SNL creator Lorne Michaels has donated his extensive archive to the University of Texas, showcasing his influential career in comedy.
Austin: Lorne Michaels, the mastermind behind “Saturday Night Live,” just donated his career archive to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas. This is a big deal!
The collection is packed with all sorts of goodies, like rehearsal notes, scripts, and photos of those unforgettable characters from SNL. You know, the ones that made legends out of folks like Gilda Radner and Eddie Murphy. It even has some of Michaels’ personal letters.
Can you believe SNL is in its 50th season? They’re gearing up for a special anniversary show on February 16, and there’s a documentary series coming to Peacock on January 16. Exciting times!
Even though the Ransom Center is a bit off the beaten path from NYC, it’s one of the best places for literary and humanities research in the country. It houses some amazing collections, including works from Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners.
Michaels’ collection covers his whole TV career, starting from his early days on shows like “Laugh-In.” But most of it is all about SNL, of course.
They’re planning an exhibit called “Live from New York! The Making of Lorne Michaels” that will kick off in September. It’ll feature sketches, letters, videos, and more, showing how SNL has shaped comedy and influenced culture.
Ransom Center Director Stephen Enniss said it best: “Lorne Michaels has kept us up late and laughing for 50 years.” His archive will be a treasure for students and researchers for years to come.
We’re all waiting to hear back from Michaels’ team for more comments, but this is definitely a legacy worth celebrating!
