Season 1, Episode 20, Host:Dyan Cannon, with Leon & Mary Russell

Aired May 15, 1976.

Cold opening:"Chevy falls too soon"
When the show begins, Chevy Chase is laying on the floor and yells out "Live, from New York," but he's cut off by the show's director Dave Wilson before he can utter the show's traditional opening phrase.

The director says the clock in the control room is a minute fast, so Chevy must perform the fall again.  He's frustrated because the fall was the ending of a sketch that involved other cast members who are now too busy preparing for the show.  Chase eventually does what Wilson wants and sets up a ladder, climbs the ladder until it falls on a card table, which throws Chevy to the floor.  He then announces "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Monologue:Dyan's Dream Part 1:
Host Dyan Cannon performs a song about how every one of her dreams has come true...except one.

The one dream that hasn't come true is her dream of a shirtless man riding out of the middle of the ocean riding up to her on a white horse, picking her up and carrying her away!  Cannon believes that dream will come true before the episode ends.

Commercial:"Sugar-Free Zing"
Elaine Szigeti (Laraine Newman) participates in new Sugar-Free Zing's blind taste test.  A glass of Zing is placed next to a glass of...phlegm.

"Hearing Test":
A hearing test is interrupted by an armed robbery.

"Delivery Boy":
When a woman named Angela (Cannon) is caught cheating on her husband (Dan Aykroyd) with another man (Chase), she tells a series of elaborate lies in order to cover up her transgression.

Talk show:"Vacationland Adventure"
Jane Curtin interviews Piotr Saluga, head of the Bulgarian Tourist Bureau, who is promoting "the exotic pleasures of Bulgaria, the Baltic Playland."   He shares a film of his home country during wintertime.

Dyan's Dream Part 2:
While speaking in a hoarse voice, Dan Aykroyd tells Cannon that he is her dream come true.  She points out that she was looking for a man on a horse, not "a man who is hoarse."

Leon and Mary Russell:"Satisfy You"
The husband-and-wife duo Leon and Mary Russell perform a song (written by Leon) from their Wedding Album LP, which was released in April of 1976.

Next week:
Gilda Radner tells Laraine Newman that Buck Henry will be hosting next week's show.  Newman says Henry is "disgusting," not realizing that Buck is standing right behind them.

"Weekend Update":
Chevy Chase reports on the days headlines, which include:
Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan announces that if elected, he will not return the Panama Canal to Panama and that he will open the canal to vehicular traffic.

Correspondent Laraine Newman interviews gas station attendant Maynard Spees (Garrett Morris), who claims to be the heir to eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes' fortune.

Plus, "News For The Deaf" presented by Garrett Morris.

Commercial:"Florida Orange Juice"
Singer/pitchwoman Anita Bryant spreads "the good word about orange juice" in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon and winds up in front of a firing squad.

"Funeral":
When a minister (Chase) is delivering a eulogy, he's hit with an awful case of the hiccups.  The mourners try every method they can think of to make it stop.

Dyan's Dream Part 3:
Garrett Morris says he's the answer to Dyan's dream when he walks up to her dressed as a pimp accompanied by two white women (Newman and Radner).  Cannnon reminds Garrett that she said "white horse."

Film by Gary Weis:
Weis interviews a recently-married couple on their honeymoon and private detectives who investigate spouses suspected of infidelity.

Commercial:Ray Waddmaker's Bathwater Of The Stars:
Written by Michael O'Donoghue.
Ray Waddmaker (Aykroyd) and Cindy Cleavage (Cannon) shill for Waddmaker's company, which sells bottles of water made from celebrities' bathwater.

Commercial:"U.S. Marine Corps":
An actor (Chase) in a commercial for the Marine Corps keeps flubbing his lines, which leads to him being beaten repeatedly.

Leon and Mary Russell:"Daylight"
The Russells perform another song from Wedding Album.  "Daylight" was written by Bobby Womack and Harold Payne and was first recorded by Womack in 1975.

Near the end of the song, Joe Cocker (Belushi) arrives and helps them finish the song.

"Johnny Angel":
A teenage girl named Ann (Cannon) tells her parents (Radner and Belushi) she wants them to meet her boyfriend Johnny.  When three members of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club arrive, she introduces all three as her boyfriend "Johnny Angel" and then performs the song of the same title, while the Angels trash her living room and beat up her parents.

"Johnny Angel" was written by Lyn Duddy and Lee Pockriss.  It was first performed on The Donna Reed show by Shelly Fabres.  Her recording of "Johnny Angel" reached #1 on Billboard Pop chart in 1962.

Commercial:"Cresk Toothpaste"

Written by Alan Zweibel.
When Claire (Radner) tells her grocer Mr. Goodman that her son has recently died, Goodman recommends that he use Cresk Toothpaste, since "his body will decay, but his teeth won't."

