45 Years Ago Today David Bowie Appeared On Saturday Night Live

It was on this day in 1979 when David Bowie waved bye-bye to the 1970s with a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live. Bowie performed "The Man Who Sold The World," "TVC 15," and "Boys Keep Swinging," with Klaus Nomi, Joey Arias, and a toy pink poodle/TV monitor. The show was hosted by actor Martin Sheen. For "The Man Who Sold The World" (above) Bowie was lifted and positioned in front of the microphone by Klaus and Joey in a costume designed by Mark Ravitz and Bowie, inspired by Sonia Delaunay’s designs for Tristan Tzara’s 1923 play Le Cœur à gaz (The Gas Heart). The skirt suit that David wore was designed by Brooks Van Horn costume house, New York, and was worn for TVC 15, the song that also showcased the aforementioned pink poodle. For "Boys Keep Swinging", David Bowie operated a puppet while utilizing green-screen technology to hilarious effect. See all three performances above.


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