Saturday Night Live season 7

Background[edit]

Following the dismissal of producer Jean Doumanian during the show's sixth season, Dick Ebersol, the program's developer, was hired as Doumanian's replacement. In March 1981, Ebersol dismissed several of her cast members (repertory players Gilbert Gottfried, Ann Risley and Charles Rocket and featured players Yvonne Hudson, Matthew Laurance and Patrick Weathers). After one episode on April 11, 1981, the show was shut down for the rest of the season because of the 1981 Writers Guild of America strike. In the break, Ebersol would also dismiss repertory players Denny Dillon and Gail Matthius, and featured players Laurie Metcalf and Emily Prager were not asked back as cast members.


The new cast of Saturday Night Live for season 7 included returning veterans Robin Duke, Tim Kazurinsky, Tony Rosato, Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo. Two new cast members were added: Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole. Writer Brian Doyle-Murray joined as a featured player.


Michael O'Donoghue, who Ebersol brought back to the show in March, remained as head writer for the first half of season 7. Some sketches, as well as the appearances of artists like Fear and William S. Burroughs, reflected the increasingly bizarre ideas O'Donoghue had for the show. However, after developing a tense relationship with Ebersol and berating the cast in a meeting following the December 12 episode, O'Donoghue was fired, with Bob Tischler taking the role of head writer.^[1]