Looking for original SNL airings

I've posted my SNL want list before, but figured this format would be much easier to read and navigate.

Shows marked as "missing shows" would be my first preference; anything marked with an asterisk (*) is highest priority. Shows marked as "upgrades welcome" are lower priority but would be nice to get for better quality transfers, more complete recordings, US airings if my recording is from Canada, or with commercials intact. Unless specified, I want original NBC airings only; specific repeat versions are listed, mainly to help track edits on my reviews.

If you have something on my list, send me an e-mail through the contact page or the e-mail icon in the corner of the screen.

Updated: December 12, 2022

Seasons 1-5:
Due to the unlikelihood of most recordings from this era surviving beyond official Broadway Video copies, anything not already circulating in the trading circuit would be welcome (for bumpers, alternate versions compared to what was circulated for Warner VHS, rebroadcasts on CN/Classic, DVD release, etc.).
Specific live broadcasts of interest:

• 12/20/75 Candice Bergen / The Stylistics, Martha Reeves

• 04/17/76 Ron Nessen / Patti Smith Group

• 04/24/76 Raquel Welch / Phoebe Snow, John Sebastian

• 05/08/76 Madeline Kahn / Carly Simon (bumpers)

• 05/22/76 Buck Henry / Gordon Lightfoot (Jane Curtin apparently does a promo for the Superstars special that Pardo announces during the closing)

• 05/29/76 Elliott Gould / Leon Redbone, Harlan Collins & Joyce Everson

• 10/16/76 Karen Black / John Prine

• 09/24/77 Steve Martin / Jackson Browne (DVD uses rerun but adds commercial parodies and live goodnights)

• 02/25/78 O.J Simpson / Ashford & Simpson (with unedited Mandingo II)

Upgrades welcome:

• 08/22/81: Desi Arnaz (better quality recording)

Specific rerun versions of interest:

• 04/10/76: Richard Pryor / Gil Scott-Heron (with Madeline Kahn tech strike intro)

• 05/31/80: Howard Hesseman / Randy Newman (has Schiller’s Reel “Search For Akasa”)

• 08/23/80: Madeline Kahn / Taj Mahal (has unaired "First Love" short film starring Gilda Radner)

• Most NBC rebroadcasts w/o/c of any "original cast" show aired prior to fall 1981, with the following exceptions:

  • 06/12/76 Robert Klein / ABBA, Loudon Wainwright III

  • 07/30/77 Ralph Nader / George Benson

  • 07/28/79 Richard Benjamin / Rickie Lee Jones

  • 08/04/79 Rick Nelson / Judy Collins

  • 08/25/79 Peter Cook & Dudley Moore / Neil Sedaka

  • 06/07/80 Martin Sheen / David Bowie

  • 09/29/80 Peter Cook & Dudley Moore / Neil Sedaka

  • 11/08/80 George Carlin / Billy Preston, Janis Ian

  • 03/28/81 Steve Martin / The Blues Brothers

  • 04/04/81 Rick Nelson / Judy Collins

  • 04/18/81 Sissy Spacek / Richard Baskin

  • 04/25/81 Strother Martin / The Specials

  • 05/16/81 Jill Clayburgh / Leon Redbone, The Singing Idlers

Season 6: 1980-81
missing original airings:

• 12/13/80 Jamie Lee Curtis / James Brown, Ellen Shipley

• 12/20/80 David Carradine / Linda Ronstadt, Rex Smith, George Rose & the cast of "The Pirates of Penzance"

• 01/24/81 Robert Hays / Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crown

• 03/07/81 Bill Murray / Delbert McClinton

upgrades welcome:

• 02/21/81 Charlene Tilton / Todd Rudgren, Prince (copy starts partway through monologue)

repeat versions of interest:

