Longtime SNL AD Bob Caminiti Memorialized

Family, friends, and colleagues gathered in Harrington Park, New Jersey this weekend to remember Robert “Bob” Caminiti—an Associate Director on Saturday Night Live for nearly four decades, a lifelong union advocate, and a loyal friend to many across the entertainment industry.

He passed away on June 26 at the age of 88 of complications from a stroke.

The memorial, held Saturday at the Community Church in Harrington Park, began with a video tribute featuring clips of Caminiti recounting his early life in Brooklyn, his rise at NBC starting as a mimeograph operator, and behind-the-scenes moments with The Tomorrow Show and SNL. The highlight was a humorous but affectionate tribute from former SNL writer/performer Al Franken, who called Bob “a little bit to my left—or a lot to my left” and recalled how Caminiti was always the first person he visited when returning to 30 Rock.

Over the course of his SNL tenure, Caminiti worked under four different directors, starting with Dave Wilson in 1982 and ending in 2019 with Don Roy King. King was among those who eulogized him Saturday, crediting Caminiti with bringing him into the show in 2006. “He was the finest AD I ever worked with,” King said, describing how Caminiti’s belief in him led to a 16-year run in one of television’s most demanding roles. “I did not convince those guys I could do it—but Bobby did.”

Caminiti also had a close bond with legendary SNL announcer Don Pardo, who became part of his extended family. Pardo even attended Bob’s daughter Susan’s wedding and announced the wedding party’s entrance at the reception. In later years, after Pardo could no longer travel from Arizona to perform SNL’s live voiceovers in person, it was Bob he trusted to get the job done. For several seasons, Caminiti would call Pardo before showtime to remotely record the show’s opening announcement—ensuring that even from across the country, Pardo’s voice would echo through Studio 8H.

Outside the control room, he was a dedicated advocate for his peers. As a longtime representative and labor negotiator for the Directors Guild of America (DGA), Caminiti worked to defend the rights of union members. His commitment earned him multiple honors from the Guild, recognizing both his excellence as an Associate Director and his unwavering support for fellow professionals.

Those who knew him best described a passionate talker and principled firebrand who never shied away from debate. “Bob was one of the most earnest, passionate, and sincere people I’ve ever known,” said longtime friend and fellow union activist Gil Muro. “He lived and breathed social justice—especially the labor movement and the importance of unions. These weren’t just causes to him—they were personal.” When those topics came up, Muro said, “his whole face would light up,” and at times it felt “like you were watching a one-man revolution in motion.”

His daughter and son, Susan and Chris, closed the service with personal reflections that blended humor and heartbreak. Susan spoke of his notorious lack of a filter (“This is the worst production I’ve ever seen,” he once said at a school pep rally) and his pride in a beloved fig tree that symbolized his enduring connection to home. Chris remembered daily phone calls, fierce lectures on social justice, and a man who was “not your stereotypical dad” but someone who made you think—and never let you forget what mattered.

Caminiti participated in a 2018 interview with the Television Academy, which is recommended viewing for anyone wishing to get a better sense of the man—and to enjoy some fantastic behind-the-scenes stories of his six-decade career at NBC.

In it, he was asked how he’d like to be remembered. He responded simply: “All of this is good and I’m grateful for all of it, but… in the end I’d like to be remembered as a guy who wants a better world for the young people and the children.”

Our condolences to all who knew and loved Bob Caminiti.