Season 5 (1979–80)
| Script Consultant (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
The following is a list of Saturday Night Live writers. The show, created by Lorne Michaels, is an American live sketch comedy and variety show. Airing since 1975, it has employed a large and changing staff of writers.
Seasons: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 |
| Head writers |
|---|
| Lorne Michaels and Michael O'Donoghue |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
| Head Writer |
|---|
| Michael O'Donoghue |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Script Coordinator |
| Anne Beatts |
| Writing staff |
|
| Head Writer |
|---|
| Michael O'Donoghue |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Script Consultant (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Script Consultant (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Script Consultants/Script Supervisors (Head Writers) |
|---|
| Mason Williams (episodes 1–5), Jeremy Stevens and Tom Moore (episodes 6–13), Michael O'Donoghue and Bob Tischler (episode 13) [b] |
| Writing staff |
|
| Supervising Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Michael O'Donoghue (episodes 1–8) |
| Supervising Producer |
| Bob Tischler |
| Script Coordinators (Head Writers) |
| Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield (episodes 13-20) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Bob Tischler |
| Supervising Producers (Head Writers) |
| Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Bob Tischler |
| Head Writer |
| Andrew Smith |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent (episodes 17-20) |
| Script Supervisor |
| Pamela Norris (episodes 6-20) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Bob Tischler |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Al Franken and Tom Davis |
| Head Writer |
| James Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultant [c] |
| Al Franken |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultants |
| Al Franken and Jack Handey |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Co-Producers |
| Al Franken, Jack Handey, Robert Smigel |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultant |
| Evie Murray |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Co-Producers |
| Al Franken, Jack Handey, Robert Smigel |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultants |
| Tom Davis and Evie Murray |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultant |
| Evie Murray |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultant |
| Evie Murray (episodes 8-20) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer (Head Writer) |
|---|
| Jim Downey |
| Script Consultant |
| Herb Sargent |
| Creative Consultant |
| Evie Murray |
| Writing staff |
|
| Writing Supervised (Head Written) By |
|---|
| Steve Higgins and Fred Wolf (episodes 1-14, 17-20) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Consulting Producers |
| Jim Downey (episodes 1-4) and Fred Wolf (episodes 1-4) |
| Writing Supervised (Head Written) By |
| Tim Herlihy and Adam McKay |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins and Tim Herlihy |
| Writing Supervised (Head Written) By |
| Adam McKay |
| Creative Consultant |
| Paula Pell |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins and Tim Herlihy |
| Writing Supervised (Head Written) By |
| Adam McKay [10] |
| Creative Consultant |
| Paula Pell |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins and Tim Herlihy (episodes 1-6) Steve Higgins (episodes 7-20) |
| Writing Supervised (Head Written) By |
| Tina Fey [10] |
| Creative Consultants |
| Dennis McNicholas and Paula Pell [11] |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writers |
| Tina Fey and Dennis McNicholas (episodes 9-20) [10] |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Paula Pell and Harper Steele (episodes 9-20) |
| Creative Consultants |
| Dennis McNicholas and Paula Pell (episodes (1-8) |
| Writing staff |
|
Note: Beginning with the ninth episode of this season, the head writer receives a "head writer" credit for the first time since the 1985-86 season instead of "writing supervisor," and the "creative consultant" credit is renamed "writing supervisor."
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Tina Fey and Dennis McNicholas |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Paula Pell and Harper Steele |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Tina Fey and Dennis McNicholas |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Paula Pell, T. Sean Shannon (episodes 3-20), Harper Steele |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Tina Fey and Dennis McNicholas |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Paula Pell, T. Sean Shannon, Harper Steele |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Tina Fey and Harper Steele |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Paula Pell and T. Sean Shannon |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Tina Fey, Seth Meyers (episodes 10-19), [13] and Harper Steele [14] |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Seth Meyers (episodes 1-9) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Seth Meyers, Paula Pell, and Harper Steele [15] |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Seth Meyers, Paula Pell, Harper Steele |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Seth Meyers |
| Writing Supervisor |
| Paula Pell |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Head writer(s) |
| Seth Meyers |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Colin Jost, John Mulaney, Emily Spivey (episodes 1-18), Bryan Tucker (episodes 19-22) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producer |
|---|
| Steve Higgins |
| Co-Producer |
| Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Seth Meyers |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Colin Jost, John Mulaney, Bryan Tucker |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, John Mulaney, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) [16] |
| Seth Meyers |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Colin Jost, Bryan Tucker |
| Writing staff [16] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) [19] |
| Seth Meyers and Colin Jost |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Marika Sawyer, Bryan Tucker |
| Writing staff [19] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) [22] [23] |
| Seth Meyers (episodes 1–13), Colin Jost, Rob Klein, Bryan Tucker (episodes 14–21) [23] |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Marika Sawyer, John Solomon (episodes 2-21), Bryan Tucker (episodes 1-13) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Colin Jost, Rob Klein, and Bryan Tucker |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Kent Sublette |
| Writing staff [19] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Rob Klein and Bryan Tucker |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Kent Sublette |
| Writing staff [19] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Bryan Tucker, and Kent Sublette (Since episode 12). |
| Writing Supervisor |
| Kent Sublette (episodes 1-11) |
| Writing staff [19] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Colin Jost, Michael Che, Bryan Tucker, and Kent Sublette (Since episode 8). |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Streeter Seidell, Sudi Green, and Fran Gillespie (the latter two since episode 8) |
| Writing staff [19] |
|
Note: Beginning with the show's forty-third season, Weekend Update writers were credited separately from the rest of the writing staff.
