Steve Martin
SNL at the Movies
October 14, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live is in its 35th season.
35 years of sketches, recurring characters, and Weekend Update.
35 years of Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!
35 years of laughter.
Shortly after it premiered in 1975, cast members started appearing in movies. They soon became box office gold.
Animal House, Caddyshack, Beverly Hills Cop, Wayne’s World, Wedding Crashers, Stripes, Meatballs, The Blues Brothers, Foul Play, Land of the Lost, Old School, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, Scrooged, Seems Like Old Times, Tootsie, Tommy Boy, 48 Hours, Driving Miss Daisy, Anchorman, Semi-Pro, Dr. Doolittle, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, and Shrek.
These movies all starred or featured at least one SNL cast member in a prominent role.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are not and were never cast members of Saturday Night Live, but their numerous appearances as guest host arguably give them honorary cast member status.
Add their movies to the SNL cast member movie roster.
Altogether, the total box office gross of these movies will likely be in the billions.
Quite a contribution for a show that was christened Saturday Night Dead by the media at several times in its history.
Saturday Night Live cast members leave Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center for the big screen.
It’s part of the show’s history dating back to a little movie directed by John Landis that captures America’s fascination with a time that was simpler -- before the Vietnam War, the JFK assassination, and Watergate.
The setting was 1962.
The film was National Lampoon’s Animal House.
Produced on a budget reportedly less than $3 million in 1978, Animal House became a pop culture icon, conquered the box office dragon, and secured John Belushi’s rightful place as a box office attraction.
He was the first SNL cast member to truly break through the television-film barrier.
Belushi was also a good dramatic actor. The romantic comedy Continental Divide pits Belushi’s hardened, cynical, Chicago newspaper columnist Ernie Souchak against Blair Brown’s environmentally aware eagle researcher Nell Porter.
Belushi died in 1981 from a drug overdose at the age of 33. His premature death prevented us from knowing the true depths of his acting talents.
But Belushi’s breakthrough role as Bluto in Animal House set a trend that continues today.
From Eddie Murphy to Mike Myers.
From Dan Aykroyd to Tina Fey.
From Bill Murray to Will Ferrell.
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live is in its 35th season.
35 years of sketches, recurring characters, and Weekend Update.
35 years of Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!
35 years of laughter.
Shortly after it premiered in 1975, cast members started appearing in movies. They soon became box office gold.
Animal House, Caddyshack, Beverly Hills Cop, Wayne’s World, Wedding Crashers, Stripes, Meatballs, The Blues Brothers, Foul Play, Land of the Lost, Old School, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, Scrooged, Seems Like Old Times, Tootsie, Tommy Boy, 48 Hours, Driving Miss Daisy, Anchorman, Semi-Pro, Dr. Doolittle, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, and Shrek.
These movies all starred or featured at least one SNL cast member in a prominent role.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are not and were never cast members of Saturday Night Live, but their numerous appearances as guest host arguably give them honorary cast member status.
Add their movies to the SNL cast member movie roster.
Altogether, the total box office gross of these movies will likely be in the billions.
Quite a contribution for a show that was christened Saturday Night Dead by the media at several times in its history.
Saturday Night Live cast members leave Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center for the big screen.
It’s part of the show’s history dating back to a little movie directed by John Landis that captures America’s fascination with a time that was simpler -- before the Vietnam War, the JFK assassination, and Watergate.
The setting was 1962.
The film was National Lampoon’s Animal House.
Produced on a budget reportedly less than $3 million in 1978, Animal House became a pop culture icon, conquered the box office dragon, and secured John Belushi’s rightful place as a box office attraction.
He was the first SNL cast member to truly break through the television-film barrier.
Belushi was also a good dramatic actor. The romantic comedy Continental Divide pits Belushi’s hardened, cynical, Chicago newspaper columnist Ernie Souchak against Blair Brown’s environmentally aware eagle researcher Nell Porter.
Belushi died in 1981 from a drug overdose at the age of 33. His premature death prevented us from knowing the true depths of his acting talents.
But Belushi’s breakthrough role as Bluto in Animal House set a trend that continues today.
From Eddie Murphy to Mike Myers.
From Dan Aykroyd to Tina Fey.
From Bill Murray to Will Ferrell.
Lou's On First
May 26, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Yesterday, Memorial Day marked the traditional, if unofficial, start to summer.
And that means one of America’s favorite pastimes will be in full swing.
Reading.
On planes, boats, and trains, you’ll find people deep into their books.
