Miskel Spillman
Miskel Spillman (September 8, 1897 – March 30, 1992) was the winner of the first and only "Anyone Can Host" contest on NBC's late-night variety series Saturday Night Live, and hosted the December 17, 1977, broadcast of the show.
Role in SNL history
An 80-year-old German immigrant and grandmother from New Orleans, Spillman held the record as the oldest host in SNL's history (two weeks older than Ruth Gordon when she hosted) for many years, until it was broken on May 8, 2010, by 88-year-old Betty White. Spillman remains the only non-celebrity to host the program.
"Anyone Can Host" contest
The contest was first mentioned on the October 8, 1977, episode (hosted by Madeline Kahn), with producer Lorne Michaels giving the rules and address; various members of the cast gave the rules and address on the following two shows.
Contest rules
The contest required entrants to submit a postcard (no letters) with a 25-words-or-less essay to a designated address by November 1, 1977, stating why they would like to host Saturday Night Live. The five people whose essays were deemed the funniest by Michaels and the cast would be flown, all expenses paid, to New York for an appearance.