Lorne Michael Lipowitz was born on November 14, 1944, in Toronto, Canada. His early entertainment career included stand up comedy, writing and selling jokes to comedians such as Woody Allen, Dick Cavett, and Joan Rivers, and writing for television shows such as the Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. He obviously understood the comedy of the time.

In 1975 Lorne created what would be his claim to fame, Saturday Night Live. He hired comedians Gilda Randner, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, and Garrett Morris for the first season. Saturday Night Live was a hit. In subsequent years Lorne would hire comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Molly Shannon, and Will Ferrell – all who went on to have successful movie careers.

Lorne Michaels took a break from producing Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s. Seasons six through ten were produced without him. During his break from producing SNL, he produced specials for friends such as Simon and Garfunkel and Steve Martin. When NBC threatened to cancel SNL in 1985 unless Lorne Michaels returned, he did so and has continued to produce the show since.

As for his personal life, in 1973 Lorne Michaels married his junior high sweetheart Rosie Shuster. They were divorced in 1980. He married again in 1984 to model Susan Forristal, but the marriage was short, ending in 1987. In 2004 Lorne Michaels married again, this time to one of his former assistants, Alice Barry. Lorne Michaels has three children, sons Henry and Edward and daughter Sophie.

In addition to producing Saturday Night Live, he is well known for producing movies that are vehicles for the stars of SNL. His long list of movie producing credits includes Three Amigos in 1986, with Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short; Wayne’s World in 1992, with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey; Coneheads in 1993, with Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd; Tommy Boy in 1995, with Chris Farley and David Spade; Superstar in 1999, with Molly Shannon and Will Ferrell; and Mean Girls in 2004, with Tina Fey and Lindsay Lohan,

Lorne Michaels is also the executive producer of Late Night with Conan O’Brien and also produced the new show 30 Rock, which stars SNL alums Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan. It is a half hour sitcom that takes place behind the scenes of an SNL like show.

YUDDY