And So, It Starts: A New Era Begins

 It is Saturday, November 15, 1980 and Elliot Gould is guest host of the opening episode of Saturday Night Live's sixth season, and you can view it here.

This is Elliot's sixth (and to this day, most recent) episode as guest host.

Kid Creole and the Coconuts are the musical guests on this night.

As each episode progresses, we'll touch on individual sketches, starting with the cold opening recalling SNL's "Glory Days".

The opening shot of the opening episode of the Jean Doumanian Era  is of a sleepy Gail Matthius, who realizes the show is about to open, then wakes up next to guest host Elliot Gould, who are introduced to the new cast members and with each describing himself as a cross between two of the cast members from the original era.

 

Gail described herself as a cross between Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin.

Next, up popped Charles Rocket, a cross between Chevy Chase and Bill Murray.

Next up, it's Ann Risley, describing herself as a cross between Gilda Radner and Laraine Newman.

Then came the undescribed Joe Piscopo, who asked Elliot if they original cast and writers really used drugs.

Next up, rolling out of the bed in the process, a fully-pajamaed Gilbert Gottfried, who uses his real voice here.  In Gilbert's case, he's a cross between John Belushi and "guy from last year who did the Rod Serling (Harry Shearer)."

And finally, after being rolled out of bed, Denny Dillon utters the show's opening trademark saying, "Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!"