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Quiz about Saturday Night Live History 19751982
Quiz about Saturday Night Live History 19751982

"Saturday Night Live" History (1975-1982) Quiz


"SNL" debuted on Oct. 11, 1975, founded by Canadian Lorne Michaels. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the first seven years.

A multiple-choice quiz by Billkozy. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Billkozy
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
405,737
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
336
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 107 (9/10), Guest 66 (5/10), Guest 70 (7/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Aside from "Weekend Update's" Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin (who were essentially playing themselves) who were the first recurring characters on Saturday Night Live, making their first appearance on October 11, 1975? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. John Belushi introduced his Samurai character to the show for the first time on December 13, 1975. In this one, Belushi and the host of the show played bellhops arguing over who should carry a guest's luggage. Who was that host? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "The Blues Brothers" debuted on the show (in front of the cameras) on January 17, 1976 that first season. What were their first names? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In Season 1, on April 24, 1976, while holding up the check, how much money did Lorne Michaels offer the Beatles to come on the show and perform? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Which "SNL" cast member's impression of Gerald Ford resulted in nearly crippling him as he took his typical pratfall in a sketch on September 18, 1976? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In Season 3, on December 17, 1977, the music artist for "SNL" made TV history by stopping his band just 7 seconds into their song and then having his band play a different song. It got him banned from the show for 12 years. Who was it? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. "The French Chef" sketch on "SNL". Julia Child is preparing a dish and gets cut. Blood is going everywhere. It's all a gag though, done with hoses and fake blood and such. Who portrayed Julia Child? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. The departure of Lorne Michaels from "SNL". The show's creator needed a breather so the May 24, 1980 show was his final one before who took over as executive producer? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The historic F-Bomb that got the whole "SNL" cast fired. On Season 6, February 21, 1981, although it was one cast member responsible for the expletive, it led to the show's total unraveling as the producers cleaned house. Who dropped the F-bomb? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. John Belushi's overdose on March 5, 1982 sent a shockwave through "Saturday Night Live" even though he hadn't been a regular cast member since 1979. In what city did he OD? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 107: 9/10
Oct 05 2024 : Guest 66: 5/10
Sep 28 2024 : Guest 70: 7/10
Sep 22 2024 : Guest 45: 7/10
Sep 16 2024 : sueberhan: 9/10
Sep 16 2024 : Guest 101: 7/10
Sep 14 2024 : Guest 67: 6/10
Sep 12 2024 : Guest 47: 6/10
Sep 01 2024 : Guest 136: 8/10

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Aside from "Weekend Update's" Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin (who were essentially playing themselves) who were the first recurring characters on Saturday Night Live, making their first appearance on October 11, 1975?

Answer: The Killer Bees

In the book "Live From New York", Lorne Michaels reveals that "The only note we got from the network on the first show was 'Cut the bees.' And so I made sure I put them in the next show." They appeared 11 times that first season, and then only three more times after that. For the Christmas show that first season, Candace Bergen was a Killer Bee in "Bee Capades" sketch. She wore a Sonia Henie costume and amusedly recalls how before the show "we all went down in the elevator--the elevator was filled with bees on skates. The elevator operator never looked at us."

Mr. Bill's first appearance was on the show was on February 28, 1976, episode. He became the subject of a running series of Super 8 claymation films after the producers requested home movies be sent in. John Belushi's samurai warrior debuted about two months after The Killer Bees. Gilda Radner's impersonation of Barbara Walter started in April 1976.
2. John Belushi introduced his Samurai character to the show for the first time on December 13, 1975. In this one, Belushi and the host of the show played bellhops arguing over who should carry a guest's luggage. Who was that host?

Answer: Richard Pryor

Belushi and Pryor spoke their mock-Japanese as they wielded their katanas in what would become the first recurring sketch on the show. What people don't realize is that John Belushi's samurai character was a part of his comic repertoire long before joining "SNL".

In fact, he auditioned for the show playing that character. Writer Alan Zweibel co-wrote several of the samurai sketches, such as "Samurai Deli", "Samurai Stockbroker", and "Samurai Night Fever."
3. "The Blues Brothers" debuted on the show (in front of the cameras) on January 17, 1976 that first season. What were their first names?

Answer: Jake and Elwood

I added the qualifier "in front of the cameras" because Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi (Jake and Elwood Blues) started out by appearing in front of the show's audience as a warm-up act. Howard Shore, "SNL's" original music director back then, let them up onstage after Aykroyd wanted to play harmonica and Belushi wanted to sing. Shore introduced them as "those brothers in blues". Their airtime appearance was a huge international success and netted the two stars two theatrical feature films and 14 record albums.
4. In Season 1, on April 24, 1976, while holding up the check, how much money did Lorne Michaels offer the Beatles to come on the show and perform?

Answer: $3,000

The camera focused on Lorne Michaels standing up as he announced, "Please allow me to address myself to just four very special people: John Paul, George, and Ringo." His offer to the Beatles in exchange for their reunion appearance on "SNL" amounted to $3,000.