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Colin Jost, Michael Che, and Kent Sublette |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Streeter Seidell, Sudi Green, Fran Gillespie, and Anna Drezen) (the latter two since episode 15) |
| Writing staff [19] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Colin Jost, Michael Che, and Kent Sublette [30] |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Streeter Seidell, Sudi Green, Fran Gillespie, and Anna Drezen |
| Writing staff |
|
Source: [31]
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Anna Drezen, Colin Jost, Michael Che, and Kent Sublette |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Sudi Green, Fran Gillespie, and Streeter Seidell |
| Writing staff |
|
Source: [32]
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Anna Drezen (until episode 9), Colin Jost, Michael Che, Kent Sublette, Alison Gates and Streeter Seidell (since episode 10) [33] |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Streeter Seidell and Alison Gates (until episode 9) |
| Writing staff |
|
Source: [34]
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Kent Sublette, Alison Gates and Streeter Seidell |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Gary Richardson, Will Stephen, and Celeste Yim (since episode 12) |
| Writing staff |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) [35] |
| Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell, Kent Sublette |
| Writing Supervisors [35] |
| Gary Richardson, Will Stephen, Celeste Yim |
| Writing staff [35] |
|
| Producers |
|---|
| Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward |
| Head writer(s) |
| Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell, Kent Sublette |
| Writing Supervisors |
| Dan Bulla, Will Stephen, Auguste White, Celeste Yim |
| Writing staff [36] |
|
Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an American late-night live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The show's premiere was hosted by George Carlin on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary American culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that is usually based on political events and ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.
James Woodward Downey is an American comedy writer, producer and actor. Downey wrote for over 30 seasons of Saturday Night Live, making him the longest tenured writer in the show's history. SNL creator Lorne Michaels called Downey the "best political humorist alive".
The thirty-first season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 1, 2005, and May 20, 2006. 19 episodes were produced due to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and network budget cuts.
The twenty-eighth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 5, 2002 and May 17, 2003.
The twenty-sixth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 7, 2000, and May 19, 2001.
The twenty-first season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 30, 1995, and May 18, 1996.
The twentieth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 24, 1994, and May 13, 1995.
The nineteenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 25, 1993, and May 14, 1994.
The eighteenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 26, 1992, and May 15, 1993.
The sixteenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 29, 1990, and May 18, 1991.
The fifteenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 30, 1989 and May 19, 1990.
The eleventh season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between November 9, 1985, and May 24, 1986.
The tenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 6, 1984, and April 13, 1985. This was the only season to feature renowned comedians Billy Crystal, Martin Short, and Christopher Guest as cast members, and became known as the "All-Star" cast season. Only 17 episodes were produced due to a writers' strike and budget constraints. This was the final season of the Ebersol-run era.
The ninth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 8, 1983, and May 12, 1984.
The eighth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 25, 1982, and May 14, 1983.
The seventh season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 3, 1981, and May 22, 1982. It was the first full season produced by Dick Ebersol.
The sixth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between November 15, 1980, and April 11, 1981. Jean Doumanian, who had been an associate producer for the first five seasons of SNL, was given executive producer responsibilities after Lorne Michaels left the show, along with all the cast and almost all the writing staff. Doumanian's first—and only—season in charge was plagued by difficulties, from a reduced budget to new cast members who were compared unfavorably to the Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Critical reception was strongly negative and ratings sank.
The thirty-seventh season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 24, 2011, and May 19, 2012.
The thirty-eighth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 15, 2012, and May 18, 2013.
The long-running American late-night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) first premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, and its fiftieth and most recent season premiered on September 28, 2024. Created by Lorne Michaels, who is the original and current showrunner, its history has been shaped by its large and constantly-changing cast of performers, as well as changes in its writing staff from year to year. It has played a prominent role in American popular culture and television since its inception, and changing attitudes towards cultural diversity have been evident particularly in its recent history.
Following several under-wraps audition processes, Sasheer Zamata was hired. Leslie Jones and LaKendra Tookes — also black woman from the auditions — were brought on as writers.