The Best (and Worst) SNL Cast Members

In 50 years the show has produced some of the biggest names in comedy.

NOTE: I wrote this way back in 2015. I think the quality of SNL has been pretty low since, so I doubt anyone since would make the list. But, if I did it today I might change up the order a bit. I’ll probably take another stab at it, but worth posting in the meantime.

1. PHIL HARTMAN

Over its 40 years, if you look at the template of SNL there are a few things that are constant: Commercial parodies, game shows, and, political and celebrity impersonations.

No one has hit these marks (and more) better than Phil Hartman.

He literally killed it every time. From a secondary character to the main act, there was a confidence and professionalism that ran through every thing he did. Swagger when needed, timid when required. It was never any problem.

Early on he did a Reagan that was just twisted, and then he did the first Clinton. The Sinatra was brilliant, and edgy. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer was an amazing sketch series that didn’t get beat into the ground.

Think about one of best SNL sketches ever — Choppin’ Broccoli — and think of the funniest single thing in that sketch… It’s Phil Hartman’s reaction shot.

The guy could do it all. Voices, straight man, Frankenstein, whatever. Even beyond the original cast members, I think Hartman best represents the true “ideal” of SNL from its collaborative, Second City roots.

I obviously don’t know where Phil Hartman would have ended up after News Radio. But probably more than any other SNL cast member, I would have liked to see it.

Watch: The Anal Retentive Chef

2. EDDIE MURPHY

To watch Eddie Murphy on SNL every week was to watch a supernova exploding. I believe, he pretty much saved the show during the Ebersol years. And while people like Chase and Murray went on from the original cast to big careers, this dude just dropped out of the sky like a ready-made super star.

The black perspective was one thing, and it was brilliant, but it was more universal than that. Gumby, Buckwheat, even some of the more lesser-known sketches had a sense of “self” that were more elevated than anything else on the show on any given week. It was always easy to see that Murphy was simply performing on a different level than the rest of the cast.

Murphy didn’t do well in supporting roles. Hell, it’s hard to even think of him in a sketch that wasn’t totally his. The sad thing is, that is the probably what makes Eddie Murphy a great comedic talent, but not the genius he could have been.

And then he got caught with a tranny and started playing it safe, but that’s another story…

Watch: Buh-Weet Sings

3. JOHN BELUSHI

The Not Ready For Prime Time Players as a moniker didn’t last long. But the first seasons of SNL were like nothing that had been on TV before. Irreverent, bawdy, and live without a net.

No one embodied that spirit more than John Belushi. While the show has always been live, it seemed “more” live then. It seemed like live, crazy theater, and no one played that better than Belushi. A simple raise of the eyebrow and the audience wondered what could happen next. A pure, pure performer who could even bottle that energy to play the straight man — he could have done it all.

Watch Samurai Deli

4. WILL FERRELL

I would call Ferrell the “son of Belushi” in that he threw himself into the true spirit of the show more than anyone since. Sure, Chris Farley did the same in a number of classic sketches, but he also blew just as many.

Ferrell could go from starring role to second fiddle with absolute ease. He could play it totally straight, or totally over-the-top surreal.

Watch: Wade Blasingame

5. DANA CARVEY

Has there been a better all-around impressionist on SNL? Probably. But as H Ross Perot AND George HW Bush, Carvey killed an entire political season, a feat only matched by Tina Fey. But it wasn’t just the voice — Carvey had the ability to seem so sweet and then take a subtle left turn down a darker road. The sketch with Hartman as Admiral Stockdale is a classic example.

Sure, The Church Lady got old, but it continued to be subversive. Johnny Carson, Wayne’s World, George Michael, Hanz & Franz, Choppin’ Broccoli, he had a range to do it all.

And he was also in Pepper Boy — one of my favorite SNL sketches ever.

Watch: Pepper Boy

6. BILL HADER

As someone who has watched SNL almost from the beginning, Hader snuck up on me. He had a few interesting impressions (Vincent Price comes to mind) and some nice work. But for the first few years he was relegated to almost every game show host the show did. And yet, he brought a bit of quirk to each of them — adding a level of depth to the traditional host Phil Hartman did so well.

But then, BOOM. Suddenly he worked his way into the spotlight. From the Granada puppet sketch to Stephan, in his last year or two he was just on fire.

I think Stefon is probably the funniest reoccurring character in the last 10 years.

Watch: Stefon

7. MIKE MEYERS

Meyers was at the beginning of the SNL era where if you had a hit character, you beat it into the ground — see Pat or Mary Katherine Gallagher. He had those with Wayne’s World and Coffee Talk but neither was beat that hard, and were characters that had a certain growth potential.

And yet, beyond those iconic characters, he did shit like Lothar and always put the work in as a supporting player.

Watch: Japanese Game Show

8. GILDA RADNER

It’s sad that the first woman on my list is at #8. That’s SNL, not me.

Gilda created the template for so many characters to come. Simply look at anyone who has played a kid on the show and you’ll see her influence. If there was anyone who could have left SNL and eventually been a hands-down amazing dramatic actress, I think it would have been her.

