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!
I struggled with whether Pete Davidson would make my list of SNL’s Top 50 Cast Members. He hasn’t always been my cup of tea. I’m not a particular fan of his standup. Ultimately he does get in for a couple of reasons.
The most obvious is that a solid portion of his material has been genuinely funny from his 8 years on the program. He started at the age of 20 and he’s most known for playing a version of himself. Oftentimes on Weekend Update bits, he would do just that and comment on his highly publicized relationships. Davidson, more than any other performer in the show’s history, is the kind of cast member we should expect in a reality show world. I’m not sure that’s a positive development, but Davidson shined often anyway.
This includes his movie reviewing alongside John Mulaney, his hilariously oblivious Chad, and his interpretations of Eminem tracks. #41 will be up soon!
After her costar Ana Gasteyer came in at #44 on my top 50 SNL Cast Members list, Cheri Oteri clocks in at #43. The former Groundlings performer created some wildly memorable characters in her half decade on the program including Collette Reardon and Rita DelVecchio. There’s also well-known sketches with Will Ferrell including the low intelligence hosts of Morning Latte and, of course, the Cheerleaders.
On the impression front, Oteri’s Barbara Walters was funny enough to rival Gilda Radner’s imitation. This top 50 list has already heavily featured members from the mid 90s to early 00s and that’s no accident. It’s one of the most fruitful eras of SNL and Oteri was a key part of it. #42 will be up shortly!
Ana Gasteyer is next up in my Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time at #44. While she wasn’t a breakout star like some others in her timeline, Gasteyer made significant contributions in a loaded cast from the mid 90s to early 00s.
On the impression front, she shined as Martha Stewart, Celine Dion, and Joy Behar. That’s in addition to classic bits alongside Will Ferrell as the desperately trying to be hip high school musical teachers and Molly Shannon as Delicious Dish NPR hosts. #43 will be up soon!
My Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time has reached number 45 and it’s one of the most gifted impressionists that the show has seen with Jay Pharoah. The stand-up comic handled the second term impersonating President Obama (taking over for Fred Armisen), but the on point mimicry certainly didn’t stop there. Some of the more memorable portrayals include Jay-Z, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen A. Smith, and even one of SNL’s own Eddie Murphy.
Unlike Murphy, Pharoah never had a stable of fictional characters that broke out. However, he earns placement here due to his real world imitations. #44 will be up soon!
Saturday Night Live officially turns 49 years old today and Jason Reitman’s critically appreciated Saturday Night is out in wide release for the occasion. It recounts the 90 hectic minutes leading up to the iconic show’s premiere. Jane Curtin was there for it. She’s the first original Not Ready for Prime Time Player to make this list. As I wrote in my prelude to these posts, not all of them are included in the top 50 (Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris).
Curtin was more of the straight (wo)man in the program’s early years. She got to stretch every once in a while including as Prymaat Conehead alongside Dan Aykroyd in those bits. Yet it was as one half of the Weekend Update team with Aykroyd and then Bill Murray where she paved the way for future stars like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Some of her cast mates will be showcased later, but Curtin earns placement for her contributions. #45 will be up soon!
Before becoming a SAG and Golden Globe winner for his heralded role on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, Jason Sudeikis was part of one of SNL’s finest ensembles in the show’s first half century of existence. He earns the 47 spot in my top 50 cast members.
Sudeikis memorably played Mitt Romney and Joe Biden while also channeling The Devil in Update bits and appearing alongside Kristin Wiig as one half of the A-Holes. Sudeikis was occasionally overshadowed by costars who will appear higher on this list, but he was a glue guy in a top SNL era. #46 will be up soon!
Through the sheer force of his outsized personality, Tracy Morgan made a memorable impression in his seven years at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Saturday Night Live. It translated into even shinier comedic gold on 30 Rock shortly thereafter. He comes in at #48 on the list of greatest performers on the program that just started its 50th season.
