10/04/2025
Fifty years ago tonight (or technically very early tomorrow morning), the cast of “Saturday Night Live” (then called “NBC’s Saturday Night”) was introduced as a full cast for the first time on the “Tomorrow Show” with Tom Snyder. “Saturday Night” was scheduled to premiere that evening, but the show wasn’t quite ready yet, so NBC asked Tom to do a last-minute 90-minute weekend edition of “Tomorrow” to fill the gap in the schedule. The last two segments of the show were dedicated to talking with the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” from their home turf in Studio 8H in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. NBC’s Saturday Night would premiere a week later on October 11, 1975.
SNL’s 51st season premieres tonight, the 50th anniversary of the “Tomorrow Show” interview.