Lorne Michaels Core Career and Key Television Series
Lorne Michaels is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and actor best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live. He has served as executive producer and showrunner for SNL since its revival in 1985. The show has aired over 900 episodes and generated numerous spinoffs, including Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday and Saturday Night Live Presents: The Best of... compilations. Michaels founded Broadway Video in 1979, which serves as the primary production company for SNL and many of his other projects. The company is headquartered in New York City and manages a library of television formats and branded content. He has won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, making him one of the most decorated producers in television history.
Beyond SNL, Michaels has executive produced several high-profile television series through Broadway Video and its subsidiaries. These include 30 Rock, a sitcom that aired from 2006 to 2013 and won multiple Emmys, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which ran on NBC and Netflix from 2015 to 2019. He also produced The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, both filmed at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Other notable series include Portlandia, Documentary Now!, and Making It with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. Michaels has been credited with shaping modern sketch comedy and late-night television formats through these productions.
Lorne Michaels Filmography and Movie Production Credits
Lorne Michaels has produced or executive produced a limited but notable selection of feature films. Coming to America (1988) and its sequel Coming 2 America (2021) are among the highest-grossing films associated with his production company. He produced Tommy Boy (1995), Black Sheep (1996), and A Night at the Roxbury (1998), all based on SNL sketches. Other film credits include Mean Girls (2004), Baby Mama (2008), Megamind (2010), and Wine Country (2019). Most of these films were distributed by major studios including Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Netflix. The combined global box office for his produced films exceeds $1.5 billion.
Michaels has also been involved in documentary and limited-series film projects. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Spring Break and similar special-format films have been released through Broadway Video. He executive produced the documentary series The Characters and the comedy special John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City. His film work often overlaps with talent from SNL, including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, and Eddie Murphy. This cross-pollination between film and television talent has been a consistent strategy in his production portfolio.
Lorne Michaels Net Worth, Companies, and Industry Standing
Lorne Michaels has an estimated net worth of approximately $300 million as of the latest available public financial reporting. His primary income sources include his role as executive producer of SNL, Broadway Video operations, and film and television production deals. He holds a minority stake in several Broadway