The Best SNL People

by DanMPopescu | created - 21 Jul 2014 | updated - 31 Jul 2014 | Public

Most talented "Saturday Night Live" actors and actresses to date. The order is given by the number of episodes they appeared in.

1. Darrell Hammond

Actor | Blues Brothers 2000

Comedian Darrell Hammond was born in Melbourne, Florida, to Margaret Evelyn (Helms) and Max Carey Hammond. A Saturday Night Live (1975) cast member from 1995 to 2009 - the longest tenure of any SNL cast member - Hammond was one of the sketch TV show's strongest and funniest performers. As well as ...

A Saturday Night Live (1975) cast member since 1995 - and still going on - comedian Darrell Hammond remains the sketch TV show's strongest and funniest performer. As well as being part of skits where he had chemistry with other cast members, Hammond won audiences over with dead-on impersonations of various celebrities and Hollywood figures, such as Vice Presidents Dick Cheney and Al Gore, President Bill Clinton, Hardball with Chris Matthews (1997) host Chris Matthews, Sean Connery (who constantly bothered Alex Trebek, played by fellow cast alumni, Will Ferrell, during "Celebrity Jeopardy" skits), Regis Philbin, Donald Trump and many more. Despite his shaky movie resume (The King and I (1999) and New York Minute (2004)), Hammond is still a revelation whenever it comes to SNL.

More recently known for his ongoing 2011 - 2012 SNL Republican Primary coverage and spot-on portrayal of sometimes - candidate Donald Trump.

Also in May 2011 Darrell published his first auto-biography: God If You're Not Up There I'm *beep* Tales of Stand-Up, Saturday Night Live, and Other Mind-Altering Mayhem. This book tells how a childhood filled with abuse led to his career as a mimic and impersonator extraordinaire.

2. Seth Meyers

Writer | Documentary Now!

Seth Meyers was born on December 28, 1973 in Bedford, New Hampshire, USA. He is a writer and actor, known for Documentary Now! (2015), Saturday Night Live (1975) and New Year's Eve (2011). He has been married to Alexi Ashe Meyers since September 1, 2013. They have three children.

Seth Meyers was born on December 28, 1973 in Bedford, New Hampshire, USA as Seth Adam Meyers. He is an actor and writer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008).

3. Fred Armisen

Music_department | Portlandia

Fereydun Robert Armisen is an American actor, comedian, and writer. After having begun his career as a musician for groups such as Trenchmouth and the Blue Man Group, he would get his big break as a comedy actor when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 2002, having remained with the...

Fred Armisen was born on December 4, 1966 in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and Easy A (2010). He was previously married to Elisabeth Moss and Sally Timms.

4. Kenan Thompson

Actor | Saturday Night Live

Kenan Thompson was born on May 10, 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Snakes on a Plane (2006) and Good Burger (1997). He has been married to Christina Evangeline since November 11, 2011. They have two children.

Kenan Thompson was born on May 10, 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA as Kenan S. Thompson. He is an actor, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Snakes on a Plane (2006) and Kenan & Kel (1996). He has been married to Christina Evangeline since November 11, 2011.

5. Tim Meadows

Actor | Mean Girls

Tim Meadows was born on February 5, 1961 in Highland Park, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Mean Girls (2004), The Ladies Man (2000) and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007). He was previously married to Michelle Taylor.

Tim Meadows was born on February 5, 1961 in Highland Park, Michigan, USA as Timothy Meadows. He is an actor and writer, known for Mean Girls (2004), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) and The Ladies Man (2000). He has been married to Michelle Taylor since July 20, 1997. They have two children.

6. Jason Sudeikis

Actor | Ted Lasso

Jason Sudeikis was born on September 18, 1975 in Fairfax, Virginia as Daniel Jason Sudeikis. His father is Daniel Joseph Sudeikis, a Vice President of a business development and his mother is Kathryn (née Wendt), a travel agent at Brennco and President of the American Society of Travel Agents. He ...

Jason Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia. His mother, Kathryn, was formerly a travel agent at Brennco and was president of the American Society of Travel Agents. His father, Daniel Joseph Sudeikis, is a vice president of business development. Sudeikis is of Lithuanian and Irish descent on his father's side, and German and Irish ancestry on his mother's. As a child, Sudeikis moved with his family to Overland Park, Kansas, which he has described as his hometown. He attended Brookridge Elementary School before transferring to Holy Cross Catholic School; both are located in Overland Park. He began high school at the Jesuit Rockhurst High School in 1990, later transferring due to academic reasons to Shawnee Mission West High School.

7. Bill Hader

Actor | The Skeleton Twins

Bill Hader is an American comedian and actor who is known for playing in Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2013. He created and starred in the HBO show Barry. He also played Flint Lockwood from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Colonel Custer from Night at the Museum 2, Fear from Inside Out and ...

Bill Hader was born on June 7, 1978 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Superbad (2007) and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009). He has been married to Maggie Carey since 2006. They have two children.

8. Horatio Sanz

Actor | Bachelorette

Horatio Sanz was born on June 4, 1969, in Santiago, Chile, and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of the Upright Citizen Brigade's founding members and performed with Chicago's Second City comedy troupe.

When he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) as a featured player at the beginning...

Horatio Sanz was born on June 4, 1969, in Santiago, Chile, and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of the Upright Citizen Brigade's founding members and performed with Chicago's Second City comedy troupe.

When he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) as a featured player at the beginning of the 24th season (September 26, 1998), he became the long-running sketch comedy show's first Latino cast member. He appeared along with fellow featured players Jimmy Fallon and Chris Parnell, and after only one season, the three were promoted to cast members. On the show, Horatio played the characters Frankie Hilbert on the sketch "Boston Teens", pothead Gobi on the recurring sketch "Jarret's Room", and A/V teacher Mr. Banglian on "Wake Up, Wakefield."

Horatio has had many minor but memorable roles in movies since 1994. However, his big break came in 2003 with his first starring role in the movie Boat Trip (2002), in which he appeared along with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vivica A. Fox. He continued to star on Saturday Night Live (1975) until 2007.

9. Will Forte

Actor | MacGruber

Forte was age 32 before he came to the public's attention on Saturday Night Live (1975), but had been working in comedy since 1997.

Will Forte was born in Alameda County, California, and is the son of artist Patricia (Stivers) and financial broker Orville Willis Forte III (divorced). He has an older...

Forte was age 32 before he came to the public's attention on Saturday Night Live (1975), but had been working in comedy since 1997. Forte is the son of artist Patricia and financial broker Orville Willis Forte III (divorced) and has one older sister, Michelle. A creative and artist child, he was an athlete (football and swimming) in high school and voted Best Personality at Acalanes High School. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in History, Forte had a brief career at a brokerage house before deciding to try comedy. Although he rarely performed stand-up, he joined the world- famous "Groundlings" and was hired as a writer for the series, The Jenny McCarthy Show (1997), The Army Show, and The David Letterman Show. He eventually caught the attention of Carsey-Werner executive Tom Werner when he wrote a pilot about two childlike idiot brothers (eventually turned into the film, The Brothers Solomon (2007)) and was hired for the shows, 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996) and That '70s Show (1998).

In 2002, Forte moved from his home state of California to New York City to join Saturday Night Live (1975) as a writer and cast member. Although known as shy and reserved in his personal life, Forte was one of the individuals responsible for the shows move to absurd, surrealist comedy. Along with voice-over acting, guest appearances on television and small roles in films, Forte had his biggest opportunities to be a movie star with films he wrote. Forte wrote the screenplay for The Brothers Solomon (2007) (and had the leading role of childlike "Dean Solomon") and played the title role and co-wrote the SNL film MacGruber (2010). Although both films were given small budgets ($10,000,000 each), the were both considered box-office and critical failures, although they do have a cult following.

After MacGruber's theatrical release, Forte left SNL for personal and professional reasons, although he has returned as a guest performer. Forte has had a recurring role on the series 30 Rock and made numerous other guest appearances on other TV comedies. Since leaving SNL, he has also increased his work as a voice artist and appeared in 5 movies (A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, Rock of Ages, That's My Boy, and The Watch).

