A dark and brilliant comedic mind, Michael O’Donoghue was the first head writer of SNL and an occasional performer (famously delivering the first lines of the first episode). He was the architect of the show’s dangerous, satirical, and often shocking tone. His most famous on-screen appearance was as ‘Mr. Mike,’ a grim figure who would tell ‘Least-Loved Bedtime Tales.’ He was also famous for his sketch featuring an impression of Elvis Presley, a performance that was both bizarre and hilarious. O’Donoghue’s influence on the show’s sensibility is immeasurable. He was the anarchic soul of early SNL, a writer who believed comedy should be a weapon.