Tag: Jan Hooks

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 4 – Dana Carvey

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!

Dana Carvey

Years on the Show: 1986-93

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 28 – Jan Hooks

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!

Top 25 SNL Alumni Movie Performances: Numbers 25-21

It’s time for another list on this here blog of mine and Saturday Night Live has been on the mind lately. With The King of Staten Island garnering solid reviews and serving as a launching pad for the film career of current cast member Pete Davidson, I’ve decided to compile my own personal list of top 25 performances from the 45 years of SNL alumni.

And this is sure to be a list where many moviegoers would have their own choices that do not reflect my own. Obviously SNL has a rich history of performers that have made the transition to the big screen and there are lots of notable comedic (and some dramatic) highlights.

A couple of notes before we start with numbers 25-21:

  • There are couple well-known actors that I chose to leave on the cutting room floor due to their very brief tenures on the show. Ben Stiller was a cast member for only 4 episodes and Laurie Metcalf was a not ready for prime time player for exactly 1 show. That didn’t seem like enough to include them. In short, if you lasted a season or more on SNL, you are eligible.
  • This list is undeniably dominated by men. That’s just a fact. On the other hand, if I did a list that included TV (which I may after this), you would certainly see a more substantial presence of former female performers. Think Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and their acclaimed small screen work.
  • We have a couple of cinematic legends like Eddie Murphy and Bill Murray and I could have chosen plenty of their roles for inclusion. I tried to limit that, but you will see them make quite an impact in the top 25.

And with that, let’s get to the list!

25. Jan Hooks, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

OK, maybe this is cheating a little bit since Ms. Hooks (who was brilliant on SNL) gets about three minutes of screen time in Tim Burton’s team-up with Paul Reubens for his iconic character. Yet her work as the cheery tour guide with the southern drawl is so memorable that I couldn’t leave it off. Six words: “There’s no basement at the Alamo!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYfjq3ZYZbA

24. Bill Hader, It Chapter Two (2019)

Hader has been one of the most versatile cast members in recent times and has had memorable film roles in Superbad and Trainwreck, among others. I include this horror sequel because he was the undeniable bright spot in an otherwise inferior sequel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z1iGzNNzJw

23. Will Forte, MacGruber (2010)

Count me in as one of the ardent defenders of this SNL spin-off featuring Forte doing a feature length version of his idiotic MacGyver like role. MacGruber was a box office flop upon release but has since turned into a deserved cult classic (with a rumored sequel happening).

22. Tina Fey, Mean Girls (2004)

Before her fantastic work on 30 Rock, Fey wrote this hit comedy that has spawned a massive following and a Broadway musical. Her work as a teacher here served as a springboard to an impressive TV and movie career.

21. Billy Crystal, When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

Crystal has certainly had his share of hits, but I’ll give the nod to his romantic leading man role opposite Meg Ryan in Rob Reiner’s blockbuster.

That does it for now, folks! I’ll continue the list with numbers 20-16 in short order…