During SNL’s currently airing 50th season, viewers have been reminded of the brilliance of Dana Carvey in the form of his President Biden impersonation. To fans of the show, this is no surprise considering Carvey has been giving us unforgettable takes on political figures and others for nearly 40 years in studio 8H. The best known example was President George H.W. Bush during his tenure in office. However, the considerable list of Carvey impressions includes Ross Perot, Johnny Carson, Woody Allen, Jimmy Stewart, Regis Philbin, Paul McCartney, Casey Kasem, Tom Brokaw, Ted Koppel, and Charles Grodin.
In a cast that included heavy hitters like Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, and Jan Hooks, Carvey turned into the headliner. Original creations included Church Lady, Hans from Hans and Franz, Massive Headwound Harry, the Grumpy Old Man, and his Garth to Mike Myers’ Wayne Campbell from the “Wayne’s World” sketches. They would, of course, turn into one of SNL’s most successful transitions to the silver screen in 1992.
Carvey would leave the next year but has returned numerous times in the 30 years after to provide more highlights. #3 will be up soon!
The ultimate utility player in a golden age on the show, Phil Hartman’s eight years were filled with terrific impressions and delightfully oddball original characters. His comedic bonafides are undeniable. A Groundlings alum, he co-wrote Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure before joining SNL and would later provide iconic voices on The Simpsons.
Hartman excelled at impersonating two Presidents (Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton) and one First Lady (Barbara Bush). His bit as Clinton visiting McDonald’s is rightfully considered one of the all-timers. A Reagan sketch where he’s shown to be the man behind the curtain unlike his reputation is also a classic. Other memorable impressions include Frank Sinatra, Phil Donahue, Charlton Heston, Johnny Cash, Andy Griffith, and Ed McMahon’s to Dana Carvey’s Johnny Carson. That’s merely skimming the surface.
Fresh creations included Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer and Eugene, the Anal Retentive Chef. Hartman was a genuine glue guy on SNL who was often the highlight among many talented costars. #6 will be up soon!
There was no way to properly forecast the force of nature that was Chris Farley when he joined the SNL cast in 1990. Influenced by his idol and original Not Ready for Prime Time Player John Belushi (and suffering from some of the same demons), Farley burst onto Studio 8H stage with now legendary sketches.
Any aficionado of the show knows the greatest hits. Spawned from his time at Second City, motivational speaker Matt Foley caused costar David Spade (his future Tommy Boy and Black Sheep screen partner) and host Christina Applegate to lose it while he recounted living in a van down by the river. His Chippendales audition alongside Patrick Swayze is an all-timer.
Even Farley’s limited appearances in bits stole the show. His one line in a suggestive sketch where Dana Carvey and Adam Sandler put pepper on the dishes of restaurant goers (why THANK YOU PEPPER BOY!!!) is the most memorable part. There’s The Chris Farley Show where he nervously interviewed celebrities like Paul McCartney or Jeff Daniels and the lunch lady musical number with Sandler. Gap Girls. Bennett Brauer who appeared on Update to lament about his life via “air quotes”. Chris Farley’s physicality, outrageousness, and vulnerability caused him to be an SNL MVP in equal measure. #7 will be up soon!
Before he was Austin Powers or Dr. Evil or Shrek (or… The Love Guru), Canadian native and Second City performer Mike Myers introduced a slew of notable characters to a glowing era in SNL history. There was bathtub artist Simon and “Coffee Talk” host Linda Richman in segments that included cameos from his idol Barbra Streisand and Madonna. Let’s not forget the wonderfully weird Dieter of “Sprockets”, the off-kilter German talk show.
It was as Aurora, Illinois teen Wayne Campbell alongside Dana Carvey’s Garth in “Wayne’s World” sketches that made him a phenomenon in the early 90s. These bits led to a blockbuster 1992 movie (and a less regarded sequel). Myers would obviously continue his memorable creations on the silver screen and it was SNL that paved the way. #20 will be up soon!
A year after her film debut in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure where she informed audiences that there’s no basement at the Alamo, the late great Jan Hooks joined one of the strongest SNL casts of all time in 1986. She stood out even among legends like Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman whether it was warbling alongside Nora Dunn as the Sweeney Sisters or as Kathie Lee to Carvey’s Regis.
Other memorable impressions include Tammy Faye Bakker, Nancy Reagan, Sinead O’Connor, and Bette Davis. That’s in addition to out there character creations like Brenda the Waitress in a terrific sketch with Alec Baldwin. #27 will be up soon!
Today we say hello to the buh-bye guy with David Spade at #39 on my Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time. Dana Carvey and Spade teamed up for a podcast where they interview cast members and hosts from the show’s 50-year history. It’s a must listen for fans.
