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The archival collection of Canadian-American producer and writer Lorne Michaels is
an
extraordinary document of his achievements in television and film over a span of more
than
five decades. Michaels is best known as the creator of NBC’s sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) but has also produced over sixty other
television series and specials, ranging from NBC’s flagship late-night programs The Tonight Show and Late Night to
situation comedies like 30 Rock to concert films, awards
broadcasts, and holiday specials. His production credits also include several top-grossing
comedy films, such as Mean Girls and Wayne’s World, and Broadway productions. Broadway Video Enterprises, the
production company Michaels founded in 1979, develops and distributes television and
films,
and produces content for digital media, advertising, and promotions.
SNL, its associated films, and Michaels’s many other comedy productions have had a
far-reaching impact on American popular culture. In addition to introducing iconic
characters and catchphrases, the creative productions of Lorne Michaels are beloved
for
their satirical take on current events, irreverent engagement with changing cultural
norms,
and attunement to the absurdity of everyday existence. Michaels and
SNL have received more Primetime Emmy Award nominations than any other individual
and program in history, and Michaels’s many other honors, including membership in
the Order
of Canada and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, testify to the enduring importance
of his
work. |
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Manuscript materials in the collection include scripts, production material, and publicity
material related to specific television, film, and theater productions; correspondence;
photographs; office files; press clippings, magazines, and newspapers; speech drafts,
programs, and other material related to awards and tributes; invitations and programs
for
events; and collected books, printed material, and ephemera. The collection also contains
a
significant volume of electronic files, primarily scans of physical material in the
collection. Apart from a small volume of manuscripts that document Michaels’s youth
and
early career, and some personal correspondence with colleagues and other notable individuals
in Michaels’s network, the collection focuses on Michaels’s career and professional
activities rather than his family or private life. The material is arranged into six
series:
I. Television, 1968-2024; II. Film, 1977-2023; III. Theater, 1979-2023; IV. Projects,
1967-2019; V. Correspondence, 1968-2023; and VI. Professional Papers, 1861-2023. |
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The greatest volume of material is in the first series, Television, which contains
more
than 200 boxes of documentation related to SNL, as well as
items from dozens of other productions that Michaels produced, wrote, or appeared
in, from
The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show in 1968 to Schmigadoon! in 2023. The collection contains extensive production
documentation of SNL and The Kids in
the Hall, with smaller amounts of material present for other series, specials, and
made-for-television films. The Television series contains numerous script drafts,
some
annotated by Lorne Michaels or his assistants, as well as artifacts of the production
process such as bulletin board cards, rundowns, and editing notes that illuminate
how the
script becomes a show. Production photographs, publicity stills, and headshots, particularly
extensive for SNL, visually document cast and crew both
behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Correspondence and publicity materials
showcase the networking aspects of the producer’s role in communicating about, and
publicizing, the production. |
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Series II. Film contains material from over two dozen feature films that Michaels
produced,
wrote, or appeared in. Most of the productions feature characters or cast members
from
SNL, from Gilda Live in
1980 to Tina Fey’s Whiskey Tango Foxtrot in 2016, with a few
exceptions such as Enigma, a World War II drama scripted by
Tom Stoppard. Formats in the Film series are broadly similar to those in the Television
series, with scripts, production, and publicity material present for many films, as
well as
some correspondence and production photographs. Annotated scripts and production binders
document Michaels’s role in shaping the finished film, from contributing ideas for
jokes and
insights into characters to selecting writers and directors. The collection also contains
one-sheet posters and poster designs for many films, some of them autographed by cast
members. |
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The Theater series contains a small volume of material related to plays and musicals
produced by Michaels, from Gilda Radner--Live from New York
in 1979 to the Broadway production of Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt in 2022. The most extensively documented production in this series
is the musical Randy Newman’s Faust, which Michaels produced
stage versions of in 1995 and 1996. |
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The television shows, films, and plays represented in Series IV. Projects are not
credited
to Michaels, for a variety of reasons. Many of the titles were developed by Michaels
and/or
his production offices but never produced, or in a few instances such as America’s
Most
Terrible Things, a proposed television series starring Chevy Chase, a pilot episode
was
produced but never broadcast. A few of the films and television shows, like The Brady Bunch Movie, were eventually produced, but not by
Michaels. Another group of scripts in this series are for feature films that were
submitted
for Academy Award consideration. The volume of material in this series varies widely,
from a
single concept pitch or script outline for some projects to several boxes of script
drafts
and pre-production material for several unproduced feature films. |
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Series V. Correspondence contains primarily incoming correspondence arranged
chronologically, with various subheadings. Personal and professional correspondence
is
frequently accompanied by requests for interviews and appearances and solicitations
for
charitable donations. Other groups of material in this series include birthday and
holiday
cards and thank-you notes. The series amply demonstrates the reach of Michaels’s personal
and professional connections, with notable writers, actors, musicians, politicians,
and
entertainment industry leaders among his many correspondents. |
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The final series, Professional Papers, spans a wide variety of material that is not
associated with a specific production. Appointment books, invitations, and office
files from
Michaels’s personal office and production companies offer a glimpse of daily business
and
professional activities. Programs, speech drafts, clippings, and other material from
awards
ceremonies, fundraising events, memorials, and tributes document decades of Michaels’s
participation in industry events and his support for colleagues and friends. Correspondence,
writings, and press clippings from Michaels’s youth and early career reveal his initial
creative aspirations and accomplishments. A large volume of publicity clippings, magazines,
and newspapers, as well as numerous photographic portraits and snapshots provide textual
and
visual documentation of Michaels’s career and professional activities. Collected material
including books and other printed material, posters, and ephemera record Michaels’s
travels
and enthusiasms. |
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The bulk of the electronic files in the collection are associated with a media library
generated by Michaels’s archivist Candace Bothwell for use in Microsoft’s Expression
Media
application. The library consists of digitized copies of items included because they
were
deemed noteworthy or were selected for a retrospective book, film, exhibition, or
other
project. Researchers looking to browse collection highlights may wish to consult these
materials. The files were originally stored on a hard drive which contained other
descriptive documents, including spreadsheet inventories for each of the four top-level
media file directories. These spreadsheets are also preserved in the collection and
include
file names, along with information regarding subjects, dates, and genre or form. |
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'LM Career' is the largest subset of media files and
contains general professional and personal material, especially corresponding to the
contents of the various 'Scan Binders' found in the physical
collections. The bulk of these scans capture the contents of photographs, correspondence,
speech drafts, and award certificates. Subjects and correspondents typically featured
in
these materials include notable colleagues and friends of Michaels, especially those
who are
or have been associated with SNL. |
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The 'LM Hart' directory contains scans of scripts and
production documents related to Michaels’s early career, including Hart and Lorne
collaborations and other unrelated, standalone Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
productions. 'LM Press' contains scans of articles relating
to Michaels and his career, including a subfolder for 'Bad
Press'. Reference images of posters, awards, and other framed items not exclusively
related to SNL are located in the 'SNL Posters' directory. These photographs were taken during packing and storage of
the physical items to help identify box contents and are not professional quality. |
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A small group of electronic files not associated with the Expression Media application
consists of interview transcripts and DVD graphics for the documentary Live from New York: The First Five Years of Saturday Night Live.
