Saturday Night Live (season 5)

The fifth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 13, 1979, and May 24, 1980.

Saturday Night Live
Season 5
Starring	Jane Curtin Garrett Morris Bill Murray Laraine Newman Gilda Radner
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	20
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	October 13, 1979 (1979-10-13) – May 24, 1980 (1980-05-24)
Season chronology

Cast

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi left the show at the end of season 4, leaving a void in the cast that most fans thought would be the beginning of the end of the late-night sketch comedy show.

To keep the show going, Lorne Michaels upgraded many of the show's writers to featured cast member status: Peter Aykroyd (Dan's brother), Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray (Bill's brother), Don Novello, Tom Schiller and Alan Zweibel. Band leader Paul Shaffer also joined the cast, becoming the first person from the SNL band to become a cast member. Harry Shearer joined the show as a featured cast member and was promoted to repertory status during the season.

This season was the first to have two members of the same family as cast members (Bill Murray and Brian Doyle-Murray).

This would be the final season for everyone in the cast. Tom Davis and Jim Downey would return to the show in future seasons as writers. Al Franken, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello and Harry Shearer would rejoin the cast in future seasons (Al Franken would also return as a writer).

Cast roster

Repertory players Jane Curtin Garrett Morris Bill Murray Laraine Newman Gilda Radner Featured players Peter Aykroyd (first episode: January 26, 1980) Tom Davis Jim Downey (first episode: January 26, 1980) Brian Doyle-Murray (first episode: January 26, 1980) Al Franken Don Novello Tom Schiller (first episode: April 19, 1980) Paul Shaffer (first episode: November 17, 1979) Harry Shearer (first episode: October 20, 1979; upgraded to repertory status: February 9, 1980)

Alan Zweibel (first episode: April 19, 1980)

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Featured cast members announced and shown during the "Opening Introductions" varied from week to week, as noted below in each episode's description.

Writers

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live writers § Season 5

As previously mentioned, Michaels upgraded many of the show's writers to cast member status, including Aykroyd, Downey, Doyle-Murray, Novello, Schiller and Zweibel. Doyle-Murray would be the only one to return, as a writer, in the following season.

This season's writers were Peter Aykroyd, Anne Beatts, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Tom Gammill, Lorne Michaels, Matt Neuman, Don Novello, Sarah Paley, Max Pross, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Harry Shearer, Rosie Shuster and Alan Zweibel. The head writer was Herb Sargent.

