in You" and "When You Gonna Wake Up".[1]
  • Buck Henry has a cameo in the cold open.
  • Andy Kaufman challenges the women in the studio audience to a wrestling match.
  • Harry Shearer's first episode as cast member.
  • Credited Featured Player: Harry Shearer.
893Bill RussellChicagoNovember 3, 1979 (1979-11-03)

  • Chicago performs a cover of The Spencer Davis Group's "I'm a Man" and "Street Player".[1]
  • Mr. Bill Stays Home.
904Buck HenryTom Petty and the HeartbreakersNovember 10, 1979 (1979-11-10)

915Bea ArthurThe RochesNovember 17, 1979 (1979-11-17)

  • The Roches performs "Bobby's Song" (from its second album, "Nurds") and "The Hallelujah Chorus" (from its third album, "Keep On Doing").[1]
  • Andy Kaufman guest stars.
  • Mr. Bill Builds A House.
  • Paul Shaffer's first episode as cast member.
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
926Howard HessemanRandy NewmanDecember 8, 1979 (1979-12-08)

  • Randy Newman performs "It's Money That I Love",[1] "The Story of a Rock and Roll Band",[1] and "I'm Gonna Take Off My Pants".
  • Credited Featured Players: Don Novello, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
937Martin SheenDavid BowieDecember 15, 1979 (1979-12-15)

  • Bowie performs "The Man Who Sold the World", "TVC 15" and "Boys Keep Swinging".[1]
  • Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias make guest appearances as backup singers.
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Al Franken, Don Novello, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
  • On the January 16, 2016 episode (hosted by Adam Driver) SNL paid tribute to David Bowie, who had died six days earlier, by playing a clip of his performance of "The Man Who Sold the World" (introduced by Fred Armisen) and posting the full performance on its website (and briefly on YouTube).
948Ted KnightDesmond Child & RougeDecember 22, 1979 (1979-12-22)

  • Desmond Child & Rouge performs "Goodbye Baby"[1] and "Tumble In The Night".
  • G.E. Smith plays guitar for Desmond Child.
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Al Franken, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
959Teri GarrThe B-52'sJanuary 26, 1980 (1980-01-26)

  • The B-52's performs "Rock Lobster" and "Dance This Mess Around."[1]
  • Mr. Bill Gets Help.
  • Presidential candidate John B. Anderson appears in a sketch.
  • Peter Aykroyd, Jim Downey, and Brian Doyle-Murray's first episode as cast members.
  • Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Don Novello and Harry Shearer.
9610Chevy ChaseMarianne Faithfull
Tom Scott		February 9, 1980 (1980-02-09)

  • Marianne Faithfull performs "Broken English" and "Guilt".[1]
  • Chevy Chase and Tom Scott perform "Sixteen Tons".
  • Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Don Novello and Paul Shaffer.
  • Harry Shearer's first episode as a member of the main repertory cast rather than as a featured performer.
  • New opening montage, featuring all cast members in rolling still images in a bar setting.
9711Elliott GouldGary NumanFebruary 16, 1980 (1980-02-16)

  • Gary Numan performs "Cars" and "Praying to the Aliens".[1]
  • A running gag where Father Guido Sarducci attempts to interview former President Richard Nixon, and stakes out his New York apartment building.
  • JAP character Rhonda Weiss (Gilda Radner) performs a takeoff on Jordache: "She's the Jewess in Jewess jeans"
  • Contains "The Incredible Man" sketch.
  • Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken and Don Novello.
9812Kirk DouglasSam & DaveFebruary 23, 1980 (1980-02-23)

  • Sam & Dave perform "You Don't Know Like I Know" and "Soul Man".[1]
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray and Al Franken
  • This episode re-aired on February 8, 2020 as a tribute to Kirk Douglas who had died 3 days before the episode aired.
  • It was announced during the previous episode’s goodnights that the original musical guest for this episode was James Brown, but he cancelled for reasons unknown.
9913Rodney DangerfieldThe J. Geils BandMarch 8, 1980 (1980-03-08)

  • The J. Geils Band performs "Love Stinks" and "Sanctuary".[1]
  • Leave It to Beaver cast members Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers appear during Weekend Update.
  • Actor Rob Morrow appears as an extra in a sketch. He would later host the show during Season 17.
  • Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello and Paul Shaffer.
10014(none)Paul Simon
James Taylor
David Sanborn		March 15, 1980 (1980-03-15)

