Lorne Michaels originally offered $3,000 to the Beatles to reunite and perform on SNL. Remember the camera zooming-in on the oversized check? Later that same season, Michaels appeared on the show again, offering $3,200, "an extra $50 for each of you."

Paul McCartney has said that he was watching that particular episode with John Lennon at the Dakota, Lennon's New York City apartment, and they toyed with the idea of simply showing-up at the NBC studios, but ultimately elected not to do it.

...if only...

The following season, George Harrison appeared on SNL and talked to Lorne Michaels on the air about the offer. Michaels told Harrison it was $3,000 for all four of the Beatles together and Harrison would only receive $750 to perform by himself.

I remember that first season vividly. Belushi and Chase both logged time with the National Lampoon Radio Hour and I was familiar with some of their work before SNL aired so I was interested in seeing the faces that went with the voices.

The strength of the show might very well be its resiliency. Time and again, critics have said the show has run its course, and then another writer or one or more of the cast somehow distinguishes themselves and the show is rejuvenated for a period of time. In the history of television how many shows can boast the legacy established over its THIRTY YEARS like SNL?

tony b.