SNL page 4

 SNL page 4 by ric gustafson

Now that Lorne Michaels had his creative team together, it was time to find his Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Michaels went up to Canada where he was from. He went to Toronto where there was a Second City troupe. He wanted to look at someone named Dan Aykroyd. Aykroyd was currently on a Canadian sitcom called ' Coming Up Rosie'. Aykroyd was a human chameleon. He could do impressions and play people on the spot. Michaels wanted him in the cast.

Cornelius Crane Chase, whose nickname was Chevy, was hired by Michaels to be a writer, He had experience by writing for the Smothers Brothers and Channel One Underground Television. He became a performer for Michaels when he fell outside in the street one day. Michaels was impressed. Chase became a member of the cast. 

Michaels went to see a Boston improv group called the Proposition when they were in New York. There he noticed a performer named Jane Curtin. Michaels noticed she was great at impressions and doing recurring characters. He wanted her in his cast. Garrett Morris was hired by Michaels to be a writer. He was encouraged to audition to be a performer. His audition impressed Michaels. He became a member of the cast.

Michaels and Lily Tomlin went to Los Angeles to visit an improv group called the Groundlings. There they observed a female who was great at impressions and doing characters. Michaels wanted her in his cast. Her name was Laraine Newman. 

The first person Michaels wanted for his cast he knew from Toronto. She was an original member of the Toronto Second City troupe. She had a talent for really getting into her characters. Her name was Gilda Radner. The last person Michaels asked to be part of his troupe was the hardest to find. One day, Michaels went to see the National Lampoon Show. There he was blown away by someone named John Belushi. Belushi had joined Second City at age 21. He could do funny voices and do funny characters. Everybody loved him. Michaels wanted him in his troupe.

Michaels finally had his Not Ready for Prime Time Players.

research help: ' The SNL Companion' by Stephen Tropiano and Steven Ginsberg

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric