Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1976–77

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 18, 1976, and May 21, 1977, the second season of SNL.

Mr. Mike's Least-Loved Bedtime Tales

Michael O'Donoghue would tell children's bedtime stories with increasingly horrific, nightmarish twists. Debuted October 30, 1976.

Consumer Probe / On The Spot

In each appearance of this sketch, the moderator of the show would interrogate toy maker Irwin Mainway, played by Dan Aykroyd, while he defended his company's extremely dangerous products aimed at children. Toys included "Bag O' Glass", "Bag O' Vipers", "Bag O' Sulfuric Acid", "Mr. Skin Grafter", "Pretty Peggy's Ear Piercing Kit", "Doggy Dentist", "General Tranh's Secret Police Confession Kit", "Johnny Switchblade Adventure Punk", and "Teddy Chainsaw Bear". Halloween costumes included: a military outfit that included an actual working rifle ("very popular in Texas and Detroit!"); an entirely black and non-reflective uniform called "Invisible Pedestrian" (which had a warning on the package that read "NOT FOR BLIND KIDS"); an airtight plastic bag that was to be affixed over the head with a rubber band called "Johnny Space Commander Mask"; and an oil-soaked costume called "Johnny Human Torch", which came complete with an oversized lighter.

The first host of "Consumer Probe" was Candice Bergen (her character had no name), and then in four subsequent episodes, "Consumer Probe" (twice entitled "On The Spot") was hosted by Joan Face. Debuted December 11, 1976.

Appearances
Season Episode Host Title
2December 11, 1976Candice BergenChristmas Toys
3October 29, 1977Charles GrodinHalloween Costumes
4October 14, 1978Fred WillardSchool Lunches
4December 9, 1978Eric IdleFashion Line
4April 14, 1979Milton BerleAmusement Park Rides

Reception

The sketch was named the 8th best sketch by The 50 Best Sketches of All Time by nerve.com the third highest ranking sketch on Saturday Night Live after Coneheads at Home and Samurai Hotel.[1]

Irwin Mainway

A Dan Aykroyd character, this maker of dangerous toys was repeatedly interrogated by the hosts of "Consumer Probe" and "On The Spot" during seasons two, three, and four.

Aykroyd would later appear as Mainway on an episode of the 90s sketch Bill Swerski's Superfans, presenting Michael Jordan merchandising which was also dangerous. Mainway was revealed in this sketch to be a cousin of Todd O'Conner, Chris Farley's character. He would also appear in a Judge Judy sketch.

Coneheads

Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman are a family of aliens stranded on Earth. Debuted January 15, 1977.

Appearances
Season Episode Host Title
2January 15, 1977Ralph NaderThe Coneheads at Home
2February 26, 1977Steve MartinThe Coneheads at Home
2March 26, 1977Jack BurnsThe Farbers Meet The Coneheads
2April 16, 1977Elliott GouldThe Coneheads At Home
2May 21, 1977Buck HenryReturn Of The Coneheads
3October 29, 1977Charles GrodinReturn Of The Coneheads
3January 21, 1978Steve MartinFamily Feud
3March 18, 1978Jill ClayburghThe Coneheads On Earth
3May 13, 1978Richard DreyfussCone Encounters Of The Third Kind
4October 21, 1978Frank ZappaThe Coneheads At Home
4February 24, 1979Kate JacksonThe Coneheads At The Movies

E. Buzz Miller and Christie Christina

Sleazy public-access television cable TV host E. Buzz Miller (Dan Aykroyd) made crude and lascivious remarks about otherwise commonplace subjects (such as fine art or exercise) to which his ditzy co-host Miss Christie Christina (Laraine Newman) would giggle and make obtuse responses. Debuted January 22, 1977.

Christie appeared once outside the cable TV show, in the Season 5, Episode 15 sketch "Assertiveness Training".

Rhonda Weiss

A Gilda Radner character from Long Island, coined as the "Jewish-American Princess". Debuted January 29, 1977.

Leonard Pinth-Garnell, host of "Bad Performances"

Leonard Pinth-Garnell was a recurring character played by Dan Aykroyd. Pinth-Garnell, always clad in a tuxedo and black tie, would lugubriously introduce a short performance of "Bad Conceptual Theater", "Bad Playhouse", "Bad Cinema", "Bad Opera", "Bad Ballet", "Bad Red Chinese Ballet", or "Bad Cabaret for Children", and then exult in its sheer awfulness. Aykroyd played the character nine times from 1977 through 1979, and returned for a single appearance on November 3, 2001, introducing "Bad Conceptual Theater." (The show was hosted at least one time by Laraine Newman as Lady Pinth-Garnell.) Debuted March 12, 1977.

