Saturday Night Live aired its fifth season during the 1979–1980 television season on NBC, and also the final season with the original cast. This fifth season started on October 13, 1979 and ended on May 24, 1980. SNL's fifth season was released on DVD on December 1, 2009.

John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd left the show at the end of the fourth season, leaving a void in the cast that most fans thought would be the beginning of the end of the late-night sketch show.

To keep the show going, Lorne Michaels upgraded many of the show's writers to cast member status: Peter Aykroyd, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello, Tom Schiller and Alan Zweibel. Band leader Paul Shaffer also joined the cast, becoming the first person from the SNL band to become a cast member. Harry Shearer joined the show as a featured cast member and was promoted to repertory status during the season.

This would be the final season for everyone in the cast. Tom Davis and Downey would return to the show in future seasons as writers. Al Franken, Doyle-Murray, Novello, and Shearer would rejoin the cast in future seasons.
20 Episodes
  • Steve Martin/Blondie
    Steve Martin/BlondieEpisode 1
  • Eric Idle/Bob Dylan
    Eric Idle/Bob DylanEpisode 2
  • Bill Russell/Chicago
    Bill Russell/ChicagoEpisode 3
  • Buck Henry/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
    Buck Henry/Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersEpisode 4
  • Bea Arthur/The Roches
    Bea Arthur/The RochesEpisode 5
  • Howard Hesseman/Randy Newman
    Howard Hesseman/Randy NewmanEpisode 6
  • Martin Sheen/David Bowie
    Martin Sheen/David BowieEpisode 7
  • Ted Knight/Desmond Child and Rouge
    Ted Knight/Desmond Child and RougeEpisode 8
  • Teri Garr/The B-52's
    Teri Garr/The B-52'sEpisode 9
  • Chevy Chase/Marianne Faithfull
    Chevy Chase/Marianne FaithfullEpisode 10
  • Elliott Gould/Gary Numan
    Elliott Gould/Gary NumanEpisode 11
  • Kirk Douglas/Sam and Dave
    Kirk Douglas/Sam and DaveEpisode 12
  • Rodney Dangerfield/J. Geils Band
    Rodney Dangerfield/J. Geils BandEpisode 13
  • Paul Simon/James Taylor
    Paul Simon/James TaylorEpisode 14
  • Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss/The Grateful Dead
    Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss/The Grateful DeadEpisode 15
  • Burt Reynolds/Anne Murray
    Burt Reynolds/Anne MurrayEpisode 16
  • Strother Martin/The Specials
    Strother Martin/The SpecialsEpisode 17
  • Bob Newhart/The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Bruce Cockburn
    Bob Newhart/The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Bruce CockburnEpisode 18
  • Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartney
    Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartneyEpisode 19
  • Buck Henry/Andrew Gold
    Buck Henry/Andrew GoldEpisode 20
Cast of Season 5
  • Laraine NewmanSelf - Various Characters
  • Gilda RadnerSelf - Various Characters
  • Jane CurtinSelf - Various Characters
  • Garrett MorrisSelf - Various Characters
  • Bill MurraySelf - Various Characters

Take Plex everywhere

Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices