Abid Ben Brahim

At 50, ‘Saturday Night Live’ celebrates its past as a comedy icon — and wonders about its future

NEW YORK (AP) — Tune into the Oct. 11, 1975 premiere episode of “Saturday Night Live” — then without “live” in its name — and you may be instantly surprised at some of the bones of the show that are still intact today. There’s the cold open skit, featuring cast members John Belushi and Michael O’Donoghue. At its end, Chevy Chase gingerly walks by the prone bodies of the two actors, playing dead, for the very first call of “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” NBC is rebroadcasting that episode Saturday, part of a feast of 50th anniversary programming that includes a three-hour special on Sunday reuniting dozens of past cast members and friends and a homecoming concert from Radio City Music Hall being livestreamed Friday night on Peacock.