10. Maya Rudolph

Actress | Bridesmaids

Maya Rudolph was born on July 27, 1972 in Gainesville, Florida, to Richard Rudolph, a music producer, and soul singer Minnie Riperton. Her mother was African-American and her father is Ashkenazi Jewish (from a family from Lithuania, Russia, Germany, and Hungary). In 1973, Maya, her parents, and her...

Maya Rudolph was born in Gainesville, Florida, on July 27th, 1972, to Dick Rudolph, a music producer, and soul singer Minnie Riperton. In 1973, Maya, her parents, and her older brother, Marc Rudolph, moved to California to further Minnie's music career. Here Minnie recorded "Lovin' You", her most famous single, in which one can hear her sing "Maya, Maya, Maya" at the end of the song; Riperton claimed that this song was used as a lullaby for Maya.

During adolescence, Maya attended St. Augustine by the Sea School, where she met childhood friend, Gwyneth Paltrow. The Paltrows and the Rudolphs became family friends and, in 2000, Dick Rudolph and Maya filled the role of music supervisors on the Bruce Paltrow-directed film Duets (2000), which starred Gwyneth.

In 1990, Maya enrolled at the University of California at Santa Cruz, majoring in photography. It was here that Maya formed the band "Supersauce" with fellow students. After graduation in 1994, Maya left the band and soon joined The Rentals, fronted by Weezer bassist Matt Sharp. Maya was featured on the 1999 release "Seven More Minutes", where she sang backup vocals on "Barcelona" and "My Head is in the Sun". Maya began touring with the group, singing backup and playing Moog synthesizer. When The Rentals disbanded, Maya decided to pursue her dream of a career in comedy, joining the famed troupe "The Groundlings".

On May 6, 2000, Maya joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975). and has since become one of that show's most popular performers. Favorite sketches include a dead-on impression of fashion diva Donatella Versace; high school flake "Megan", the host of her own morning talk show, "Wake-up WakeField"; and one of the members of the R&B parody "Gemini's Twin".

In 2005, Maya gave birth to her first child with director Paul Thomas Anderson; in 2006, she was cast in the film, A Prairie Home Companion (2006), directed by the legendary Robert Altman and based on the NPR show by Garrison Keillor.

11. Chris Kattan

Actor | A Night at the Roxbury

Christopher Lee Kattan was born in Sherman Oaks, California, to model Hajni Joslyn and actor Kip King. Chris moved to Mt. Baldy when he turned five, and resided there until the age of fifteen, when he moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington for high school.

After he graduated from high school, Chris ...

Christopher Lee Kattan was born in Sherman Oaks, California to Hajni Joslyn and Kip King. Chris moved to Mt. Baldy when he turned 5 years old and resided there until the age of 15 when he moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington for high school.

After he graduated from high school, Chris moved to the L.A. area to join up with the improv/sketch comedy group "The Groundlings". He became a featured player on Saturday Night Live (1975) in March of 1996, and a cast member in September of the same year. He remained on the show until May 2003. Chris currently lives in the Los Angeles area.

12. Amy Poehler

Actress | Inside Out

Amy Meredith Poehler was born in Newton, Massachusetts, to high school teachers Eileen Frances (Milmore) and William Grinstead Poehler. Her brother is comedian Greg Poehler. She is of Irish (from her mother) and English, Irish, German, and Portuguese (from her father) descent. Amy was first ...

After the Upright Citizens Brigade (1998) sketch show came and went, cast member Amy Poehler joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 2001. Her star was the brightest during that time and, by the end of Christmas break of that year, she became a regularly featured performer. She has brought a slew of great performances on every show, such as impersonations of celebrities such as Kelly Ripa or Sharon Osbourne. When Jimmy Fallon left at the end of the 2003-04 season, Amy joined Tina Fey as a co-anchor for Weekend Update. Her Hollywood star is also growing bright, as she has done several feature films, including Blades of Glory (2007) with her real-life husband and Arrested Development (2003) star Will Arnett; and the Farrelly brothers-directed remake of The Heartbreak Kid (1993), in which she stars alongside another Arrested Development (2003) star, Jason Bateman.

13. Chris Parnell

Actor | Rick and Morty

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Chris Parnell enrolled at Germantown High School where he took drama and auditioned for every play. In 1985, when he was a senior at Germantown, he was voted "Most Talented" by his classmates. Right after graduating high school, Chris attended North Carolina ...

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Chris Parnell enrolled at Germantown High School where he took drama and auditioned for every play. In 1985, when he was a senior at Germantown, he was voted "Most Talented" by his classmates. Right after graduating high school, Chris attended North Carolina School of Arts in Winston-Salem, where he received his BFA in Drama. He later performed with the Berkshire Theatre in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. Afterwards Chris moved back to Tennessee and taught acting, film, and video at his own Germantown High School. He became bored, however, with teaching and moved to Los Angeles. Once in LA, he got a job at FAO Schwartz in Beverly Center, where he eventually became Operations Manager. During that time, Chris began taking classes at The Groundlings Main Company, where many Saturday Night Live (1975) cast members are discovered. Fate would have it that talent scouts from Saturday Night Live (1975) saw him and asked him to fly to New York for an audition. Completely surprised by his chances, he took the offer. To his amazement soon after he joined Saturday Night Live (1975) and became a featured player in the 1998-99 season. Parnell has since performed many impressions as NBC News' Tom Brokaw, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Tom Hanks, Senator John McCain, and Eminem. Parnell has also appeared as a member of Saturday Night Live (1975)'s resident boy band "Seven Degrees Celsius," but his biggest claim to fame on the show was when he performed an unforgettable hardcore gansta rap fantasizing about a dream date with Britney Spears on Weekend Update. He spends most of his summers in L.A. where he owns his own car and apartment.

14. Tracy Morgan

Actor | 30 Rock

Tracy Morgan is an African-American comedian and actor from New York City who is known for playing Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock, Luiz from the Blue Sky Studios Rio franchise, Tray Barker from The Last O.G. and several roles on Saturday Night Live. He also was in Scoob, Fist Fight, G-Force, The ...

Tracy Morgan was born on November 10, 1968 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA as Tracy Jamal Morgan. He is an actor and producer, known for 30 Rock (2006), Cop Out (2010) and Saturday Night Live (1975). He was previously married to Sabina Morgan.

15. Will Ferrell

Producer | Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

John William Ferrell was born in Irvine, California, to Betty Kay (Overman), a teacher, and Roy Lee Ferrell, Jr., a musician. His parents were originally from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.

A graduate of the University of Southern California, Ferrell became interested in performing while a student ...

A graduate of the University of Southern California, Will Ferrell became interested in performing while a student at University High School in Irvine, California, where he made his school's daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices. He started as a member of the Los Angeles comedy/improvisation group The Groundlings, where fellow cast members Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph and former Saturday Night Live (1975) repertory players such as Laraine Newman, Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman began their careers. It was there he met Chris Kattan and the two became good friends and both went on to Saturday Night Live (1975) later. He has also appeared on several television programs, including Strangers with Candy (1999), Grace Under Fire (1993) and Living Single (1993) during his time at The Groundlings. Will also lent his voice to the armless and legless dad of cartoon family "The Oblongs".

In 1995 he became a feature cast member at Saturday Night Live (1975) during the show's rapid re-casting. He was declared quite possibly the worst cast member ever during his first season. However, his talents of impersonations and range of characters shot him forward to making him arguably the greatest Saturday Night Live (1975) cast member ever. During his seven year run he is one of the few cast members to ever be nominated for an Emmy for a performance and played George W. Bush during the 2000 elections. He's appeared in every Saturday Night Live (1975) movie since his premiere on the show in 1995. In 2002 he left Saturday Night Live (1975) and was the only cast member to ever receive a farewell from all the current cast members at the end of the season finale show. Since leaving the show Will has pursued a career in films. In 2000 he married and now lives in L.A.

