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Lorne Michaels

Lorne Michaels

Lorne Michaels is the creator and executive producer of 'Saturday Night Live," the longest-running and highest- rated late night television program in history. With the start of the show's 2000-2001 season this fall, Michaels begins his 21st season leading the award-winning pro gram.

Over the last two and a half decades, SNL has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers this country has ever known. Thus far, the program has been nominated for 80 Emmy Awards and has won 17, most recently for Best Variety/Comedy Special for 'Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special. In 1990, SNL" was honored with the presti gious George Foster Peabody Award and cited as truly a national institution. In 2000, "Saturday Night Live' was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Association of Broadcasters. Michaels himself was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1999 and recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was named Broadcaster of the Year by the International Radio and Television Society in May 1992. He has per sonally won nine Emmys: six as producer and writer for 'Saturday Night Live;" two as writer and producer of Lily Tomlin specials (1973, 1975); and one for writing and producing The Paul Simon Special (1977).

In 1979, Michaels founded Broadway Video which has produced 'The Kids in the Hall, and the series Night Music. Michaels has been executive pro ducer of NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien" since its inception in 1993. He has also produced comedy and music specials for Steve Martin, The Rutles, Flip Wilson, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park, as well as Paul Simon's 1991 concert in Central Park.

In 1997, Michaels was named Chairman of the newly formed SNL Studios, a production company formed to create programming for NBC as well as devel op and produce feature films through a partnership with Paramount Pictures. SNL Studios recently produced the Emmy Award winning Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary special and, with Paramount, has produced A Night at the Roxbury, 'Superstar, and The Ladies' Man.

Among Michaels' film producer credits are Wayne's World, Tommy Boy, and the forthcoming Enigma" with Mick Jagger's Jagged Films. With Steve Martin and Randy Newman, Michaels co-wrote and also produced the movie Three Amigos. On Broadway, he produced and directed Gilda Radner Live from New York and subsequently produced the motion picture Gilda Live, which was directed by Mike Nichols.

Michaels began his career in Toronto. where he attended the University of Toronto and worked as a pro ducer for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. In 1968, he moved to Los Angeles and worked as a writer for NBC's Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and other television series until he left in 1975 to begin SNL in New York.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2002.

Lorne Michaels Facts

Birth Name Lorne Michael Lipowitz
OccupationDirector, Producer
BirthdayNovember 17, 1944 (79)
SignScorpio
BirthplaceToronto, Ontario, Canada

Selected Filmography

Saturday Night Live
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