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Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian American television and film producer, comedian, screenwriter and director. He created and produced Saturday Night Live (1975–1980, since 1985) and produced the Late Night series (since 1993), The Kids in the Hall (from 1989 to 1995), and The Tonight Show (since 2014).
He has received 24 Primetime Emmy Awards from 112 nominations, holding the record as the most nominated individual in the award show's history.
Several sources incorrectly state that he was born on a kibbutz in the then-British mandate of Palestine, and that his Jews family immigrated to Toronto, Ontario, when he was an infant.
Michaels and his two younger siblings were raised in Toronto; he graduated from Forest Hill Collegiate Institute before attending University College at the University of Toronto, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1966.
Michaels returned to the United States in 1973 to write for The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour. This brought him to the attention of Lily Tomlin who hired him to produce a series of specials, the first of which won an Emmy. Michaels credits his work with Tomlin for giving him the credibility needed for NBC to hire him to create Saturday Night Live.
Originally the producer of the show, Michaels was also a writer and later became executive producer. He occasionally appears on-screen as well, where he is known for his deadpan humor. Throughout the show's history, SNL has been nominated for more than 156 and has won 36. It has consistently been one of the highest-rated late-night television programs. Michaels has been with SNL for all seasons except for his hiatus in the early 1980s (seasons 6–10). Michaels appeared in the show during the first season, where he offered The Beatles $3000 to reunite on the show. He later increased his offer to $3200, but the money was never claimed. According to an interview with John Lennon in Playboy magazine, Lennon and Paul McCartney were in New York City that night and happened to see the program. They contemplated going onto the show as a joke but decided against it though, as it was too late to get there in time, and they were both tired. This near-reunion was the basis for the television movie Two of Us. On the episode airing November 20, 1976, musical guest George Harrison appeared and attempted to collect the money, but Michaels told him the offer was conditional on all four members of the group showing up rather than just any Beatle.
In 1979, Michaels founded the production company Broadway Video, which has produced SNL since 1981 as well as other shows such as Canadian sketch-comedy The Kids in the Hall which began airing in 1988 on CBC Television in Canada, debuting in the U.S. market in 1989 on cable television network HBO until moving to CBS in 1993.
Whilst on his SNL hiatus, Michaels created another sketch show titled The New Show, which debuted on Friday nights in prime time on NBC in January 1984. The show failed to garner the same enthusiasm as SNL and was cancelled after 9 episodes. In the 1980s, Michaels appeared in an HBO mockumentary titled The Canadian Conspiracy about the supposed subversion of the United States by Canadian-born media personalities, with Lorne Greene as the leader of the conspiracy. Michaels was identified as the anointed successor to Greene.
Michaels is also the executive producer of the NBC show Late Night, and was the executive producer of 30 Rock and Up All Night during their runs.
On April 3, 2013, it was announced that Michaels would be taking over as the executive producer for The Tonight Show. Consequently, The Tonight Show moved to New York in early 2014 as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Michaels became an American citizen in 1987 and was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2002.
In January 2025, Michaels donated archival materials from throughout his career to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. The Lorne Michaels Collection is scheduled to become available for research in January 2026.
The character Dr. Evil, the antagonist of Austin Powers in three films, has mannerisms and a speaking style based on Lorne Michaels. Dr. Evil was created and portrayed by SNL alumnus Mike Myers, who was at least partially influenced by fellow SNL performer Dana Carvey's impression of Michaels.
In a 2008 interview with Playboy, as well as in various other interviews, Tina Fey admitted that Alec Baldwin's character Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock is inspired by Michaels. In a different interview, on NPR's radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Baldwin stated that some of his inspiration for Donaghy was drawn from Michaels. – 1:56–2:38. Retrieved September 5, 2010
Gabriel LaBelle plays Michaels in the 2024 film Saturday Night, a dramatization of behind-the-scenes events leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live.
In 2024, Michaels was depicted in the film The People's Joker, voiced by Maria Bamford.
Also in 1999, Michaels received an honorary degree from Ryerson University.
