Rob Reiner’s Early TV Writing Job Inspired Saturday Night Live

by

In 1968, a young Rob Reiner, just 20 years old and recently out of UCLA’s film program, began his television career. He started by writing for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a show that would heavily influence the creation of Saturday Night Live. This was during a time of significant social change in America, as the countercultural movement was gaining momentum.

Hearing about the loss of Reiner and his wife, Michele, got me thinking about how he first made his mark in Hollywood. He started writing scripts that were genuinely funny, but also weren’t afraid to question things – and that became a real signature of everything he did, whether it was a movie or a TV show. It’s something I always admired about his work.

It’s not surprising that Reiner’s collaborator on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour became the most famous guest host in Saturday Night Live history. Their work together with Steve Martin foreshadowed the wild, funny, and politically pointed style that would become SNL‘s trademark.

Working with The Smothers Brothers gave audiences a preview of the comedic style we’d later see in Rob Reiner’s most famous films, like This Is Spinal Tap and When Harry Met Sally…. It was through this job that Reiner proved to people in the entertainment industry he was a talented comedian in his own right, not just the son of Carl Reiner.

Rob Reiner’s First Job In TV Was Writing For The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

Before becoming famous in the late 1960s, Rob Reiner appeared as an extra on several CBS television shows, largely because his father directed The Dick Van Dyke Show. He began acting lessons as a teenager, but he first gained recognition as a comedy writer.

Reiner and Steve Martin joined The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour around the same time, and quickly began writing comedy together. Their collaboration shaped the style of sketch comedy on American television for the next fifty years. This partnership ultimately led to Martin starring in films with Reiner, making him a world-famous comedic actor.

Reiner & Steve Martin’s Writing On The Show Laid The Blueprint For SNL

Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live, has often said that The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour had the biggest impact on his show. In a 1979 interview with Rolling Stone, Michaels explained this influence.

I admired the Smothers Brothers for achieving success, and I especially envied the writers and creators on their show. They were my peers, and it was exciting to see them making an impact on television.

Chevy Chase, one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live, actually started with the Smothers Brothers, writing for their Comedy Hour along with future stars like Rob Reiner and Steve Martin. But the real impact of the Smothers Brothers show wasn’t just the people involved – it set the stage for the kind of comedy that Saturday Night Live would later make mainstream for American audiences in the 1970s.

The Smother Brothers were bold and challenged the status quo, fearlessly poking fun at politicians and powerful figures in a way that was revolutionary for American television. Rob Reiner played a key role in developing this groundbreaking style of comedy.

Saturday Night Live’s 3rd Episode Was Hosted By Rob Reiner

By 1975, Rob Reiner was a well-known sitcom actor, famous for playing Mike “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family. Because he’d also been a comedy writer who helped inspire Saturday Night Live, he was a fitting choice to host one of its earliest episodes.

Paul Reiner hosted the third episode of Saturday Night Live on October 25, 1975. He also appeared in a sketch with his wife at the time, Penny Marshall, who was known for her role on Happy Days. During the sketch, Reiner and John Belushi playfully acknowledged they were in a TV show to make a running joke about bees less awkward.

Rob Reiner only appeared on Saturday Night Live once, but the show owes a lot to him for helping shape its early years. During the 1980s, several SNL cast members starred in some of Reiner’s most famous comedies, creating a strong connection between the show and this influential filmmaker.

Read More

2025-12-17 15:30