• 01/03/81 Elliott Gould / Kid Creole & The Coconuts

• 01/31/81 Ellen Burstyn / Aretha Franklin, Keith Sykes

• 02/28/81 David Carradine / Linda Ronstadt, Rex Smith, George Rose & the cast of "The Pirates of Penzance"

Season 7: 1981-82
missing original airings:

• 10/10/81 Susan Saint James / The Kinks

• 11/07/81 Lauren Hutton / Rick James & the Stone City Band

• 04/17/82 Johnny Cash / Elton John

upgrades welcome:

• 10/03/81 (no host) / Rod Stewart (missing cold opening)

• 10/17/81 George Kennedy / Miles Davis (copy starts partway through Spray On Laetril)

• 10/31/81 Donald Pleasance / Fear (looking for complete copy w/o/c)

• 04/10/82 Daniel J. Travanti / John Cougar (next week segment partially missing)

repeat versions of interest:

• 11/21/82 or 07/17/82 Susan Saint James / The Kinks

• 06/26/82 Blythe Danner / Rickie Lee Jones

• 08/28/82 Johnny Cash / Elton John

Season 8: 1982-83
missing original airings:

• 10/30/82 Michael Keaton / The New Joe Jackson Band

• 11/13/82 Robert Blake / Kenny Loggins*

• 02/26/83 Jeff & Beau Bridges / Randy Newman

upgrades welcome:

• 10/02/82 Louis Gossett Jr. / George Thorogood & The Destroyers (starts partway through opening)

repeat versions of interest:

• 12/18/82 or 08/13/83 Howard Hesseman / Men At Work

• 06/04/83 Howard Hesseman / Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Season 9: 1983-84
missing original airings:

• 01/14/84 Father Guido Sarducci / Huey Lewis & the News*

• 02/25/84 Edwin Newman / Kool & The Gang

• 03/17/84 Billy Crystal / Al Jarreau

• 03/24/84 The Best of Saturday Night Live

upgrades welcome:

• 04/07/84 Michael Douglas / Deniece Williams (starts partway through MTV News)

repeat versions of interest:

• 09/08/84 or 06/29/85 Billy Crystal / Al Jarreau

Season 10: 1984-85
missing original airings:

• 01/12/85: Kathleen Turner / John Waite

upgrades welcome:

• 03/02/85: SNL Film Festival (looking for copy w/o/c)

repeat versions of interest:

• 08/10/85: Christopher Reeve / Santana

Season 11: 1985-86
missing original airings:

• 12/21/85 Teri Garr / The Dream Academy, The Cult

• 01/18/86 Harry Dean Stanton / The Replacements

• 02/08/86 Ron Reagan / The Nelsons*

• 03/15/86 Griffin Dunne / Rosanne Cash

• 04/12/86 Oprah Winfrey / Joe Jackson

upgrades welcome

• 11/23/85 Pee-Wee Herman / Queen Ida (looking for copy w/o/c with music intact)

Season 12: 1986-87
missing original airings:

• 11/15/86 Sam Kinison / Lou Reed

upgrades welcome

• 10/18/86 Malcolm-Jamal Warner / Run-DMC (looking for copy w/o/c)

• 02/28/87 Valerie Bertinelli / Robert Cray Band (starts partway through opening)

• 04/18/87 John Larroquette / Timbuk 3 (looking for copy w/o/c)

• 05/09/87 Mark Harmon / Suzanne Vega (looking for copy w/o/c)

• 05/16/87 Garry Shandling / Los Lobos (looking for copy w/o/c)

Season 13: 1987-88
missing original airings: 

• 04/16/88 Decision 88 (compilation assembled to air during Writers' Strike)

upgrades welcome:

• 10/31/87 Dabney Coleman / The Cars (looking for copy w/o/c)

• 11/21/87 Candice Bergen / Cher (looking for copy w/o/c - with all commercials intact)

• 01/30/88 Carl Weathers / Robbie Robertson* (looking for copy w/o/c with "The Garden" film intact)

Season 14: 1988-89
upgrades welcome:

