Steve Martin & Gilda Radner Had a Fred Astaire Moment in SNL's "Dancing in the Dark"
The veteran Host revisited their sketch in his 1989 monologue on the day of the original cast member's death.
Not all comedy needs words to be funny.
When two gifted physical comedians get together, they can get laughs with just their dance moves. Steve Martin and the late Gilda Radner proved it on Saturday Night Live in their "Dancing in the Dark" sketch, which aired on April 22, 1978. It was the third time Martin hosted in Season 3 alone; an iconic episode featuring Musical Guest The Blues Brothers that also saw the debut of Martin's "King Tut" performance.
"Dancing in the Dark" sketch lets Martin's and Radner's respective style of humor shine, while also being an unexpectedly poignant story of two weirdos finding each other on a dance floor.
At its start, Martin and Radner sit on opposite sides of the room. When they suddenly lock eyes, they both get up and begin a graceful dance that takes them all over the SNL stages. They sometimes move effortlessly. Other times, they trip over each other's feet, fail to land a lift, or get tangled in Radner's dress. At one point, they both suddenly dance like Kermit the Frog, if Kermit had feet that could really move.
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SNL's "Dancing in the Dark" parodies Fred Astaire's The Band Wagon
Martin and Radner's performance is actually a parody of a scene from the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, in which Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse silently share beautiful dances in locations including a restaurant and Central Park. The two famously skilled dancers obviously didn't fumble a single step.
Steve Martin paid tribute to Gilda Radner in his 1989 SNL monologue
Martin was preparing to host the Season 14 finale on May 20, 1989 when everyone at the show received news of Gilda Radner's death from ovarian cancer. During his monologue, the Only Murders in the Building star choked up as he introduced a tribute to his friend.
"I've been coming here to do Saturday Night Live since 1976, and the thing that brings you back to the show is the people you get to work with," he said, stumbling over the words, telling the audience, "I'd like to show you something we recorded on this stage in 1978" before resharing "Dancing in the Dark."
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"You know, when I look at that tape, I can't help but think how great she was, and how young I looked," he joked when it ended, with tears in his eyes. "Gilda, we miss you."
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