This material is not duplicated in the manuscript collection. |
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Entries for electronic files are integrated with entries for physical material throughout
the Container List (some items, such as the 'Scan Binders,'
have entries for both the physical item and the electronic files associated with it).
They
include a brief description, the number of files, the file formats, and the date stamp.
A
small number of electronic files found in the collection either contain personal information
such as Social Security and Tax Identification numbers (these files are restricted
during
the lifetime of the individuals mentioned) or reference budgets and other confidential
financial information for specific productions (these files are restricted until 2043). |
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Access to correspondent names and names of photographic subjects is provided through
the
Index of Selected Correspondents and Index of Photographic Subjects that accompany
this
finding aid. The Index of Selected Correspondents is not a comprehensive list of all
correspondents in every folder in the collection; some categories of correspondence,
including fan mail, cards, and thank-you notes are not indexed. Scans of correspondence
and
photographs in the electronic files are not indexed. |
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A small amount of material in the collection was cleaned to remove mold spores after
it
arrived at the Ransom Center. The container list indicates which folders contain materials
that were treated for mold contamination; mold odors remain on some manuscripts and
researchers who are sensitive to mold may wish to wear a mask while examining this
material
in the Center’s Reading Room. |
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Due to preservation concerns, some types of photographic material, including Polaroids,
negatives, slides, and transparencies, have been removed to cold storage. The container
list
indicates which material was removed; in a few instances, photocopies or facsimile
prints
are available to view in place of the originals. The original material is accessible
to
researchers with advance notice. |
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Two bound items, a flip book of photographs from Hot Rod and
a burlesque joke book collected by Michaels, are restricted from access due to preservation
concerns, as indicated in the Container List. Researchers interested in these items
may
contact the Center’s Film Curator for more information. |
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Series Descriptions |
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Series I: Television, 1968-2024 |
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Television material is arranged alphabetically by production title, with the extent
varying
widely, from a single folder for some projects to hundreds of boxes for SNL. After SNL, the productions
with the greatest volume are The Kids in the Hall, The New Show, and Late Night with Conan
O’Brien. Material related to awards for specific television productions is filed
in Series VI, Subseries B. Awards. |
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Because the material documenting SNL is particularly
extensive, it is arranged into subseries based on format or genre. Material for the
main run
of SNL episodes is grouped into Subseries A. Scripts;
Subseries B. Correspondence; Subseries C. Photographs; Subseries D. Production material;
and
Subseries E. Publicity, merchandising, and ratings material. There is little material
in the
collection related to Seasons 6-10 (1980-1985), a period during which Lorne Michaels
stepped
down as producer and showrunner and was replaced by Jean Doumanian and then Dick Ebersol.
SNL-related programs and products are grouped separately
into Subseries F. Digital video programming and home entertainment releases; Subseries
G.
Specials; Subseries H. Syndicated episodes; and Subseries I. Exhibitions and works
about
SNL. |
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Scripts constitute the largest subseries of SNL material and
are present in significant quantity for most of the shows through Season 45. They
are
organized by season and episode, with the “show number” also given. The additional
numbering
scheme accounts for the fact that although SNL is broadcast
every week, every season contains a number of “dark weeks” during which no live show
is
taped, with a repeat episode or compilation broadcast instead. The show number includes
these repeats and compilations, while the episode number does not. |
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The scripts offer insight into the complex and fast-paced nature of the show’s writing
process, one which has changed little in its basic structure since the show began.
The
majority of the writing takes place between Sunday and Wednesday, during which time
many
more sketches are developed than will be needed for the show. A table read occurs
and this
pool of material is culled down to a smaller selection that will go on to be staged.
Revisions are made as needed while rehearsals and production design take place over
the
following days. A dress rehearsal takes place before a live audience on Saturday before
the
broadcast, and audience reactions are used to inform a final draft. Staff then convene
in
the Executive Producer’s office, where the last set of revisions are made by hand. |
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During the broadcast of the show, this finalized air script is marked up by hand to
reflect
the show as broadcast, complete with ad-libs, dropped lines, and other on-air changes.
Production scripts from earlier in the week generally contain revisions printed on
colored
paper and may include additional production documents. |
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Scripts for the first five seasons of SNL consist
exclusively of photocopies of annotated as broadcast scripts housed in custom-made
presentation bindings. A selection of production documents is bound with the scripts,
including rundowns, a cast list, rehearsal and show schedules, credits, and prop lists.
Scripts for later episodes may consist of production scripts, design team scripts,
and/or as
broadcast scripts, some annotated by Michaels or an assistant. A variety of other
production
material may be filed with the script, including rundowns, schedules, cast breakdowns,
set
plans, index cards used to arrange sketches and other show elements on a bulletin
board, and
rehearsal notes. Also present in this subseries are drafts for pre-taped segments
including
commercial parodies, TV Funhouse episodes, and short films, as well as drafts for
specific
show elements like Weekend Update, and a few collections of drafts submitted by specific
writers. For Seasons 20-27 and 31-32, scripts are largely absent, except those written
for
pre-taped elements. From Seasons 33-45, most of the scripts are as broadcast, with
annotations in an unidentified hand. Script material ends at Season 45; looseleaf
dress
rehearsal notes for later seasons are filed with production material in Subseries
D. |
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Correspondence in Subseries B. consists mainly of incoming correspondence and is arranged
by year rather than by season. A significant volume of letters was received or sent
during
the months between seasons and is not easily identifiable as related to a particular
season,
cast, or episode. Original folder titles are preserved through transcription on paper
sleeves or preservation photocopies of folder labels inserted in folders. In a few
instances, descriptions from original folder labels are incorporated into the Container
List, where they are enclosed in single quotation marks. In addition to folders that
contain
a variety of general correspondence, some folders contain only one type, such as fan
mail,
memoranda, or thank you notes. Fan mail consists of both positive and negative viewer
responses; fan mail correspondents are not indexed. Some fan mail was pinned to a
bulletin
board in SNL’s office. Folders of correspondence labeled as
bulletin board fan mail are noted in the Container List. Correspondence from the first
five
seasons of SNL includes several folders of NBC memoranda
documenting various aspects of the show’s production, including the selection of hosts
and
musical guests, set construction and audiovisual equipment, interactions with the
Standards
Department regarding the show’s content, and the introductions and exits of cast members
like Bill Murray and John Belushi. Correspondence in the seasons following Michaels’s
1985
return is dominated by fan mail. Fan reactions to moments of controversy are captured
in
files relating to Andrew Dice Clay’s 1990 appearance as host, and Sinéad O’Connor’s
1992
musical performance. Thank-you notes, fan mail, and solicitations constitute much
of the
rest of the correspondence through the 2000s. The volume of correspondence diminishes
significantly in 2009, with a single folder representing letters received for each
subsequent year from that point. Because SNL represents such
a large portion of Michaels’s professional involvement, some relevant correspondence
can be
found in files appearing in Series V. Correspondence. |
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Subseries C. Photographs contains production stills, behind the scenes photographs,
"bumper" photographs inserted before and after commercial
breaks, and a few photographs of Michaels and cast in other contexts like visits to
the
White House and SNL after-parties. Photographs from specific
seasons and episodes are arranged in that order at the beginning of the subseries,
followed
by groups of production and publicity photographs that span multiple years or are
undated.
