Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live

After separating from his wife and leaving Canada behind, Michaels moved back to Los Angeles in 1973, struggling to rebuild his career. He took a series of writing jobs, including on The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour and The Perry Como Winter Show, but felt creatively unfulfilled amid television’s stale conventions. Living in Malibu with other young artists and crashing at the Chateau Marmont, Michaels immersed himself in California’s bohemian culture. His fortunes shifted when Lily Tomlin hired him to work on her CBS variety special. Torn between safer, more lucrative offers and Tomlin’s edgier project, Michaels chose Tomlin’s show, drawn to its artistic ambition. Their collaboration produced the acclaimed Lily special, blending comedy with sharp social commentary. The experience confirmed Michaels’s desire to make television that mattered, even as he realized the risks of alienating mainstream audiences. The chapter ends by describing how Michaels faces a pivotal career decision about staying in television.

After winning an Emmy, Michaels received more job offers, but he remained selective, pursuing projects that aligned with his vision for smarter, edgier comedy. He pitched a hybrid comedy-variety show to networks, but early attempts to sell it failed. Meanwhile, Michaels continued collaborating with Lily Tomlin on a series of ambitious specials that mixed satire and social commentary, although perfectionism and editing struggles frustrated their progress. A disappointing experience producing a Flip Wilson special further exposed the creative constraints of mainstream television. Despite promising work with Tomlin, Michaels realized network TV demanded broad appeal, not pure artistry. After celebrating his thirtieth birthday at the Chateau Marmont with an emerging generation of entertainment figures, Michaels quietly began developing a new show with NBC’s Dick Ebersol, without telling Tomlin. Though Tomlin was hurt by the betrayal, Michaels saw a clear path toward realizing his goal: creating a groundbreaking show of his own.

In 1974, NBC president Herb Schlosser sought to replace weekend reruns of The Tonight Show with fresh programming to retain affiliate control. He assigned the project to young executive Dick Ebersol, who, after meeting Michaels, proposed him to develop a new live show for Saturday nights. Initially reluctant, Michaels weighed offers from Paramount and his growing dissatisfaction with television against the rare opportunity. After much deliberation and encouragement from allies, Michaels agreed, influenced by the success of Lily Tomlin’s special and the promise of creative freedom in a live format. NBC approved his idea for a variety show combining a repertory company, films, and rock music aimed at a younger, disaffected audience. Despite some skepticism from executives, Schlosser championed Michaels. By spring 1975, Michaels relocated to New York to begin assembling what would become Saturday Night Live, though he remained wary about whether television could truly fulfill his ambitions.

Michaels and Ebersol continued building Saturday Night throughout spring and summer 1975, assembling a team of unconventional writers, performers, and production staff. Michaels prioritized hiring “enlightened amateurs” who brought authenticity over television polish, pulling talent from both Canada and the US, including Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Laraine Newman, Chevy Chase, and Alan Zweibel. He also recruited Michael O’Donoghue and Anne Beatts from National Lampoon, bringing a darker comedic edge. Production budgets were tight, offices were furnished with thrifted finds, and Michaels insisted on “hard-wall reality” sets over typical variety-show backdrops. Despite early tensions with NBC, Michaels carefully navigated expectations, pitching the show as experimental while masking its edgier intentions. Strategic meetings with Johnny Carson and skeptical NBC affiliates kept the project afloat. Assembling the cast and writers was chaotic but fueled by Michaels’s belief that late-night TV could finally reflect a younger, sharper, more culturally aware voice.

During the pre-production summer of Saturday Night, Michaels expanded his social and professional circles, forging relationships with major cultural figures. A spontaneous weekend at Paul Simon’s Bridgehampton rental sparked a lasting friendship, and Michaels also became acquainted with Mick Jagger and Candice Bergen. Bergen agreed to guest host and introduced Michaels to Buck Henry, who would become an important early advisor. Michaels continued assembling his staff, recruiting his cousin Neil Levy as a production assistant, reflecting his tendency to fold family and trusted friends into his ventures. Despite not being widely famous yet, Michaels’s charisma, intelligence, and social instincts allowed him to connect easily with celebrities and influential figures. His understated, strategic charm helped solidify critical early support for Saturday Night, enhancing both the creative talent pool and the show’s perceived cultural credibility before it even launched.

Michaels held the first official staff meeting for Saturday Night in July 1975, assembling the team of writers and early performers he had spent months recruiting. His leadership style was informal but clear: Performers must respect the writing, sketches must have narrative shape, and silly tropes like funny names would be avoided. Michaels emphasized collaboration across departments while quietly maintaining authority, encouraging a culture where making him laugh became a key validation. Early tensions surfaced, such as Garrett Morris feeling his sketch idea was appropriated, but Michaels diplomatically steered conflicts aside. The group’s creative work environment blended highbrow comic ambition with anarchic pranks and social bonding. Meanwhile, positive critical reception of Michaels’s final Lily Tomlin special boosted his confidence that audiences were ready for the type of sophisticated, offbeat humor he envisioned for Saturday Night.

In the final weeks before Saturday Night’s premiere, Michaels and his team scrambled to finalize the show’s format, build the sets, and screen test the cast. The production team faced tensions with NBC executives over the rising costs of Studio 8H renovations and the need for updated sound equipment. Michaels fought to shape the show’s identity, emphasizing realism, irreverence, and naturalism over traditional television glamour. He also secured key cast members and confirmed early guest hosts, pushing back against NBC’s reluctance to book Richard Pryor. Meanwhile, rival show Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell premiered and flopped, validating Michaels’s more authentic approach. Internal culture on the show mixed youthful chaos with deep competitiveness for Michaels’s approval. Despite uncertainty and tight timelines, the group began rehearsing for their debut, with Michaels carefully managing expectations about the show’s potential success.