Biography
Perhaps more than any other figure, he was responsible for mainstreaming so-called countercultural values - e.g., jokes about sex, drugs and rock'n'roll; left-leaning politics - through that most pervasive of mediums. As the Emmy-winning creator and producer of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), Michaels was not only responsible for helming one of the longest-running comedy and variety programs in television history, but for shepherding a …
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Career Milestones
| Raised in Forest Hill, an affluent Toronto suburb | ||
1961 | With friend Howard Shore (future "SNL" music director and film score composer), began organizing productions of "Bye Bye Birdie" and "The Fantastiks" at Camp Timberlaine in Ontario | |
1964 | Formed a stand-up comedy act with Hart Pomerantz; also worked as a comedy writing team | |
1964 | While attending University College in Toronto, directed (also co-wrote) "Follies," a sketch comedy/musical variety show that was an early prototype of "Saturday Night Live" | |
1967 | Hired (with Pomerantz) as writers and performers on "Five Nights a Week at This Time" a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio comedy show; left after repeated disputes with management | |
1968 | Hired (with Pomerantz) as junior writers for the NBC comedy-variety show, "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show"; show cancelled after nine airings | |
1969 | Hired (with Pomerantz) as junior writers on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (NBC) | |
1969 | Hired (with Pomerantz) by the CBC to produce their own series of specials; made four specials a year for the next three-and-a-half years; format similar to what would later be used on "SNL" | |
1972 | Ended partnership with Pomerantz on less than cordial terms | |
1973 | Assisted in developing the ABC series, "Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour" | |
1973 | Clashed with Tomlin on creative grounds; narrowly avoided being fired; adopted a policy of deferring to Tomlin | |
1973 | Credited as a writer on "Lily" (CBS); shared an Emmy win in 1974 for comedy writing | |
1973 | Hired as a writer for Lily Tomlin's CBS special | |
1975 | Co-created and produced (with Dick Ebersol) "NBC's Saturday Night"; name was changed in 1977 to "Saturday Night Live"; earned several Emmy nominations for Writting and Producing from 1976-2009 | |
1975 | Hired by producer Dick Ebersol to help develop a youth-oriented late-night comedy variety series to replace Saturday night reruns of "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" | |
1975 | Served as producer and writer on the comedy special "Lily" (ABC) | |
1977 | Broadway producing debut, "Appearing Nitely" featuring Lily Tomlin | |
1979 | Founded Broadway Video, Inc., a film and TV production company | |
1979 | Produced (also directed and co-wrote) the Broadway show, "Gilda Radner Live from New York" | |
1980 | Feature debut as producer/writer, "Gilda Live" the concert film of Gilda Radner's one-woman Broadway show | |
1981 | Left "SNL" after a dispute with the network | |
1982 | Produced the romantic comedy, "Nothing Lasts Forever" directed by Tom Schiller (shelved until 1984) | |
1983 | Executive produced the NBC animated special, "The Coneheads" | |
1984 | Produced the short-lived NBC variety series "The New Show" | |
1985 | Returned to "Saturday Night Live" as executive producer | |
1986 | Produced and co-wrote (with Steve Martin and Randy Newman) "The Three Amigos" starring Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short | |
1988 | Executive produced (with Jeff Ross) the Canadian sketch comedy series, "The Kids in the Hall"; aired on CBC and HBO and finally on CBS late night | |
1988 | Produced the syndicated late-night music series, "Sunday Night" (later named "Michelob Presents Night Music") | |
1990 | Executive produced "Rolling Stones: Terrifying" a three-hour live Rolling Stones concert in New Jersey | |
1992 | Produced the hit comedy feature "Wayne's World"; film is based on a popular recurring "SNL" skit | |
1993 | Created and executive produced "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" (NBC) | |
1993 | Produced the hit features, "Coneheads" and "Wayne's World 2"; both films based on "SNL" skits | |
1995 | Produced the Chris Farley/David Spade buddy comedy "Tommy Boy" | |
1995 | Producer of the Harold Ramis-directed comedy "Stuart Saves His Family"; film based on a recurring "SNL" sketch starring Al Franken | |
1996 | Produced "Kids in the Hall: BRAIN CANDY" the feature film based on the popular series | |
1996 | Produced the Chris Farley/David Spade follow-up "Black Sheep" | |
1997 | Entered into partnership with NBC Entertainment to create SNL Studios; Michaels was named chair of the enterprise; simultaneously renewed position as executive producer of "Saturday Night Live" through the year 2001 | |
1998 | Produced "A Night at the Roxbury"; film based on a largely dialogue-free recurring "SNL" skit | |
1999 | Produced the comedy "Superstar" based on the popular "SNL" character Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon); helmed by "Kids in the Hall" member Bruce McCulloch | |
1999 | Received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame | |
2000 | Produced "The Ladies Man" starring Tim Meadows; based on the popular "SNL" sketch | |
2001 | Produced (with Mick Jagger) the World War II-set thriller "Enigma" directed by Michael Apted | |
2004 | Executive produced the comedy "Mean Girls" penned by fellow SNL alum Tina Fey | |
2006 | Executive produced the NBC comedy, "30 Rock"; created by (and starring) SNL alumni Tina Fey | |
Awards
1969 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Achievement In Comedy, Variety in Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In |
1974 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Writing In Comedy-Variety, Variety or Music in Lily |
1975 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music in Lily |
1975 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy-Variety or Music Special in Lily |
1976 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1976 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy-Variety or Music Special in The Paul Simon Special |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Saturday Night Live |
1980 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1987 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Saturday Night Live |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1990 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
1990 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1991 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1992 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement In Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1993 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement In Writing In a Variety or Music Program in Saturday Night Live |
1993 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
1994 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2000 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special in Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Primetime Special |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special in Saturday Night Live's Presidential Bash 2000 |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For a Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Saturday Night Live |
2002 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2002 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For a Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Saturday Night Live |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Late Night With Conan O'Brien |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For a Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Saturday Night Live |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Late Night With Conan O'Brien |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2005 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Late Night With Conan O'Brien |
2006 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Late Night With Conan O'Brien |
2007 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2007 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Late Night With Conan O'Brien |
2008 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2008 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2008 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For a Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Saturday Night Live |
2008 | Producers Guild of America Award for Television Series - Comedy in 30 Rock |
2009 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2009 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2009 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2009 | Producers Guild of America Award for Television Series - Comedy in 30 Rock |
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2011 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2012 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series in Saturday Night Live |
2012 | Producers Guild of America Award for Television Series - Comedy in 30 Rock |
2012 | Writers Guild of America Award for Comedy/Variety – (Including Talk) Series in Saturday Night Live |