Bob Tischler dead at 78: Former head writer for Saturday Night Live passes following battle with pancreatic cancer at his California home

Bob Tischler, a former head writer for Saturday Night Live, has died at age 78. 

His son Zeke told The New York Times his father died following a battle with pancreatic cancer July 13 at his home in Bodega Bay, California. 

Tischler had also produced notable projects such as The National Lampoon Radio Hour, as well as albums by the Blues Brothers, composed of Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi.

'I produced a lot of comedy and I did writing, but I wasn't a member of the union or anything,' Tischler said in the 2002 book Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live.

The Times notes Tischler played a role in reviving Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s after the variety show endured a slump.

Bob Tischler, a former head writer for Saturday Night Live, has died at age 78

Tischler's son Zeke told The New York Times his father died following a battle with pancreatic cancer July 13 at his home in Bodega Bay, California 

The show underwent what the publication noted has been widely regarded as it's 'worst season' from November 1980 to April 1981, with producer Jean Doumanian at the helm.

After Dick Ebersol took over producer duties from Doumanian, he hired Tischler in the capacity of a supervisory producer on the recommendation of late SNL head writer Michael O'Donoghue, according to the publication.

Tischler would go on to fill the head writer role after O'Donoghue was let go by Ebersol over a controversial sketch that never aired involving late NBC president Fred Silverman.

Ebersol said in his 2022 memoir From Saturday Night to Sunday Night: My Forty Years of Laughter, Tears, and Touchdowns in TV that Tischler 'was exactly the leader the writers' room needed - steady, calm and respected.'

One-time SNL writer Kevin Kelton, who worked on the series spanning 1983-1985, said that Tischler's work was a key factor in the show's longevity, according to the paper.

Kelton said Ebersol 'was a terrific producer, but he was not considered a great comedic mind,' while Tischler 'was more forceful on the comedy side in terms of determining how to shape material and what material made the show.

'He mentored me, along with the rest of the writing staff. I'm not sure the show would have survived without Bob.'

SNL would go on to recapture strong ratings and critical acclaim by focusing on then-rising star Eddie Murphy, who Tischler 'championed' as a performer.

Tischler's work was hailed as a key factor in the show's longevity 

Tischler 'was exactly the leader the writers' room needed - steady, calm and respected,' legendary TV exec Dick Ebersol said in his 2022 memoir 

Tischler was pictured in a recording studio with audio professional Jim Scheffler

 'We had this thing for Eddie, because Eddie would take what we wrote and make it better every single time,' Tischler said in Live From New York.

The show would be stabilized during its 1984-1985 season with the help of performers including Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest and Martin Short, with Tischler producing and Ebersol executive producing.

Tischler's work on the series also consisted of editing bits and working with Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield.

Blaustein told the paper by phone, 'He had a very sharp comedy mind that had been honed during his years with the Lampoon and he knew the history of comedy.'

Tischler had been born in Englewood, New Jersey on June 12, 1946 to parents Leonard and Florence (Parets) Tischler. He went to Ithaca College for two years before he transferred to New Hampshire's Franconia College in 1966, the paper reported.

He began working as a sound engineer focusing on audio for film previews, radio and TV ads, and in 1973 started working on The National Lampoon Radio Hour as a producer, according to the newspaper.

Amid his work on the program, he collaborated with nascent SNL stars such as Belushi, the late Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray.

Tischler went on to produce the first album released by Belushi and Aykroyd in their roles as Blues Brothers Jake and Elwood Blues, 1978's Briefcase Full of Blues, which hit the top spot on Billboard's chart, according to the paper.

Tischler had produced albums by the Blues Brothers, composed of Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi 

Tischler went on to produce the first album released by Belushi and Aykroyd in their roles as Blues Brothers Jake and Elwood Blues, 1978's Briefcase Full of Blues, which hit the top spot on Billboard's chart 

Tischler told Sound on Sound in 2014 that Belushi 'was more of a performer than a vocalist, and there was more soul and fun in his voice than ability, but he could still sing and the audience could really feel it.'

Tischler also produced the soundtrack for the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers and 1980's Made in America from the pair.

Tischler departed SNL in 1985 and went on to work on shows such as Empty Nest and Boy Meets World, as well as Crystal's 1985 record Mahvelous and reissued works by musical legends such as Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.

Tischler is survived by son Zeke, wife Judith Tischler and brother Jim, according to the paper.