  • No announced guest host. There was no monologue. Instead, Bill Murray performs a song about New York.
  • David Sanborn's only time as musical guest.
  • Paul Simon and James Taylor perform "Cathy's Clown", "Sunny Skies" and "Take Me to the Mardi Gras".[1]
  • Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan from New York and Ralph Nadar appear on the show as themselves. Moynihan introduces a sketch about leprechauns and appears in a sketch about sophisticated winos that ends up being an ad for wines from New York State. Nadar appears in a segment on "Weekend Update".
  • Michael Palin appears in a sketch called "Talk or Die" that includes Jane Curtin playing Rula Lenska.
  • David Sanborn performs "Anything You Want".[1]
  • During a sketch about a medieval band rehearsing for a performance (which features John Belushi towards the end), Paul Shaffer said the word "fuck" live on the air.[2]
  • Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray and Paul Shaffer.
  • The show's 100th episode, featuring several cameos (including John Belushi and Michael O'Donoghue).
10115Richard Benjamin
Paula Prentiss		Grateful DeadApril 5, 1980 (1980-04-05)

  • Grateful Dead performs "Alabama Getaway" and "Saint of Circumstance,".[1] both from the album Go To Heaven
  • Mr. Bill Strikes Back
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis and Al Franken.
10216Burt ReynoldsAnne MurrayApril 12, 1980 (1980-04-12)

  • Anne Murray performs "Lucky Me" and "Why Don't You Stick Around".[1]
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Don Novello and Paul Shaffer.
10317Strother MartinThe SpecialsApril 19, 1980 (1980-04-19)

  • Strother Martin's final television appearance before his death in August, 1980[citation needed]
  • The Specials performs "Gangsters" and "Too Much, Too Young".[1]
  • Tom Schiller and Alan Zweibel's first episode as cast members.
  • Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Tom Schiller, Paul Shaffer and Alan Zweibel.
10418Bob NewhartThe Amazing Rhythm Aces
Bruce Cockburn		May 10, 1980 (1980-05-10)

  • The Amazing Rhythm Aces performs "Who Will the Next Fool Be"[1] and "Third Rate Romance".[1] (Joined by Murray on the Maracas)
  • Cockburn performs "Wondering Where the Lions Are".[1]
  • In a Weekend Update commentary, "A Limo For A Lame-O", Al Franken laments that he does not have limo service like NBC president Fred Silverman, despite the network's poor ratings and shaky finances under Silverman's leadership. This ruined Franken's slim chance of succeeding Lorne Michaels as the show's executive producer[3]
  • Mr. Bill Gets 20 Years In Sing Sing.
  • Credited Featured Players: Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken and Paul Shaffer.
10519Steve Martin3-D
Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney		May 17, 1980 (1980-05-17)

  • 3-D performs "All-Night Television".[1]
  • Paul McCartney premieres the music video for his single "Coming Up".[4]
  • Credited Featured Player: Don Novello
  • Don Novello's final episode as a cast member (until season 11).
10620Buck HenryAndrew Gold
Andrae Crouch & the Voices of Unity		May 24, 1980 (1980-05-24)

  • Buck Henry's tenth and final time as host before his death in 2020, nearly forty years after the airing of this episode.
  • Andrew Gold performs "Kiss This One Goodbye".[1]
  • Andrae Crouch & the Voices of Unity performs "Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus".[1]
  • Contains the "Lord and Lady Douchebag" sketch,[5] in which the word "douchebag" was said 12[6] times.
  • Future cast member Yvonne Hudson appeared in the Nick the Lounge Singer sketch.
  • Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken and Paul Shaffer.
  • Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner's final episode as cast members.
  • Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Tom Schiller, Paul Shaffer and Alan Zweibel's final episode as cast members.
  • Brian Doyle-Murray's final episode (until season 7).
  • Harry Shearer's final episode (until season 10).
  • Al Franken's final episode (until season 11).
  • Lorne Michaels' final episode as executive producer (until season 11).

Home media[]

SNL's fifth season was released on DVD on December 1, 2009.[7] There are no plans to release any further seasons.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 124–127. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
  2. ^ Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 26–27, 264. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
  3. ^ Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, Saturday Night, Beech Tree Books, 1986, p. 376
  4. ^ "Saturday Night Live: Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartney Episode Summary". TV.com. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  5. ^ Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 109. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
  6. ^ Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 264. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
  7. ^ "Saturday Night Live: Season 5, 1979-1980". Amazon. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  8. ^ Lambert, David (November 4, 2010). "Saturday Night Live - Season Set Outlook is Not So Good for SNL, Studio Says". TV Shows on DVD. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
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