List of Saturday Night Live cast members

The following is a list of Saturday Night Live cast members, past and present. The cast members of Saturday Night Live are often referred to as the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players".

List of cast members

The following list of cast members includes both featured and repertory players, but omits SNL writers and others who weren't listed as cast members during the show's credits. The dates given are those of the years they were on the show. Also noted on the chart is whether the cast member ever served as an episode's host, appeared as the anchor of the "Weekend Update" segment (under any of its titles), or has been the subject of their own "Best Of" home video collection.

Performer † denotes deceased	Years Active	Featured Player ONLY	Repertory Player	Weekend Update Anchor	Hosted	Best Of
Fred Armisen	2002 - present		Y
Dan Aykroyd	1975 - 1979		Y	Y	Y	Y
Peter Aykroyd	1979 - 1980	Y
Morwenna Banks	1995		Y
Jim Belushi	1983 - 1985		Y
John Belushi†	1975 - 1979		Y			Y
Jim Breuer	1995 - 1998		Y
A. Whitney Brown	1985 - 1991	Y
Beth Cahill	1991 - 1992	Y
Dana Carvey	1986 - 1993		Y		Y	Y
Chevy Chase	1975 - 1976		Y	Y	Y	Y
Ellen Cleghorne	1991 - 1995		Y
George Coe	1975		Y
Billy Crystal	1984 - 1985		Y	Y	Y
Jane Curtin	1975 - 1980		Y	Y
Joan Cusack	1985 - 1986		Y
Tom Davis	1979 - 1980	Y
Denny Dillon	1980 - 1981		Y
Jim Downey	1979 - 1980	Y
Robert Downey, Jr.	1985 - 1986		Y		Y
Brian Doyle-Murray	1979 - 1982	Y		Y
Rachel Dratch	1999 - 2006		Y
Robin Duke	1981 - 1984		Y
Nora Dunn	1985 - 1990		Y
Christine Ebersole	1981 - 1982		Y	Y
Dean Edwards	2001 - 2003	Y
Abby Elliott	2008 - present	Y
Chris Elliott	1994 - 1995		Y
Jimmy Fallon	1998 - 2004		Y	Y		Y
Siobhan Fallon	1991 - 1992	Y
Chris Farley†	1990 - 1995		Y		Y	Y
Will Ferrell	1995 - 2002		Y		Y	Y
Tina Fey	2000 - 2006		Y	Y	Y
Will Forte	2002 - present		Y
Al Franken	1979 - 1980 1986 - 1995	Y
Janeane Garofalo	1994 - 1995		Y
Ana Gasteyer	1996 - 2002		Y
Gilbert Gottfried	1980 - 1981		Y
Mary Gross	1981 - 1985		Y	Y
Christopher Guest	1984 - 1985		Y	Y
Bill Hader	2005 - present		Y
Anthony Michael Hall	1985 - 1986		Y
Brad Hall	1982 - 1984		Y	Y
Rich Hall	1984 - 1985		Y
Darrell Hammond	1995 - 2009		Y			Y
Phil Hartman†	1986 - 1994		Y		Y	Y
Jan Hooks	1986 - 1991		Y
Yvonne Hudson	1980 - 1981	Y
