‘Saturday Night Live’ & National Lampoon Producer Dies at 78

Bob Tischler, the noted writer and producer famous for his contributions to Saturday Night Live (SNL), has passed away at the age of 78.

The former SNL head writer, recognized for his pivotal role in rejuvenating the NBC sketch comedy show after the poorly received 1980-81 season, died on July 13 at his residence in Bodega Bay, California. His son Zeke confirmed to The New York Times that Tischler succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

Born on June 12, 1946, in Englewood, New Jersey, Tischler attended Ithaca and Franconia Colleges during the 1960s. He then ventured into a career as a sound engineer in radio and television.

Christopher Guest, after collaborating with Tischler on a radio advertisement, recommended him to National Lampoon. Tischler then produced several albums for National Lampoon including Radio Dinner (1972), Gold Turkey (1975), and That’s Not Funny, That’s Sick (1977). He also worked on The National Lampoon Radio Hour in 1973.

One of Tischler’s major accomplishments included producing the first Blues Brothers album, Briefcase Full of Blues (1978), for John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The album achieved significant success, topping the Billboard album chart. Tischler continued this collaboration by producing their album Made in America (1980) and the soundtrack to the 1980 Blues Brothers film.

After SNL creator Lorne Michaels handed control of the show to Jean Doumanian for Season 6, the show struggled until Dick Ebersol took over and brought Tischler on as a supervising producer. Tischler was soon promoted to head writer, a position he held until his departure in 1985.

In his 2022 autobiography From Saturday Night to Sunday Night: My Forty Years of Laughter, Tears, and Touchdowns in TV, Ebersol praised Tischler, stating that Tischler “wanted the show to succeed” and was the “leader the writers’ room needed — steady, calm, and respected.”

Tischler played a crucial role in reviving SNL, especially through his work with cast members like Eddie Murphy. His contributions also extended to writing for other prominent comedians such as Christopher Guest, Billy Crystal, and Martin Short. Tischler expressed his admiration for Murphy in James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales’ 2002 book Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, noting that Murphy frequently improved upon the material provided to him.

Beyond SNL, Tischler also showcased his writing talents on shows like Empty Nest, Something So Right, and Boy Meets World.

Source: The New York Times, Getty Images