Lorne, Dave, Max, Steve Martin and Billie Jean
Lorne Michaels wasn’t always at the helm of Saturday Night Live.
In the early 1980s, NBC was doing other things with his program (he left in 1980, returned in 85). In the meantime, Michaels was making a foray into Prime Time. In 1984, The New Show was to be his sequel, though it only lasted a few months.
SNL-related alumni were part of the sketch comedy program – including SCTV’s Dave Thomas, who is probably the only person on the planet who does a spot on Max von Sydow impersonation. (Max was most recently seen in The Tudors and was iconic as Ming in Flash Gordon)
Why do I know that? Max always had an incredible voice. First saw him as JC in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965).
But I digress.
The first sketch of The New Show (above) parodied Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean video, which was released a year earlier. The show had some really great moments – and featured the Guggenheim and a Reitveld Chair in its credits (also part of the above video).