• 11/12/88 Demi Moore / Johnny Clegg & Savuka (looking for clearer copy w/o/c)

Season 15: 1989-90
upgrades welcome:

• 10/21/89 Kathleen Turner / Billy Joel (looking for copy w/o/c and clearer audio)

Season 16: 1990-91
upgrades welcome:

• 02/23/91 Alec Baldwin (looking for complete copy w/o/c, mine has first 57 minutes only)

Season 17: 1991-92
upgrades welcome:

• 11/02/91 Kiefer Sutherland / Skid Row (looking for clearer copy w/o/c)

• 11/23/91 Macaulay Culkin / Tin Machine (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 03/14/92 John Goodman / Garth Brooks (looking for complete w/o/c with goodnights intact)

• 03/21/92 Mary Stuart Masterson / En Vogue (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 05/16/92 Woody Harrelson / Vanessa Williams (looking for w/o/c)

Season 18: 1992-93
missing original airings (w/o/c preferred):

• 01/16/93: Harvey Keitel / Madonna

upgrades welcome:

• 09/26/92 Nicolas Cage / Bobby Brown (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 10/10/92 Joe Pesci / Spin Doctors (looking for w/o/c)

• 10/24/92 Christopher Walken / Arrested Development (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 10/31/92 Catherine O'Hara / 10,000 Maniacs (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 12/05/92 Tom Arnold / Neil Young (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 12/12/92 Glenn Close / The Black Crowes (looking for w/o/c)

• 01/09/93 Danny DeVito / Bon Jovi (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 02/06/93 Luke Perry / Mick Jagger (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 02/20/93 Bill Murray / Sting (looking for w/o/c)

• 03/13/93 John Goodman / Mary J. Blige (looking for w/o/c)

• 03/20/93 Miranda Richardson / Soul Asylum (looking for w/o/c)

• 04/10/93 Jason Alexander / Peter Gabriel (looking for w/o/c)

• 04/17/93 Kirstie Alley / Lenny Kravitz (looking for w/o/c)

Season 19: 1993-94
missing original airings (w/o/c preferred):

• 09/25/93 Charles Barkley / Nirvana

• 10/02/93 Shannen Doherty / Cypress Hill

upgrades welcome:

• 10/09/93 Jeff Goldblum / Aerosmith (looking for 1st gen w/o/c)

• 11/20/93 Nicole Kidman / Stone Temple Pilots (looking for w/o/c)

• 12/04/93 Charlton Heston / Paul Westerberg (looking for w/o/c)

• 12/11/93 Sally Field / Tony! Toni! Tone! (looking for complete w/o/c)

• 01/08/94 Jason Patric / Blind Melon (looking for w/o/c)

• 01/15/94 Sara Gilbert / Counting Crows (looking for w/o/c)

• 02/12/94 Alec Baldwin & Kim Basinger / UB40 (looking for w/o/c)

• 05/14/94 Heather Locklear / Janet Jackson (looking for NBC airing w/o/c)

Season 20: 1994-95
upgrades welcome:

• 11/12/94 Sarah Jessica Parker / REM (looking for NBC airing w/o/c)

• 11/19/94 John Turturro / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (looking for NBC airing w/o/c)

• 12/17/94 George Foreman / Hole (looking for w/o/c)

• 02/18/95 Deion Sanders / Bon Jovi (looking for w/o/c)

Season 21: 1995-96
upgrades welcome:

• 12/16/95 Madeline Kahn / Bush (looking for w/o/c)

• 03/16/96 John Goodman / Everclear (looking for w/o/c)

• 03/23/96 Phil Hartman / Gin Blossoms (looking for w/o/c)

• 04/20/96 Teri Hatcher / Dave Matthews Band (looking for w/o/c)

• 05/11/96 Christine Baranski (looking for w/o/c)

Season 22: 1996-97
upgrades welcome:

