Live,” premiered Oct. 11, 1975, with an original cast that included John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner. It’s become appointment television over the years as the show has skewered presidents, politics and pop culture and been a platform for the biggest musical stars of the moment.

It was the right way to open a three-plus-hour live telecast that offered a commingling of the comedy institution’s iconic past and minefield present, amid the backdrop of our surreal 2025 reality. Not every segment worked as well as Martin’s,

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To get you in the right mood for the SNL extravaganza, here are some fun pop culture factoids about 1975, the year “Live from New York…it’s Saturday Night!” premiered. 1) The top-rated television series in primetime in 1975 was All in the Family on CBS.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live," NBC will show the first episode that aired on Oct. 11, 1975.