Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a popular American television program. It has been broadcast on Saturday nights since October 11, 1975.^[1] It is one of the longest-running television programs in American television.^[2] It is broadcast from NBC studios in New York City. The name comes from the fact that the program is aired live on Saturday nights at 11:30 PM EST. This is a rarity in the age of filming and videotape. SNL is shown in re-runs in the summer and on cable TV. The program usually consists of the following:

• Comedy sketches
• A celebrity host, usually an actor or comedian
• A popular band/musician performing a recent song
• Weekend Update, a satirical newscast usually featuring celebrity impressions
• Parody commercials
• Various short movies, animated segments and the like.

Saturday Night Live
Genre	Variety show
Created by	Lorne Michaels
Written by	See List of Saturday Night Live writers
Directed by	Don Roy King (2006–present) Other directors: Dave Wilson (1975–1986; 1989–1995) Paul Miller (1986–1989) Beth McCarthy-Miller (1995–2006)
Starring	See List of Saturday Night Live cast members
Narrated by	Darrell Hammond (2014–present) Other narrators: Don Pardo (1975–1981; 1982–2014) Bill Hanrahan (1981) Mel Brandt (1981–1982)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	50
No. of episodes	978 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer	Lorne Michaels (1975–80; 1985–present) Other producers: Jean Doumanian (1980–81) Dick Ebersol (1981–85)
Production locations	Studio 8H, NBC Studios, New York City
Running time	93 minutes
Production company	Broadway Video (1981–present) Other studios: NBC (1975–1982) NBC Productions (1982–96) NBC Studios (1996–99) SNL Studios (1999–present)
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	July 11, 1975 (1975-07-11) – present
Related
TV Funhouse Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday

Saturday Night Live was created and executive-produced by Lorne Michaels and started in 1975 as NBC's Saturday Night. Many famous comic actors got their starts being cast members on the program. The show has led to several movies, books, DVDs, and has been the inspiration for a couple of other TV shows. It has been nominated for 183 Emmy Awards and won 42.^[3]

"Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" is said near the beginning of every episode.

Actors on SNL

Many cast members have come and gone in the history of Saturday Night Live. Here is a list of some of those cast members and how long they lasted on the show.

• Chevy Chase (1975 to 1976)
• Dan Aykroyd (1975 to 1979)
• Bill Murray (1977 to 1980)
• Eddie Murphy (1980 to 1984)
• Billy Crystal (1984 to 1985)
• Martin Short (1984 to 1985)
• Robert Downey, Jr. (1985 to 1986)
• Dana Carvey (1986 to 1993)
• Phil Hartman (1986 to 1994)
• Mike Myers (1989 to 1995)
• Chris Farley (1990 to 1995)
• Chris Rock (1990 to 1993)
• Adam Sandler (1990 to 1995)
• Rob Schneider (1990 to 1994)
• David Spade (1990 to 1996)
• Norm Macdonald (1993 to 1998)
• Janeane Garofalo (1994 to 1995)
• Will Ferrell (1995 to 2002)
• Tracy Morgan (1996 to 2003)
• Tina Fey (2000 to 2006)
• Amy Poehler (2001 to 2008)
• Jimmy Fallon (1998 to 2004)
• Seth Meyers (2001 to 2014)
• Bill Hader (2005 to 2013)
• Andy Samberg (2005 to 2012)
• Jason Sudeikis (2005 to 2013)
• Kristen Wiig (2005 to 2012)
• Kate McKinnon (2012 to 2022)
• Pete Davidson (2014 to 2022)

Memorable Impressions

Many cast members have impressions of celebrities on Saturday Night Live. Here is a list of some of those actors having impressions of celebrities.

• Chevy Chase as Gerald R. Ford
• Phil Hartman as Ronald Reagan
• Will Ferrell as George W. Bush
• Tina Fey as Sarah Palin
• Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton
• Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton
• Kate McKinnon as Kellyanne Conway
• Darrell Hammond as Bill Clinton
• Darrell Hammond as Donald Trump
• Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump
• Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery
• Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek
• Larry David as Bernie Sanders
• Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer

Memorable sketches

• Weekend Update
• The Californians
• Celebrity Jeopardy
• Wayne's World
• The Roxbury Guys
• What Up with That