• 09/28/96 Tom Hanks / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (looking for w/o/c)

• 10/05/96 Lisa Kudrow / Sheryl Crow (looking for w/o/c)

• 10/19/96 Bill Pullman / New Edition (looking for 1st gen w/o/c)

• 10/26/96 Dana Carvey / Dr. Dre (looking for w/o/c)

• 02/08/97 Neve Campbell / David Bowie (looking for 1st gen w/o/c)

• 03/22/97 Mike Myers / Aerosmith (looking for w/o/c)

• 04/19/97 Pamela Lee / Rollins Band (looking for w/o/c)

Season 23: 1997-98
upgrades welcome:

• 10/25/97 Chris Farley / Mighty Mighty Bosstones (looking for w/o/c)

• 11/08/97 Jon Lovitz / Jane's Addiction (looking for w/o/c)

• 12/06/97 Nathan Lane / Metallica (looking for w/o/c)

• 04/11/98 Greg Kinnear / All Saints (looking for w/o/c)

• 05/02/98 Matthew Broderick / Natalie Merchant (looking for w/o/c)

Season 28: 2002-03
repeat versions of interest

• 04/26/03 Queen Latifah / Ms. Dynamite

Season 32: 2006-07 (digital recordings only from this point forward)
upgrades welcome

• 01/20/07 Jeremy Piven / AFI (looking for East Coast w/o/c)

An updated want list

I've previously published my "want list" for SNL on my blog; I have access to pretty much the show's complete run, but because of the discrepancies between live and rerun versions, the copies of the shows currently circulating may not have all the segments that aired in the live show, or else may use dress rehearsal takes.   I have plans for future reviews once I'm finished 1982-83, but am looking for the live airings of many of these shows.  Original commercials would be a bonus, but I'm aware how expensive blank tapes were back then, so it's not as big a deal.  Comedy Central ran a few original versions back in the early 90s, but most have some additional editing (mostly bumpers and the Don Pardo closing voiceovers); many of the missing segments are also available through streaming sites, but I prefer to have a copy of the complete airing.

Revised: January 30, 2016

SNL-Primary want list (missing content, unconfirmed live run orders, and dress rehearsal substitutions):

• Bill Murray / The Spinners, Yale Whiffenpoofs (12/12/81): Original airing with NBC news bulletin about martial law in Poland and complete goodnights with Bill Murray mentioning the incident (repeat goodnights are edited).
• Robert Blake / Kenny Loggins (11/13/82): Original airing with "Best Little Whorehouse On The Prairie", "Blue Lagoon", unedited "that's a mouthful" ad-lib in Dr. Jack Badofsky segment, and Dick Ebersol's Andy Kaufman announcement.
• Eddie Murphy / Lionel Richie (12/11/82): Original airing with "A Special Christmas Message".
• Flip Wilson / Stevie Nicks (12/10/83): Original airing with complete monologue and "Older Sisters Of The Young"
• Father Guido Sarducci / Huey Lewis & The News (01/14/84): Original airing with uncut cold opening (rerun removes mention of Andy Kaufman) and unedited "Countdown 84" segment.
• Don Rickles / Billy Idol (01/28/84): Original airing with "David Letterman 2nd Anniversary Promo" intact
• Chevy Chase / Sheila E. (11/16/85): Original airing.
• Pee-Wee Herman / Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band (11/23/85): Original airing. (I have a copy with the music paused out; seeking a complete copy).
• Ron Reagan / The Nelsons (02/08/86): Original airing.
• George Wendt & Francis Ford Coppola / Philip Glass & The Philip Glass Ensemble (03/22/86): Original airing.
• Tony Danza / Laurie Anderson (04/19/86): Original airing with "Cliff Robertson For AT&T".
• Jimmy Breslin / Level 42, E.G. Daily (05/17/86): Original airing.
• Danny DeVito / Bryan Ferry (12/05/87): Original airing.
• Angie Dickinson / Buster Poindexter, David Gilmour (12/12/87): Original airing.
• Carl Weathers / Robbie Robertson (01/30/88): Original airing.
• Justine Bateman / Terence Trent D'arby (02/13/88): Original airing.
• Wayne Gretzky / Fine Yong Cannibals (05/13/89): Original airing
• Steve Martin / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (05/20/89): Original airing.
• Kathleen Turner / Billy Joel (10/21/89): Original airing.
• Alec Baldwin / Whitney Houston (02/23/91): Complete original airing (I have the first 57 minutes of the original broadcast with ads)