Dyan's Dream Part 4:
John Belushi rides up to Cannon on the back of his friend Horace (Alan Zweibel) and says he's her dream come true.  Dyan points out that she said "horse" not "Horace."

Home Movie:"Hubcap Thief"
See what happens when a car drives away while a thief is trying to steal its hubcaps!

Goodnights:Dyan's Dream Part 5:
Dyan and the cast are assembled onstage to say goodnight. 

Cannon says she's disappointed that her dream didn't come true.  Suddenly, a shirtless Chevy Chase rides up to Cannon on a white horse!

Cannon gets on the horse and they ride off!

Notes about this episode:
Younger readers of this blog may not be familiar with Dyan Cannon, but she was nominated for three Academy Awards and was a prominent star of film and TV in the 1970s and 80s.

The "Johnny Angel" sketch prompted the real Hell's Angels to visit SNL's offices and demand their "colors," the skull insignia used in the sketch, seen here on the back of the jackets:

The Angels asked for their colors and threatened to get violent if they didn't get them.  Dan Aykroyd (who designed the costumes) personally returned the colors and showered them with respect and admiration.  This led to good relations between the show and the motorcycle club and the Angels frequently showed up in SNL's audience for a while. [1]

Leon Russell played piano, guitar and served as musical director in Joe Cocker's touring band and also produced Cocker's second album.  Which was likely the inspiration for John Belushi (as Cocker) joining the Russells' performance of "Daylight."

Dyan Cannon breaks during the "Bathwater Of The Stars" sketch.  Aykroyd accidentally drops a fake rat in the bathtub, which causes Cannon to laugh.

What stands out:
"Dyan's Dream"-this is one of the better "runner" sketches I've seen during this season.

"Johnny Angel"-this aforementioned sketch is very funny and gives Cannon a chance to show off her singing voice.

J.A. Morris' rating:
I wouldn't call this a "classic" episode and it's a mild step down from the previous week's show.  But it's still a solid episode and Cannon was a good host, I'm sorry she never hosted again.

3 stars.

Footnote:
[1] Saturday Night, by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingard, p.168-170.

Season 1, Episode 19, Host:Madeline Kahn, with Carly Simon and Howard Shore and his All Monster Band

Aired May 8, 1976.
Cold opening:"Ronald Reagan"
Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan (Chevy Chase) plays the organ and repeatedly calls his saxophone player (Garrett Morris) "boy."

The sax player eventually gets sick of Reagan's racism and punches him, which knocks Reagan off the stage.  Reagan then looks into the camera and announces "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Monologue:"Mother's Day"
Since Mother's Day is the next day, host Madeline Kahn honors her mother with a performance of the song "M-O-T-H-E-R," which was written by Howard Johnson and first recorded by Eva Tanguay.  Kahn makes some interesting changes to the lyrics!

"Wilderness Comedian":
Stand-up comic Shecky Adams (John Belushi) turns his back on civilization to make animals laugh!

Talk show:"Not For Ladies Only"
Written by Rosie Shuster.
Baba Wawa (Gilda Radner) interviews movie star Marlene Deitrich (Kahn) about what it's like to be a living legend (or "wiving wegend," as Wawa pronounces it) and how she keeps up her youthful appearance.  Their "unique" pronunciations of the English language prevent them from understanding each other.

"Slumber Party":
Written by Marilyn Suzanne Miller.
At a slumber party, a girl named Madeline (Kahn) tells her friends (Radner, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman) how babies are made.

Her friends get extremely grossed out by this.

Public Service Message:"Fondue Sets for Namibia"
Mark Embutu (Garrett Morris) asks Americans to send fondue sets that they never use to the newly independent nation of Namibia.

"Muppets Beatles Offer":
Scred and the Great Favog are frustrated when Chevy tells them the Muppets' appearance on the show has been cancelled.  Favog says he's friends with the Beatles and promises to help Saturday Night recruit them to perform on the show if Lorne Michaels will put the Muppets back on the show.

Howard Shore and his All Monster Band:"I Feel Pretty":
Doctor Frankenstein (Howard Shore) and his assistant Fritz (Paul Shaffer) bring the Bride Of Frakenstein to life.

The Bride then gets up and sings "I Feel Pretty," which was written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim for the 1957 Broadway musical West Side Story.

"Weekend Update":
Chevy Chase reports on the news of the day, including Jerry Brown dodging the protection of an umbrella "so his suit will look wet and wrinkled," which will help him maintain his "austere" image.

And after a string of primary losses, Pres. Ford announces that from now on he "will campaign to win instead of to lose."


Plus, commentator Emily Litella declares her staunch opposition to "violins" on television.