16. Tina Fey

Actress | Date Night

Elizabeth Stamatina Fey was born in 1970 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia, to Xenobia "Jeanne" (Xenakes), a brokerage employee, and Donald Henry Fey, who wrote grant proposals for universities. Her mother is Greek, born in Piraeus, while her father had German, Northern Irish,...

Elizabeth Stamatina Fey was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia, in 1970 to Donald and Jeannec Fey. Going by the name of Tina, Ms. Fey considered herself a "supernerd" during her high school and college years. She studied drama at the University of Virginia, and after graduating in 1992, she headed to Chicago, the ancestral home of American comedy. While working at a YMCA to support herself, she started Second City's first set of courses. After about nine months, a teacher told her to just skip ahead and audition for the more selective Second City Training Center. She failed but about eight weeks later, she re-auditioned and got into the year-long program. She ended up spending many years at The Second City in Chicago where many SNL cast members first started out. Then in 1995, Saturday Night Live (1975) came to The Second City's cast, including Fey's friend, Adam McKay, as a writer, searching for new talent. What they found was Tina Fey. When Adam was made Head writer, he suggested Fey should send a submission packet over the summer with six sketches, 10 pages each. Tina took the advice and sent them. After Lorne Michaels met her and saw her work she was offered a job a week later. She admitted that she was extremely nervous working in the legendary Studio 8H; being a foot shorter than everyone else, younger, and being one of the only female writers at the time. After a few years, Tina made history by becoming the first female head writer in the show's history. Tina also made her screen debut as a featured player during the 25th season by co-anchoring Weekend Update with Jimmy Fallon. Since Tina and Jimmy have taken over Weekend Update it has been considered the best ever. This year she made it to full fledged star by becoming a regular cast member, though she is hardly on the show, besides Update. And during the past two summers, Tina and Rachel Dratch performed their two-woman show to critical acclaim in both Chicago (1999) and New York (2000) and made their Aspen Comedy Festival Debut. Tina is married to Jeff Richmond, a Second City director and currently lives in New York City.

17. Andy Samberg

Actor | Saturday Night Live

Andy Samberg was born in Berkeley, California, to Marjorie (Marrow), a teacher, and Joe Samberg, a photographer. With Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, Samberg is one of three Los Angeles, California-based writer-performer-filmmakers--all childhood friends--dubbed The Lonely Island, whose short ...

A native of Berkeley, California, Samberg is one of three Los Angeles, California-based writer-performer-filmmakers--all childhood friends--dubbed the Lonely Island, whose short films were showcased on the popular untelevised television network show and Web site Channel 101.com. Some of their popular shorts included The O.C. (2003) parody "The 'Bu" and their full-length pilot, "Awesometown." They met Jimmy Fallon while writing for MTV Video Music Awards 2004 (2004), who then suggested that they audition for "Saturday Night Live". Andy was then cast as a featured performer, and Samberg's Lonely Island cohorts Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer were hired as writers for the show. Near the end of his first season of "SNL," Andy was cast as the lead role in the film Hot Rod (2007), the first major motion picture by the Lonely Island team, with the production support of Lorne Michaels.

18. Rachel Dratch

Actress | Just Go with It

Rachel Dratch grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts. After graduating from Dartmouth College with a degree in Drama and Psychology, she moved out to Chicago, where she studied with Del Close at Improvolympic. She was on the house team, "Victim's Family", with Adam McKay. Rachel went on to tour with ...

Rachel Dratch grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts. After graduating from Dartmouth College with a degree in Drama and Psychology, she moved out to Chicago, where she studied with Del Close at Improvolympic. She was on the house team, "Victim's Family", with Adam McKay. Rachel went on to tour with the Second City Touring Company and eventually advanced to the Second City Mainstage, where she appeared in four revues: "Pinata Full Of Bees", "Citizen Gates", "Paradigm Lost" and "Promisekeepers Losers Weepers". For the latter two, she received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress in a Revue. After leaving the mainstage, she wrote and performed in the 2-person sketch show, "Dratch and Fey", with Tina Fey. The show was seen at Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in NYC, and the Aspen Comedy Festival. In the fall of 1999, Rachel joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975), where she performed for 7 years. Her memorable characters include Boston teen "Denise", the "Lovers" professors with Will Ferrell, junior high school student "Sheldon" and "Debbie Downer".

19. Kristen Wiig

Actress | Bridesmaids

Kristen Carroll Wiig was born on August 22, 1973 in Canandaigua, New York, to Laurie J. (Johnston), an artist, and Jon J. Wiig, a lake marina manager. She is of Norwegian (from her paternal grandfather), Irish, English, and Scottish descent. The family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, before ...

Kristen Carroll Wiig was born on August 22, 1973 in Canandaigua, New York, to Laurie and Jon J. Wiig. The family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, before settling in the Rochester, New York. When Wiig was 9 years old, her parents divorced and she lived with her mother and older brother Erik.

After graduating from Brighton High School in Rochester, Wiig attended the University of Arizona as an art student. She took her first acting class, as an elective, and was soon encouraged by her teacher to pursue acting. Years later, she moved to Los Angeles and Wiig worked as a main company member of the Los Angeles-based improv and sketch-comedy troupe The Groundlings. As a Groundlings alumna, she joins the ranks of such SNL cast mates as Maya Rudolph, Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman, and Jon Lovitz.

Wiig made her big-screen debut to universal high praise as Katherine Heigl's passive-aggressive boss in Judd Apatow's smash-hit comedy Knocked Up (2007). Additional film credits include Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip It (2009), starring Ellen Page; Greg Mottola's Adventureland (2009), with Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg; David Koepp's Ghost Town (2008), with Ricky Gervais; and Jake Kasdan's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), another Apatow-produced film, in which she starred opposite John C. Reilly. She has also guest-starred on the Emmy-winning NBC series 30 Rock (2006), the HBO series Bored to Death (2009), with Jason Schwartzman, and Flight of the Conchords (2007).

Wiig joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 2008, and was known for playing such memorable characters as the excitable Target clerk, Lawrence Welk singer Doonese, the hilarious one-upper Penelope, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Suze Orman, among others. Wiig earned two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show. She left the show in the spring of 2012.

In 2011, Wiig co-wrote and starred in Bridesmaids (2011), along with Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, and Rose Byrne. The film was a box office hit and won several awards, plus earned two Oscar nominations (Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay), and two Golden Globes nominations (Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical and Best Actress).

Wiig also appeared in such notable films as Greg Mottola's Paul (2011), opposite Simon Pegg and Nick Frost; Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things (2010), opposite Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst and Frank Langella; DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon (2010), with Gerard Butler and Jay Baruchel; the Universal Pictures' animated feature film Despicable Me (2010), starring Steve Carell and Jason Segel; and Jennifer Westfeldt's Friends with Kids (2011), opposite Jon Hamm, Megan Fox, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph and Westfeldt.

20. Bobby Moynihan

Actor | Saturday Night Live

Bobby Moynihan was born on January 31, 1977 in Eastchester, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), IF (2024) and Inside Out 2 (2024). He has been married to Brynn O'Malley since August 13, 2016. They have one child.

Bobby Moynihan was born on January 31, 1978. He is an actor, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Monsters University (2013) and Delivery Man (2013).

21. Jimmy Fallon

Writer | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon was born in 1974 in Brooklyn, New York, to Gloria (Feeley) and Jimmy Fallon. He is of Irish, German, and Norwegian descent. He was raised in Saugerties, New York, which is in upstate New York. He has performed stand up, impressions and characters across the country, in some of the ...

Jimmy Fallon was born in 1974 in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in Saugerties, New York, which is in upstate New York. He's since done stand up, impressions and characters across the country, in some of the biggest comedy clubs, such as the Improv (in Los Angeles) and Caroline's Comedy Club (in New York City). He also took acting classes with The Groundlings, an LA-based breeding ground for great comedians. Jimmy joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) as a featured player in September 1998. He has already been called the best SNL player since Phil Hartman, and is popular amongst SNL fans.

