Season 9
Saturday Night Live aired its ninth season during the 1983–1984 television season on NBC. The ninth season started on October 8, 1983 and ended on May 12, 1984. Before the start of the season the entire cast returned for another season. The only change was the hiring of Jim Belushi. The notable moment of season was when Eddie Murphy left the show mid-season. After 48 Hours, Murphy's star began to eclipse that of Joe Piscopo's. From the start of season 7, Dick Ebersol made it clear that his strategy was to showcase Murphy and Piscopo as much as possible while all the other cast members would play mainly supporting roles and were treated with very little patience by the producers. When Murphy's 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte dropped out of hosting at the last minute, Ebersol offered Murphy the chance to host — a move that Piscopo would perceive as a major slight. Piscopo would later claim Ebersol used Murphy's success to divide the two erstwhile friends and play them against one another. Others countered that Piscopo was simply being a prima donna; said one writer, "Eddie Murphy's fame went to Joe Piscopo's head."
| Air date | Oct 8, 1983 |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 19 |
Episodes
- 1. Brandon Tartikoff/John Cougar
- 2. Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman/Eddy Grant
- 3. John Candy/Men at Work
- 4. Betty Thomas/Stray Cats
- 5. Teri Garr/Mick Fleetwood's Zoo
- 6. Jerry Lewis/Loverboy
- 7. The Smothers Brothers/Big Country
- 8. Flip Wilson/Stevie Nicks
- 9. Father Guido Sarducci/Huey Lewis and the News
- 10. Michael Palin, Mary Palin/The Motels
- 11. Don Rickles/Billy Idol
- 12. Robin Williams/Adam Ant
- 13. Jamie Lee Curtis/The Fixx
- 14. Edwin Newman/Kool & the Gang
- 15. Billy Crystal/Al Jarreau
- 16. Michael Douglas/Deniece Williams
- 17. George McGovern/Madness
- 18. Barry Bostwick/Spinal Tap
- 19. Billy Crystal, Ed Koch, Edwin Newman, Father Guido Sarducci, Betty Thomas/The Cars