In 2003, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
In 2004, he was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor by the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Speaking at the awards ceremony, original Saturday Night Live cast member Dan Aykroyd described the show as "the primary satirical voice of the country".
Michaels received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in 2006, Canada's highest honor in the performing arts.
In 2008, Michaels was awarded the Webby Awards for Film & Video Lifetime Achievement. With the allotted five words allowed to each recipient, his acceptance speech was "Five words is not enough".
In 2012, Michaels was awarded a rare Personal Peabody Award. He accepted at a ceremony in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria New York hotel.
In December 2021, Michaels was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors, along with Justino Diaz, Berry Gordy, Bette Midler, and Joni Mitchell.
In 2022, Michaels received a Peabody Award for his work as an executive producer of the Spanish-language comedy series Los Espookys. He was nominated for a second Peabody Award for his work producing Documentary Now!.
Credits
Film
1979 Mr. Mike's Mondo Video Executive producer 1980 Gilda Live Producer, writer 1984 Nothing Lasts Forever Producer 1986 Three Amigos Producer, writer 1992 Wayne's World Producer 1993 Coneheads Wayne's World 2 1994 Lassie 1995 Tommy Boy Stuart Saves His Family 1996 Black Sheep 1998 A Night at the Roxbury 1999 Superstar Man on the Moon Cameo as himself 2000 The Ladies Man Producer 2001 Enigma 2004 Mean Girls 2007 Hot Rod 2008 Baby Mama 2010 MacGruber 2012 The Guilt Trip 2015 Staten Island Summer 2016 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Brother Nature Masterminds 2017 Sandy Wexler Cameo as himself 2024 Mean Girls Producer
Television
1968 Barris and Company Writer Variety show, CBC Television The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show Variety sketch series, NBC 1969 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In The Jim Nabors Hour Variety sketch series, CBS 1970–1971 The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour Costar, writer, producer 1973 The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour Writer Summer variety sketch series, ABC Lily Producer, writer Comedy variety special, CBS The Perry Como Winter Show Writer Variety comedy special, NBC 1974 Flip Wilson... Of Course Producer, writer Comedy variety special, NBC The Hollywood Palladium Writer Comedy variety special, CBS 1975 Lily Producer, writer The Lily Tomlin Special 1975–1980;
since 1985Saturday Night Live Executive producer, creator Variety sketch series, NBC 1978 Executive producer Television movie 1982 The Concert in Central Park Concert special, HBO 1984 The New Show Producer Variety sketch series, NBC 1988–1990 Sunday Night Executive producer Late night television, NBC 1988 40th Primetime Emmy Awards Awards ceremony, FOX 1988–1995;
2022The Kids in the Hall Variety sketch series, CBC/Amazon Prime Video 1991 Lookwell Producer Television Movie, NBC 1993–2009 Late Night with Conan O'Brien Executive producer Variety talk series, NBC 1993–1994 The Vacant Lot Variety sketch series, CBC/Comedy Central 1995 Frosty Returns Television Special, CBS 2002 Television film The Colin Quinn Show Variety talk series, NBC 2006 Sons and Daughters Producer Television series, ABC 2006–2013 30 Rock Executive producer Television series, NBC 2009–2014 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Variety talk series, NBC 2011–2018 Portlandia Variety sketch series, IFC 2011–2013 Up All Night Television series, NBC 2013–2015 The Awesomes Television series, Hulu Since 2014 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Variety talk series, NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers 2014 Howard Stern Birthday Bash Himself Television special 2014–2015 Mulaney Executive producer Television series, Fox 2014 The Maya Rudolph Show Variety talk series, IFC 2015–2017 Man Seeking Woman Variety sketch series, FX 2015–2022 Documentary Now! Variety sketch series, IFC 2015 Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special Executive producer, himself Television special, NBC Adele Live in New York City Executive producer 2016 Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Guest – Himself Episode: "Everybody Likes to See the Monkeys", Netflix