At the beach, the community swimming pool, or a park, you’ll find people learning, escaping, or merely enjoying through the wonders provided by the written word.
I suggest a heartfelt biography about Lou Costello written by his youngest child Chris along with Raymond Strait.
Lou’s On First is a no holds barred book about one of the entertainment industry’s greatest treasures – Lou Costello.
But that treasure came with an extremely high price.
The title is a takeoff on Abbott and Costello’s trademark comedy routine Who’s On First?
Lou’s On First recounts Costello’s life from his youngest daughter’s perspective.
You’ll learn about the rotund comedian’s early days as an athlete in Paterson, New Jersey.
You’ll learn the real story about how he and Bud Abbott formed their legendary partnership, rose to great successes, and dealt with the tension between them.
And you’ll learn how Costello dealt with massive obstacles to happiness in his life.
Being bedridden for a year because of rheumatic fever.
The death of his one-year-old son on the day Abbott & Costello were set to return to their radio show after Costello’s illness and Costello's consequent adherence to show business legend -- The show must go on.
IRS investigations.
Abbott & Costello dissolved their partnership in 1957. Lou Costello appeared as a solo act. He made several appearances on The Steve Allen Show where he recreated burlesque bits with regulars Tom Poston and Louis Nye.
Often, comedians make terrific dramatic actors.
Jackie Gleason in The Hustler.
Michael Keaton in Batman.
Steve Martin in Grand Canyon.
Lou Costello could have been in that category.
He started making some inroads with television dramas. He appeared in the Blaze of Glory segment of General Electric Theater.
Abbott & Costello’s former producer Howard Christie was producing Wagon Train at the same time. He asked Lou to continue dramatic acting in the Wagon Train episode The Tobias Jones Story.
Unfortunately, Lou Costello did not get the chance to spread his acting wings.
He died on March 3, 1959.
Lou’s On First explores Lou Costello’s life with respect for the comedian’s work, admiration for his generosity, and love for his gift of laughter.
It’s a behind the laughter look at a man with the extraordinary gift of comedy and the unfortunate burdens of tragedy.
Lou’s On First. Make it your first read of the summer.
david@davidkrell.com
Yesterday, Memorial Day marked the traditional, if unofficial, start to summer.
And that means one of America’s favorite pastimes will be in full swing.
Reading.
On planes, boats, and trains, you’ll find people deep into their books.
At the beach, the community swimming pool, or a park, you’ll find people learning, escaping, or merely enjoying through the wonders provided by the written word.
I suggest a heartfelt biography about Lou Costello written by his youngest child Chris along with Raymond Strait.
Lou’s On First is a no holds barred book about one of the entertainment industry’s greatest treasures – Lou Costello.
But that treasure came with an extremely high price.
The title is a takeoff on Abbott and Costello’s trademark comedy routine Who’s On First?
Lou’s On First recounts Costello’s life from his youngest daughter’s perspective.
You’ll learn about the rotund comedian’s early days as an athlete in Paterson, New Jersey.
You’ll learn the real story about how he and Bud Abbott formed their legendary partnership, rose to great successes, and dealt with the tension between them.
And you’ll learn how Costello dealt with massive obstacles to happiness in his life.
Being bedridden for a year because of rheumatic fever.
The death of his one-year-old son on the day Abbott & Costello were set to return to their radio show after Costello’s illness and Costello's consequent adherence to show business legend -- The show must go on.
IRS investigations.
Abbott & Costello dissolved their partnership in 1957. Lou Costello appeared as a solo act. He made several appearances on The Steve Allen Show where he recreated burlesque bits with regulars Tom Poston and Louis Nye.
Often, comedians make terrific dramatic actors.
Jackie Gleason in The Hustler.
Michael Keaton in Batman.
Steve Martin in Grand Canyon.
Lou Costello could have been in that category.
He started making some inroads with television dramas. He appeared in the Blaze of Glory segment of General Electric Theater.
Abbott & Costello’s former producer Howard Christie was producing Wagon Train at the same time. He asked Lou to continue dramatic acting in the Wagon Train episode The Tobias Jones Story.
Unfortunately, Lou Costello did not get the chance to spread his acting wings.
He died on March 3, 1959.
Lou’s On First explores Lou Costello’s life with respect for the comedian’s work, admiration for his generosity, and love for his gift of laughter.
It’s a behind the laughter look at a man with the extraordinary gift of comedy and the unfortunate burdens of tragedy.
Lou’s On First. Make it your first read of the summer.