The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 1 – Will Ferrell

I’m closing out 2024 on the blog by closing out my Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time series while the legendary program’s 50th season is currently underway. It’s been a hoot coming up with this list as we celebrate a half century of often brilliant comedy.

Before he was Buddy the Elf or Ron Burgundy or Ricky Bobby or a stepbrother, Will Ferrell’s seven years in what is now the middle of SNL’s run takes top honors. The Groundlings alum came to the show during a transitional period with a mostly all-new cast. He made his mark immediately with a seemingly endless parade of bizarre and uproarious sketches. This included him yelling (there is no better comedic yeller) at his kids to “get off the shed” and an uncomfortable family dinner where he sadly but boldly proclaims his ownership of a Dodge Stratus. There’s his Evil Boss terrorizing Pierce Brosnan and Chris Parnell, his doctor who flat out lost a baby, and a commercial where he humiliates his dog. Part of Ferrell’s appeal was his everyman look combined with his off-kilter instincts. It made for an irresistible combination.

Then there’s his takes on President George W. Bush, Harry Caray, Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton, crooner Robert Goulet, Attorney General Janet Reno, and Alex Trebek, constantly suffering to the insults of Darrell Hammond’s Sean Connery. The Cheerleaders with Cheri Oteri. The Roxbury guys with Chris Kattan. His boutique employee with a tiny phone that caused Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz to lose it. There’s the post 9/11 sketch with his overly patriotic employee that provided much needed humor at that time. And More Cowbell anyone?

And that’s just scratching the surface. Ferrell’s contributions are truly remarkable and I didn’t have to think too hard for this placement.

Will Ferrell

Years on the Show: 1995-2002

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 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 5 – Bill Hader

Among a cast of all-stars during his eight season stint, Bill Hader’s impressions and original characters on SNL were responsible for countless highlights. If he were only known for impersonations, he would probably belong near the top of this list. His Alan Alda is uncanny and there’s Al Pacino, James Carville, Harvey Fierstein, Vincent Price, Daniel Day-Lewis in an uproarious take on his There Will Be Blood character, and Clint Eastwood. Then there’s Keith Morrison from Dateline NBC which Hader revealed iin interviews to be his favorite show.

Fresh creations would put him near the top of the list like Italian talk show host Vinny Vedecci or past his prime newsman Herb Welch. Hader’s haunted Vietnam vet turned puppeteer gave us a classic sketch alongside host Seth MacFarlane.

Then, of course, there’s clubgoer Stefon and his amazing Weekend Update bits with Seth Meyers. John Mulaney and Hader collaborated on one of the show’s most side splitting creations. Hader could not keep a straight face during Stefon bits. Neither could we for so much of Hader’s run. #4 will be up soon!

Bill Hader

Years on the Show: 2005-13

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 6 – John Belushi

There have been hundreds upon hundreds of cast members and hosts who have made us laugh on SNL during its nearly 50 years of existence. John Belushi was the first. He appeared in “The Wolverines” sketch that cold opened the first episode ever on October 11, 1975. Feigning a heart attack to the “real” medical episode of his scene partner (writer Michael O’Donoghue), it was Belushi who stood out even though Chevy Chase got to say “Live from New York…”

A Second City and National Lampoon alum, his manic energy stood out among the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players. This extended to bits at the Weekend Update Desk, impersonating Beethoven and Brando and William Shatner as James T. Kirk, and Joe Cocker, and bringing his musical and dancing chops alongside Dan Aykroyd as The Blues Brothers. There’s his Samurai character or a (personal favorite) taped sketch where he extols the virtues of little chocolate donuts.

Chevy Chase left for silver screen stardom after one season, but it was Belushi who first broke through in theaters with National Lampoon’s Animal House in 1978. That was a year before he departed SNL. When he left, it was hard to imagine the show continuing without him. Of course it managed to though Belushi cast a wide and wild shadow with his contributions. #5 will be up soon!

John Belushi

Years on the Show: 1975-79

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 7 – Phil Hartman

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!

Phil Hartman

Years on the Show: 1986-94

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 8 – Chris Farley

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!

Chris Farley

Years on the Show: 1990-95

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 9 – Kate McKinnon

Upright Citizens Brigade alum Kate McKinnon scored ten Emmy nominations during her ten-year tenure on SNL and it’s no mystery. In the past decade and change on the show, she’s been the standout with unforgettable impressions and truly strange fictional creations.

Her collection of impersonations runs the gamut from an uncanny Ellen DeGeneres and Jane Lynch to lots of political figures including Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elizabeth Warren, Rudy Giuliani, Lindsey Graham and Jeff Sessions. McKinnon’s range is wide as she can land excellent takes on Justin Bieber, Maggie Smith, and Lisa Kudrow.

The most known non-impression work is Colleen Rafferty, a rough around the edges recent abductee in viral sketches with Cecily Strong and, most famously, Ryan Gosling. There’s Sheila Sovage, her constantly intoxicated bar patron in the uproarious Last Call bits. At the Update desk, Russian current events commentator Olya was a highlight. #8 will be up soon!

Kate McKinnon

Years on the Show: 2012-22

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 10 – Norm MacDonald

My top 50 list of SNL cast members has been populated with numerous performers who sat behind the iconic Weekend Update desk: Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd, Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Colin Jost, and Michael Che. As we enter the top 10 of this countdown, we arrive at the final Update anchor. That means it’s the one I thought did it the best and that is Norm MacDonald.

The Canadian stand-up brought his flawless timing and devil may care attitude to the news desk. It could rightly be said that his Update was the last time SNL felt a little dangerous and that’s thanks to him and Jim Downey, his legendary Update cowriting partner.

No one could deliver a joke quite like Norm. Like Johnny Carson, you often laughed harder when they didn’t land due to his reaction. MacDonald’s relentless mocking of O.J. Simpson during his murder trial infuriated NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer, who was a friend of the disgraced football star. In fact, it is allegedly what got him fired from Update (a colossal error in judgment).

Norm’s contributions to SNL went beyond the signature segment airing after the musical guest’s first song. He had great impressions of Larry King and Senator Bob Dole and delivered a rather biting take on David Letterman, his comedic idol. Then, of course, there’s his 70s era Burt Reynolds who would appear on Celebrity Jeopardy.

You could spend hours going down a YouTube rabbit hole watching Norm be hilarious and I certainly have. Most of his couch work on Conan O’Brien’s shows will split your sides. The late great MacDonald did the same on SNL. #9 will be up soon!

Norm MacDonald

Years on the Show: 1993-98