At the conclusion of his newscast, Chevy presents "News For Cows" for viewers who might be Holsteins.

Commercial:"Super Absorbent Dry Hose"
When a customer at Rosie's Hosiery Shop and Grill has sweaty legs, Rosie (Curtin) recommends that she try on a pair of Super-Absorbent Dry Hose.

Carly Simon:"Half A Chance and"You're So Vain"
Singer/Songwriter Carly Simon performs "Half A Chance," the lead-track on her album Another Passenger, which was released June 5, 1976.

"Half A Chance" was written by Simon and Jacob Brackman and it peaked at #39 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Simon follows that up by singing her #1 hit song "You're So Vain," which appeared on her 1972 album No Secrets.

In the middle of the song, Chevy Chase shows up, plays a cowbell and harmonizes with Simon during the chorus.

"Final Days"
Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.
Former First Lady Pat Nixon (Kahn) tells the story of her husband Pres. Richard Nixon's (Aykroyd) "stormy final days" in office.  She recounts the President's paranoid ratings in the Oval Office...

 ...his late-night meetings with Sammy Davis Jr. (Morris)...

... and Henry Kissinger (Belushi).

Film by Gary Weis:"New York's My Home"
Ray Charles' recording of "New York's My Home" accompanies footage of New York City and its sports fans.  

"New York's My Home" was written by Gordon Jenkins and appeared on Jenkins' 1946 album Manhattan Tower.  Ray Charles' version of the song appeared on his 1960 album The Genius Hits the Road.

"I Will Follow Him":
Evelyn Mulwray (Kahn) asks private investigator Jake Gittes (Belushi) to find her missing husband.

When Mulwray asks Gittes how he'll find her husband, Jake answers "I will follow him" then starts singing the song of the same name.  Evelyn joins him and they sing a duet.

"I Will Follow Him" began as an instrumental composed by Franck Pourcel and Paul Mauriat.  Lyrics were added later and it was recorded by Little Peggy March in 1963.  March's version reached #1 on the pop chart in the U.S. and eight other countries.

"Impressions":
Kahn imitates a baby eating ice cream for the first time.  Radner then impersonates a parakeet learning how to talk.

Madeline Kahn:"Lost In The Stars":
Kahn sings "Lost In The Stars,"  which was written by Maxwell Anderson and Kurt Weill in 1949 for the musical of the same name.

Goodnights:
Kahn thanks Carly Simon for being part of the show and wishes all the mothers watching a Happy Mothers Day.

Notes about this episode:

"I Will Follow Him" is a parody of the 1974 film Chinatown.  Kahn and Belushi play characters that were portrayed by Faye Dunaway and Jack Nicholson, respectively.

During "Final Days," Garrett Morris-as-Sammy Davis Jr. sings "I've Gotta Be Me."  This song was written by Walter Marks for the 1968 Broadway Musical Golden Rainbow.  Sammy Davis Jr.'s recording of the song reached #11 on the Billboard Pop chart and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1969.

In "Wilderness Comedian," John Belushi plays Shecky Adams, a reference to the title character of the film and TV series The Life And Times Of Grizzly Adams.  Its title is likely a reference to 1975 film The Adventures of the Wilderness Family.

Classic moments:
"Final Days"-Aykroyd's performance as Nixon is amazing and the rest of the cast provides great support.  Aykroyd impersonated Nixon's voice while wearing an ape mask in episode 13, but this is his first "full bodied" impression (for lack of a better description) of the disgraced 37th President.  Aykroyd would play Nixon eight more times before he left at the end of SNL's fourth season.  

What stands out:
"Slumber party"-This is a great sketch with great performances by Kahn, Curtin, Newman and Radner.  I'm sure everyone who watched this show had conversations about sex that are depicted in this sketch, but they'd probably never seen anything like this on network television.  Newman's screams of "DISGUSTING!" make me laugh every time I watch it.  

"I Feel Pretty"-I've mentioned earlier that I like performances that feature Saturday Night's house band in costumes.  This is the best "costumed band" performance yet.  Kahn does a great job with the lead vocal, Howard Shore and Paul Shaffer are very funny as Doctor Frankenstein and Fritz.  

"Not For Ladies Only"-Kahn and Gilda Radner are both hilarious in this Barbara Walters parody.  I'm not going to get in the habit of embedding videos on this site, but it's difficult to describe how great this sketch is.  So here it is:

What doesn't work:
"Lost In The Stars"-Madeline Kahn's performance of the song is good, but I would've preferred a more uptempo song or another sketch at the end of the show.

J.A. Morris' rating:
This was an excellent episode with strong sketches from start to finish.  Madeline Kahn was a great host who worked well with the cast and this gets my highest rating.

4 stars!