Some albums of production photographs were removed from their original binders and
rehoused
in archival quality binder boxes; other albums in custom-made binders branded with
SNL’s logo are preserved intact. Unique items in this subseries
include an album of production stills from the sketch "Hobbit
Office" and one titled "SNL
on Strike" that documents a live performance with the comedy troupe Upright
Citizens’ Brigade during the writers’ strike of 2007. Many of the photograph albums
and
folders had photographs removed for scanning for Saturday Night Live:
The Book and other projects prior to their arrival at the Ransom Center; some
folders in the subseries consist of material removed for scanning that has not been
refiled
in its original location. The Index of Photographic Subjects provides a comprehensive
list
of individuals pictured in photographs in this subseries, except for those in slides
and
negatives removed to cold storage. |
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Production materials for SNL, arranged by season and episode
number in Subseries D., reflect the unique requirements of a live show with a compressed
production timeline. Rundowns and sketch breakdowns reflect the importance of precise
timing
in executing the show, along with other documents like camera blocking notes, lists
of show
elements, and rehearsal notes that reveal how each episode comes together. Audition
material
appears sporadically, offering a look at how the SNL cast is
assembled. Index cards with show elements are present for Seasons 18, 27-31, and 41,
and
Season 29 is unique in that it contains a complete set. The index cards were used
to plan
the running order of show elements and may not be arranged in the order the episode
was
aired. Folders for Seasons 43-48 contain dress rehearsal notes. One unique item in
the
subseries, a production binder associated with Season 33, contains comprehensive information
about the show’s history and the casting process as well as production schedules and
scripts
and may have been put together for marketing or another special purpose. |
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Materials in Subseries E. Publicity, merchandising, and ratings material are arranged
by
season and primarily consist of clippings, magazines, and newspapers related to the
show and
cast members. Other material in this subseries unique to the first five seasons of
SNL includes merchandising material like the Gilda Radner Cut-Out
Doll Book and postcards of the cast, as well as documentation of the production of
the
Gilda Live album. Press kits, marketing binders, and
ratings reports are present for later seasons, as well as printouts from online message
board discussions devoted to SNL. Especially after 1985,
ex-cast subject files are often present which document performers’ trajectories upon
leaving
the show. The practice of keeping files on former SNL cast
and other colleagues is documented further in Series VI. Professional Papers. General
material not associated with a specific season is found at the end of the series and
includes books, clippings, magazines, and various types of licensing and merchandising
material. |
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A small subseries of material related to digital video programming and home entertainment
releases contains a script outline for digital short "Saturday
Night Line," as well as production art, correspondence, notes and drafts, and
publicity material related to various VHS and DVD compilations. |
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Subseries G. Specials contains scripts and production and publicity material for over
a
dozen SNL specials, from the two-part Best of SNL in 1979 to Weekend Update Summer
Edition in 2017. Clippings related to the deaths of cast members Chris Farley and
Phil Hartman are filed with material for the SNL Remembers Chris
Farley and SNL Remembers Phil Hartman compilation
specials that aired shortly after their passing. A leather-bound guest book from the
25th Anniversary special contains jokes, doodles, and signatures
from performers and guests. The greatest volume of material in the subseries relates
to the
40th Anniversary special, with script drafts; extensive
production material including rundowns, schedules, and logo and emoji designs; press
clippings; and thank-you notes from celebrity guests. |
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A large volume of material in Subseries H. Syndicated episodes documents the editing
of
various episodes of SNL into 30-minute and 60-minute versions
that were sold for syndication on various networks including Nick at Night, MTV, Comedy
Central, and Sky Broadcasting. The files contain copies of as broadcast scripts and
production documents like rundowns, synopses, sketch lists, and cue sheets, along
with audio
and editing notes and graphics lists. Many of the documents were treated for mold
contamination after arriving at the Ransom Center; researchers who are sensitive to
mold may
wish to wear a mask while viewing this material in the Center’s Reading Room. |
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The final subseries of SNL material contains works about the
program, including dissertations, theses, and published books; page proofs, correspondence,
and other material for Saturday Night Live: The Book, a
history of the show published in conjunction with the 40th anniversary that features
reproductions of material from Michaels’s collection; material related to various
documentary films about SNL; and a selection of material
pulled and scanned for Saturday Night Live: The Exhibition, a
pop-up exhibit in New York and Chicago that also honored SNL’s 40th anniversary. The documents selected for the exhibit provide a small
selection of noteworthy and unique items in the collection, from Michaels’s original
mailgram explaining the show’s concept to Dick Ebersol, to a piece of prop currency
featuring the image of Mr. Bill. |
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Other television series and specials represented in Series I. include: |
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30 Rock |
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Materials include extensive coverage of the pilot episode, which includes a draft
from 2004
under the title The Tracy Morgan Sketch Project. Further pilot drafts detail two years
of
development until the final production draft in 2006. While there are script drafts
for
other episodes, most notably in Season 1, the bulk of the writing material represented
is
outlines containing dialogue elements for early episodes in Seasons 2-5. An exception
is
Season 5 Episode 4 "Live Show," which includes both the East
and West coast shooting drafts as well as documented variations between the two, as
this
episode was aired live. |
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Production materials including audience research, casting, commercial treatments,
and
design proofs are also present, but only for Season 1. Production for later seasons
includes
cast lists for Seasons 5 and 6, and a production binder for Season 5 with correspondence
and
schedules. Three scripts in Season 1 are described with a production code, which is
used to
identify an episode’s order during production and may not reflect the broadcast order.
There
is also extensive publicity material in the form of clippings and magazines, as well
as a
publicity campaign kit compiled by NBC Universal regarding the premiere of the show
and its
reception. |
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The Awesomes |
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The development process for this animated series is documented by early pilot materials,
including script drafts and character art. In particular, the animatic draft provides
reference for character art evolution. Materials also include an autographed cast
poster in
physical and electronic format. |
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The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show |
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Materials from this production document Michaels’s first job as a sketch writer for
televised comedy in 1968. This is a comprehensive example of his early writing, as
only one
episode (Episode 5) of the show is not represented within the material. Scripts are
final
drafts with production materials such as schedules, timing rundowns, and casting for
the
episode, some of which are marked with Lorne’s name. An exception to this is Episode
13,
represented by a production draft with rehearsal schedules in presentation binding.