Melanie Hutsell	1991 - 1994		Y
Victoria Jackson	1986 - 1992		Y
Chris Kattan	1996 - 2003		Y			Y
Tim Kazurinsky	1981 - 1984		Y
Laura Kightlinger	1994 - 1995	Y
David Koechner	1995 - 1996		Y
Gary Kroeger	1982 - 1985		Y
Matthew Laurance	1980 - 1981	Y
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	1982 - 1985		Y		Y
Jon Lovitz	1985 - 1990		Y		Y	Y
Norm Macdonald	1993 - 1998		Y	Y	Y
Gail Matthius	1980 - 1981		Y	Y
Michael McKean	1994 - 1995		Y		Y
Mark McKinney	1995 - 1997		Y
Tim Meadows	1991 - 2000		Y			Y
Laurie Metcalf	1981	Y
Seth Meyers	2001 - present		Y	Y
Dennis Miller	1985 - 1991		Y	Y
Jerry Minor	2000 - 2001	Y
Finesse Mitchell	2003 - 2006		Y
Jay Mohr	1993 - 1995	Y
Tracy Morgan	1996 - 2003		Y		Y	Y
Garrett Morris	1975 - 1980		Y
Bobby Moynihan	2008 - present	Y
Eddie Murphy	1980 - 1984		Y		Y	Y
Bill Murray	1977 - 1980		Y	Y	Y
Mike Myers	1989 - 1995		Y		Y	Y
Kevin Nealon	1986 - 1995		Y	Y
Laraine Newman	1975 - 1980		Y
Don Novello	1979 - 1980 1985 - 1986	Y			Y
Michael O'Donoghue†	1975		Y
Cheri Oteri	1995 - 2000		Y			Y
Chris Parnell	1998 - 2006		Y
Nasim Pedrad	2009 - present	Y
Joe Piscopo	1980 - 1984		Y	Y
Amy Poehler	2001 - 2008		Y	Y		Y
Emily Prager	1981	Y
Randy Quaid	1985 - 1986		Y
Colin Quinn	1995 - 2000		Y	Y
Gilda Radner†	1975 - 1980		Y			Y
Jeff Richards	2001 - 2004		Y
Rob Riggle	2004 - 2005	Y
Ann Risley	1980 - 1981		Y
Chris Rock	1990 - 1993		Y		Y	Y
Charles Rocket†	1980 - 1981		Y	Y
Tony Rosato	1981 - 1982		Y
Maya Rudolph	2000 - 2007		Y
Andy Samberg	2005 - present		Y
Adam Sandler	1991 - 1995		Y			Y
Horatio Sanz	1998 - 2006		Y	Y
Tom Schiller	1979 - 1980	Y
Rob Schneider	1990 - 1994		Y
Paul Shaffer	1979 - 1980	Y			Y
Molly Shannon	1995 - 2001		Y		Y	Y
Harry Shearer	1979 - 1980 1984 - 1985		Y
Martin Short	1984 - 1985		Y		Y
Sarah Silverman	1993 - 1994	Y
Jenny Slate	2009 - present	Y
Robert Smigel	1991 - 1993	Y
David Spade	1990 - 1996		Y		Y	Y
Pamela Stephenson	1984 - 1985		Y
Ben Stiller	1989	Y			Y
Jason Sudeikis	2005 - present		Y
Julia Sweeney	1990 - 1994		Y
Terry Sweeney	1985 - 1986		Y
Kenan Thompson	2003 - present		Y
Danitra Vance†	1985 - 1986		Y
Dan Vitale	1985 - 1986	Y
Nancy Walls	1995 - 1996		Y
Michaela Watkins	2008 - 2009	Y
Damon Wayans	1985 - 1986	Y			Y
Patrick Weathers	1980 - 1981	Y
Kristen Wiig	2005 - present		Y
Casey Wilson	2008 - 2009	Y
Fred Wolf	1995 - 1996	Y
Alan Zweibel	1979 - 1980	Y

