Saturday Night Live

It was a beaming, lightly satirical, but mostly silly put-on of a novelty song.

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi fashioned characters two years earlier, but 1978 episode featured them in full glory.

Monty Python comedian described the experience as "tele-embarrassment on a monumental scale.”

From accidental expletives to regrettable lapses in comedy judgment to manufactured ire.

Eddie Murphy helped kill off one of the show's most popular characters in March 1983.

The 1978 episode marked return of former breakout cast member, but not everyone wanted him back.

"George Bush had run its course, 'Wayne’s World,' Church Lady had all been done — basically I thought I’d done as much as I could do."

“Oh, Star Wars / Nothing but Star Wars ... "

Bill Murray and Gilda Radner starred as two of the show's earliest recurring characters.

One of the weirdest and most format-breaking sketches in show's history was based on a real event.

"Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger … "

Comedian's final appearance came via a real commercial aired during "Weekend Update."