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The dust jacket of Susan Morrison’s recent publication, Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, reads, “Over the 50 years that Lorne Michaels has been at the helm of Saturday Night Live, he has become a revered and inimitable presence in the entertainment world. He’s a tastemaker, a mogul, a withholding father figure, a genius spotter of talent, a shrewd businessman, a name-dropper, a raconteur, the inspiration for Dr. Evil, the winner of more than a hundred Emmys — and, essentially, a mystery.” But thanks to Michaels’ donation of his personal archive to the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin earlier this year, less mystery will remain.

In January, the Center, a humanities research center which houses the archives of numerous artists and writers, announced the acquisition of the Lorne Michaels Collection. The collection is made up of a wide variety of materials spanning Michaels’ career, including extensive documentation related to SNL, the most Emmy Award-nominated show in television history. Among the SNL materials are rehearsal notes and annotated scripts, which offer a direct look into Michaels’ creative process. The collection also contains behind-the-scenes photographs featuring cast members, musical guests, and hosts from over the years.

“Lorne Michaels changed entertainment and shaped generations of American culture, and we could not be more grateful and excited that he has selected UT and the Harry Ransom Center as the home to much of his life’s work,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “Having five decades of Saturday Night Live on our campus creates unique learning and research opportunities for future generations, and especially our students.”

In addition to SNL, Michaels’ materials relate to other television shows such as The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour, The Kids in the Hall, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, 30 Rock, Portlandia, and The Tonight Show. Comedy films represented include Coneheads, Mean Girls, The Three Amigos, Tommy Boy, Wayne’s World, and several others. Among the archival items in the collection are audiovisual materials, personal correspondence, production materials, and rare artifacts.

The public will get a chance to view the archive up close and personal this fall when Live from New York! The Making of Lorne Michaels opens at the Harry Ransom Center. On view from September 20, 2025, through March 20, 2026, the exhibition is guest curated by Steve Wilson and will feature special screenings and lectures

The entire collection, which is currently being cataloged, will be available for research appointments starting in January 2026. For information about making research appointments, visit the Center’s website.