From clueless though well-meaning Safari Planet host Brian Fellows to homeless Woodrow, Morgan’s mix of sweetness with outrageousness gave us bright spots in a top shelf SNL era. He also killed as Star Jones in those View sketches. In what should come as no surprise, we’re not finished with 30 Rock cast mates. #47 is coming you way soon!
Blogger’s Update (10/09): Based partly on its considerable 2500 screen count, I am upping my Terrifier 3 from $9.4 million to $14.4 million. That gives it the #1 slot.
A fascinating weekend lies ahead at the box office as a handful of newcomers try to break out, but they could all fall under $10 million. We have low-budget horror threequel Terrifier 3, behind the scenes showbiz dramedy Saturday Night (expanding in wide release), manga superhero entry My Hero Academia: You’re Next, the Pharrell Williams Lego themed doc Piece by Piece, and a Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice all vying for attention. You can peruse my prediction posts on them here:
This sophomore frame of October is one in which Joker: Folie à Deux was widely expected to dominate the charts for a second time. That is very much in danger after its disastrous premiere (more on that below). The musical mashup of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga could experience a decline in 75% range considering its toxic word-of-mouth.
If so, that could mean a return to 1st position for The Wild Robot in its third outing. It may only dip in the high 30s or low 40s.
Terrifier 3 may have the best breakout potential among the newbies. I have it placing second just ahead of Joker. That’s a development that would’ve been unimaginable days ago.
I don’t foresee any of the fresh product reaching eight digits with Saturday Night in fourth and holdover Beetlejuice Beetlejuice rounding out the high five. The other three debuting flicks I have slotted 6-7 (Academia, Piece) and 9 (Apprentice) with Academia potentially having the chance for a little more than I’m projecting.
Here’s how I have it playing out with a top 8 this time around:
1. Terrifier 3
Predicted Gross: $14.4 million
2. The Wild Robot
Predicted Gross: $11.7 million
3. Joker: Folie à Deux
Predicted Gross: $9.5 million
4. Saturday Night
Predicted Gross: $7.8 million
5. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Predicted Gross: $6.7 million
6. My Hero Academia: You’re Next
Predicted Gross: $5.9 million
7. Piece by Piece
Predicted Gross: $5.4 million
8. Transformers One
Predicted Gross: $3.2 million
9. The Apprentice
Predicted Gross: $2.4 million
Box Office Results (October 4-6)
Arriving 5 years to the day behind its billion plus grossing predecessor, Joker: Folie à Deux failed in spectacular fashion with critics and audiences. The sequel from Todd Phillips crashed with $37.6 million compared to my $54.3 million prediction. 2019’s original caught lightning in a bottle with a $96 million burst out of the gate (still the best October start in history) and 11 Oscar nominations. Deux could not measure up and that’s being kind considering it came in nearly $60 million lower. To add insult to injury, many reviews were brutal. Even worse, crowds gave it an awful D Cinemascore grade as they did not love this Joker.
The Wild Robot was second with $18.8 million, in line with my $19.8 million take. DreamWorks Animation’s potential frontrunner for Best Animated Feature has grossed $64 million in ten days as it eyes a potential return to #1 this weekend.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was third at $10.1 million, a bit under my $11.6 million estimate for a five-week haul of $265 million.
Transformers One held up decently in fourth with $5.3 million (I said $4.4 million). The $47 million three-week total is nothing to brag about.
Speak No Evil rounded out the top five with $2.7 million compared to my $3.2 million projection. In four weeks, it’s made $32 million.
Finally, Lionsgate had another turkey on their hands with Wonder prequel White Bird. It was seventh with $1.5 million. My guess? $1.5 million!
They’re not all former cast members on my Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time list as #49 is Chloe Fineman, who just began her sixth season on the iconic sketch show. She’s proven herself to be one of the program’s strongest impressionists including Meryl Streep, Scarlett Johansson, and Drew Barrymore. That’s in addition to dancing alongside Julia Stiles in a Save the Last Dance inspired Update bit and uproariously understudying fellow cast members in a digital short. Her take on con artist Anna Delvey is another example of her versatility as Fineman is one of SNL’s current bright spots.
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