Universal City, California, October 30, 2006 – The groundbreaking sketch comedy of the pioneering first season of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” comes to DVD with digitally remastered picture and sound for the first time on December 5, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Back in 1975, seven young performers came together as the Not Ready for Prime Time Players and created a multiple Emmy® Award-winning late-night comedy showcase that would become one of the most enduring and celebrated franchises in the history of television. In that first season comic geniuses John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris put their unforgettable stamp on television comedy and shocked viewers with their irreverent, smart and off-kilter humor. Now available for the first time, “Saturday Night Live”: The Complete First Season contains all 24 episodes of the debut season in their original 90-minute format, adding up to more than 30 hours of hilarious characters and memorable sketches, all the original musical performances by a roster of chart-topping artists and guest appearances by some of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors and comedians.

The set includes unforgettable sketches such as Land Shark and the Killer Bees; musical performances include Simon & Garfunkel, Jimmy Cliff, Carly Simon and Patti Smith. “Saturday Night Live”: The Complete First Season guest hosts include Richard Pryor, Rob Reiner, Candice Bergen, Buck Henry and George Carlin. Just in time for the holidays, the eight-disc set comes in specially designed gift packaging with a limited-edition collectible book, audition footage and cast interview that aired the day before the first show! The set is sure to delight any SNL fan. “Saturday Night Live”: the Complete First Season is priced at $69.98 SRP. Pre-order close is October 31, 2006. In addition, all 24 individual episodes of Season One will also be available to download beginning December 5, 2006.

According to the New York Times, “Saturday Night Live” is “still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture.” Since its 1975 debut, SNL has been considered the gold standard for comedy on television, showcasing some of the brightest comedic lights of the past 30 years. The program has won 19 Emmy® Awards and been nominated for scores more, as well as winning the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. With millions of viewers tuning in each week, the late-night comedy showcase has become an American institution and continues to be the highest rated show on late-night television.

Synopsis

For more than 30 years, “Saturday Night Live” has been America’s favorite late-night television program, showcasing the talent of a generation of outrageously funny comedy performers. Now, for the first time, the legendary debut season of the longest-running comedy series in television history is available on DVD. All 24 Season One episodes, starring comedy revolutionaries John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris, are included in the original 90-minute format. With hosts including Candice Bergen, Rob Reiner, Lily Tomlin, George Carlin and Richard Pryor, “Saturday Night Live”: The Complete First Season also features performances by musical superstars such as Jimmy Cliff, Simon & Garfunkel, Carly Simon, Patti Smith and more.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION


Street Date: December 5, 2006
Pre-Order Close: October 31, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $69.98 SRP
Selection Number: 30565
Running Time: 26 Hours 33 Minutes
Layers: Dual
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Rating: Not Rated
Technical Info: Dolby Digital 2.0; English SDH

Clip 1: 'Killer Bees', QuickTime, Small
Clip 1: 'Killer Bees', QuickTime, Medium
Clip 1: 'Killer Bees', QuickTime, Large
Clip 1: 'Killer Bees', WMP, Small
Clip 1: 'Killer Bees', WMP, Medium
Clip 1: 'Killer Bees', WMP, Large



Clip 2: 'Belushi Screen Test', QuickTime, Small
Clip 2: 'Belushi Screen Test', QuickTime, Medium
Clip 2: 'Belushi Screen Test', QuickTime, Large
Clip 2: 'Belushi Screen Test', WMP, Small
Clip 2: 'Belushi Screen Test', WMP, Medium
Clip 2: 'Belushi Screen Test', WMP, Large