22. Mike Myers

Actor | Austin Powers in Goldmember

Michael John Myers was born in 1963 in Scarborough, Ontario, to Alice E. (Hind), an officer supervisor, and Eric Myers, an insurance agent. His parents were both English, and had served in the Royal Air Force and British Army, respectively.

Myers' television career really started in 1988, when he ...

Michael John Myers was born in 1963 in Scarborough, Ontario. His television career really started in 1988, when he joined Saturday Night Live (1975), where he spent six seasons. He brought to life many memorable characters, such as Dieter and Wayne Cambell. His major movies include Wayne's World (1992), Wayne's World 2 (1993), So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993), the Austin Powers movies and Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (2003).

23. Ana Gasteyer

Actress | Mean Girls

Ana Kristina Gasteyer was born on May 4, 1967 to Marian Roumell-Gasteyer and Phil Gasteyer. Gasteyer began her career at Northwestern University; she initially enrolled as a voice major, but later switched to theater studies when she started to get involved with the campus' improv comedy group. She...

Ana Gasteyer is best-known for her incomparable work on Saturday Night Live (1975). During her six-year stint, she created some of the most famous SNL characters, including middle school music teacher "Bobbie Moughan-Culp", NPR radio host "Margaret Jo", Lilith Fair poetess "Cinder Calhoun", as well as spot-on impressions of Martha Stewart, Céline Dion and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

She returned to SNL as "Margaret Jo" in "NPR'S Delicious Dish" and the infamous "Muffin Top" sketch with Betty White, which Gasteyer created and wrote.

On stage, she made her triumphant Broadway debut as "Columbia" in "The Rocky Horror Show". Since then, Gasteyer earned raves as "Elphaba" in "Wicked" on Broadway & originated the role for the Chicago production, earning a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination.

Other New York theater credits include the Tony-nominated Broadway productions of "The Royal Family" directed by Doug Hughes, "The Threepenny Opera" with Alan Cumming and Jim Dale, Eve Ensler's acclaimed off-Broadway hit, "The Vagina Monologues", and Manhattan Theatre Club's hit production of "Kimberly Akimbo", by celebrated playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. Ana also starred as Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

Gasteyer starred to rave reviews as "Fosca" in Gary Griffin's production of Stephen Sondheim's "Passion" at The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, earning a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for her performance.

She also co-starred in the one-night-only, star-studded Actors Fund benefit concerts of "Funny Girl", "Hair" and "A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser".

Ana can be heard on the Actor's Fund Recording of "Hair" and the "Reefer Madness" Soundtrack.

Other theatrical credits include the national tour of "The Real Live Brady Bunch", as well as productions of "The Odyssey" and "The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci", both directed by Mary Zimmerman.

Prior to joining SNL, Gasteyer honed her comedy skills at The Groundlings, the famed Los Angeles improv-sketch comedy group.

On film, Ana has been seen in Dare (2009), Mean Girls (2004), The Women (2008), What Women Want (2000), Woman on Top (2000), Dick (1999) and What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001).

Other television credits include The Good Wife (2009), Chuck (2007), Showtime's Reefer Madness: Grass Roots (2005), Frasier (1993), Just Shoot Me! (1997), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), NYPD Blue (1993), Mad About You (1992)_, Law & Order (1990), Party of Five (1994), Seinfeld: The Soup Nazi (1995), as well as guest hosting The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005), Live with Kelly and Michael (1988) and The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996).

Upcoming, she will be seen in the Tyler Perry-produced film, Peeples (2013), opposite Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier, Melvin Van Peebles and Diahann Carroll, and in the next season of HBO's hit series, Curb Your Enthusiasm (1999), opposite Larry David.

24. Molly Shannon

Actress | Superstar

Molly Shannon has become one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents on television and the silver screen.

Shannon spent six seasons as a member of the repertory company on "Saturday Night Live," primarily known for the eclectic characters she created, such as Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally ...

Molly Shannon has successfully become one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents on television and the silver screen.

Shannon returned to television in 2008, starring in the US version of the popular Australian sitcom, Kath & Kim (2008), for NBC with Selma Blair. "Kath and Kim" earned a "Favorite New Comedy" nomination from the People's Choice Awards in its first season.

The very busy Shannon also lent her voice to Exodus Film Group's CG animated feature, Igor (2008), a comedy that brought a new twist to the classic monster genre, along with Jeremy Piven, Steve Buscemi and John Cleese.

Shannon was also seen in the Lifetime Original movie, More of Me (2007), playing multiple versions of an overwhelmed and overextended career woman who struggles to find balance in her roles as a wife, mother and working professional. In her most recent big screen appearance, Shannon starred in the quirky Paramount Vantage comedy, Year of the Dog (2007), for writer-director Mike White.

Shannon's recent film credits include a cameo in Evan Almighty (2007), the sequel to the hilarious comedy, Bruce Almighty (2003), opposite Steve Carell; Keenen Ivory Wayans' LiTTLEMAN (2006); Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) with Will Ferrell and an appearance in the box-office smash hit, Scary Movie 4 (2006). Molly's independent film credits include Sue Kramer's Gray Matters (2006) opposite Heather Graham and Bruce Leddy's Shut Up and Sing (2006).

Shannon starred as "Betty Lou Who" in Ron Howard's worldwide blockbuster, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000); and the title role in Paramount's hit comedy, Superstar (1999), portraying everybody's favorite Catholic schoolgirl, "Mary Katherine Gallagher". Additionally, she also starred in the following feature films: A Night at the Roxbury (1998), a spin-off of the popular head-bopping, nightclubbing brothers on Saturday Night Live (1975); Warner Bros. comedy, Analyze This (1999), opposite Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro; Todd Solondz's controversial Happiness (1998); and Fox 2000's Never Been Kissed (1999), opposite 'Drew Barrymore'; Good Boy! (2003), a CGI-animated live-action comedy; My Boss's Daughter (2003) with Ashton Kutcher; Miramax's romantic comedy, Serendipity (2001), opposite John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale; Osmosis Jones (2001), the animated comedy co-starring Bill Murray; the independent feature film, Wet Hot American Summer (2001), opposite Janeane Garofalo and David Hyde Pierce; and a featured cameo opposite Tim Allen in Disney's The Santa Clause 2 (2002).

On television, Shannon has been seen opposite Christopher McDonald and Jason Schwartzman in the off-beat comedy series, Cracking Up (2004), created by her Year of the Dog (2007) director, Mike White. Molly also starred in USA Networks original movie, The Twelve Days of Christmas Eve (2004), and appeared in the remake of the classic musical, The Music Man (2003), co-starring Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth. Additional television guest appearances include memorable roles on Will & Grace (1998), Sex and the City (1998) and Seinfeld (1989), among many others.

Molly Shannon spent six seasons as a member of the repertory company on Saturday Night Live (1975), primarily known for the eclectic characters she created, such as "Mary Katherine Gallagher" and "Sally O'Malley". She is also praised for her parodies of Courtney Love, Liza Minnelli, Monica Lewinsky and Meredith Vieira.

Prior to joining "SNL", Molly appeared at The Up Front Comedy Theater in Los Angeles in "The Rob and Molly Show", an improvisational show she co-wrote with Rob Muir.

Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Molly earned a BFA in drama from New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.

25. David Spade

Actor | Joe Dirt

Adept at playing comic brat extraordinaires both on film and TV, David Spade was born on July 22, 1964, in Birmingham, Michigan, the youngest of three brothers. He is the son of Judith J. (Meek), a writer and editor, and Wayne M. Spade, a sales rep, and is of German, English, Irish, and Scottish ...

Comic brat extraordinaire David Spade was born on July 22, 1964, in Birmingham, Michigan, the youngest of three brothers. Raised in both Scottsdale (from age four) and Casa Grande, Arizona, he graduated with a degree in business from Arizona State University in 1986. A natural prankster most of his life, Spade was pushed immediately into stand-up comedy by friends and appeared in nightclubs and college campuses all over the country.