Seasons and cast members

• The cast members for season one were Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, George Coe, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Michael O'Donoghue, and Gilda Radner.
• The cast members for season two were Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner.
• The cast members for season three were Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner. Tom Davis and Al Franken also made occasional onscreen appearances.
• The cast members for season four were Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner. Tom Davis and Al Franken also made occasional onscreen appearances.
• The cast members for season five were Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, and Harry Shearer. The featured players were Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Gilbert Gottfried, Don Novello, Tom Schiller, Paul Shaffer, and Alan Zweibel.
• The cast members for season six were Denny Dillon, Gilbert Gottfried, Gail Matthius, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Ann Risley, and Charles Rocket. The featured players were Yvonne Hudson, Matthew Laurance, and Patrick Weathers.
• The cast members for season seven were Kath Soucie, Christine Ebersole, Mary Gross, Tim Kazurinsky, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, and Rob Paulsen. The featured player was Brian Doyle-Murray.
• The cast members for season eight were Kath Soucie, Mary Gross, Brad Hall, Tim Kazurinsky, Gary Kroeger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, and Joe Piscopo.
• The cast members for season nine were Jim Belushi, Kath Soucie, Mary Gross, Brad Hall, Tim Kazurinsky, Gary Kroeger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, and Joe Piscopo.
• The cast members for season ten were Jim Belushi, Billy Crystal, Mary Gross, Christopher Guest, Rich Hall, Gary Kroeger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Harry Shearer, Martin Short, and Pamela Stephenson.
• The cast members for season eleven were Joan Cusack. Robert Downey, Nora Dunn, Anthony Michael Hall, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Randy Quaid, Terry Sweeney, and Danitra Vance. The featured players were A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Don Novello, Dan Vitale, and Damon Wayans.
• The cast members for season twelve were Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, and Dennis Miller. The featured players were A. Whitney Brown, and Kevin Nealon.
• The cast members for season thirteen were Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, and Kevin Nealon. The featured player was A. Whitney Brown.
• The cast members for season fourteen were Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, and Kevin Nealon. The featured players were A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Mike Myers, and Ben Stiller.
• The cast members for season fifteen were Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Mike Myers, and Kevin Nealon. The featured players were A. Whitney Brown and Al Franken.
• The cast members for season sixteen were Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Dennis Miller, Mike Myers, and Kevin Nealon. This season also starred Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Chris Rock, and Julia Sweeney. The featured players were A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade
• The cast members for season seventeen were Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Victoria Jackson, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Chris Rock, and Julia Sweeney. This season also starred Ellen Cleghorne, Siobhan Fallon, Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade. The featured players were Beth Cahill, Al Franken, Melanie Hutsell, and Robert Smigel
• The cast members for season eighteen were Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, and Julia Sweeney. This season also starred Ellen Cleghorne, Melanie Hutsell, Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, and David Spade. The featured players were Al Franken, and Robert Smigel.
• The cast members for season nineteen were Ellen Cleghorne, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Melanie Hutsell, Michael McKean (mid-season hire), Tim Meadows, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Julia Sweeney. The featured players were Al Franken, Norm, Macdonald, Jay Mohr, and Sarah Silverman.
• The cast members for season twenty were Morwenna Banks (added in the last 4 episodes of the season), Ellen Cleghorne, Chris Elliott, Chris Farley, Janeane Garofalo, Norm Macdonald, Michael McKean, Mark McKinney (mid-season hire), Tim Meadows, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Adam Sandler, and David Spade. The featured players were Al Franken, Laura Kightlinger, Jay Mohr, and Molly Shannon.
• The cast members for season twenty-one were Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Darrell Hammond, David Koechner, Norm Macdonald, Mark McKinney, Tim Meadows, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, David Spade, and Nancy Walls. The featured players were Chris Kattan, Colin Quinn, and Fred Wolf (all of whom were hired mid-season).
• The cast members for season twenty-two were Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Norm Macdonald, Mark McKinney, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, and Molly Shannon. The featured players were Colin Quinn and Fred Wolf (Wolf was only credited for one episode).
• The cast members for season twenty-three were Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Norm Macdonald (who was infamously let go mid-season), Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, and Molly Shannon.
• The cast members for season twenty-four were Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, and Molly Shannon. The featured players were Jimmy Fallon, Chris Parnell, and Horatio Sanz.
• The cast members for season twenty-five were Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Chris Parnell, Colin Quinn, and Molly Shannon. The featured players were Rachel Dratch and Maya Rudolph (who was hired near the end of the season).
• The cast members for season twenty-six were Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell (who was initially fired at the end of the season), Molly Shannon (who left mid-season), and Horatio Sanz. The featured players were Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Jerry Minor, and Maya Rudolph.
• The cast members for season twenty-seven were Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell (who was hired back mid-season), Amy Poehler (who was hired as a new featured player/cast member, but was promoted mid-season), Maya Rudolph, and Horatio Sanz. The featured players were Dean Edwards, Seth Meyers, and Jeff Richards.
• The cast members for season twenty-eight were Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Horatio Sanz. The featured players were Fred Armisen, Dean Edwards, Will Forte, Seth Meyers, and Jeff Richards.
