Sorry I haven’t been posting my SNL reviews, but I just wanted to make sure I put in a plug for my favorite SNL resource, The SNL Archives. This website has episode summaries and screen captures for EVERY SNL aired since 1975, and has a database of all the various cast members through the years, the characters they played and the impressions they did, not to mention a thorough listing of the different guests the show had over the years, whether they were hosts, musical guests, special guests or just making a cameo appearance. Joel, the webmaster, has put many hours of work into the site over the years and it is an impressive and useful page for any fan of the show.
The centerpiece of the website is the episode guide, which contains segment descriptions for nearly every sketch, music performance, Weekend Update, cold opening, monologue and commercial parody on the show. Everyone that appears in a segment is listed in the summary, along with their role if appearing in a sketch as a character. Impressions, recurring sketches and characters are linked to their own specific page on the database with details about the different times they had appeared on the show. As well, the show has listings for many of the writers and miscellaneous production staff that appear in walk-ons during the show, so one can use the searchable database to find the sketches where Conan O’Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Larry David or Dave Attell are in the background. You can even find on-screen appearances for future Simpsons writer (and noted recluse) John Swartzwelder.
If there is a sketch that is missing, it either was a dress rehearsal segment or pretape that replaced another sketch in the rerun, or that the original live broadcast was not available for capture. Also, A handful of episodes are still in the rebroadcast running order due to a lack of verifiable information regarding the original live show rundown. I’ve been happy to assist the webmaster with verifying information in the guide and providing access to rare sketches that have been excised from the reruns, but there are a few noticeable gaps that remain and if anyone can assist, please do so.
These are, to my knowledge, the missing segments in the database:
-Live broadcast running orders for: Chevy Chase / Queen (09.25.1982), Robert Blake / Kenny Loggins (11.13.1982), Bruce Dern / Leon Redbone (03.12.1983), Susan Saint James / Michael McDonald (04.16.1983), Father Guido Sarducci / Huey Lewis and the News (01.14.84), Michael Palin and his mother / The Motels (01.21.1984).
-Best Little Whorehouse on the Prairie and Dick Ebersol: No More Andy Kaufman from Robert Blake / Kenny Loggins (11.13.1982)
-Know Your Neighbor (description only, no capture) and Casino Quintet (Fantasy For Auto Horn and Electronic Pulse in D Minor) from Smothers Brothers / Big Country (12.03.1983)
-Top Of The Sushi from Billy Crystal, Ed Koch, Edwin Newman, Father Guido Sarducci and Betty Thomas / The Cars (05.12.1984)
-Christmas Shopping from Tom Hanks / Sade (12.14.1985)
-The Miss Pregnant Teenage America Pageant from Dudley Moore / Al Green (01.25.1986)
-Cliff Robertson for AT&T from Tony Danza / Laurie Anderson (04.19.1986)
-Pango, Giant Dog of Tokyo! from Rosanna Arquette / Ric Ocasek (11.08.1986)
-First Impression from Sting (01.19.1991)
-Dance Party USA from Kevin Bacon / INXS (02.09.1991)
-promos for next week’s shows from Tim Curry / Meat Loaf (12.05.1981), Robert Conrad / The Allman Brothers Band (01.23.1982), Teri Garr / Mick Fleetwood’s Zoo (11.12.1983) and Barry Bostwick / Spinal Tap (05.05.1984), possibly others.
As one of the many people who have assisted Joel with verifying information and giving access to hard to find material, I ask that if you have any of these segments or can contribute information in any capacity to contact him directly by email at snlmedia@comcast.net. The amount of work Joel puts in on the site is staggering, but he also relies on and appreciates the various ways other people have contributed over the years.
