SNL Transcripts: Ron Nessen: 04/17/76: The Dead String Quartet II

 Saturday Night Live Transcripts


  Season 1: Episode 17

75q: Ron Nessen / Patti Smith

The Dead String Quartet II

First Violinist…..John Belushi
Second Violinist…..Laraine Newman
Third Violinist…..Garrett Morris
Cellist…..Chevy Chase

[ open on three violinist and one cellist seated in the middle of the apron the stage, seemingly asleep ]

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, once again — the Dead String Quartet.

[ SUPER: “The Dead String Quartet” ] [ the audience slowly claps in recognition of this bit ] [ Dead String Quartet remains perfectly still for a number of seconds, until First Violinist slowly keels over to his left, sound of his reed slipping across the violin strings as his body keels over ] [ First Violinist bumps into Second Violinist, causing a similar reaction from her, as her reed slips over the violin strings and she keels into Third Violinist ] [ Third Violinist’s body keels on into the Cellist, whose body and cello lean over to the edge of the stage ] [ Cellist balances between his cello and the floor for a few seconds, before finally toppling over the apron and landing with a thud in the middle of the audience ] [ cut to pre-taped footage of President Gerald R. Ford ]

President Gerald R. Ford: “Live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

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