The original "Not Ready for Primetime Players" ushered out an era by retiring at the end of the May 24 episode of Saturday Night Live in 1980. Three original cast members (Chevvy Chase, Dan Akyroyd and John Belushi) had moved on already, but Gilda Radner, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin and (Chase’s replacement) Bill Murray all opted out of the show when producer Lorne Michaels announce he was leaving. SNL would return in fall of 1980 with a new cast and crew, though the next couple of years were shaky, and only Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo would make it past the first couple of years.

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