"Saturday Night Live" George Carlin/Billy Preston, Janis Ian (1975)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Directors:

Dave Wilson
Albert Brooks

Writers:

Anne Beatts (written by) &
Chevy Chase (written by) ...

TV Series:

"Saturday Night Live" (1975)

Original Air Date:

11 October 1975 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Plot:

The host for the episode is George Carlin, and the musical guests are Billy Preston and Janis Ian. The...

Plot Keywords:

Actor Playing Multiple Roles | Satire | Actress Playing Multiple Roles | Saturday Night Live | Spoof

Cast

George Carlin	...	Himself - Host
Janis Ian	...	Herself - Musical Guest
Billy Preston	...	Himself - Musical Guest
Albert Brooks	...	Reporter (voice)
Rhonda Hansome	...	Vazh (voice) (as Jim Henson's Muppets)
Jim Henson	...	King Ploobis (voice) (as Jim Henson's Muppets)
Jerry Nelson	...	Scred (voice) (as Jim Henson's Muppets)
Frank Oz	...	The Mighty Favog (voice) (as Jim Henson's Muppets)
Alice Tweedy	...	Queen Peuta (voice) (as Jim Henson's Muppets)
Jane Curtin	...	Various
Garrett Morris	...	Various
Laraine Newman	...	Various
Gilda Radner	...	Various
Dan Aykroyd	...	Various
John Belushi	...	Various

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

NBC Productions

Trivia:

NBC reran this episode in its entirety on June 29, 2008 as a tribute to George Carlin, who had died the previous Sunday.

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the "commercial" for the Phone Answering School, when the chalkboard showing the international area codes is shown, the Cook Islands are spelled "Cooks" Islands.

Quotes:

Various: [talking into the telephone] What are you wearing right now?
[smiles]
Various: No bathrobe?
[notices the audience, hangs up telephone]
Various: Good evening, I'm Chevy Chase!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

In the Winter

Live from New York!

Incidentally (or coincidentally) the very first episode of "Saturday Night Live" debuted on October 11th, which is the same day of the month as my own birthday. I've always felt it was appropriate that my favorite show shares its birthday with me! Of course, in recent years it hasn't been my favorite show as much...with guest hosts like Paris Hilton and a cast of untalented dimwits like Tina Fey, it's a real shame the show has fallen as far as it has. I remember that skit David Spade did once about Eddie Murphy: "Look children! It's a falling star!" Well, the tables have turned.

This first episode is classic, though, and although it's very different from the way the show became in later years, it's very fun.

Unfortunately "SNL" hasn't been released in season box sets on DVD yet (fingers crossed for HD-DVD or Blu-Ray releases), but if you can track down this first episode from 1975 you'll be in for a treat (it airs on E! sometimes).