Laraine Newman Shares Telegram to ‘SNL’ Cast from Dan, John on ‘Blues Brothers’ Set

Tyler Hersko
·2 min read

Laraine Newman, one of the original cast members of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” shared a newly-unearthed telegram from fellow Season 1 cast members Danny Aykroyd and John Belushi on Monday. Newman transcribed the telegram in a series of tweets, which she said was sent while Aykroyd and Belushi were waiting in their trailers on the set of “The Blue Brothers” 1980 film to congratulate the “Saturday Night Live” cast on their first season without the duo.

“So here we are the veterans gone Hollywood. We are locked in mobile homes staring blankly at fake wood paneling waiting interminably for lighting set ups. Now, on the eve of your grand, brave, new season, we wish you solid premises, big ratings, good spirits and the best of luck,” they wrote. “Both of us genuinely miss the atmosphere of Dirty Rock in the fall, The renewal of friendships with the crew, the creative exchange with the cast and writers. Most of all, we missed the challenge, immediacy and ultimate finality of the worky ou are continuing and the urgent purposes gave our lives. Here in the Midwest we will be watching with the millions. We remain your propagandists, your defenders and above all your biggest fans. It’s lonely at the top, and even if it isn’t the top, it’s still lonely. P.S.”

Aykroyd and Belushi are two of the most well-known and celebrated cast members in the long-running sketch comedy show’s history; Aykroyd had credits on 76 “Saturday Night Live” episodes before departing in 1979, while Belushi had 79 credits on the show by the time he exited “Saturday Night Live” in 1980. Aykroyd has guest starred on the show a handful of times over the last few decades, most recently during its 40th anniversary special in 2015.

In other classic “Saturday Night Live” news, NBCUniversal recently put every season of the sketch comedy show on its Peacock streaming service, marking the first time in years that the entire 45-season show has been available to stream in one location. “Saturday Night Live,” like most other ongoing television shows, has been adversely impacted by the entertainment industry’s production woes, but the show’s team expects to return to studio production for the impending Season 46.

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