Tag: Lorne Michaels

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 2 – Eddie Murphy

After the entirety of the original cast had left SNL by 1980 as well as creator Lorne Michaels, the program was in a precarious position. Indeed the 1980-81 season is perhaps the worst of the 50 when associate producer Jean Doumanian took over show running duties.

There was one decision that failed season that literally saved the show and that was hiring Eddie Murphy at age 19. He joined SNL in the fourth episode that year and the rest was history. For the next four seasons, his comedic brilliance would shine brightly and turned Murphy into a phenom.

His mimicry skills were impeccable with classic bits like James Brown in a hot tub or the creation of Little Richard Simmons, a mashup of flamboyant singer Little Richard and fitness guru Richard Simmons. Other impersonations included James Brown and Stevie Wonder.

Mister Robinson was a takeoff on children’s host Fred Rogers with a more urban feel. One of the greatest pre-taped segments was “White Like Me” when Murphy came back to host in 1984 shortly after his departure. It was a preview of the kind of makeup effects he would become known for in The Nutty Professor and more years later. There’s Gumby (damnit) and Buckwheat and Velvet Jones. Buckwheat’s “assassination” is an all-timer.

Murphy would reprise many of these characters 35 years later in a triumphant Christmas show hosting gig in 2019. It was one more reminder of his vital contributions to SNL during a period where he also shot 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop and created the iconic stand-up special Delirious. The 40 years that followed are thanks to him and he deserves that credit. #1 will be up soon!

Eddie Murphy

Years on the Show: 1980-84

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 3 – Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wiig’s tenure on SNL was so fruitful that she got a most epic sendoff when she departed in 2012. It included getting serenaded by host Mick Jagger and a slow dance with creator Lorne Michaels. The Groundlings alumni’s seven seasons featured some wonderful impressions, but the volume of hilarious original characters is what made her stand out.

A lot of them were bizarre in a glorious way. The Target Lady and the constantly bitter Aunt Linda. Her Kat to Fred Amisen’s Garth, always inventing songs at the Weekend Update desk. Old-time screen siren Mindy Grayson and her inappropriate appearances on Secret Password. The sexy until she’s not Shana and Sue, who can’t help but ruin any event when a surprise is occurring.

Then there’s practically indescribable creations like Gilly and especially Dooneese along with her sisters on The Lawrence Welk Show. I could go on and on (her celebrity reporter alongside Bill Hader or The Californians) and it’s a sign of how impactful Wiig’s time was. And, yes, there are impersonations that were fantastic like Kathie Lee Gifford, Greta Van Susteren, Suze Orman, Ann-Margret and Liza Minnelli. #2 will be up soon!

Kristen Wiig

Years on the Show: 2005-12

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 22 – Michael Che and Colin Jost

So we actually have 51 cast members in my all-time top 50 because it’s impossible not to put these two together. Let’s be honest – Saturday Night Live is a show that can swing from a strong episode one weekend to a weaker outing the next. Sometimes this depends on the host or maybe the third episode in as many weeks tends to run out of gas.

Yet in the past decade, Weekend Update has been a consistent highlight thanks to the coanchoring skills of Michael Che and Colin Jost. The latter has been on staff as a writer since 2005 while the former came on board in 2013. Lorne Michaels paired them together at the beginning of season 40 on air and they’re still going in season 50.

The Che/Jost Update started off shaky. It didn’t take long for them to hit their stride and this is best evidenced by the hilariously inappropriate Joke Swap bit they do each year. That’s when the anchors pen off-color gags for one another to read without the deliverer having seen it. As Banya from Seinfeld would say, it’s (comedy) gold. They also expertly manage top-notch performers including Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Pete Davidson, Bowen Yang, and more doing some of their best work on the fake news set. Che and Jost are in the upper echelon of SNLers behind the Update desk in its half century of existence. #21 will be up soon!

Michael Che and Colin Jost

Years on the Show: 2014-Present

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 27 – Billy Crystal

As Jason Reitman’s cinematic chronicle of Saturday Night Live‘s premiere episode recounted this fall, Billy Crystal was slated to perform in a sketch on October 11, 1975. However, Lorne Michaels cut that bit at the last minute.

Nine years later, Crystal was well-known due to the critically acclaimed sitcom Soap when NBC made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. This was the period when Michaels was away from his SNL producer duties and the show was looking to shake up the format. In 1984, Eddie Murphy’s departure had left a giant hole so producer Dick Ebersol brought in established performers like Crystal, Martin Short, and Christopher Guest to headline. The result was one of SNL’s strongest seasons.

From Fernando’s Hideaway to impersonations of Sammy Davis Jr. and Muhammad Ali to plenty of bits with Mr. Guest, Crystal shined in his one season. Unlike that evening nearly 50 years ago, he made his eventual short-lived time count. #26 will be up soon!