Materials also include a proposal for the show’s concept, along with clippings and
correspondence. |
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The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour |
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This series includes first drafts and rundowns of Episodes 1 and 5, which were housed
in a
custom, personalized binder. The scripts were removed from the binder and are housed
separately. Although The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour, a
series that ran for 13 episodes, is not comprehensively documented in the collection,
it
remains notable as the first show that saw Michaels return to Hollywood after his
work for
the CBC, as well as the production that led to his working relationship with Lily
Tomlin. |
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Documentary Now! |
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Materials of note for this mockumentary series include handwritten drafts of unproduced
episodes, with drawings of sketch elements. Early drafts exist for Episodes 1, 3,
and 6 of
Season 1. Publicity materials include press clippings and a booklet entitled "Jerry Wallach: A Life in Pictures," which was created for the
television awards season as promotional material and not sold commercially. |
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Flip Wilson...Of Course |
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After the success of Lily, Michaels produced a special for
Flip Wilson. The special is notable for being the first time Michaels worked with
Richard
Pryor, a memorable guest host on SNL’s first season.
Materials bound within a personalized presentation copy include the final script draft,
with
handwritten revisions, schedules, and short rundown. There are also publicity stills
with
captions. |
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Hart and Lorne Presents, The Hart and
Lorne Terrific Hour, and The Hart and Lorne
Show |
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These three shows, which aired from 1969 to 1972, are grouped together as they represent
an
ongoing collaboration between Lorne Michaels and Hart Pomerantz. They returned to
Canada
from Los Angeles after signing a contract with the CBC to produce a series of variety
shows
for an anthology series called Sunday at Nine. The Hart and Lorne intended to compete against American products such
as Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, a show the pair previously
wrote for. Michaels and Pomerantz wrote scripts, served as producers, and appeared
as hosts
and in pre-taped sketches for all versions of Hart and
Lorne. |
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The first season was titled Hart and Lorne Presents... and
featured four variety show specials. Materials are organized by special in chronological
order and include script and publicity materials. Script materials are marked with
Michaels’s handwritten annotations and represent his earliest television production
work
within the collection (Michaels and Pomerantz alternated production duties by show).
Each
special was written and produced as a standalone episode, with months in between specials.
Scripts may also include production elements such as script schedules, rehearsal schedules,
music cues, cast lists, and rundowns. Individual guest comedian monologues are also
found
within the scripts. Special 4, "I am Curious Maple", has an
original ticket. Publicity materials include clippings, magazines, and official CBC
press
digests. Correspondence regarding birthdays and CBC publicity is also present. |
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The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour materials include first
draft scripts for Episodes 2 through 5 and are annotated by Michaels. First draft
scripts
also contain production materials that may include taping schedules, correspondence,
musical
numbers, and Hart and Lorne standup routines. Other sketch elements are present, such
as
lists of characters played by Michaels, scene breakdowns, and individual sketches
with
handwritten notes. Scripts for "The Michaels Report" reveal
that this sketch was one of the forerunners to the Weekend Update segment on SNL. Tickets, publicity material, and photographs are lesser in
volume but provide insight into the mixed success of the program as well as Michaels’s
attempts to lead a talk show. |
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The Hart and Lorne Show is comprised only of script drafts
for three episodes and tickets for unidentified episodes. Drafts for Episode 1 are
marked
Lorne and include handwritten annotations and camera blocking. Of note is Rosie Shuster’s
copy for Episode 1 as the first evidence of a working relationship that would continue
into
SNL. Materials for this series are also available in
electronic format. |
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The Kids in the Hall |
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The Kids in the Hall is one of the most well-documented
productions in the collection, and the material offers a look at a production style
that is
distinct from that of any other work represented there. The show was produced ahead
of
broadcast in a hybrid fashion, with some sketches taped as live performances with
a
multi-camera setup before a studio audience, and others filmed in a single-camera
production
format. The differences of approach between the multi-camera Studio Sessions and the
single-camera Film Sessions are most evident in the production material, which is
generally
comprised of production and editing binders often attached to specific staff roles,
as well
as various technical reports. Studio Session material tends to include logs and notes
concerning taped footage, scripts with camera blocking, and scheduling information.
The Film
Session material contains more evidence of the intensive continuity and editing processes,
with lined scripts, storyboards, continuity reports, reel logs, film lab reports,
and
editor’s notes. Seasons were produced all at once, and for most seasons, detailed
calendars
show how the complex production schedule manages the writing, taping, and filming
portions
of the process. Some files relate specifically to shorter cuts of the episodes produced
for
syndication on Comedy Central. |
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Script material is extensive and covers almost every episode in Season 1 and Seasons
3-5.
For these seasons, shooting scripts and as broadcast scripts are the most common and
generally represent the state of the script in its later stages. Revisions and early
drafting stages are less well-represented, but not wholly absent. For Season 2, a
unique
file labeled as 'Lorne Michaels’s Binder' is present, which
includes early script drafts, a list of contacts, and a production calendar. |
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Most of the The Kids in the Hall publicity and marketing
material consists of clippings organized by year and publicity photographs depicting
the
five core cast members. Smaller amounts of correspondence, ratings, graphic design
material,
and other promotional documents are also present. |
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Death Comes to Town, a 2010 Kids in the Hall miniseries, is
documented only in a file with a single press clipping. The sixth season of the main
series,
which aired in 2022, is not represented in the collection. |
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Late Night with Conan O'Brien |
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Files related to Late Night with Conan O'Brien are dominated
by extensive publicity material, especially clippings and magazines. The bulk of this
material covers the first four seasons, with volume decreasing in subsequent seasons.
Particular focus is given to a period of competition between late night hosts in 1993
dubbed
the "Late Night Wars." Scripts are present only for the very
early days of the show, with initial drafts from 1993 and final scripts for the first
23
episodes as well as for five test tapings made before the start of Season 1. The sole
production after 1993 documented in the scripts is the 10th
Anniversary Show broadcast in 2004. Production material is minimal and consists
mostly of correspondence and official holiday cards and invitations. Very little material
of
any kind dates past 2004, although the show continued to be hosted by O’Brien and
executive
produced by Michaels. |
|
Lily |
|
This Lily Tomlin comedy special is significant for the fact that Michaels’s work on
the
program earned him one of his first Emmys. After Michaels received the award, NBC
gave him a
weekend time slot to produce SNL. Material for this special
is limited but shows original SNL writer Rosie Shuster’s
collaboration with then-husband Michaels in the form of Shuster’s personal, bound
script
bearing annotations from both. In addition to another copy of the script, a production
binder marked as belonging to Michaels contains basic production documents and a personal
note from Tomlin. |
|
Mulaney |
|
Although Mulaney only ran for a single season, the material
in the collection is noteworthy in that it offers a start-to-finish look at the process
of
writing and revising a sitcom pilot. John Mulaney’s revised versions of the first
episode
are labeled by the associated development stage, from the initial drafting to network
submission, table reads, and shooting. A production binder is also present for the
pilot
with schedules, call sheets, production design documents, and other production material. |
|
Scripts and production material for other episodes give a more limited overview of
the
production process and reflect the fact that the order in which stories were initially
written did not translate to the final order of the episodes. The Mulaney material also includes one of the collection’s rare examples of a genuine
prop element, in the form of a poster for a fictional movie. |
|
The New Show |
|
The New Show represents Lorne Michaels’s return to sketch
comedy television before his reinstatement at SNL in 1985.