• The cast members for season twenty-nine were Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Chris Parnell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Horatio Sanz. The featured players were Fred Armisen, Finesse Mitchell, and Kenan Thompson.
• The cast members for season thirty were Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Chris Parnell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Horatio Sanz. The featured players were Finesse Mitchell, Jason Sudeikis (then a writer who was brought on near the end of the season), Rob Riggle, and Kenan Thompson.
• The cast members for season thirty-one were Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Finesse Mitchell, Chris Parnell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Horatio Sanz, and Kenan Thompson. The featured players were Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, and Kristen Wiig.
• The cast members for season thirty-two were Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, and Kristen Wiig.
• The cast members for season thirty-three were Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph (who left after the first few episode, due to the SGA Strike), Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, and Kristen Wiig. The featured player this season was Casey Wilson.
• The cast members for season thirty-four were Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler (who left mid-season due to pregnancy/Parks & Rec), Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, and Kristen Wiig. The featured players were Abby Elliott, Bobby Moynihan, Michaela Watkins, and Casey Wilson.
• The cast members for season thirty-five were Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, and Kristen Wiig. The featured players were Abby Elliott, Bobby Moynihan, Nasim Pedrad, and Jenny Slate.
• The cast members for season thirty-six were Fred Armisen, Abby Elliott, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, and Kristen Wiig. The featured players were Vanessa Bayer, Paul Brittain, Taran Killam, Nasim Pedrad, and Jay Pharoah.
• The cast members for season thirty-seven were Fred Armisen, Abby Elliott, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, Bobby Moynihan, Nasim Pedrad Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, and Kristen Wiig. The featured players were Vanessa Bayer, Paul Brittain (who was let go mid-season), Taran Killam, Kate McKinnon (who was hired within the last 5 episodes of the season), and Jay Pharoah.
• The cast members for season thirty-eight were Fred Armisen, Vanessa Bayer, Bill Hader, Taran Killam, Seth Meyers, Bobby Moynihan, Nasim Pedrad, Jay Pharoah, Jason Sudeikis, and Kenan Thompson. The featured players were Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, Tim Robinson, and Cecily Strong.
• The cast members for season thirty-nine were Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, Taran Killam, Kate McKinnon, Seth Meyers (who left mid-season in Feb. 2014 due to hosting Late Night), Bobby Moynihan, Nasim Pedrad, Jay Pharoah, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson. The featured players were Beck Bennett, Colin Jost (a writer hired mid-season), John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien, Noël Wells, Brooks Wheelan, and Sasheer Zamata (another mid-season hire).
• The cast members for season forty were Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, Taran Killam, Kate McKinnon, Bobby Moynihan, Jay Pharoah, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson. The featured players were Beck Bennett, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, and Sasheer Zamata.
• The cast members for season forty-one were Vanessa Bayer, Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Colin Jost, Taran Killam, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, Bobby Moynihan, Jay Pharoah, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and Sasheer Zamata. The featured players were Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones, and Jon Rudnitsky.
• The cast members for season forty-two were Vanessa Bayer, Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, Bobby Moynihan, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and Sasheer Zamata. The featured players were Mikey Day, Alex Moffat, and Melissa Villaseñor.
• The cast members for season forty-three were Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson. The featured players were Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Alex Moffat, Luke Null, Chris Redd, and Melissa Villaseñor.
• The cast members for season forty-four were Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Mikey Day, Leslie Jones, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and Melissa Villaseñor. The featured players were Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, and Chris Redd.
• The cast members for season forty-five were Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Chris Redd, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and Melissa Villaseñor. The featured players were Chloe Fineman, Ego Nwodim, and Bowen Yang.
• The cast members for season forty-six were Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim, Chris Redd, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and Melissa Villaseñor. The featured players were Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Lauren Holt, Punkie Johnson, and Bowen Yang.
• The cast members for season forty-seven were Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim, Chris Redd, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, Melissa Villaseñor, and Bowen Yang. The featured players were Aristotle Athari, Andrew Dismukes, James Austin Johnson, Punkie Johnson, and Sarah Sherman.
• The cast members for season forty-eight were Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, Cecily Strong (who left in December 2022), Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang. The featured players were Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, Sarah Sherman, and Devon Walker.
• The cast members for season forty-nine were Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, James Austin Johnson, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang. The featured players were Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, Chloe Troast, and Devon Walker.
• The cast members for season fifty are Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Michael Longfellow, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, Devon Walker, and Bowen Yang. The featured players are Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim, and Jane Wickline.

References

1. Encyclopedia of Television, ed. Horace Newcomb (New York; London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2004), p. 2008
2. Heritage Music and Entertainment Dallas Signature Auction Catalog #634 (Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2006), p. 194
3. "Saturday Night Live; NBC". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 24 May 2016.

Other websites

• Saturday Night Live on IMDb