The episode starred the original "Saturday Night Live" cast members — Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman and Chevy Chase, who did double-duty as the show's first "Weekend Update" anchor.

NBC is celebrating the legacy of “Saturday Night Live” on Feb. 15 with the first-ever “SNL” telecast airing at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT as well as an encore of presentation of the critically acclaimed documentary “Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music” to start the night at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

The episode built him a monumental pedestal. He reprised several famous characters, including the inner-city children’s host Mr. Robinson and an adult version of the “Our Gang” urchin Buckwheat, opposite Mary Gross as the squeaky-haired and deranged Alfalfa.

For its 50th anniversary, Saturday Night Live has a weekend of live events starring cast members, musicians and celebrities.

NEW YORK — The 50th anniversary celebration of “Saturday Night Live” is so big, it’s not even on Saturday.

But on February 16th “Saturday Night Live” ( SNL) will celebrate its 50th birthday on air, 979 episodes after its launch. A slew of tributes is also filling the airwaves. A new film, “Saturday Night”,

“Saturday Night Live” will celebrate 50 years of live comedy with the three-hour “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” on Sunday, Feb. 16, but there won’t be a new episode of “SNL” on Saturday, Feb. 8, or Saturday, Feb. 15.

In a feast of special programming, NBC is celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” this weekend

Live" celebrates its 50th anniversary this weekend, it's likely many viewers won't tune into NBC's "SNL50" special at all, instead discovering clips via YouTu