Al Franken
Career
Franken was one of the original writers on Saturday Night Live, and received three Emmy Awards and seven Emmy nominations for television writing and producing for his work there. He created characters such as self-help guru Stuart Smalley and schtick like the Al Franken Decade. Franken was associated with SNL for more than 15 years and in 2002 interviewed former Vice President Al Gore while in character as Smalley.Franken's most notorious SNL sketch may have been A Limo for the Lamo, a commentary delivered by Franken near the end of the 1979–80 season. Franken mocked the controversial president of NBC, Fred Silverman, describing him as a total unequivocal failure and displayed a chart showing the poor ratings of NBC programs. According to some associates of the show, Silverman's anger over the sketch prompted him to abandon negotiations with the show's creator Lorne Michaels and seek a different producer for the SNL's sixth season.
Besides having written numerous books, Franken wrote the original screenplay for the movie, Stuart Saves His Family and co-wrote (with Tom Davis) the screenplay for The Coneheads.
Franken has often been the subject of controversy for writing satirical works that convey his liberal political views.
Al Franken Facts
Occupation | Actor, Writer, Comedian |
Birthday | May 21, 1951 (72) |
Sign | Gemini |
Birthplace | New York, New York, USA |
Selected Filmography
Trading Places | ||
The Aviator | ||
The Manchurian Candidate | ||
Saturday Night Live: Season 4, 1978-1979 | ||
Stuart Saves His Family | ||
Dick, The Vote | ||
The Rutles | ||
Saturday Night Live | ||
Lord Save Us From Your Followers | ||
The Grateful Dead: Dead Ahead | ||
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