Pinth-Garnell was loosely based on the longtime PBS Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke.

Memorable quotes

  • "Stunningly bad!"
  • "Monumentally ill-advised!"
  • "Perfectly awful!"
  • "Couldn't be worse!"
  • "Exquisitely awful!"
  • "Astonishingly ill-chosen!"
  • "Really bit the big one!"
  • "Unrelentingly bad!"
  • "Rally socks!"
  • "There... That wasn't so good now, was it?"

Episodes featuring Leonard Pinth-Garnell [2]

Season Episode Host Notes
2March 12, 1977Sissy SpacekBad Playhouse
2April 9, 1977Julian BondBad Cinema
2May 14, 1977Shelley DuvallBad Ballet
3October 8, 1977Madeline KahnBad Opera
3December 10, 1977Mary Kay PlaceBad Musical
3March 18, 1978Jill ClayburghBad One-Man Theater
3May 20, 1978Buck HenryBad Conceptual Art
4November 18, 1978Carrie FisherBad Red Chinese Ballet
4February 24, 1979Kate JacksonBad Cabaret for Children
5January 26, 1980Teri GarrBad Playhouse (hosted by Lady Pinth-Garnell)
27November 3, 2001John GoodmanBad Conceptual Theater

Nick The Lounge Singer

Nick The Lounge Singer was one of Bill Murray's most popular recurring characters during his tenure on SNL. The character was a typical 1970s lounge singer who sang current songs in a drawn-out, schmaltzy manner, and was typically accompanied by Paul Shaffer on piano. Nick always had a different 'seasonal' last name (i.e. Nick Summers, Nick Springs, etc.) or sometimes a surname more specific to the sketch (for instance, if he were performing at a prison, he would be "Nick Slammer") and, although he would perform at such unfortunate gigs as airport bars and dives, he would always sing his heart out. He would often take the popular songs of the time and change some of the lyrics to suit the occasion or the setting. In between songs, Nick would schmooze and joke with the audience, chiding them in a harmless showbiz fashion. In one episode, he spotted Linda Ronstadt (that episode's musical guest) in the audience and proceeded to sing a very uncomfortable and unamused Ronstadt a medley of her hits until her bodyguard (played by John Belushi) finally punches him.

In probably his most famous appearance, he sang the theme from Star Wars, adding his own lyrics ("Star Wars/Nothing but Star Wars/Give me those Star Wars/Don't let them end!") to the famous John Williams piece.

Nearly two decades after Nick debuted on SNL, a recurring skit called The Culp Family Musical Performances featuring Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer would gain popularity using the same basic format.

Appearances
Season Episode Host Notes
2April 16, 1977Elliott GouldNick Summers at Breezy Point Lodge
3January 28, 1978Robert KleinNick Winters at the Powder Room
3May 13, 1978Richard DreyfussNick Springs at the Honeymoon Room
4November 11, 1978Buck HenryNick Sands on the Strip North
4February 10, 1979Cicely TysonNick Rails on the Auto Train
4May 19, 1979Maureen StapletonNick Wings at TransEastern
5November 3, 1979Bill RussellNick Borealis in the Arctic
5February 23, 1980Kirk DouglasNick Collins at Greg's Bar Mitzvah
5May 24, 1980Buck HenryNick Lava at Trader Nick's
6March 7, 1981Bill MurrayNick Rivers on the Mississippi
12March 21, 1987Bill MurrayNick Slammer in Prison

Additional Appearances

  • Nick at the Casino September 26, 1999 (25th Anniversary Special)
  • Nick sings "Jaws" February 15, 2015 (40th Anniversary Special)

Debbie Doody

Debbie Doody, played by Gilda Radner, is the widow of Howdy Doody, complete with strings attached to her arms. Debuted April 16, 1977.

Shower Mike with Richard Herkiman

Bill Murray plays Richard Herkiman, who at first appears to be taking his routine morning shower and imagining he is hosting a TV talk show. It soon becomes apparent that the TV program is real, as his TV "guests" enter the shower with him fully clothed. Debuted May 21, 1977.

References

Preceded by
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1975–1976
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches (listed chronologically) Succeeded by
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1977–1978
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