SNL - Secondary want list (Ebersol-era with minor missing segments or small edits, plus upgrades over repeats/Comedy Central).

• Lauren Hutton / Rick James & The Stone City Band (11/07/81): Original airing.
• Tim Curry / Meat Loaf (12/05/81): Original airing with next week promo.
• Robert Conrad / The Allman Brothers Band (01/23/82): Original airing with next week promo.
• Howard Hesseman / Men At Work (10/23/82): Original airing.
• Teri Garr / Mick Fleetwood's Zoo (11/12/83): Original airing with next week promo.
• Edwin Newman / Kool & The Gang (02/25/84): Original airing.
• Barry Bostwick / Spinal Tap (05/05/84): Original airing with next week promo.
• Mr. T. & Hulk Hogan / The Commodores (03/30/85): Original airing.
• Howard Cosell / Greg Kihn (04/13/85): Original airing.

SNL - Tertiary want list (Quality/completeness upgrades; these I prefer to have in good quality with commercials)

• Kiefer Sutherland / Skid Row (11/02/91): Original airing.
• Macaulay Culkin / Tin Machine (11/23/91): Original airing.
• Mary Stuart Masterson / En Vogue (03/21/92): Original airing.
• Woody Harrelson / Vanessa Williams (05/16/92): Original airing.
• Nicolas Cage / Bobby Brown (09/26/92): Original airing.
• Joe Pesci / Spin Doctors (10/10/92): Original airing.
• Christopher Walken / Arrested Development (10/24/92): Original airing.
• Tom Arnold / Neil Young (12/05/92): Original airing with uncut "Wayne's World".
• Glenn Close / The Black Crowes (12/12/92): Original airing.
• Danny DeVito / Bon Jovi (01/09/93): Original airing.
• Harvey Keitel / Madonna (01/16/93): Original airing.
• Luke Perry / Mick Jagger (02/06/93): Original airing.
• Bill Murray / Sting (02/20/93): Original airing.
• John Goodman / Mary J. Blige (03/13/93): Original airing.
• Miranda Richardson / Soul Asylum (03/20/93): Original airing.
• Jason Alexander / Peter Gabriel (04/10/93): Original airing.
• Kirstie Alley / Lenny Kravitz (04/17/93): Original airing.
• Christina Applegate / Midnight Oil (05/08/93): Original airing.
• Kevin Kline / Paul Simon & Willie Nelson (05/15/93): Original airing.
• Charles Barkley / Nirvana (09/25/93): Original airing.
• Shannen Doherty / Cypress Hill (10/02/93): Original airing.
• Jeff Goldblum / Aerosmith (10/09/93): Original airing.
• John Malkovich / Billy Joel (10/23/93): Original airing with complete "Mac Post-Its" commercial.
• Christian Slater / Smashing Pumpkins (10/30/93): Original airing.
• Rosie O'Donnell / James Taylor (11/13/93): Original airing.
• Nicole Kidman / Stone Temple Pilots (11/20/93): Original airing.
• Charlton Heston / Paul Westerberg (12/04/93): Original airing with unedited "Hollywood Minute" (John Candy joke cut from rerun).
• Sally Field / Tony! Toni! Tone! (12/11/93): Original airing.
• Jason Patric / Blind Melon (01/08/94): Original airing.
• Sara Gilbert / Counting Crows (01/15/94): Original airing.
• Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger / UB40 (02/12/94): Original airing.
• Sarah Jessica Parker / R.E.M. (11/12/94): Original airing.
• John Turturro / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (11/19/94): Original airing.
• George Foreman / Hole (12/17/94): Original airing.
• Deion Sanders / Bon Jovi (02/18/95): Original airing.
• Madeline Kahn / Bush (12/16/95): Original airing.
• Tom Arnold / Tupac Shakur (02/17/96): Original airing.
• Elle MacPherson / Sting (02/24/96): Original airing.
• John Goodman / Everclear (03/16/96): Original airing.
• Phil Hartman / Gin Blossoms (03/23/96): Original airing.
• Teri Hatcher / Dave Matthews Band (04/20/96): Original airing.
• Christine Baranski / The Cure (05/11/96): Original airing.
• Tom Hanks / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (09/28/96): Original airing.
• Lisa Kudrow / Sheryl Crow (10/05/96): Original airing.
• Bill Pullman / New Edition (10/19/96): Original airing.
• Dana Carvey / Dr. Dre (10/26/96): Original airing.
• Rosie O'Donnell / Whitney Houston (12/14/96): Original airing.
• Kevin Spacey / Beck (01/11/97): Original airing.
• David Alan Grier / Snoop Doggy Dogg (01/18/97): Original airing.
• Neve Campbell / David Bowie (02/08/97): Original airing.
• Chevy Chase / Live (02/15/97): Original airing.
• Sting / Veruca Salt (03/15/97): Original airing.
• Mike Myers / Aerosmith (03/22/97): Original airing.
• Rob Lowe / Spice Girls (04/12/97): Original airing.
• Pamela Lee / Rollins Band (04/19/97): Original airing.