There is significant overlap in the writing staff of The New
Show and Michaels-produced seasons of SNL. The
writing and production of the single season of this show is well-represented in the
collection. Scripts take the form of drafts for individual sketches, with these drafts
then
grouped by the episode in which that sketch appears. There is also a comparable volume
of
unused material which was written but never produced, organized alphabetically by
sketch
title. |
|
The hiring of staff and talent is better documented than for other television productions
in the collection, with audition sheets, headshots, resumes, letters of interest,
and
correspondence from talent agencies and recommenders. Other production documentation
includes shooting and post-production schedules, location information, script acceptability
reports, music licensing information, and other forms of correspondence. Publicity
material
is very limited and includes a press kit with photographs, a small number of clippings,
and
a headshot of Michaels. |
|
Portlandia |
|
Beginning in Season 3, Portlandia materials include revised
drafts of sketches, as well as a sketch guide and production outline detailing how
sketches
were written at the beginning of the season, filmed in batches, and then edited into
the
final order. Season 4 provides the most insight into the writing process, with first
draft
scripts being arranged alphabetically, and revised drafts having a production number
attached to the script guide. Sketch drafts and a corresponding guide exist for Season
4,
with only drafts for Season 5. The collection does not contain script materials for
Seasons
1 and 2. |
|
Production materials only exist for the first two seasons of the show, and mostly
relate to
publicity events, press, and debut releases, although other materials such as schedules
and
call sheets are present. |
|
Publicity materials make up the rest of this series, including clippings. In keeping
with
the strong attachment to the shooting location, local artists created individual posters
for
each episode of Season 2. There are multiple copies of each poster; the majority of
designs
include at least one signed copy by the artist and they are also available in electronic
format. Other posters are those created to publicize the 2012 tour and Seasons 1 and
6. |
|
Rowan & Martin's Laugh In |
|
Rowan & Martin's Laugh In is considered a forerunner to
SNL not only in regard to the structure (short, varied
sketches) but also for the emphasis on topical and political humor. Michaels, along
with his
writing partner Hart Pomerantz, joined the writing team for the show’s second season.
The
majority of the materials are second draft scripts with schedules and rundowns from
the
latter half of the season. Other items include personalized stationery for Michaels
and a
single clipping regarding Goldie Hawn’s exit from the show. |
|
The Rutles: All You Need is Cash |
|
The screenplay for this made for television film can be found in the production notebook,
along with correspondence and cast and crew lists. Of note are the large number of
negatives
taken during filming, which are available to view onsite with advance notice. Publicity
materials include a Beatles trivia book, press, and correspondence regarding marketing
of
the film and corresponding album. Some of the material was treated for mold contamination
after arriving at the Ransom Center; researchers who are sensitive to mold may wish
to wear
a mask while viewing it in the Center’s Reading Room. |
|
Schmigadoon! |
|
With the exception of shows that are currently airing, Schmigadoon! contains the most recent materials in the television series. Scripts
and outlines from 2019 detail the plan for a three season show, although ultimately
only two
seasons were produced. Press clippings make up the rest of materials related to this
production. |
|
Series II. Film, 1977-2023 |
|
Series II. is organized alphabetically by film title. The volume of material continues
to
vary from one production to another, though not as dramatically as in Series I.
Well-documented film productions include Mean Girls, Wayne’s World, Coneheads, Tommy Boy, The Ladies Man, Hot Rod, Enigma, and Nothing Lasts Forever, which never received a national theatrical
release. Within each production, material is generally grouped into scripts, production
material, and publicity material. Production material refers to documents from the
pre-production, principal photography, and post-production stages, including casting,
scheduling, production design, editing, music, and still photography. Publicity material
such as posters and press kits may also be accompanied by marketing, ratings, and/or
merchandising material. Material related to awards for specific films is filed in
Series VI,
Subseries B. Awards. |
|
Film productions with extensive and/or noteworthy documentation include: |
|
Baby Mama |
|
Only the shooting script draft by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler is present for this film,
but
there is a considerable volume of production material. Wrap books belonging to producers
Jill Messick and Michaels contain reports, schedules, production logs, and call sheets
detailing day by day activities. There is also a large number of photographs intended
for
marketing purposes, including publicity key sets with markings. Other publicity material
includes clippings, magazines, and multiple autographed and clean versions of posters. |
|
Black Sheep |
|
This film marked the last appearance of Chris Farley and David Spade as comedy partners.
It
was quickly produced after the financial success of 1995’s Tommy
Boy with the first draft submitted a month after the premiere. Screenplays include
the first draft by Fred Wolf and subsequent revised production drafts with new writers
attached to the project. There are also transcripts of script meetings between director
Penelope Spheeris and Wolf. Further revisions and notes are also found in the production
materials. |
|
Production documents are mostly related to casting suggestions and scheduling. Publicity
and marketing materials include clippings and magazines, posters, press releases,
audience
research reports, and press kits containing stills and slides. |
|
Coneheads |
|
After the success of Wayne's World, Coneheads was the next SNL sketch to be adapted
into a feature film. This production is among the most extensively documented in the
collection. Original screenplays were written by Tom Davis and Dan Aykroyd, with further
revisions by Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner of the Wayne's
World screenwriting team. Some drafts include Michaels’s handwritten notes and
revisions. |
|
Among the production materials are extensive concept and photographic materials, including
storyboards, concept art, props, visual effects lists, and costume designs. Also of
note
are materials related to the Coneheads’ appearance on MTV, including a script and
correspondence attached to the musical performance. |
|
Enigma |
|
One of the few films produced by Michaels that is unrelated to an SNL character or cast member, Enigma was a
collaborative production with Mick Jagger’s company Jagged Films. Materials show how
the
screenplay by Tom Stoppard underwent four years of revision before production began. |
|
Extensive production correspondence records cast and crew decisions and script revisions.
Production documentation for the film is comprehensive, including design elements
such as
photographs of shooting locations, costume tests, and storyboards. Call sheets and
schedules, credits, progress reports, and timings are some of the other formats
represented. |
|
Marketing and publicity materials are also well represented, with audience research,
screening reports, and marketing plans detailing an involved promotional strategy.