Episodes

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Host(s)	Musical guest(s)	Original air date
87	1	Steve Martin	Blondie	October 13, 1979 (1979-10-13)
Blondie performs "Dreaming" and "The Hardest Part".[1] The All-New Mr. Bill Show. Buck Henry has a cameo. Credited Featured Player: Don Novello.
88	2	Eric Idle	Bob Dylan	October 20, 1979 (1979-10-20)
Eric Idle's fourth and final time hosting. Dylan performs "Gotta Serve Somebody", "I Believe in You" and "When You Gonna Wake Up".[1] Buck Henry has a cameo in the cold open. Andy Kaufman challenges the women in the studio audience to a wrestling match. Harry Shearer's first episode as cast member. Credited Featured Player: Harry Shearer.
89	3	Bill Russell	Chicago	November 3, 1979 (1979-11-03)
Chicago performs a cover of The Spencer Davis Group's "I'm a Man" and "Street Player".[1]
90	4	Buck Henry	Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers	November 10, 1979 (1979-11-10)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers performs "Refugee" and "Don't Do Me Like That".[1] Mr. Bill Stays Home. Credited Featured Player: Don Novello.
91	5	Bea Arthur	The Roches	November 17, 1979 (1979-11-17)
The Roches performs "Bobby's Song" (from its second album, "Nurds") and "The Hallelujah Chorus" (from its third album, "Keep On Doing").[1] Andy Kaufman guest stars. Mr. Bill Builds A House. Paul Shaffer's first episode as cast member. Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
92	6	Howard Hesseman	Randy Newman	December 8, 1979 (1979-12-08)
Randy Newman performs "It's Money That I Love",[1] "The Story of a Rock and Roll Band",[1] and "I'm Gonna Take Off My Pants". Credited Featured Players: Don Novello, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
93	7	Martin Sheen	David Bowie	December 15, 1979 (1979-12-15)
Bowie performs "The Man Who Sold the World", "TVC 15" and "Boys Keep Swinging".[1] Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias make guest appearances as backup singers. Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Al Franken, Don Novello, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer. On the January 16, 2016 episode (hosted by Adam Driver) SNL paid tribute to David Bowie, who had died six days earlier, by playing a clip of his performance of "The Man Who Sold the World" (introduced by Fred Armisen) and posting the full performance on its website (and briefly on YouTube).
94	8	Ted Knight	Desmond Child & Rouge	December 22, 1979 (1979-12-22)
Desmond Child & Rouge performs "Goodbye Baby"[1] and "Tumble In The Night". G.E. Smith plays guitar for Desmond Child. Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Al Franken, Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer.
95	9	Teri Garr	The B-52's	January 26, 1980 (1980-01-26)
The B-52's performs "Rock Lobster" and "Dance This Mess Around."[1] Mr. Bill Gets Help. Presidential candidate John B. Anderson appears in a sketch. Peter Aykroyd, Jim Downey, and Brian Doyle-Murray's first episode as cast members. Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Don Novello and Harry Shearer.
96	10	Chevy Chase	Marianne Faithfull Tom Scott	February 9, 1980 (1980-02-09)
Marianne Faithfull performs "Broken English" and "Guilt".[1] Chevy Chase and Tom Scott perform "Sixteen Tons". Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Don Novello and Paul Shaffer. Harry Shearer's first episode as a member of the main repertory cast rather than as a featured performer. New opening montage, featuring all cast members in rolling still images in a bar setting.
97	11	Elliott Gould	Gary Numan	February 16, 1980 (1980-02-16)
Gary Numan performs "Cars" and "Praying to the Aliens".[1] A running gag where Father Guido Sarducci attempts to interview former President Richard Nixon, and stakes out his New York apartment building. JAP character Rhonda Weiss (Gilda Radner) performs a takeoff on Jordache: "She's the Jewess in Jewess jeans" Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken and Don Novello.
98	12	Kirk Douglas	Sam & Dave	February 23, 1980 (1980-02-23)
Sam & Dave perform "You Don't Know Like I Know" and "Soul Man".[1] Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray and Al Franken This episode re-aired on February 8, 2020 as a tribute to Kirk Douglas who had died 3 days before the episode aired.
99	13	Rodney Dangerfield	The J. Geils Band	March 8, 1980 (1980-03-08)
The J. Geils Band performs "Love Stinks" and "Sanctuary".[1] Leave It to Beaver cast members Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers appear during Weekend Update. Actor Rob Morrow appears as an extra in a sketch. He would later host the show during Season 17. Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello and Paul Shaffer.
100	14	(none)	Paul Simon James Taylor David Sanborn	March 15, 1980 (1980-03-15)
No announced guest host David Sanborn's only time as musical guest. Paul Simon and James Taylor perform "Cathy's Clown", "Sunny Skies" and "Take Me to the Mardi Gras".[1] David Sanborn performs "Anything You Want".[1] During a sketch about a medieval band rehearsing for a performance, Paul Shaffer said the word "fuck" live on the air.[2] Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray and Paul Shaffer. The show's 100th episode, featuring several cameos (including John Belushi and Michael O'Donoghue).
101	15	Richard Benjamin Paula Prentiss	Grateful Dead	April 5, 1980 (1980-04-05)
Grateful Dead performs "Alabama Getaway" and "Saint of Circumstance,".[1] both from the album Go To Heaven Mr. Bill Strikes Back Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis and Al Franken.
102	16	Burt Reynolds	Anne Murray	April 12, 1980 (1980-04-12)
Anne Murray performs "Lucky Me" and "Why Don't You Stick Around".[1] Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Don Novello and Paul Shaffer.
103	17	Strother Martin	The Specials	April 19, 1980 (1980-04-19)
Strother Martin's final television appearance before his death in August, 1980 The Specials performs "Gangsters" and "Too Much, Too Young".[1] Tom Schiller and Alan Zweibel's first episode as cast members. Credited Featured Players: Tom Davis, Brian Doyle-Murray, Tom Schiller, Paul Shaffer and Alan Zweibel.
104	18	Bob Newhart	The Amazing Rhythm Aces Bruce Cockburn	May 10, 1980 (1980-05-10)
The Amazing Rhythm Aces performs "Who Will the Next Fool Be"[1] and "Third Rate Romance".[1] (Joined by Murray on the Maracas) Cockburn performs "Wondering Where the Lions Are".[1] In a Weekend Update commentary, "A Limo For A Lame-O", Al Franken laments that he does not have limo service like NBC president Fred Silverman, despite the network's poor ratings and shaky finances under Silverman's leadership. This ruined Franken's slim chance of succeeding Lorne Michaels as the show's executive producer[3] Mr. Bill Gets 20 Years In Sing Sing. Credited Featured Players: Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken and Paul Shaffer.
105	19	Steve Martin	3-D Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney	May 17, 1980 (1980-05-17)
3-D performs "All-Night Television".[1] Paul McCartney premieres the music video for his single "Coming Up".[4] Credited Featured Player: Don Novello Don Novello's final episode as a cast member (until season 11).
106	20	Buck Henry	Andrew Gold Andrae Crouch & the Voices of Unity	May 24, 1980 (1980-05-24)
Buck Henry's tenth and final time as host before his death in 2020, nearly forty years after the airing of this episode. Andrew Gold performs "Kiss This One Goodbye".[1] Andrae Crouch & the Voices of Unity performs "Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus".[1] Contains the "Lord and Lady Douchebag" sketch,[5] in which the word "douchebag" was said 12[6] times. Future cast member Yvonne Hudson appeared in the Nick the Lounge Singer sketch. Credited Featured Players: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken and Paul Shaffer. Peter Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, Tom Schiller, Paul Shaffer, and Alan Zweibel's final episode as cast members. Brian Doyle-Murray's final episode (until season 7). Harry Shearer's final episode (until season 10). Al Franken's final episode (until season 11). Lorne Michaels' final episode as executive producer (until season 11).

Home media

SNL's fifth season was released on DVD on December 1, 2009.[7] There are no plans to release any further seasons.[8]

References

1. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 124–127. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
2. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 26–27, 264. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
3. Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, Saturday Night, Beech Tree Books, 1986, p. 376
4. "Saturday Night Live: Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartney Episode Summary". TV.com. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
5. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 109. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
6. Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 264. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
7. "Saturday Night Live: Season 5, 1979-1980". Amazon. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
8. Lambert, David (November 4, 2010). "Saturday Night Live - Season Set Outlook is Not So Good for SNL, Studio Says". TV Shows on DVD. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2015.