Family connections

Some cast members are related to former staff of the show. The most prominent example is Jim Belushi, younger brother of cast member John Belushi. Before that, Bill Murray's older brother Brian Doyle-Murray was a writer and cast member. When Dan Aykroyd left the show in 1979, he was replaced by a series of short-lived featured players, one of whom was his brother Peter Aykroyd. Long-time writer and sometime performer Jim Downey is former cast member Robert Downey, Jr.'s uncle. Abby Elliott is the daughter of season 20 cast member, Chris Elliott (and whose grandfather Bob Elliott appeared on SNL as a guest performer on the 1978 Christmas episode hosted by Elliot Gould).

Other family connections exist that do not share the same name. For instance, cast member Gilda Radner was briefly married to G. E. Smith, who later became the show's bandleader. Michael O'Donoghue was married to SNL band pianist Cheryl Hardwick. Cast members Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall were an item during their tenure, and were married in 1987. Cast member and writer Tina Fey is married to musical director Jeff Richmond.

Longest tenures

The following is a list of the cast members who have had the longest tenures on the show.

Person	Tenure	Years on Show
Darrell Hammond	1995 - 2009	14
Al Franken	1977 - 1980, 1985 - 1995	12
Tim Meadows	1991 - 2000	10
Seth Meyers	2001 - present	9
Kevin Nealon	1986 - 1995	9
Fred Armisen	2002 - present	8
Will Forte	2002 - present	8
Phil Hartman	1986 - 1994	8
Chris Kattan	1996 - 2003	8
Chris Parnell	1998 - 2006	8
Amy Poehler	2001 - 2008	8
Maya Rudolph	2000 - 2007	8
Horatio Sanz	1998 - 2006	8

Shortest tenures

The following is a list of the cast members who have had the shortest tenures on the show.

Person	Number of Episodes	Notes
Emily Prager	0	Prager was hired by Dick Ebersol to be a featured player on the show. She appeared in a few sketches at dress rehearsal in what would be the final episode of the sixth season, due to the Writers' Guild of America going on strike in 1981. She did not return to the SNL cast in season seven, and is the only SNL cast member who never appeared on the show, despite being credited.
Laurie Metcalf	1	Like Prager, Metcalf was hired as part of Dick Ebersol's temporary season six cast following the termination of Jean Doumanian. Unlike Prager, Metcalf appeared on-camera in a Weekend Update piece. When the show was put on hiatus for retooling, Metcalf was not chosen to return to the show for the season seven cast.
Dan Vitale	3	Was hired as a featured player for the 11th season, but was dropped after three episodes.
Morwenna Banks	4	Was hired as a repertory player for the last four episodes of the 20th season, but was let out of her contract as part of a major cast overhaul Lorne Michaels had planned for season 21.
Ben Stiller	4	Before becoming a cast member, Stiller submitted a short film -- a parody of the movie The Color of Money -- that was shown on the season 12 episode hosted by Charlton Heston. Stiller was hired during SNL's fourteenth season, but left after four episodes due to creative differences. Despite this, Stiller returned to host in 1998.
Tom Schiller	7	Schiller was one of the show writers who was upgraded to cast member status during the 5th. He left the show at the end of the season.
Patrick Weathers	7	Weathers was hired as a featured cast member for the sixth season, but was fired along with many of Doumanian's cast.
George Coe	8	Coe was one of the original "Not Ready for Primetime" cast in SNL's 1st season, because NBC wanted someone older in the cast.
Yvonne Hudson	8	Hudson was a recurring extra during SNL's fifth season, and became the first black female cast member in season six. Like many of Doumanian's cast, she was fired mid-season.
Jim Downey	9	Downey was hired as one of many writers-turned-feature players in SNL's fifth season. Even though he left the cast after season 5, Downey returned to the show as a writer in the mid-1980s and has remained with it.
Matthew Laurance	10	Laurance was hired as a feature player during the 6th season, and, like many of the cast, was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul.
Alan Zweibel	11	Zweibel was a writer for the show before joing the cast during season 5, and left after the season finale.
Gilbert Gottfried	12	Gottfried joined the cast for the sixth season, and was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul.
Michael O'Donoghue	12	O'Donoghue was one of the original "Not Ready for Primetime Players," but was dropped after a few episodes. He remained with the show as a writer and occasional on-screen performer.
Ann Risley	12	Risley joined the cast for the sixth season, and was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul.
Charles Rocket	12	Rocket joined the cast for the sixth season, and was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul.
Damon Wayans	12	Wayans was hired the 11th season as a featured player. He was fired mid season, Wayans returned as a guest to perform stand-up comedy on season 11's last episode and hosted SNL in 1994.
Beth Cahill	13	Cahill joined the show during the 17th season as an off-and-on featured player. She did not return the following season.
Denny Dillon	13	Dillon joined the cast for the sixth season, and was let go after the final episode of the season as part of the cast overhaul.
Gail Matthius	13	Matthius joined the cast for the sixth season, and was let go after the season ended.
Paul Shaffer	13	Shaffer joined the cast during the fifth season after being a part of the show's house band; he left after the season's end. He hosted SNL in 1987, making him the only member of the house band to do so.
Janeane Garofalo	14	Garofalo joined the cast during the 20th season, but quit mid-season.
Michaela Watkins	15	Watkins joined the show on the first episode after the 2008 Presidential election, then was let go before the start of the 35th season.