A casting agent saw his routine at "The Improv" in Los Angeles and offered him a mischievous role in the film Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987). In 1990, the diminutive, flaxen-haired comedian finally hit the big time as a regular cast member and writer on Saturday Night Live (1975). Slow at first in gaining acceptance on the show, his razor-sharp sarcasm eventually caught on by his second season, when he played a number of smart-aleck characters in a variety of sketches, including a highly disinterested airline steward who bids each passenger adieu with a very sardonic "buh-bye" and an irritating receptionist for Dick Clark Productions who greets each huge celebrity with an unknowing "And you are . . . ?" A master of the putdown, Spade's "Hollywood Minute" reporter also took cynical advantage of tabloid-worthy stars. Spade impersonated such luminaries as Michael J. Fox, Kurt Cobain and Tom Petty during his tenure.

Following his SNL departure after six years, he spun off into a slapstick movie career, most noticeably as the scrawny, taciturn foil to SNL's wild and crazy big boy Chris Farley in Tommy Boy (1995) and Black Sheep (1996). The teaming of this unlikely but funny pair ended with Farley's death from a 1997 drug overdose. Since then, Spade has appeared in his own lukewarm vehicles, including Joe Dirt (2001) and Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003). More recently he teamed with former SNL member Rob Schneider on the film The Benchwarmers (2006). Television has been more accepting over the years, with Spade earning an Emmy nomination as the droll, skirt-chasing secretary Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me! (1997) and filling in after the untimely death of John Ritter on ABC's 8 Simple Rules (2002) as Katey Sagal's unprincipled nephew.

More recently he was the star of the Comedy Central show The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005) in 2005 wherein he more or less resurrected his obnoxious, razor-tongued gossipmonger from the old "Hollywood Minute" put-down segment on SNL, as well as co-starring in the adult-oriented ensemble sitcom Rules of Engagement (2007).

26. Nasim Pedrad

Actress | Despicable Me 2

Nasim Pedrad (born November 18, 1981) is an American actress and comedian best known for her five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (1975) from 2009 to 2014. She has since gone on to co-star in sitcoms such as Mulaney (2014), Scream Queens (2015), People of Earth (2016), and New Girl ...

Nasim Pedrad was born on November 18, 1981 in Tehran, Iran. She is an actress, known for Despicable Me 2 (2013), Saturday Night Live (1975) and The Lorax (2012).

27. Jon Lovitz

Actor | Happiness

Jonathan Michael Lovitz is a American comedian and actor from Tarzana who is known for voicing Jay Sherman from The Critic and for being a Saturday Night Live cast member in the 1990s. He acted in a lot of Adam Sandler films such as The Wedding Singer, Little Nicky, Hotel Transylvania, Grown Ups 2 ...

Jon Lovitz was born on July 21, 1957 in Tarzana, California, USA as Jonathan M. Lovitz. He is an actor, known for Happiness (1998), Big (1988) and The Brave Little Toaster (1987).

28. Cheri Oteri

Actress | Scary Movie

Cheri Oteri was born on September 19, 1962 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, graduating from Archbishop Prendergast High School, then moved to Los Angeles when she was 25, where she worked in Promotions for A&M records for 4 years and joined up with the ...

Cheri Oteri was born on 19th September 1962, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, graduating from Archbishop Prendergast High School, then moved to Los Angeles when she was 25, where she worked in Promotions for A&M records for 4 years, and joined up with the Groundlings, an improv-sketch based comedy group. One night, a Saturday Night Live (1975) rep was in the audience and liked her, so she flew down to New York to audition, made it, and debuted on Sept. 9, 1995. Since then, she has appeared in four films, has been in numerous magazines.

29. Dan Aykroyd

Writer | Ghostbusters

Daniel Edward Aykroyd was born on July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to Lorraine Hélène (Gougeon), a secretary from a French-Canadian family, and Samuel Cuthbert Peter Hugh Aykroyd, a civil engineer who advised prime minister Pierre Trudeau. Aykroyd attended Carleton University in 1969, where...

Daniel Edward Aykroyd was born on July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He attended Carleton University in 1969, where he majored in Criminology and Sociology, but he dropped out before completing his degree. He worked as a comedian in various Canadian nightclubs and managed an after-hours speakeasy, Club 505, in Toronto for several years. He worked with Second City Stage Troupe in Toronto and started his acting career at Carleton University with Sock'n'Buskin, the campus theater/drama club. Married to Donna Dixon since 1983, he has two daughters. His parents are named Peter and Lorraine and his brother Peter Aykroyd is a psychic researcher. Dan received an honorary Doctorate from Carleton University in 1994 and was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998.

30. Adam Sandler

Actor | The Waterboy

Adam Richard Sandler was born September 9, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York, to Judith (Levine), a teacher at a nursery school, and Stanley Alan Sandler, an electrical engineer. He is of Russian Jewish descent. At 17, he took his first step towards becoming a stand-up comedian when he spontaneously took ...

Adam Sandler was born on September 9, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, to Judy and Stanley Sandler. At 17, he took his first step towards becoming a stand-up comedian when he spontaneously took the stage at a Boston comedy club. He found he was a natural comic. He nurtured his talent while at New York University (graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1991) by performing regularly in clubs and at universities. During his freshman year, he snagged a recurring role as the Huxtable family's friend Smitty on The Cosby Show (1984). While working at a comedy club in L.A., he was "discovered" by Dennis Miller, who recommended him to Saturday Night Live (1975) producer Lorne Michaels and told him that Sandler had a big talent. This led to his being cast in the show in 1990, which he also wrote for in addition to performing. After Saturday Night Live (1975), Sandler went on to the movies, starring in such hit comedies as Airheads (1994), Happy Gilmore (1996), Billy Madison (1995) and Big Daddy (1999). He has also starred in Mr. Deeds (2002) alongside Winona Ryder; Eight Crazy Nights (2002), an animated movie about the Jewish festival of Chanukah; and Punch-Drunk Love (2002). He also writes and produces many of his own films and has composed songs for several of them, including The Wedding Singer (1998). Sandler has had several of his songs placed on the "Billboard" charts, including the classic "The Chanukah Song".

31. John Belushi

Actor | Saturday Night Live

John Belushi was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on January 24, 1949, to Agnes Demetri (Samaras) and Adam Anastos Belushi, a restaurant owner. His father was an Albanian immigrant, from Qytezë, and his mother was also of Albanian descent. He grew up in Wheaton, where the family moved when he was ...

The son of an Albanian immigrant restaurant owner, Adam Belushi, and his vivacious wife, Agnes, who was also of Albanian descent, John Belushi was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on January 24, 1949. He grew up in Wheaton, where the family moved when he was six. Though a young hellion in grade school, John became the perfect all-American boy during his high school years where he was co-captain of the Wheaton Central High School football team and was elected homecoming king his senior year. He also developed an interest in acting and appeared in the high school variety show. Encouraged by his drama teacher, John decided to put aside his plans to become a football coach to pursue a career in acting.

After graduation in 1967, John performed in summer stock in rural Indiana in a variety of roles from "Cardinal Wolsey" in "Anne of a Thousand Days" to a comic detective in "Ten Little Indians". In the fall of his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, John changed his image into a bad-boy appearance by growing his hair long and began to have problems with discipline and structure of attending classes.

Dropping out of Wisconsin, John spent the next two years at the College of DuPage, a junior college a few miles from his parents' Wheaton home, where his father began persuading him to become a partner in his restaurant, but John still preferred acting. While attending DuPage, John helped found the "West Compass Players", an improv comedy troupe patterned after Chicago's famous "Second City" ensemble.

In 1971, John made the leap to "Second City" itself where he performed in various on-stage comic performances with others, who included Harold Ramis and Joe Flaherty. John loved his life at "Second City" where he performed six nights a week, perfecting the physical "gonzo" style of comedy he later made famous.

A year later, John and his live-in girlfriend from his high school years, Judith Belushi-Pisano, moved to New York because John had joined the cast of National Lampoon's Lemmings, an off-Broadway rock musical revue that was originally booked for a six-week run but played to full crowds for nearly 10 months.