Press
breaks, reviews, box office updates, release schedules and clippings are present,
as are
materials documenting the planning of the premiere. |
|
The Guilt Trip |
|
Screenplays for The Guilt Trip display extensive revisions
over a period of three years under the title My Mother’s Curse. Many of the revised
drafts
have handwritten annotations, along with notes from Michaels. Michaels’s wrap binder
includes a comprehensive view of finalized production details, with limited correspondence
regarding casting. There are also extensive production stills. Unusual among the marketing
and publicity materials is an advertising design binder by BLT & Associates containing
logos, sketches, and publicity campaign concepts with both the film’s original and
theatrical title, suggesting a later renaming of the production. |
|
Hot Rod |
|
The Hot Rod script material captures the many creative
shifts that took place during an unusually long screenwriting process. A second draft
of Pam
Brady’s original screenplay from 2000 contains characters and plot details absent
from the
final film. Subsequent revisions by Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone
show how
the story changed drastically when it was picked back up for development in 2006.
Some of
these scripts also bear handwritten commentary by Lorne Michaels. The protracted development
process is also documented in Jill Messick’s script coverage binders, found in the
Los
Angeles office files portion of Series VI. Professional Papers. |
|
Production and publicity material includes many rich, playful, and/or unique artifacts
of
the creative process, including a concept art binder bound in costume fabric, a publicity
campaign concept binder, an illustrated flipbook, prop event fliers, wardrobe test
photographs, contact sheets of images for publicity graphics, and several more production
binders with detailed documentation of research, planning, and the daily activities
of a
variety of crew members. |
|
Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy |
|
This narrative feature spin-off premiered the year after the conclusion of the original
Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy sketch comedy series. An
early screenplay outline and initial drafts show that the film screenwriting process
began
under the working title The Drug shortly after wrapping the series’ fifth season.
Subsequent
versions of the screenplay document revisions made during production of the film.
Production
documents include cast and crew lists, schedules, and a focus group report. Publicity
and
marketing material is more extensive, with posters and mockups, clippings of promos
and
reviews, magazines, press kit components, and screening reports. |
|
Macgruber |
|
Macgruber is the most recent feature-length adaption of an
SNL sketch within the collection. The screenplays were
written by then-cast members Will Forte, John Solomon, and Jorma Taccone while the
trio were
also writing and appearing in weekly episodes of SNL. Six
revision stages are captured over five weeks with further scene revisions appearing
in
production materials. Other production documents include call sheets, schedules, and
cast
and crew lists. Audience research surveys, press, and posters make up the publicity
materials. |
|
Mean Girls |
|
Mean Girls contains the largest volume of material within
the film series. Screenplay materials begin in 2002, and there are over twenty versions
of
the script across two years. Many of these drafts contain handwritten annotations
either
from producer Jill Messick, director Mark Waters, or executive producer Michaels.
There are
also extensive notes from Paramount regarding script edits as well as correspondence
from
writer Tina Fey on development. |
|
Production materials are equally well-represented. Of particular note are the casting
documents, which include notes and correspondence from Messick. Multiple production
and wrap
binders contain comprehensive documentation of daily production, including reports
and
schedules, along with design elements such as costume tests and soundtrack
correspondence. |
|
A considerable amount of marketing and publicity material documents the immediate
success
of the film, including audience screenings, survey reports, trailer tests, tracking
reports,
box office estimates, and gross summaries. Poster designs, taglines, logo development,
home
entertainment designs, special shoot dialogues, interstitials, and concept art for
promotional materials reveal the film’s thorough marketing campaign. Further materials
include press clippings, magazines, and reviews. |
|
Also of note are materials related to the premiere, which include a seating chart,
programs, guest lists and photographs. |
|
Nothing Lasts Forever |
|
Nothing Lasts Forever is the only movie produced under
Michaels’s deal with MGM and was never nationally released in theaters or on home
media.
Screenplays by Tom Schiller include production elements and revisions. Of note is
the script
and correspondence from Schiller to Dr. Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, who
appeared
in the film. |
|
Filmed entirely in New York City, production materials include extensive location
files
with photographs and maps of the city. Of note are set design plots and blueprints,
as well
as location planning correspondence. Other production design elements well represented
are
costuming materials, including numerous character sketches and reference collages;
music
schedules; and storyboards. Daily production is documented through production reports,
schedules, and correspondence. There is little publicity material, apart from announcements
of the project. |
|
The Ladies Man |
|
Production documentation for this film is relatively comprehensive, with documents
related
to cast and crew, scheduling, travel, continuity, clearance, storyboarding, music,
costumes,
titles, equipment, effects, and reshoots. Screenplays capture eight revision stages.
A large
volume of photographs is present in both the production and publicity material. Publicity
plans and correspondence reveal Paramount’s promotional strategy, with clippings and
magazines documenting press coverage. |
|
A Night at the Roxbury |
|
SNL spinoff A Night at the
Roxbury is another well-documented production with material from all stages of the
filmmaking process. Script material shows the evolution of the screenplay from initial
drafts by Steve Koren to later versions co-written by Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan.
The
activities of casting, scheduling, shooting, music, editing, billing, and planning
for the
film’s premiere are all captured in the production material. Memoranda reveal canceled
arrangements for a scene involving magician David Copperfield. Publicity material
includes
magazines, clippings, press kits, photographs, poster designs, and screening reports.
Unique
to this production is the documentation of writing done for trailers and commercials,
with
contributions from Steve Koren and Dinah Minot. |
|
¡Three Amigos! |
|
¡Three Amigos! is one of only two films that feature
Michaels’s work as a writer as well as a producer. Screenplays include a draft copy
belonging to co-writer Randy Newman with Michaels’s notes. Production materials include
stills, editing notes, travel planning, and notes from Michaels. Publicity and marketing
materials are better represented, and contain correspondence related to unproduced
spinoffs,
including an animated series and film sequel. Scripts and synopses for later planned
musical
theater adaptations are filed in Series IV. Projects. |
|
Tommy Boy |
|
Originally titled Billy the Kid: a mid-western, Tommy Boy
was the first film to star Chris Farley as part of a deal made with Paramount Pictures.
Script drafts show that the screenplay underwent extensive revisions under numerous
writers
within a short time frame, and revisions continued during the production's shooting.
Numerous versions of the screenplays include handwritten notes by Michaels on dialogue
and
pacing. |
|
Production materials include a large amount of correspondence related to revisions,
music,
schedules, and cast, as well as the overlapping chronology of Michaels’s other projects
during this year. Editing notes, schedules, casting materials, and reports are also
present.
