Bob Tischler (1946–2024), former head writer on Saturday Night Live
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2 min readBob Tischler was a television writer and producer who produced four John Belushi (1949–1982) comedy albums before becoming the “Saturday Night Live” head writer in the early 1980s, helping champion Eddie Murphy’s rise to stardom.
- Died: July 13, 2023 (Who else died on July 13?)
- Details of death: Died in Bodega Bay, California of pancreatic cancer at the age of 78.
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Bob Tischler’s legacy
Bob Tischler got his start in entertainment via the sound board, producing radio advertisements until he met actor and comedian Christopher Guest. Guest helped him land a gig producing a radio show for “National Lampoon” magazine. While producing the “National Lampoon Radio Hour,” Tischler met John Belushi, a rising star comedian who was about to become a fan favorite on “Saturday Night Live.” The pair became friends, and Tischler ended up producing Belushi’s first four comedy albums.
When Belushi left “Saturday Night Live,” the show had a creative collapse, but Tischler became head writer in 1981, helping guide the legendary sketch comedy series back to relevance and championing a young Eddie Murphy’s rise to stardom. He helmed the program until 1985, working with stars like Murphy, Guest, Billy Crystal and Martin Short to give the late-night show a second wind. He won an Outstanding Writing Emmy in 1984.
Tischler became a prolific television writer after his “SNL” days ended, counting the penning over 50 episodes of “Empty Nest” and nearly 70 episodes of “Boy Meets World” among his work. In 2022, he looked back at his career in his autobiography, “From Saturday Night to Sunday Night: My Forty Years of Laughter, Tears, and Touchdowns in TV.”
Tributes to Bob Tischler
Full obituary: The New York Times
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