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

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 ; an entirely black and non-reflective uniform called "Invisible Pedestrian" ; 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, and then in four subsequent episodes, "Consumer Probe" was hosted by Joan Face. Debuted December 11, 1976.
;Appearances
SeasonEpisodeHostTitle
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.

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

, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman are a family of aliens stranded on Earth. Debuted January 15, 1977.
;Appearances
SeasonEpisodeHostTitle
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 made crude and lascivious remarks about otherwise commonplace subjects to which his ditzy co-host Miss Christie Christina 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." Debuted March 12, 1977.
Pinth-Garnell was loosely based on the longtime PBS Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke.

Memorable quotes

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 or sometimes a surname more specific to the sketch 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 in the audience and proceeded to sing a very uncomfortable and unamused Ronstadt a medley of her hits until her bodyguard finally punches him.
In probably his most famous appearance, he sang the theme from Star Wars, adding his own lyrics 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:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
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

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.