Watch: Nerd Prom

9. DARRELL HAMMOND

It’s kind of sad that there’s not a place in show business other than SNL for a man with the impressive impression talents of Daryl Hammond. He is arguably the best impressionist ever on the show, for sure in terms of sheer numbers. But just like Dana Carvey, he couldn’t find a place outside of 30 Rock.

I have a conspiracy theory that he’s not just back as announcer (RIP Don Pardo) but is also being groomed by Lorne Michaels to take over when he retires. But that’s totally a guess.

Watch: Bill Clinton

10. DAN AYKROYD

Created the template for the commercial parody, one of the most important parts of the show ever since. And while not quite as “dangerous” as Belushi, he had a subversiveness that the show has often lacked. Add in his role as first co-anchor and the first good President impression (Carter) and you could make a solid argument that he should be higher.

Watch: The French Chef

11. FRED ARMISEN

Much like Bill Hader, Armisen snuck up on me. It wasn’t until there were rumors that he was leaving that I really realized how many awesome, offbeat character he had played. Consistently one of the best people on the cast during his 11 year run.

Watch: The Californians

12. MOLLY SHANNON

It’s probably not fair, but I think I’d have Shannon higher if it wasn’t for Mary Katherine Gallagher. It was funny the first few times, but then it was beaten like a dead horse. That it became a movie should be considered a war crime. I think much of the blame is probably on Lorne Michaels since this was the stretch after Wayne’s World when he was pimping out any character he could.

That aside, Shannon had some other great reoccurring characters (Dog Show, Leg Up, Sally O’Malley) and was a strong utility player.

Watch: Dog Show

13. KRISTEN WIIG

I have a thing about SNL running characters into the ground, which happened with both the Target Lady and Penelope who one-upped everyone.

Still, Wiig had a natural ease and broad palette. She could do great traditional impressions (Kathie Lee Gifford perfectly captured her idiocy) to more bizarre stuff like Gilly and the physically and mentally challenged sister on Lawrence Welk. She left totally on top of her game. If she had wanted to stay another year or two, I think she would have left as one of the very best ever.

Watch Kathy Lee Gifford

14. BILL MURRAY

It feels weird having Bill Murray this far down. But I think we look at him through the prism of his amazing career since SNL a bit much. Don’t get me wrong, Murray is one of those rare people who is funny simply by being — but when you look back his list of really great characters is sort of thin.

Watch: Cab Ride

15. JAN HOOKS

I think one of the most valuable traits of all the people on this list is versatility and Jan Hooks had no shortage of it. Maybe it was her role as a Sweeney Sister, but I’ve always thought of Hooks as a great contract star from the Hollywood studio system — someone who could act, sing, dance and probably jump in the pool with Esther Williams if she had to.

Watch Kathy Lee

THE WORST

HORATIO SANZ

Bill Hader laughing during Stephan = funny. Horatio Sanz laughing through every one of his terrible sketches = amazingly annoying. Plus he played Gobi in one of the worst reoccurring sketches in SNL history: Jarret’s Room.

DAVID SPADE

The level of my distain for David Spade knows no bounds. I think he’s the only person in SNL history that I wanted to punch in the face. Maybe if the smug thing came in smaller doses it might have been tolerable, but that was the ONLY thing he could do.

VICTORIA JACKSON

This is not based on her bat-shit political beliefs, I promise. Like Spade she had one mode and it was annoying as hell.

JAY MOHR

I don’t even really remember why I disliked him so much other than he just sucked.

COLIN QUINN

Absolutely dreadful in nearly every sketch he appeared in, I guess the only thing he COULD do was anchor the news, but he was just about as bad at that too. People often pick Norm MacDonald as worst anchor ever, but while he had a terrible hit/miss ratio, some of the hits were brutally funny. I did somewhat enjoy the Quinn stand-up special directed by Jerry Seinfeld, but it didn’t erase how bad he sucked on SNL.

TRACY MORGAN

So. Much. Sameness. Basically playing himself on 30 Rock worked well, but in a sketch show? Not so much.

But, there was this character:
https://screen.yahoo.com/brian-fellows-safari-planet-1-000000785.html

JIMMY FALLON

If anyone reads, this would be the headline/click bait. Fallon is probably a better impressionist than even Dana Carvey — a talent that was woefully under utilized during his time on SNL.

I think he did a good job in the anchor chair and had a few good characters. But the aforementioned Jarret’s Room and that terrible Boston series with Rachel Dratch erased much of good stuff he did. Plus, he and Sanz laughing their way through sketches got really old, really fast. I’m glad he’s thriving on the Tonight Show, but his stint on SNL is decidedly mixed.

RACHEL DRATCH

Maybe it’s just a matter of taste, but Dratch just bugged the crap out of me. The Debbie Downer thing was funny maybe the first two times.

TOP 5 HOSTS

1. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

2. ALEC BALDWIN

3. TOM HANKS

4. STEVE MARTIN

5. JON HAMM

Honorable Mention: CHRISTOPHER WALKEN
But, if you watch any of those shows again, you’ll see that he was often VERY obvious in his cue card reading.