He looked into the camera saying, "NBC has authorized me to offer you ... a certified check for $3,000. You can divide it anyway you want. If you want to give Ringo less, that's up to you." But consider this: Paul McCartney and John Lennon had actually witnessed this moment while watching the show from Lennon's Manhattan Dakota apartment, and Paul later told Michaels that he and John actually considered coming to the studio.
5. Which "SNL" cast member's impression of Gerald Ford resulted in nearly crippling him as he took his typical pratfall in a sketch on September 18, 1976?

Answer: Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase made no attempt whatsoever to sound like Gerald Ford, and maybe that was part of the joke. Mostly his impression of the former President consisted of sheer dumbness by misusing props, or clumsiness by falling down a lot. But on that fateful night, Chase recalls that he was performing in a sketch in which he stood at a lectern taking part in a debate with Dan Aykroyd who was portraying Jimmy Carter. Chase remembered, "Willie Day was our prop guy.

He was about 88" and at the end of the sketch Chase fell forward like he was supposed to do, but..." Willie was supposed to have lined it with a cushion. I was in the hospital for a week. I peed blood."
6. In Season 3, on December 17, 1977, the music artist for "SNL" made TV history by stopping his band just 7 seconds into their song and then having his band play a different song. It got him banned from the show for 12 years. Who was it?

Answer: Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Elvis and his band were supposed to play, "Less Than Zero." And they did, for about seven seconds before Costello turns around to the band and waves his arms frantically and tells them to play "Radio Radio" instead, a politically tinged song attacking the media.

It's interesting to watch because it almost looks like part of a sketch, like it wasn't the crazy, completely unexpected radical move that it's come to be known as. But apparently it was indeed not part of the plan, as it got him banned for 12 years. Musical director Howard Shore insists it was fine: "I was standing with Lorne right at the camera line, and we both looked at each other and shrugged."
7. "The French Chef" sketch on "SNL". Julia Child is preparing a dish and gets cut. Blood is going everywhere. It's all a gag though, done with hoses and fake blood and such. Who portrayed Julia Child?

Answer: Dan Aykroyd

The sketch was actually supposed to air on an earlier episode but Lorne Michaels wanted more blood so he pulled the sketch and pushed it to a later date: December 9, 1978 in Season 4. In the sketch Aykroyd pretends to have cut himself very badly, and blood starts spurting almost uncontrollably from his arm. "SNL" writer Anne Beatts remembered that "I heard somewhere that Julia Child thought it was hilarious. I really give her credit for that. Seeing a sketch on TV where you're being portrayed by a man bleeding to death--it takes a sense of humor."
8. The departure of Lorne Michaels from "SNL". The show's creator needed a breather so the May 24, 1980 show was his final one before who took over as executive producer?

Answer: Jean Doumanian

At the end of the fifth season, they held on a shot of the "on air" sign as it flickered off, symbolizing the end of Lorne Michael's reign. But not only did Michaels leave at the end of the fifth season, the whole original cast left. The show was essentially completely rebooting, and taking over for Lorne Michaels would be Jean Doumanian who had been an associate producer on the show. Michaels was hoping that NBC executives would let the show go on a hiatus so he could rest.

He said, "I had just done five years at a very intense pace, so the idea of pulling it all together with a brand new group, I was just too exhausted and I didn't think I could do it." But the network chose to plow ahead instead.
9. The historic F-Bomb that got the whole "SNL" cast fired. On Season 6, February 21, 1981, although it was one cast member responsible for the expletive, it led to the show's total unraveling as the producers cleaned house. Who dropped the F-bomb?

Answer: Charles Rocket

Charles Rocket had been in a sketch parodying the "Who Shot J.R. Ewing?" episode from the show "Dallas." Charlene Tilton was the guest host and at the end of the show during the onstage collection of cast members, Rocket was still in character and sitting in a wheelchair.

He blurted out, "Oh man it's the first time I've been shot in my life. I'd like to know who the &%#@ did it!" Executive producer Jean Doumanian was fired and replaced by Dick Ebersol. Ebersol in turn fired almost the entire cast after a day watching rehearsals.

He recalled, "I met with Brandon [Tartikoff] and I said, 'You know, there's not a whole lot there. But I'm crazy about that one guy who's not a cast member." He was talking about Eddie Murphy who had been a featured member. So the F-Bomb led indirectly to the rise of one of the show's all-time greatest cast members.
10. John Belushi's overdose on March 5, 1982 sent a shockwave through "Saturday Night Live" even though he hadn't been a regular cast member since 1979. In what city did he OD?

Answer: Los Angeles

Belushi's fateful overdose from a combination of heroin and cocaine occurred at the hotel Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, California. On the show, Belushi's longtime friend, Brian Doyle Murray addressed the audience and the cameras. He was a writer on the show, and his brother Bill Murray was a cast member and writer. His voice breaking, Brian Doyle Murray related to everyone how he once saw John Belushi get hit by a bus and then walk away unharmed. "I always thought he was indestructible" he told the audience.
Source: Author Billkozy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
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