The SNL Host Who Left a Bitter Legacy Behind
Robert Blake’s stint as a Saturday Night Live host in 1982 is remembered for all the wrong reasons, with cast and writers recalling his abrasive conduct and lasting infamy.
Inviting a new face to front Saturday Night Live is always a gamble. The production team never truly knows whether they’ll land a future favourite or a notorious misfire until rehearsals are well underway. By that stage, the contracts are signed, sketches are drafted, and the show must go on, for better or worse. Sometimes, the least likely guest can surprise everyone, but the reverse is just as likely. Fortunately, if a host proves a poor fit, they simply aren’t asked back. The so-called ‘Five-Timers Club’ is a rarefied group, despite its nearly 30 members, and the hope of discovering the next Tom Hanks or Steve Martin often outweighs the risk of another Adrien Brody or Lance Armstrong.
Yet, even before the cameras rolled on Robert Blake’s episode in November 1982, the mood backstage was grim. In hindsight, Blake’s name is now synonymous with one of the most infamous hosting stints in the show’s history, not least because of his later legal troubles. He was arrested in 2002 for the murder of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, and though acquitted three years later, he was subsequently found liable for her wrongful death. By the time he appeared on SNL, his star had already faded somewhat; his most notable film role, Perry Edward Smith in Richard Brooks’ adaptation of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, dated back to 1967, and his television success with Baretta had ended in 1978.
Backstage Tensions and a Host’s Reputation
Writer and performer Tim Kazurinsky had a rather morbid method for gauging whether a host would be enjoyable to work with. He devised a sketch called ‘The William Holden Drinking Helmet’, inspired by the actor’s fatal accident.
“If they laughed at that at least, I knew it would be a good week,”
he explained, adding,
“That was my little running gag to see if they had a sense of humour. Or if they were going to be a dickhead like Robert Blake.”
Kazurinsky was not alone in his assessment. Fellow writer David Sheffield was even more direct, stating,
“My vote for the worst host is Robert Blake.”
Blake’s attitude towards the writing team was, by all accounts, dismissive at best. When Gary Kroeger, who also performed on camera, handed him a sketch, Blake’s reaction was nothing short of hostile. Sheffield recalled,
“Blake sat there and read that, with his glasses down his nose, then wadded it up, turned to Kroeger, and said, ‘I hope you got a tough arsehole, pal, because you’re going to have to wipe your arse with that one,’”
before tossing the crumpled script at Kroeger’s face.
Aftermath and Lasting Notoriety
Thankfully, the musical guest that week, Kenny Loggins, proved to be a far more agreeable presence. Blake, on the other hand, was swiftly added to the show’s unofficial blacklist, never to be invited back. His episode remains a cautionary tale within the SNL community, a reminder that not every gamble pays off.