Publicity and marketing material includes audience reports from two different screenings,
press breaks, posters, publicity stills, and invitations and programs from the premiere. |
|
Superstar |
|
Superstar is one of the more comprehensively documented film
productions. Screenplays include five drafts by Steve Koren, as well as revisions
created
over a year of script development. Production material includes call sheets, cast
and crew
lists, music and soundtrack correspondence, and stills. In the publicity materials,
there is
an emphasis on marketing including campaign approval packages, promotional reports,
home
video design proofs, press kits, and screening reports. Also present are audience
research
cards, a survey report, and printouts of the film’s 1999 website design proofs. |
|
Wayne's World and Wayne's World
2 |
|
The commercial success of the first Wayne's World film is
documented in the extensive collection of publicity material. This includes a comprehensive
record of national press coverage and movie reviews in the form of bound volumes and
packets
compiled weekly by Paramount Pictures. Magazines, newspapers, and box office reports
are
also present. Graphic design elements and official posters document the promotional
campaign. The script development process is captured from the first treatment by Mike
Myers
through the fourth green revision of the shooting script. Production documentation
is more
limited, with correspondence and material from the location planning and post-production
stages appearing in modest quantities. |
|
Material from Wayne's World 2 reveals how quickly the
development of this sequel began after the premiere of the first. Similar to the first
production, scripts and publicity material offer the broadest view, although there
is an
increase in the amount of production documentation present for this film, especially
in the
form of photographs. Shots by Elliot Marks depict behind-the-scenes and on-camera
action and
also include headshots of Michaels taken as part of a publicity shoot. |
|
Series III. Theater, 1979-2023 |
|
Material in this series documents Michaels’s production of three Broadway shows, Gilda Live, Mean Girls, and Leopoldstadt, as well as Randy Newman’s
Faust, a musical that did not make it to Broadway. The largest volume relates to
the two productions of Faust, the first at La Jolla Playhouse
in 1995, and the second, featuring a script rewritten by David Mamet, at Chicago’s
Goodman
Theatre in 1996. Annotated script drafts, correspondence, casting material, schedules,
and
press clippings reveal these productions’ history from concept to opening night. In
addition
to this, the collection contains scripts and other material for the studio album recorded
in
1995. |
|
Series IV. Projects, 1967-2019 |
|
The bulk of the Projects series, which is arranged alphabetically by title, consists
of
script drafts and other material for unproduced or unaired television programs and
films. A
few titles written or conceived by Michaels in this series include an outline and
notes for
a semiautobiographical movie tentatively titled Women, Money and Restaurants that
Michaels
worked on in the late 1970s, a screenplay called The Liar from 1986 based on the Jon
Lovitz
SNL character, and a screenplay titled The Saturday Night
Live Movie from 1990. Other projects that progressed further in the screenwriting
and
pre-production process have script drafts annotated by Michaels, including the films
August
Blow-Out by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay; Dieter by Mike Myers, Jack Handey, and Michael
McCullers; Mall Cops, a buddy movie pitched as a vehicle for Kenan Thompson, Jimmy
Fallon,
and/or Horatio Sanz; and a screenplay by Tina Fey known as The Untitled Williamsburg
Project
or Curly and Vic. As the above-mentioned titles demonstrate, many of the projects
were
created by writers for SNL and/or feature SNL cast members. Some of the film projects in this series are
also documented in the script development material from Paramount Pictures and SNL
Studios
filed in Series VI. Subseries H. Office files. |
|
Material for television includes scripts, production, and publicity material for the
unaired pilot episode of America’s Most Terrible Things, starring Chevy Chase, as
well as a
different unproduced series titled The Chevy Chase Show; scripts for Brothers in Atlanta,
a
planned HBO series by Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin; scripts and production
material
for Thick and Thin, an unaired sitcom pilot by Paula Pell; and a script for a planned
30 Rock spinoff by Robert Carlock and Tina Fey labeled Untitled
Jack Donaghy Pilot. |
|
The series contains little material related to early projects developed by Broadway
Video
in the 1980s and 1990s; some additional information on these unproduced screenplays
and
television projects is filed with Broadway Video material in Series VI. Subseries
H. Office
files. |
|
The Projects series also includes scripts and other material for films that were produced
without Michaels’s involvement, including Mean Girls 2 and
It’s Pat: The Movie, and scripts, drafts, and proofs that
were submitted as unsolicited material or sent to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences members with a For Your Consideration letter during the Oscars judging period. |
|
Series V. Correspondence, 1968-2023 |
|
Materials for this series are grouped chronologically and include many subgroups;
personal,
professional, solicitations, requests, birth announcements, holiday cards, thank-you
notes
and Valentine’s Day cards. Distinctions between incoming and outgoing correspondence
reflect
original labels. An additional subgroup, Notable people, is ordered alphabetically
by last
name and contains letters that were originally housed separately from other correspondence.
Formats are extremely varied, with letters, memoranda, email printouts, postcards,
and
telegrams, among others. Further description is found within the folders on paper
sleeves
and reflects the original title provided by the creator. Solicitations for charitable
donations and requests for interviews and personal appearances are filed under the
heading
solicitations. The majority of the correspondence is related to the film and television
entertainment industry and projects Lorne Michaels participated in. |
|
Notable correspondents are wide-ranging, from SNL alumni
such as Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, Mike Myers,
John
Mulaney, and Gilda Radner to industry colleagues from NBC, Paramount Pictures, and
other
entertainment companies. Correspondents usually described as personal by original
labels
include Alec Baldwin, Candice Bergen, Steve Martin, Paul McCartney, Mike Nichols,
Jack
Nicholson, and Paul Simon. Due to the overlapping personal and professional nature
of many
of Michaels’s relationships, correspondence from certain individuals may be filed
under
personal or professional. Similarly, individuals described in the Notable people subgroup
may be found in paper sleeves labeled notable or special in later, less-represented
years of
correspondence. |
|
The Paper Scan binders in this series consist of material previously selected for
digitization, consisting primarily of correspondence, with a few production documents
from
SNL and various printed materials. Each binder also
contains an inventory of its contents. |
|
A partial index of correspondent names in this collection is included in this finding
aid. |
|
Series VI. Professional Papers, 1861-2023 |
|
Material in this series relates mostly to professional activities not associated with
a
specific production and is arranged into thirteen subseries. Subseries may represent
a shared
context or format and are organized alphabetically. |
|
Subseries A. Appointment books contains a selection of datebooks and daily planners
kept by
Michaels and his assistants from 1977-1992 documenting meetings with friends, colleagues,
and individuals connected to the production of SNL and other
works, and his travels and attendance at various events during this period. |
|
Subseries B. Awards contains extensive correspondence, photographs, speech drafts,
programs, invitations, and other documents related to awards and other forms of recognition.
Most are awards given to Lorne Michaels or to productions on which he worked. The
most
extensive group is that pertaining to the Emmy Awards, with material from 1969 to
2022.
