Michael O'Donoghue
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:16:39 AM Wikipedia source
Michael O'Donoghue (January 5, 1940 – November 8, 1994) was an American writer, actor, editor and comedian. He was known for his dark and destructive style of comedy and humor, and was a major contributor to National Lampoon magazine. He was the first head writer of Saturday Night Live and the first performer to deliver a line on the series.
Infobox
Born
Michael Henry Donohue(1940-01-05)January 5, 1940Sauquoit, New York, U.S.
Died
November 8, 1994(1994-11-08) (aged 54)New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation
mw- .inline, .inline dl, .inline ol, .inline ul, dl dl, dl ol, dl ul, ol dl, ol ol dd dd dd , dd dt , dd li , dt dd , dt dt , dt li , li dd dd dd , dd dt , dd li , dt dd , dt dt , dt li , li dd dd ol li Writereditoractorcomedian
Genre
Black humor
Years active
1964–1994
Spouse
mw- Janice Bickel (m. 1963; ann. 1964) Cheryl Hardwick (m. 1986)
Tables
· Filmography
1979
Role(s)
Dennis
1983
Kittens in a Can
Notes
Parody of "women in prison" films; co–scripted with Marilyn Suzanne Miller
1989
The House Guest
Notes
Unproduced; writer
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1971 | Dynamite Chicken | Segment: "Phoebe Zeit-Geist"; writer | |
| 1972 | Savages | Writer | |
| 1975–86 | Saturday Night Live | Various roles | Also writer/head writer, supervising producer |
| 1978 | Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle | English version; writer | |
| 1979 | Manhattan | Dennis | |
| 1979 | Mr. Mike's Mondo Video | Mr. Mike | Also writer, director, producer, composer |
| 1980 | Gilda Live | Documentary; writer | |
| 1980 | The Dreammaster | Abandoned; writer | |
| 1981 | The Midnight Special | 2 episodes; writer | |
| 1983 | Kittens in a Can | Parody of "women in prison" films; co–scripted with Marilyn Suzanne Miller | |
| 1985 | Head Office | Scott Dantley | |
| 1987 | Wall Street | Reporter | |
| 1988 | Scrooged | Priest | Writer |
| 1988 | The Suicide Club | Cardinal Mervin | |
| 1989 | The House Guest | Unproduced; writer | |
| 1990 | Arrive Alive | Unfinished film; writer | |
| 1992 | Itsy Bitsy Spider | Short film; writer |
References
- Doonesburyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20161223032012/http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/doonesbury-turns-40-20101027
- Mr. Mike: The Life and Work of Michael O'Donoghuehttps://archive.org/details/mrmikelifew00perr
- CounterPunchhttps://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/06/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-national-lampoon/
- Shales & Miller 2002, pp. 79–80.https://archive.org/details/livefromnewyorku00shal/page/79
- Bloch, Mark. The First Saturday Night Live Movie: Robert Delford Brown is "Jo Jo, The Human Hot Plate" in Mr. Mike's Monhttp://www.panmodern.com/MisterMikesMondoVideo.pdf
- Vulturehttps://www.vulture.com/2013/08/catherine-ohara-says-michael-odonoghue-didnt-really-scare-her-away-from-snl.html
- Mother Joneshttps://books.google.com/books?id=bOYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT21
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/10/obituaries/michael-o-donoghue-54-dies-writer-for-saturday-night-live.html
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/12/arts/struggles-at-the-new-saturday-night.html
- SplitSider.comhttps://archive.today/20130202173248/http://splitsider.com/2011/09/the-lost-roles-of-chevy-chase/