In 1973, John was hired as a writer for the syndicated National Lampoon's Radio Hour which became the National Lampoon Show in 1975. John's big break came that same year when he joined the ground-breaking TV variety series Saturday Night Live (1975) which made him a star. The unpredictable, aggressively physical style of humor that he began on "Second City" flowered on SNL.

In 1978, while still working on Saturday Night Live (1975), John appeared in the movie Goin' South (1978) which starred and was directed by Jack Nicholson. It was here that director John Landis noticed John and decided to cast him in his movie National Lampoon's Animal House (1978). John's minor role as the notorious, beer-swilling "Bluto" made it a box-office smash and the year's top grossing comedy. Despite appearing in only a dozen scenes, John's performance stole the movie, which portrays college fraternity shenanigans at a small college set in the year 1962.

In 1979, John along with fellow SNL regular Dan Aykroyd quit the series to pursue movie projects. John and Dan Aykroyd appeared in minor roles in Steven Spielberg's financially unsuccessful 1941 (1979) and, the following year, in John Landis' The Blues Brothers (1980). Around this time, John's drug use began escalating. Cocaine, which was ubiquitous in show-business circles in the 1970's, became his drug of choice. After he first experimented with cocaine in the mid 1970s, John almost immediately became addicted to it. His frequent cocaine sniffing binges became a source of friction between him and Judy, whom he married in 1976.

John's love for blues and soul music inspired the "Blues Brothers". He and Aykroyd first appeared as Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, a pair of white soul men dressed in black suits, skinny ties, fedora hats and Rayban sunglasses, as a warm-up act before the telecasts of Saturday Night Live (1975). Building on the success of their acts and the release of their album "A Briefcase Full of Blues", John and Dan Aykroyd starred in the movie, which gave John a chance to act with his favorite musical heroes including Ray Charles, James Brown and Aretha Franklin.

Although John's reputation for being an off-screen party animal is legendary, his generous side is less well known. Using some of his money, he bought his father a ranch outside San Diego for him to live. John helped set up some of his Chicago friends with their own businesses and even financially helped his younger brother, James Belushi, who followed his older brother's path to both "Second City" and Saturday Night Live (1975).

In 1981, John appeared in the movie Continental Divide (1981), playing a hard-nosed Chicago newspaperman who finds romance in Colorado with eagle expert Blair Brown. That same year, John and Dan Aykroyd appeared again in the movie Neighbors (1981), which gave them a chance to reverse roles, with John playing a straight-arrow family man whose life is turned upside down when a wild family man (Aykroyd) moves in next door.

In January 1982, John began work on the screenplay for another movie to be titled "Noble Rot". Also, John had checked into a bungalow at the Chateau Marmont, a popular celebrity hotel in Los Angeles. John's drug use had been steadily increasing for over a year now, which alarmed his wife and friends, but he continued to promise Judy that he would quit someday. On March 5, 1982, John Belushi was found dead in his hotel room at the age of 33. The local coroner gave the cause of death as a lethal injection of cocaine and heroin. Several years later, John's drug dealing/drug user companion during his final weeks, Cathy Smith, was tried and sentenced to three years in prison for supplying John with the drugs. Close friend James Taylor sang "That Lonesome Road" at a memorial service at Martha's Vineyard cemetery where John was buried.

32. Vanessa Bayer

Actress | Trainwreck

Vanessa Bayer was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where she attended Orange High School. She is best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975). In 2004, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication. During her college career, she worked as an...

Vanessa Bayer was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where she attended Orange High School. She is best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. In 2004, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication.

During her college career, she worked as an intern for Sesame Street and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

She is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.

33. Taran Killam

Actor | Killing Gunther

Taran Killam was born on April 1, 1982 in Culver City, California, USA as Taran Hourie Killam. He is an actor, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), The Heat (2013) and 12 Years a Slave (2013). He has been married to Cobie Smulders, since September 8, 2012. They have two children.

Taran Killam was born on April 1, 1982 in Culver City, California, USA as Taran Hourie Killam. He is an actor, known for 12 Years a Slave (2013), Saturday Night Live (1975) and The Heat (2013). He has been married to Cobie Smulders since September 8, 2012. They have one child.

34. Jay Pharoah

Actor | Saturday Night Live

Jay Pharoah was born on October 14, 1987 in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Unsane (2018) and White Famous (2017).

Jay Pharoah was born on October 14, 1987 in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA as Jared Antonio Farrow. He is an actor, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Ride Along (2014) and Lola Versus (2012).

35. Rob Schneider

Actor | Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo

Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (1975), Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the ...

Rob Schneider was born on October 31, 1963 in San Francisco, California, USA as Robert Michael Schneider. He is an actor and writer, known for Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005), The Hot Chick (2002) and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999). He has been married to Patricia Azarcoya Arce since April 23, 2011. They have one child. He was previously married to Helena Schneider and London King.

36. Abby Elliott

Actress | No Strings Attached

Abby Elliott is the first second-generation cast member on Saturday Night Live (1975). Her father is Chris Elliott, who was featured on the show during the 1994-1995 season. She is also the granddaughter of veteran comic Bob Elliott, from the "Bob and Ray Show".

Before coming to "Saturday Night Live...

Abby Elliot is the first second-generation cast member on "Saturday Night Live". Her father is Chris Elliot who was featured on the show during the 1994-1995 season. She is also the granddaughter of veteran comic Bob Elliott from the "Bob and Ray Show".

Before coming to "Saturday Night Live", Elliot worked with current SNL cast member Michaela Watkins at LA's Groundling's Theater.

Since her arrival on SNL, she has skillfully portrayed Angelina Jolie, Chloë Sevigny and Joan Cusack.

37. Bill Murray

Actor | Lost in Translation

Bill Murray is an American actor, comedian, and writer. The fifth of nine children, he was born William James Murray in Wilmette, Illinois, to Lucille (Collins), a mailroom clerk, and Edward Joseph Murray II, who sold lumber. He is of Irish descent. Among his siblings are actors Brian Doyle-Murray, ...

Bill is the fifth of nine children born to Edward and Lucille Murray. He and most of his siblings worked as caddies, which paid his tuition to Loyola Academy, a Jesuit school. He played sports and did some acting while in that school, but in his words, mostly "screwed off." He enrolled at Regis College in Denver to study pre-med but dropped out after being arrested for marijuana possession. He then joined the National Lampoon Radio Hour with fellow members Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and John Belushi. However, while those three became the original members of Saturday Night Live (1975), he joined Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell (1975), which premiered that same year. After that show failed, he later got the opportunity to join Saturday Night Live (1975).

38. Eddie Murphy

Actor | The Nutty Professor

Edward Regan Murphy was born April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillian Lynch (born: Lillian Laney), a telephone operator, and Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer who was also an amateur comedian and actor. After his father died, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a ...

Eddie Murphy was born in Brooklyn New York, in 1961, the youngest son of Lillian Murphy, a widow who married Vernon Lynch, the step-father of Eddie, his brother Charles Q. Murphy, and Vernon Jr. Eddie himself had aspirations of being in show business since he was a child. A bright kid growing up in the streets of New York, Murphy spent a great deal of time on impressions and comedy stand-up routines rather than academics. His sense of humor and wit made him a stand out amongst his classmates at Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School. By the time he was 15, Murphy worked as a stand-up comic on the lower part of New York, wooing audiences with his dead-on impressions of celebrities and outlooks on life.

In the early 1980s, at the age of 19, Murphy was offered a contract for the Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Players of Saturday Night Live (1975), where Murphy exercised his comedic abilities in impersonating African American figures and originating some of the shows most memorable characters: Velvet Jones, Mr. Robinson, and a disgruntled and angry Gumby.

Murphy made his feature film debut in 48 Hrs. (1982), alongside Nick Nolte. The two's comedic and antagonistic chemistry, alongside Murphy's believable performance as a streetwise convict aiding a bitter, aging cop, won over critics and audiences. The next year, Murphy went two for two, with another hit, pairing him with John Landis, who later became a frequent collaborator with Murphy in Coming to America (1988) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). Beverly Hills Cop (1984) was the film that made Murphy a box-office superstar and most notably made him a celebrity worldwide, and it remains one of the all-time biggest domestic blockbusters in motion-picture history. Murphy's performance as a young Detroit cop in pursuit of his friend's murderers earned him a third consecutive Golden Globe nomination. Axel Foley became one of Murphy's signature characters. On top of his game, Murphy was unfazed by his success, that is until his box office appeal and choices in scripts resulted into a spotty mix of hits and misses into the late 1980s and early 1990s. Films like The Golden Child (1986) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) were critically panned but were still massive draws at the box office.

