Weekday update: Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of pioneering comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live, has donated his expansive archive to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
An internationally renowned humanities research library and museum, the HRC’s eclectic holdings include Robert De Niro’s archive, Frida Kahlo’s iconic self-portrait, and one of only 20 complete Gutenberg Bibles in existence.
Spanning five decades of contributions to television comedy, Michaels’ collection includes materials from his early writing for Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and iconic sketches and performances from Saturday Night Live, the most Emmy-nominated show in television history. The collection also features materials from his work on Canadian cult hit The Kids in the Hall and films such as Wayne’s World and Mean Girls. The collection will provide an intimate behind-the-scenes perspective on Michaels’ career, featuring rehearsal notes, annotated scripts, sketches, and personal correspondence.
The Harry Ransom Center will showcase highlights of the Lorne Michaels Collection in an upcoming exhibition, Live From New York! The Making of Lorne Michaels, which will run from Sept. 20, 2025 to March 16, 2026. Visitors will gain insight into the production process through drafts, correspondence, audiovisual materials, photographs, and artifacts. The full collection is expected to be available for research starting in January 2026.
This article appears in January 10 • 2025.