- published: 17 Feb 2016
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Saturday Night Live (abbreviated as SNL) is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night. The show revolves around a series of sketches parodying American culture and politics, performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest who delivers an opening monologue and takes part in sketches with the cast, and features a musical guest who also performs. SNL normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", beginning the show proper.
Michaels left the series in 1980 to explore other opportunities, and he was replaced by Jean Doumanian who led the show to disastrous reviews and was replaced by Ebersol after one season. Ebersol continued to run the show until 1985, when Michaels returned and where he has remained since. Many of SNL's cast found national stardom while appearing on the show and achieved success in film and television, both in front of and behind the camera. In particular, SNL has helped launch the careers of Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, and Adam Sandler. Additionally others associated with the show such as writers have gone on to successful careers, including Conan O'Brien, Max Brooks, Stephen Colbert, Larry David, Al Franken, Sarah Silverman, and Robert Smigel.