Maya & Marty Executive producer Variety sketch series, NBC 2017–2018 Detroiters Television series, Comedy Central 2017 The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special Television special, NBC 2018–2021 A.P. Bio Television series, NBC/Peacock 2018 70th Primetime Emmy Awards Awards ceremony, NBC Love, Gilda Himself Documentary, HBO Norm Macdonald Has a Show Guest – Himself Episode: "Lorne Michaels", Netflix 2019–2021 Shrill Executive producer Television series, Hulu 2019–2023 Miracle Workers Television series, TBS The Other Two Television series, Comedy Central/HBO Max 2019–2022 Los Espookys Television series, HBO 2020 Himself Awards ceremony, PBS Mapleworth Murders Executive producer Television series, Quibi 2021–2022 Kenan Television series, NBC Miley's New Year's Eve Party Television special, NBC/Peacock That Damn Michael Che Television series, HBO Max 2021–2023 Schmigadoon! Television series, Apple TV+ 2021 Saturday Morning All Star Hits! Television series, Netflix MacGruber Television series, Peacock 2023 Bupkis 2025 Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music Executive producer, himself Television special, Peacock Executive producer Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special Executive producer, himself Television special, NBC 2026 Saturday Night Live @ UK (SNL UK) Executive producer, himself Television series, Sky One
Stage
1979 Gilda Radner: Live From New York Producer, director, and writer Winter Garden Theatre 1998 Colin Quinn -- An Irish Wake Producer Helen Hayes Theatre Straight Play 2018 Mean Girls August Wilson Theatre Broadway and North American tour 2022 Leopoldstadt Longacre Theatre Tony Award for Best Play
In popular culture
In The Kids in the Hall movie , the character of Don Roritor was based heavily on actor Mark McKinney’s impersonation of Lorne Michaels.
Honors
In 1999, Michaels was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Notes
Bibliography
(2015). 9780316295062, Back Bay Books. ISBN 9780316295062
External links
Categories: Official Website, 1944 Births, Living People, 20th-century American Comedians, 20th-century American Jews, 20th-century American Male Actors, 20th-century American Male Writers, 20th-century American Screenwriters, 21st-century American Comedians, 21st-century American Jews, 21st-century American Male Actors, 21st-century American Male Writers, 21st-century American Screenwriters, 20th-century Canadian Comedians, 20th-century Canadian Jews, 20th-century Canadian Male Actors, 20th-century Canadian Male Writers, 20th-century Canadian Screenwriters, 21st-century Canadian Comedians, 21st-century Canadian Jews, 21st-century Canadian Male Actors, 21st-century Canadian Male Writers, 21st-century Canadian Screenwriters, American Comedy Writers, Film Producers From New York City, American Male Comedians, American Male Film Actors, American Male Screenwriters, American Male Television Actors, American Male Television Writers, American People Of Palestinian-jewish Descent, American People Of Israeli Descent, American Satirical Television Show Creators, American Showrunners, American Sketch Comedians, American Television Producers, American Television Show Creators, American Television Writers, Canadian Comedy Writers, Canadian Emigrants To The United States, Canadian Male Comedians, Canadian Male Screenwriters, Canadian Male Television Actors, Canadian Male Television Writers, Canadian People Of Jewish Descent, Canadian Satirical Television Show Creators, Canadian Satirists, Canadian Sketch Comedians, Canadian Television Personalities, Canadian Television Producers, Canadian Television Show Creators, Canadian Television Writers, Comedians From Toronto, Companions Of The Order Of Canada, Film Producers From Toronto, Governor General's Award Winners, International Emmy Directorate Award, Jewish American Comedy Writers, Jewish American Male Actors, Jewish American Comedians, Jewish Male Comedians, Jewish American Screenwriters, Jewish Canadian Comedians, Jewish Canadian Screenwriters, Kennedy Center Honorees, Male Actors From Toronto, Mark Twain Prize Recipients, Naturalized Citizens Of The United States, Presidential Medal Of Freedom Recipients, Primetime Emmy Award Winners, Saturday Night Live, Screenwriters From Toronto, Tony Award Winners, University Of Toronto Alumni, Writers Guild Of America Award Winners, Jews From Ontario
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