In 1989, Murphy, coming off another hit, Coming to America (1988), found failure with his directorial debut, Harlem Nights (1989). Another 48 Hrs. (1990) and his turn as a hopeless romantic in Boomerang (1992) did little to resuscitate his career. However, his remake of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor (1996) brought Murphy's drawing power back into fruition. From there, Murphy rebounded with occasional hits and misses but has long proven himself as a skilled comedic actor with applaudable range pertaining to characterizations and mannerisms.

Though he has grown up a lot since his fast-lane rise as a superstar in the 1980s, Murphy has lived the Hollywood lifestyle with controversy, criticism, scandal, and the admiration of millions worldwide for his talents. As Murphy had matured throughout the years, learning many lessons about the Hollywood game in the process, he settled down with more family-oriented humor with Doctor Dolittle (1998), Mulan (1998), Bowfinger (1999), and the animated smash Shrek (2001), in a supporting role that showcased Murphy's comedic personality and charm. In spite of being vocal in interviews about his career, Eddie Murphy continues to live a happy life with his wife and kids and has said that if his career would to end tomorrow he would be content just being with his family.

39. Chris Rock

Actor | Top Five

Christopher Julius Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Rosalie (Tingman), a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped, and Julius Rock, a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman, whose own father was a preacher.

...

Chris Rock was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which is in Brooklyn, New York. He has been in stand-up comedy for over twelve years. He made his big screen debut in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and spent three years on the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975). He does commercials for 1-800 Collect and Nike and covered the presidential campaign for the show Politically Incorrect (1993). He now lives in Alpine, New Jersey.

40. Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Actress | Seinfeld

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was born on January 13, 1961, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, to Judith (LeFever), a special needs tutor and author, and Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, a billionaire businessman. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she spent her childhood in Washington, D.C., and New ...

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was born on January 13, 1961, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, to Judith (LeFever), a special needs tutor and author, and Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, a billionaire businessman. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she spent her childhood in Washington, D.C., and New York. She met her husband, Brad Hall, while in college.

She made her feature movie debut in the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two children.

41. Chevy Chase

Actor | Memoirs of an Invisible Man

Chevy Chase was born Cornelius Crane Chase on October 8, 1943 in Lower Manhattan, New York, to Cathalene Parker (Browning), a concert pianist and librettist, and Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase, an editor and writer. His parents both came from prominent families, and his grandfathers were artist and ...

Born Cornelius Crane Chase, his grandmother gave him the name Chevy when he was two years old and has gone by that name ever since. Chevy Chase, who was a part of the Saturday Night Live crew, embarked on a highly successful movie career. Chase scored in the eighties with hits such as Caddyshack (1980), the National Lampoon movies and the Fletch movies. All his films show his talent for deadpan comedy. Sadly, his career has generally worsened throughout the nineties, starring in flops such as the wholly mediocre Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), and Cops and Robbersons (1994).

42. Kate McKinnon

Actress | Ghostbusters

Kathryn McKinnon Berthold (born January 6, 1984), known professionally as Kate McKinnon, is an American actress and comedienne, who is best known as a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live and The Big Gay Sketch Show, and for playing the role of Dr. Jillian Holtzmann in the 2016 Ghostbusters ...

Kate McKinnon was born as Kate McKinnon Berthold. She is an actress, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Toy Story of Terror (2013) and Pudding Face (2011).

43. Cecily Strong

Actress | Saturday Night Live

Cecily Strong was born on February 8, 1984 in Springfield, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Schmigadoon! (2021) and The Boss (2016).

Cecily Strong is an actress, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), The Bronze (2015) and The Awesomes (2013).

44. Paul Brittain

Actor | Saturday Night Live

Originally from Chicago, where he got his start in improv and sketch comedy, Paul Brittain is an actor, writer, and comedian living in Los Angeles. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2010 - 2012 where he performed such characters and impressions as "Sex" Ed Vincent, Lord Cecil ...

Paul Brittain was born on February 16, 1977 in Naperville, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Hotel Transylvania (2012), Grown Ups 2 (2013) and Saturday Night Live (1975).

45. Jim Belushi

Actor | Red Heat

James Adam Belushi was born June 15, 1954, in Chicago, to Agnes Demetri (Samaras) and Adam Anastos Belushi, a restaurant owner. His father was an Albanian immigrant, from Qytezë, and his mother was also of Albanian descent. The third of four children - his brother was comedian John Belushi - he ...

James Belushi was born June 15, 1954, in Chicago. The third of four children - his brother was John Belushi - he grew up in Wheaton, Illinois. A high school teacher, impressed by his improvisational skills while giving speeches, convinced him to to be in a school play. After that, he joined the school's drama club. Today, if asked why he got involved in acting, he will jokingly say, "Because of girls. In the drama club, there were about 20 girls and six guys. And the same thing with choir - more girls!". He attended the College of DuPage and Southern Illinois University, where he graduated with a degree in Speech and Theater Arts.

In 1977, he joined Chicago's Second City improv troupe and remained for three years. In 1979, Garry Marshall saw Jim performing for Second City and arranged for him to come to Hollywood and co-star in the TV pilot Who's Watching the Kids (1978) for Paramount and, then, for a role in the series Working Stiffs (1979) (co-starring Michael Keaton). Later, in 1983, he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) for two years. Jim came to national attention in About Last Night... (1986), playing the role he originated in the Chicago Apollo Theatre's production of David Mamet's Obie-award winning play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago". He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife Jennifer Sloan, their daughter Jamison and a son, Robert Belushi, from Belushi's first marriage.

46. Casey Wilson

Actress | Gone Girl

Casey Wilson was born on October 24, 1980 in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Gone Girl (2014), Ass Backwards (2013) and Bride Wars (2009). She has been married to David Caspe since May 25, 2014. They have three children.

Casey Wilson was born on October 24, 1980 in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Bride Wars (2009), Happy Endings (2011) and Julie & Julia (2009). She has been married to David Caspe since May 25, 2014.

47. Jenny Slate

Actress | Obvious Child

Jenny Sarah Slate is an American actress, comedian, and author. Born and raised in Milton, Massachusetts, Slate was educated at Milton Academy and studied literature at Columbia University, where she became involved in the improvise and comedy scene. She lent voice performances to the animated ...

Jenny Slate was born on March 25, 1982 in Milton, Massachusetts, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for The Lorax (2012), This Means War (2012) and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011). She has been married to Dean Fleischer-Camp since September 15, 2012.

48. Billy Crystal

Actor | Forget Paris

Billy Crystal was born on March 14, 1948 in Manhattan, New York, and was raised on Long Island. He is the youngest of three sons born to Helen (Gabler) and Jack Crystal. His father was a well-known concert promoter who co-founded Commodore Records and his mother was a homemaker. His family were ...

Billy Crystal was born on March 14, 1948 in New York. He was the youngest of three sons born to Jack and Helen Crystal. His father was a well-known concert promoter who co-founded Commodore Records and his mother was a homemaker.

With his father in the music business, Billy was no stranger to some of the top performers of the time. Legends such as Billie Holiday, Pee Wee Russell, and Eddie Condon regularly stopped by the Crystal household.

At age 15, Billy faced a personal tragedy when his father died of a heart attack at the relatively young age of 54. This gave Billy a real appreciation of what his dad was able to accomplish while alive and what his mother did to keep the family together.

Despite this tragedy, Billy was very upbeat and likable as a kid. He had a unique talent for making people laugh. With television becoming a new medium, Billy got his influence from shows like The Honeymooners (1955), and "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performers like Alan King, Ernie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters. He started doing stand-up comedy at the age of 16.

