BY BANDINI • AUGUST 26, 2019

For four seasons, Eddie Murphy was the star of Saturday Night Live. During Season 6, Murphy joined a cast that was rebounding from the mass exodus of the “Not Ready For Primetime Players” squad that made the show a cultural touchstone in the second half of the 1970s.

In the midst of Lorne Michaels’ exit, writers striking, and critical condemnation, Murphy ignited the once-revered show. By 1982, Murphy became a star—able to fill in as a host of the NBC show, including when his 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte suddenly fell ill. During lean years, Murphy is often credited for keeping the sketch comedy program alive. He returned in Season 10 to host, reuniting with some of his former cast-mates as well as emerging talent, including Billy Crystal and Martin Short.

During the 1970s, Black cast member Garrett Morris was often sidelined in sketches dominated by the breakout stars. Meanwhile, Murphy wrote many of his roles and dominated the screen time of Saturday nights. Spoofs of Fred Rogers, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gumby, and Our Gang‘s “Buckwheat” became timeless TV moments. Apart from impersonations, Murphy delivered enduring concepts to his roles, including the iconic “White Like Me” sketch.

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