Spade made his own history in studio 8H. Whether in the aforementioned Total Bastard Airlines sketch or as a Gap Girl, doing a first-rate Michael J. Fox impression or alongside Chris Farley in Update bits, his six years on the program were fruitful. His best moments may have been toward the end of his run with his Hollywood Minute/Spade in America segments where he skewered celebs in his signature snarky style. He even managed to anger SNL legend Eddie Murphy when he’d experienced a few flops in a row. #38 will be up soon!
When Kevin Nealon departed Saturday Night Live back in 1995, his nine seasons marked the longest tenure on the show up to that point. That record has since been obliterated thanks to Kenan Thompson and others, but Nealon’s lengthy stint on SNL was fruitful.
Whether as Franz of Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz fame or Mr. Subliminal or Bob Waltman (his clever take on Barbara Walters), Nealon had plenty of humorous moments in a cast era full of all-stars. Carvey, Phil Hartman, and others from the mid 80s to mid 90s will be seen later, but Nealon deserves to make the cut. While his time anchoring Weekend Update couldn’t match some others, his comedic timing is impeccable. On a side note, he’s one of the funniest talk show guests in the medium. Do yourself a favor and search “Kevin Nealon You Got a Minute”. #40 will be posted soon!
The list of my personal top 25 cinematic performances from the many alumni at Saturday Night Live reaches the top 5 today! If you missed my previous entries covering numbers 25-6, you can find them all at the following links:
5. Chevy Chase, National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
Chase’s finest and funniest work belongs to his doofus dad role as Clark Griswold in this classic that spawned three sequels, including the cherished Christmas Vacation. This is one of the pictures that can be rewatched endlessly and much of that is due to Chase’s signature performance.
4. Mike Myers, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Myers successfully translated his SNL character Wayne Campbell to the silver screen in 1992’s blockbuster Wayne’s World alongside his costar Dana Carvey (who nearly made the list for his work in that film). Yet the most hilarious work from Myers comes here as both the title character and (especially) nemesis Dr. Evil. Two sequels would give Myers an opportunity to play even more deliriously over the top parts.
3. Will Ferrell, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
After the back to back hits of Old School and Elf, Ferrell developed his most iconic character with his arrogant and clueless news anchor. Anchorman has deservedly became an all-time comedy classic.
2. Eddie Murphy, Coming to America (1988)
Let’s face it – this list could have been dominated by Eddie. I had Trading Places and The Nutty Professor in the top 25, but could have included 48 Hrs., Beverly Hills Cop, Bowfinger, Shrek, Dreamgirls, or Dolemite Is My Name as well. However, my personal favorite is this 1988 humorous fairy tale when Murphy was at the peak of his power. This is the first pic that gave him the opportunity to portray multiple characters and he certainly makes the most of it.
1. Bill Murray, Groundhog Day (1993)
Just as with Murphy, many movies from Murray could have made the cut. You already saw Ghostbusters and Lost in Translation on here and other contenders included Caddyshack, Scrooged, What About Bob?, Kingpin, Rushmore, and Zombieland. Overall, I go with Groundhog Day as his finest hour and #1 on the whole list. Simply put, I find Groundhog Day to be perfection and the quintessential vehicle for its versatile star.
And there you have it, folks! It’s been fun putting together the list and I hope you enjoyed reading it…
Illumination Entertainment is back in the summer blockbuster animation game next weekend with the release of TheSecretLifeofPets2. The follow-up to the 2016 smash has Chris Renaud back in the director’s chair. Returning voices include Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, and Jenny Slate. Patton Oswalt takes over the lead role of Max after Louis C.K. was dropped after recent controversies. Other familiar faces providing new voiceover work to the franchise include Tiffany Haddish, Nick Kroll, and Harrison Ford.
Three summers ago, the first Pets had a scorching start with a $104 million start and $368 million eventual domestic gross. It’s worth noting that competition on its opening weekend wasn’t as strong as DarkPhoenix will premiere against this. This sequel is garnering reviews in line with its predecessor. Part 1 ended up with a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score while this is at 68%.
I look for this to perform similarly to Illumination’s last two efforts. DespicableMe3 earned $72 million for its beginning two summers ago and Dr. Seuss’ TheGrinch made $67 million and perhaps a bit under.
TheSecretLifeofPets2 opening weekend prediction: $65.2 million
2019 is shaping up to be a year where the Best Animated Feature at the Oscars could be dominated by sequels. HowtoTrainYourDragon: TheHiddenWorld already opened to raves and seems destined for a nod just like its two predecessors. Disney has ToyStory4 and Frozen2 on deck.
TheSecretLifeofPets2 is Universal’s shot at Academy recognition. It’s out on June 7, following up on the 2016 animal tale smash hit. Early reviews indicate part deux is an overall improvement in quality. The first Pets achieved a 73% Rotten Tomatoes rating while this currently sits at 91%.
This puts the likely mega blockbuster in contention, but it’ll need to stick around in a competition where the three previously mentioned sequels may well garner more votes. Only time will tell if that’s feasible. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…
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