Other honors with a high volume of material include the Order of Canada, the Mark
Twain
Awards, the Canada Walk of Fame, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and
the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. Some material relates to other honorees, especially Steve
Martin,
Paul Simon, and Tina Fey. An Awards Portfolio is also included which compiles official
certificates for major awards. |
|
Subseries C. Collected material describes items across a wide variety of formats kept
out
of personal interest. The largest subset of this material consists of books, many
written, or
given as gifts by, colleagues of Michaels. Some are in the form of unpublished manuscripts,
and some include inscribed dedications. Other formats present in significant quantities
are
postcards, posters, programs and press kits, and tickets. Other items relate to Michaels’s
interests in world travel, sports, history, and the activities of friends and
colleagues. |
|
Subseries D. Early life and career contains material from Michaels’s childhood and
early
adulthood. The earliest material in this subseries, dating from the 1950s, include
letters
and postcards written by Michaels to his parents from summer camp, a report card from
Hebrew
school, and scripts and a certificate from his bar mitzvah. Michaels’s teenage years
and his
growing interest in theater are documented by handmade programs from musicals and
plays
staged at his high school and summer camps as well as published ones from shows he
attended
in Toronto and New York. Manuscript and electronic files from his college days at
the
University of Toronto include additional theater programs, student magazines, and
records
from his commencement in 1966. Looseleaf diary pages that detail Michaels’s daily
life after
graduation as a young man in Toronto and drafts of monologues and comedic routines
document
his earliest work as a writer. Notable in this subseries are drafts of jokes and a
screenplay outline written for and presented to Woody Allen in the late 1960s. The
subseries
also contains numerous scripts for CBC television or radio productions by writers
other than
Michaels; it is not known whether these scripts were produced. A Writers Guild of
America
welcome and information packet documents Michaels’s arrival in Los Angeles to work
on The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show and then Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, bringing his early career period to a close |
|
Subseries E. Events is organized chronologically and contains primarily programs and
correspondence related to galas, benefit shows, festivals, premieres, and other large-scale
events not dedicated to the conferral of awards. Individual files within this subseries
contain material related only to one event. This is different from Subseries F. Invitations,
where individual files contain material relating to many events within a
specified date range. These files include smaller and more personal events such as
birthday
and holiday parties. Invitations may also be found in Series V. Correspondence. |
|
In Subseries G. Memorials, programs, correspondence, and speech notes have been preserved
from events celebrating significant individuals in Michaels’s life and work, including
John
Belushi, Chris Farley, and Gilda Radner. |
|
Subseries H. Notebooks and notes contains both complete notebooks with specific purposes
and loose notes on a variety of branded stationeries and scrap papers. Notebooks are
either
address books filled out with contact information or largely blank books with a few
pages of
writing. Looseleaf notes typically consist of musings, reminders, or preliminary ideas
for
pieces of writing present in more developed form in Subseries L. Writings. Notes often
appear alongside small amounts of collected material. |
|
Subseries I. Office files contains organizational records from several companies with
which
Michaels has been affiliated. The subseries is divided geographically, with the New
York
City subgroup representing work more directly subject to the oversight of Lorne Michaels.
Formats vary widely, but the most common are correspondence, design materials, building
information, official invitations, project tracking documents, script coverage, reports,
and
lists. |
|
The greatest volume of the New York City material relates to the activities of Michaels’s
longstanding production company Broadway Video, with a smaller amount from the company’s
predecessor, Above Average. Files pertaining to the Michaels Goldwyn company document
the
initial branding efforts for this collaboration with John Goldwyn. The group of materials
labeled 'LM Office' represent administrative files not
associated with one particular workplace or which concern Michaels’s personal affairs.
A
small portion of the office files capture activities from the early years of SNL Studios,
a
production studio founded in 1997 to support SNL and spinoff
films. |
|
The Los Angeles portion of the material consists mostly of script coverage coming
from the
offices of Jill Messick and Hilary Marx, who represented Broadway Video during the
company’s
first-look film deal with Paramount Pictures beginning in 2003. |
|
Subseries J. Photographs and artworks. Photographs make up the vast majority of this
subseries. The first group of photographs features Michaels as the primary or only
subject.
Many of these photographs were taken in a professional context and are attributable
to
photographers involved in other areas of Michaels’s work, such as Edie Baskin of SNL and Elliot Marks of the Wayne’s
World film crew. The second group contains photographs of Michaels with one or
more additional subjects, especially notable friends and colleagues. The third group
consists of photographs not featuring Michaels as a subject. The fourth group compiles
all
files that used the label 'Photos Lorne Likes' in the
original documentation. These images generally feature Michaels as a subject, sometimes
with
others present. The Publicity photographs group contains a binder of digitized photographs
and a file with negatives and extra prints. This group gives some insight into the
processes
of editing and choosing photographs for use in publications. |
|
A selection of photographs is housed separately within several binders and portfolios.
Most
of these photographs belong to a body of scanned material accessible in digital format.
Binders contain 3-ring pages of sleeved prints and Polaroids, each of which is labeled
with a
sequential identifier that corresponds to a digital file name. Portfolios contain
matted
prints of photographs, many of which were pulled by previous researchers for inclusion
in
books and documentaries. |
|
An Index of Photographic Subjects included with this finding aid records the names
of
individuals featured in photographs in this subseries and elsewhere in the collection. |
|
Subseries K. Professional organizations presents limited documentation of Michaels’s
involvement with the academies of film and television in the US and Canada, as well
as with
the Writers Guild of America. Most often this comes in the form of official correspondence
and newsletters, reports, membership applications, and member cards. Files are also
present
for other organizations but with minimal content. |
|
Subseries L. Publicity is made up of clippings, magazines, printouts of online articles,
and newspapers organized into subject files. An initial file, 'LM
articles and interviews,' documents coverage of Michaels himself from 1974 to 2023
and includes clippings, magazines, and books. Many of the press materials are present
in
multiple formats that may include the original article, photocopies, and digital scans.
Prior to arrival at the Harry Ransom Center, press material considered significant
was
selected for rehousing to address preservation concerns, especially regarding acidic
newsprint. This original arrangement has been preserved under the deacidified special
press
heading. |
|
Michaels collected a vast amount of press related to friends, productions, projects,
current and former SNL cast and crew, comedy, television and
industry developments, and other interests. Due to the complex nature of his network,
there
are many places in the collection where press related to an individual or project
can be
found either with a production or in this series. For example, clippings related to
Tina Fey
in 2009 can be found in SNL, 30
Rock, and the subject file Fey, Tina. Headings are ordered alphabetically, and
most headings are names of individuals in Michaels’s professional sphere, but there
are also
reviews, industry events, and film and television companies and networks. Collected
press
breaks are filed under the name of the company who compiled them. Press related to
NBC
includes breaks compiled by the NBC Entertainment Publicity department from 2006 to
2007.
There is also a number of magazines and newspapers with unidentified subjects. |
|
Subseries M. Writings consists of notes and drafts created in the preparation of a
speech,
article, or piece of correspondence. These are a mix of handwritten documents (often
on
legal pad paper) and printouts of typed material, some also with handwritten annotations.
Drafts for speeches often relate to events also documented in the Awards, Events,
and
Memorials subseries. This material is organized chronologically. |