However, his real dream was to be a professional baseball player. His idol growing up was Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle. He spent long hours in the summers playing softball in the middle of Park Avenue with his brothers and his father, a former pitcher at St. John's University . At Long Beach High, Billy played second base and was varsity captain in his senior year. This earned him a baseball scholarship from Marshall University in West Virginia which he accepted. However, he would never end up playing a game as the baseball program was suspended during his freshman year. This would lead him to leave the university and move back to New York.

He then enrolled at nearby Nassau Community College, majoring in theater. It was there that he met and fell in love with a dancer named Janice Goldfinger. They would get married in 1970 and have two daughters.

Shortly after, Billy got accepted in New York University, where he majored in Film and TV Direction. While at NYU, he studied under legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. He also worked as house manager and usher on a production of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown".

After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU in 1970, Billy temporarily worked as a substitute teacher until he was able to get gigs as a stand-up comic. He formed his own improv group, 3's Company, and opened for musicians like Barry Manilow. His impression of Howard Cosell interviewing Muhammad Ali became a huge hit with the audience.

He left Long Beach for Hollywood in August of 1976 in the hopes of trying to land a role on a television series. It only took a year before he got his big break when he was chosen for the role of gay character Jodie Dallas on the controversial ABC sitcom Soap (1977). This would be the first time that an American TV show would feature an openly gay character as a regular. The show ran successfully for four seasons and helped to jump-start Billy's previously stagnant career.

After Soap (1977) ended in 1981, Billy continued to do his stand-up routine, which was now attracting a larger audience with his growing celebrity status. During this time, he made many TV guest appearances and even hosted his own short-lived variety show, The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour (1982). He became a regular on Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1984 where his Fernando Lamas impression with the catchphrase "You Look Mahvellous" was a huge hit with viewers. This would lead to appearances in feature-length films such as Running Scared (1986) and Throw Momma from the Train (1987).

In 1986, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams, he started Comic Relief, an annual stand-up comedy show which helped to raise money for housing and medical care for the homeless. The show has since grown substantially with the continued support of all three comics.

Billy's career would peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His roles in the blockbuster movies When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and City Slickers (1991) helped to establish himself as one of Hollwood's top movie stars. This star status was further validated when he was chosen to host the annual Oscars in 1990, an honor in which he would repeat seven more times.

He made his big screen directorial debut in the 1992 film Mr. Saturday Night (1992), which was about a washed-up stand-up comic who refuses to retire. He also wrote, produced and starred in the film. Although the film was not a huge hit, it proved that Billy was much more than an actor and comedian.

In the following years, Billy continued to act in, produce, and direct several films. He had his share of hits (Analyze This (1999), America's Sweethearts (2001)) and some flops (Fathers' Day (1997), My Giant (1998)). His role in as a therapist to mobster Robert De Niro in Analyze This (1999) earned him critical praise.

In 2001, Billy parlayed his childhood love of baseball and Mickey Mantle into a feature film. The movie, 61* (2001), which premiered on HBO, centered on the relationship between Mantle and Roger Maris and their 1961 pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record. The film for which Billy served as director and executive producer, garnered 12 Emmy nominations in all.

Offscreen, Billy remains married to Janice Crystal and they have homes in California and New York. Both of his daughters are currently involved in the film business. Jennifer Crystal Foley is an aspiring actress, appearing in 61* (2001), while Lindsay Crystal is an aspiring filmmaker, creating and directing the documentary My Uncle Berns (2003).

49. David Koechner

Actor | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Actor, writer and producer David Michael Koechner was born in Tipton, Missouri, to Margaret Ann (Downey) and Cecil Stephen Koechner, who ran a turkey coop manufacturing business. He is of German, Irish, and English ancestry. An alumnus of Chicago's Second City Theater, Koechner got his first break ...

Actor, writer and producer David Koechner, an alumnus of Chicago's Second City Theater, got his first break as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and since has become an instantly recognizable face appearing in more than 120 films and television shows. He is best known for his roles as Todd Packer on "The Office" and Champ Kind from "Anchorman" and "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." Koechner received rave reviews for his role in the dark, twisted and film festival award-winning thriller "Cheap Thrills." He is also writing and producing a variety show pilot for NBC. Additional notable film credits include "Waiting," "Out Cold," "Talladega Nights," "Get Smart," "Extract," "Thank You for Smoking" and "A Haunted House." When not filming, Koechner performs live stand-up comedy across the country and creates original content videos for his YouTube channel, Full On Koechner. He resides in Los Angeles, Calif. with his wife and five children.

50. Nancy Carell

Actress | The 40 Year Old Virgin

Nancy Carell was born on July 19, 1966 in Cohasset, Massachusetts, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) and Bridesmaids (2011). She has been married to Steve Carell since August 5, 1995. They have two children.

Nancy Carell was born on July 19, 1966 in Cohasset, Massachusetts, USA as Nancy Ellen Walls. She is an actress and writer, known for Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) and Bridesmaids (2011). She has been married to Steve Carell since August 5, 1995. They have two children.

51. Rob Riggle

Actor | The Daily Show

Comedian, actor and United States Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Robert Allen Riggle, Jr. was born April 21, 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Sandra (Shrout) and Robert Allen Riggle, who worked in insurance. Riggle has amassed notable television credits and has also earned roles in many ...

Rob Riggle, comedian, actor and Unites States Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, was born April 21, 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky. Riggle has amassed many notable television credits and has also earned roles in several feature films, including The Lorax (2012) and 21 Jump Street (2012).

After graduating from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in Theater and Film, Riggle joined the Marines and earned a Master's degree from Webster University in Public Administration. Riggle had intentions of becoming a Marine Corps pilot, but eventually left the military to pursue a career in comedy. A featured cast member on Saturday Night Live (1975) during the 2004/2005 season, Riggle then joined Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (1996) in 2006 as a correspondent. Riggle's numerous television appearances, including credits on Arrested Development (2003), Chappelle's Show (2003), 30 Rock (2006) and The Office (2005) would lead to big-screen roles in Step Brothers (2008), The Hangover (2009) and The Other Guys (2010).

When he is not on set or traveling across the United States performing stand-up comedy, Rob Riggle lives in Los Angeles.

52. Noël Wells

Actress | Mr. Roosevelt

Noël Wells was born on December 23, 1986 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress and editor, known for Mr. Roosevelt (2017), Saturday Night Live (1975) and Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020).

Noël Wells is known for her work on Forev (2013), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Dying (2012) and Saturday Night Live (1975).

53. Jim Breuer

Actor | Half Baked

Jim Breuer was born on June 21, 1967 in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Half Baked (1998), Titan A.E. (2000) and Zookeeper (2011). He has been married to Dee Breuer since August 28, 1993. They have three children.

Jim Breuer was born on June 21, 1967 in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York, USA as James E. Breuer. He is an actor and producer, known for Half Baked (1998), Saturday Night Live (1975) and Titan A.E. (2000). He has been married to Dee Breuer since August 28, 1993. They have three children.

54. Norm MacDonald

Actor | Dirty Work

Macdonald was born Norman Gene Macdonald in Quebec City, Quebec. He began his career in stand-up comedy. Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show (1992) and then Roseanne (1988). While writing for Roseanne (1988), he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up, and ...

MacDonald was born Norman Gene MacDonald in Québec City, Québec on October 17, 1963. He began his career in stand-up comedy. MacDonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show (1992) and then Roseanne (1988). While writing for Roseanne (1988), he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up, and gave him his job on Saturday Night Live (1993-2009).

MacDonald became widely popular when he became the Weekend Update anchor with his trademark line "Now the fake news." He lasted from September 24, 1994, to December 13, 1997, when he was fired by Don Ohlmeyer, president of NBC on the west coast. MacDonald's last weekend update was December 13, 1997, and he left the show in March 1998. His movie O slujba murdara (1998), which he began working on in the summer of 1997, came out 2 months later. In March 1999, his show, called Norm (1999), came out on ABC and had a 3-season run. During the time, he starred in the movie Screwed (2000), opposite Dave Chappelle.



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