Saturday Night Live will be celebrating 40 big ones with a celebrity-packed three hour live special set to air on February 15, 2015. NBC plans to bring back past SNL cast members to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the late night series, which premiered back on Oct. 11, 1975.
“Saturday Night Live is an institution unlike anything else in television history,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “The many brilliant ‘Not Ready for Primetime Players’ over the years is a who’s who of film and television comedy for the last two generations. The roster includes everyone from the iconic first cast in 1975 to household names ranging from Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler, to Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers — to name only a few. This brand, which is still one of the highest-rated comedies on television, was the brainchild of Lorne Michaels, who still presides over the whole enterprise today. This special is just one of the many ways we plan to celebrate SNL’s historic 40th season next year.”
Over its 40-year run, the series created by Lorne Michaels has won 40 Emmy Awards – more than any other TV series. According to NBC, its 171 nominations is also the most of any show in history.
