What nickname was given to SNL's original cast?

SNL’s original cast was nicknamed the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players.” The phrase was coined by writer Herb Sargent as a playful contrast with the show’s late-night Saturday time slot and the idea that its performers were not yet ready for mainstream prime-time television.

The inaugural cast assembled by creator Lorne Michaels included Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner. George Coe and writer Michael O’Donoghue were also credited during the first season, though they were not part of the core group most people mean by the original cast.

The nickname quickly became part of the program’s identity and is often shortened informally to “the Not Ready for Prime Time Players.” It is not the title of a separate troupe or a different NBC comedy company. The show itself premiered in October 1975 as NBC’s Saturday-night sketch and variety series, later known simply as Saturday Night Live.