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 33 – Kenan Thompson

In the history of Saturday Night Live, Kenan Thompson stands out as easily the longest tenured cast member as he’s now in his 22nd season (a record previously held by Darrell Hammond’s 14). That means he’s been on SNL for nearly half its existence yet he was the first performer on the show born after its 1975 premiere.

With that many episodes under his belt, he obviously has some significant highlights. Right at the top is Diondre Cole, host of What Up With That? where nothing advances much past the ubiquitous theme song. There’s also his eternal optimist Willie from Update segments. That’s in addition to great impressions including Steve Harvey, Al Sharpton, Bill Cosby and Whoopi Goldberg. His Hollywood Walk of Fame star is placed next to the Lorne Michaels’ star. And Thompson’s star power has been shining for nearly a quarter century. #32 will be up soon!

Kenan Thompson

Years on the Show: 2003-Present

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 35 – Dennis Miller

Dennis Miller and Jon Lovitz were the only SNL cast members to survive a disastrous 1985-86 season. It was the year Lorne Michaels came back after being away from the program for five years. He had plenty of wrong instincts that year, but putting Dennis Miller at the desk of Weekend Update wasn’t one of them. Fun fact: the gig was originally slated to go to Lovitz.

Miller’s irreverent and smart alecky style fit perfectly for six years while a murderer’s row of cast mates (Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, Kevin Nealon, Lovitz included) joined in for segments. He also started the trend of Update anchors getting their own talk shows (Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and even OG anchor Chevy Chase). #34 will be up shortly!

Dennis Miller

Years on the Show: 1985-91

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: A Prelude

SNL just began its 50th season and a grand televised celebration is anticipated this spring. I have been a huge follower of the iconic sketch comedy show my whole life. That includes devouring books about its history and memoirs from former cast members.

To mark its half century in existence, I have decided to make a list of my top 50 cast members in the show’s history. Let’s establish an important ground rule. This list covers each member’s time on the show only and not what they did before or after. There’s obvious examples of Not Ready for Prime Time Players who had terrific careers following their stints (some of them short-lived) on Saturday Night Live. Robert Downey, Jr. and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Ben Stiller and Damon Wayans. Chris Rock and Christopher Guest. You won’t find them in my top 50, but they’ve certainly had incredible contributions to film, TV, and stand-up.

I wrote down 70 performers of the 167 total cast members and whittled it down to 50. Not all original members from 1975 made the cut (apologies to Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris). There are current cast members who almost made it like Mikey Day, Ego Nwodim, and James Austin Johnson. In between there were those I struggled to leave off like Beck Bennett, Nora Dunn, Leslie Jones, Chris Kattan, Taran Killam, Tim Meadows, Kyle Mooney, Joe Piscopo, and Rob Schneider. There were a couple that were just never quite my cup of tea… Jim Breuer and Jon Lovitz.

Despite the tough subtractions, the forthcoming list is a treasure trove of talented comedic performers who have kept the show running for half a century. These posts will be a countdown from 50 to 1 (yep, 50 posts) that’ll run through the course of the 50th season. Stay tuned!

Oscar Predictions: Saturday Night

Jason Reitman had a one-two punch of consecutive Best Picture nominees with Juno and Up in the Air in 2007 and 2009. Some follow-ups generated solid reviews (Young Adult, Tully) while others (Labor Day, The Front Runner) drew more mixed reactions. None have received significant awards buzz in the past decade and a half. Will that change with Saturday Night?

The Sony Pictures dramedy is slated for release on October 11th which is the 49th anniversary of the iconic sketch show it celebrates. This recounts the chaotic moments leading up to the premiere of Saturday Night Live. Gabriel LaBelle (who essentially played young Steven Spielberg in 2022’s The Fabelmans) is 30-year-old Lorne Michaels. The extensive supporting cast (some playing 1975 legends with others as future legends) includes Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun (as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson), Andrew Barth Feldman, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J.K. Simmons, and Jon Batiste.

Having just played Telluride and hitting Toronto shortly, early word-of-mouth is primarily on the fresh side. There are some high profile reviews of the thumbs down variety. I would say Saturday Night stands a shot at a Best Picture nomination, but it is a coin flip at the moment as we await how competitors pan out. Down ballot categories like Costume Design and (especially) Film Editing could occur especially if it sneaks into BP.

As for the cast, LaBelle is getting quality ink. Yet some of the strongest notices are going to Sennott as writer Rosie Schuster and Smith as Chevy Chase. I’m skeptical any of the performers break into their respective categories though the SAG Awards could certainly nominate the cast in their Ensemble race. Speaking of other shows, the Golden Globes could put it up for Musical/Comedy assuming Sony campaigns for it there and LaBelle could make the Actor (Musical/Comedy) quintet.

At the Academy Awards, there is almost always a picture or two that is up solely for its screenplay. This is a distinct possibility with Saturday Night and its original screenplay from Reitman and Gil Kenan. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…