SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE {BUCK HENRY, THE GRATEFUL DEAD} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of live, late-night comedy/variety programs featuring topical satire. Actor Buck Henry hosts this program, with The Grateful Dead as guest performers. In the opening sequence, taking place at a ballroom in the Ramada Inn, scandal-plagued candidate Dennis V. Hunkler gives a surprising concession speech after a monumental election defeat. In the monologue, Henry talks frankly about being a frequent guest host while a crawl plays beneath him, revealing some less-than-supportive feelings from the show's producers. Next is a commercial parody for "Rovco Chinch Ranch," creator of a chinchilla breeding kit. Sketches include: "Samurai Optometrist" wherein John Belushi's samurai character handles eyeglasses in a most aggressive manner; a couple wonders why "Uncle Roy," a 45-year-old bachelor, continually wants to babysit their little girls; Jane Curtin and Bill Murray host "Weekend Update" which features Murray's "Celebrity Corner" interview with Elizabeth Taylor (portrayed by Belushi) and "station manager" Dan Aykroyd participates with Curtin in "Point/Counterpoint"; "Great Performances," in which host Jean Marsh (played by Laraine Newman) continues the tale of "The Death of Rasputin"; Las Vegas lounge lizard Nick Sands plays "name this song" with some beer-chugging patrons; Joan Face (played by Curtin) hosts "More Flu to Worry About," wherein a doctor (Henry) warns about an Australian epidemic infecting fans of Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John and Lana Cantrell; and St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus plays host to a speaker who hasn't quite mastered the English language. The Grateful Dead perform "Casey Jones," "I Need a Miracle," and "Good Lovin'." Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 19, 1977 11:35 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:25:16
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:51734
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy/Variety; Satire
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1975-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Magic" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - Bic shavers
- TV - Commercials - Certs mints
- TV - Commercials - Clairol shampoo
- TV - Commercials - Coney Island hot dog steamer
- TV - Commercials - Excedrin pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - JCPenney stores
- TV - Commercials - Kodak instant cameras
- TV - Commercials - Marriott's Essex House hotel
- TV - Commercials - Maybelline styler pencils
- TV - Commercials - Memorex tapes
- TV - Commercials - Polaroid instant movies
- TV - Commercials - Revlon cosmetics
- TV - Commercials - Touché strategy game
- TV - Commercials - United States Army
- TV - Commercials - Volkswagen automobiles
- TV - Promos - "Ode to Billy Joe"
- TV - Promos - NFL football
CREDITS
- Lorne Michaels … Producer, Writer
- Jean Doumanian … Associate Producer
- Audrey Peart Dickman … Associate Producer
- Dave Wilson … Director
- Dan Aykroyd … Writer
- Anne Beatts … Writer
- James Downey … Writer
- Brian Doyle-Murray … Writer
- Al Franken … Writer
- Tom Davis … Writer
- Brian McConnachie … Writer
- Don Novello … Writer
- Herb Sargent … Writer
- Tom Schiller … Writer
- Rosie Shuster … Writer
- Walter Williams … Writer
- Alan Zweibel … Writer
- Buck Henry … Host
- Don Pardo … Announcer
- The Grateful Dead … Performer
- Dan Aykroyd … Cast
- John Belushi … Cast
- Jane Curtin … Cast
- Garrett Morris … Cast
- Bill Murray … Cast
- Laraine Newman … Cast
- Gilda Radner … Cast
- Lana Cantrell
- Olivia Newton-John
- Grigory Rasputin
- Helen Reddy
- Elizabeth Taylor