Youngest cast members

The following is a list of the youngest people to join the show

Person	Age When Joined Show	Tenure
Anthony Michael Hall	17 years old	1985-1986
Eddie Murphy	19 years old	1980-1984
Robert Downey, Jr.	20 years old	1985-1986
Abby Elliott	21 years, 5 months	2008-present
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	21 years, 8 months	1982-1985
Sarah Silverman	22 years, 10 months	1993-1994

Oldest cast members

The following is a list of the oldest people to join the show.

Person	Age When Joined Show	Tenure
Michael McKean	46 years old	1994-1995
Darrell Hammond	39 years old	1995-2009
Phil Hartman	38 years old	1986-1994
Garrett Morris	37 years old	1975-1980
Michaela Watkins	36 years, 11 months	2008-2009
Christopher Guest	36 years, 8 months	1984-1985
Billy Crystal	36 years, 7 months	1984-1985
Colin Quinn	36 years, 4 months	1995-2000

Saturday Night Live Curse

Although SNL is well-known as the launchpad for many successful careers, seven cast members (and active crew members) have died during the show's broadcast. This has given rise to a superstition known as the "Saturday Night Live Curse".

Two cast members have died of a drug overdose at the age of 33, in parallel situations. Both John Belushi (deceased March 5, 1982) and Chris Farley (deceased December 18, 1997) overdosed from a "speedball," an injection of cocaine and heroin. Belushi's death led to the conviction of Cathy Smith for administering the fatal injection. Nearly four years before Belushi's death, SNL aired a short sketch titled Don't Look Back In Anger featuring an elderly Belushi as the last living of the "not ready for prime time" cast members. Farley's death occurred nearly two months after he came back to host SNL, which turned out to be his final television appearance.

Yep, they all thought I'd be the first to go. I was one of those live-fast, die-young, leave-a-good-looking-corpse types, you know?

— John Belushi, opening line of Don't Look Back In Anger, 11 March 1978

Original cast member Gilda Radner (deceased May 20, 1989) died from ovarian cancer. She was originally scheduled to host the thirteenth season finale, a first female former cast member, but the show was cancelled due to a Writer's Guild of America strike. Her health worsened the following year. Shortly before the fourteenth season finale, news came of Radner's death, and Steve Martin delivered his visibly shaken monologue, followed by the sketch called "Dancing in the Dark" that he performed with Radner on an episode he hosted in 1978, and a musical tribute to Radner performed by her former husband G. E. Smith and the SNL Band.

Repertory player Danitra Vance (deceased August 21, 1994) died from breast cancer.

Original cast member Michael O'Donoghue (deceased November 8, 1994) died of a cerebral hemorrhage after suffering from severe chronic migraine headaches. Bill Murray honored O'Donoghue's memory in an appearance on the twentieth season episode (hosted by Sarah Jessica Parker with musical guest R.E.M.) by replaying O'Donoghue's sketch, "Mr. Mike's Least Loved Bedtime Stories: The Soiled Kimono" from December 1977.

Long-time performer Phil Hartman (deceased May 28, 1998) was killed by his troubled wife while he slept in his Encino, California home. Before committing the act, Brynn consumed a combination of cocaine, alcohol, and the prescription drug Zoloft, and committed suicide hours later by shooting herself in her head.

Doumanian-era performer Charles Rocket (deceased October 7, 2005) was found dead in his Canterbury, Connecticut backyard. Local police reported its conclusion that his death was ruled a suicide; he had allegedly taken his own life by cutting his neck with a pair of box-cutters.

Survivor

Julia Sweeney was diagnosed with cervical cancer in the mid-1990s, but has survived and transformed her experiences into a one-woman show, God Said, Ha!, developed at LA's alternative comedy show, "Un-Cabaret". Miramax released the film version of the show in 1998, produced by Quentin Tarantino. The film version of the play earned the Golden Space Needle Award, while Sweeney's recording earned her a Grammy nomination for best comedy album. It was released on DVD in 2003.

See also

• List of Saturday Night Live cast members who have hosted