In the early years of Saturday Night Live, John Belushi portrayed a samurai who, in an place and time where honor, speaking Japanese, and wielding a katana were a faux pas, was forced to have a long list of jobs and typically does them perfectly regardless, which differed every episode.

The various skits included:

• "Samurai Hotel" - Belushi and another bellhop (Richard Pryor) duel over who gets to carry a guest's bags. Pryor smashes the front desk with his sword; The Samurai says, "I can dig where you're coming from," the only words he has ever spoken in English.
• "Samurai Delicatessen" - Buck Henry waits as The Samurai makes a sandwich by severing ropes on hanging salami, slicing tomatoes in midair, and splitting bread with his skull.
• "Samurai Divorce Court" - Futaba vs. Futaba. In the Samurai universe, custody cases are resolved by splitting children in twain.
• "Samurai Psychiatrist" - Buck Henry relates a disturbing dream.
• "Samurai Hit Man" - Don Marsala (Dan Aykroyd) hires The Samurai to kill, as soon as possible, both Don Cornelius and Don Kirshner.
• "Samurai Stockbroker" - Belushi accidentally strikes Buck Henry, playing the client Mr. Dantley, in the forehead. On tape, Henry clearly staggers back from the blow.
• "Samurai TV Repairman" - The Samurai tosses a TV set around, hits it with his sword, plunges two knives into the top grill, and the picture turns out perfect.
• "Samurai Optometrist" - The Samurai nearly commits hara-kiri when Buck Henry calls him an "optician".
• "Samurai Baker"
• "Samurai Night Fever" - a parody of the film Saturday Night Fever, with the Samurai being a disco dancer.
• "Samurai B.M.O.C."
• "Samurai Dry Cleaner"
• "Samurai Tailor" - Buck Henry needs a tuxedo for a wedding. The Samurai makes one for him with a katana.
• "Samurai General Practitioner"

The Samurai first aired on the episode of December 13, 1975.