SCTV - Primary Want List

Any pre-1984 airings of season 1-3 episodes with the original opening credits sequences and bumpers are appreciated (I have a handful), but I'm looking for some rare sketches and compilation episodes.

• Season 1, episode 8 "Shock Theatre" with Al-Pro Dog Food intact.
• Season 2, episode 22 "Consumer Action Line" with Family Crisis intact.
• Season 2, episode 25 "Best Of 1".
• Season 2, episode 26 "Best Of 2".
• Season 3, episode 26 "Best Of".

Fridays - Primary Want List

• Warren Zevon (05/09/80)
• Boz Scaggs (05/16/80)
• Ian Hunter (05/30/80)
• Kim Carnes (09/12/80)
• Ted Nugent (10/24/80)
• Jamie Lee Curtis / Garland Jeffreys (11/13/81)
• Peter Fonda / King Crimson (12/04/81)
• Bob Balaban / The Blasters (02/05/82)

Fridays - Secondary Want List (completeness/quality upgrades)

Looking for full 70-minute (53 without ads) 1980-81 or 90-minute (66 without ads) 1981-82 airings. Preferably single source live airings (not edited from several recordings)

• Father Guido Sarducci / Jefferson Starship (04/03/81)
• Tony Geary & Genie Francis / Devo (10/09/81)
• Karen Allen / The Stray Cats (10/16/81)
• Shelly Duvall / Al Jarreau (11/20/81)
• Valerie Harper / The Cars (01/08/82)
• Tab Hunter / KISS (01/15/82)
• Howard Rollins / Quarterflash (01/22/82)
• Valerie Bertinelli / Bill Champlin (02/12/82)
• Victoria Principal / Chubby Checker (02/19/82)
• Lynn Redgrave / Huey Lewis & The News (03/05/82)
• Gregory Hines / Bonnie Raitt (03/12/82)
• Marilu Henner / Sister Sledge (03/19/82)

The New Show

• Any complete airings with music performances intact; commercials preferred.

Almost Live! 

• Any airings from the first five seasons (1984-89), before the show changed format to a half-hour sketch comedy show.