Thursday, February 28, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #34: Performers You May Not Remember From SNL




Thirteen Performers You May Not Remember From SNL

Since it's debut in 1975, NBC's Saturday Night Live has seen scores of performers grace the stage of Studio 8H in the Rockefeller Plaza. Below are thirteen that you may have forgotten or did not know were once regulars on the show. Following their name is the time they were with the show.


1. Jim Belushi (1983-1985)











2. Billy Crystal (1984-1985)











3. Joan Cusack (1985-1986)












4. Robert Downey Jr. (1985-1986)












5. Janeane Garofalo (1994-1995)












6. Gilbert Gottfried (1980-1981)














7. Christopher Guest (1984-1985)
















8. Anthony Michael Hall (1985-1986)
















9. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (1982-1985)
















10. Randy Quaid (1985-1986)
















11. Martin Short (1984-1985)

















12. Sarah Silverman (1993-1994)
















13. Damon Wayans (1985-1986)















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39 comments:

Holly Smith said...

I used to be a really big fan of SNL, but I haven't watched it much in the past five years or so. I knew about many of these, but I did not know about: Joan Cusack - my favorite role of hers was in Arlington Road; Anthony Michael Hall?; or Randy Quaid. I also didn't realize that Martin Short was only on the show for such a short time. Great idea for this week!
www.mamapj.com

The Gal Herself said...

I always forget Joan Cusack! Or "Chicago's own Joan Cusack," as the local papers like to refer to her. Why no Charles Rocket?

PS Ha! I got to you first this week, too! I am on a roll!

pjazzypar said...

I knew about some of them, like Billy Crystal, Jim Belushi, and Damon Wayans. I watch SNL sporadically and have not been a big fan since Eddie Murphy days. Lately I would tune in if a musical guest I enjoy is going to be on the show. I did catch Maya Rudolph a couple of times. She is funny.

SandyCarlson said...

That's a trip back in time! Thanks!

Greatfullivin said...

You sure know your pop culture. I haven't watched SNL in twenty years. I did know most of these though. Have a fun TT!

ellen b. said...

I'm surprised I remember any of these. happy tt...

DrillerAA said...

Martin Short was great. It's too bad that some of these folks moved on so soon. Many of them have had great careers since the SNL days.

Dreamer said...

Wow. I don't watch SNL that much anymore, it's kind of went a little south. But, I didn't realize that these people were in it at one time! Wow! :) Thanks for stopping by.

SJ Reidhead said...

Pathetically I knew them all. Once upon a time I never missed it. I guess I've just managed to get old and grumpy!

SJR
The Pink Flamingo
http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com/blog

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

There were only a few I didn't remember. SNL sure used to be the launching ground for great talent. I miss that aspect of it.

JB Mall Enterprises said...

I used to love watching SNL back then - I remember all of them - I'm old!

Nicholas said...

I haven't watched SNL since the days of the Not Ready For Prime Time Players!

Sandee said...

Most yes and some no. Great idea for a Thursday Thirteen. Oh, I love She's Gone by Hall and Oats the best. Just saying. I voted anyway. Have a great TT. :)

Natalie said...

Numbers 4 & 13 shocked me a little bit. The show used to be so much better than it is today. At least in my opinion.

Unknown said...

wow - that was fun and had no idea all those pepl were on SNL. happy TT!

suchsimplepleasures said...

i did NOT know that anthony michael hall, randy quaid or robert downy jr were on snl!! but...on the up side...i knew the rest of them!!

SECRET AGENT MAMA said...

I used to be a big fan, too, but haven't seen it a lot lately, either. I do remember some of these, though!!

Melanie said...

I knew most of them except for 2 or 3 or them. Great choice of a topic!

Sarah said...

Wow, I know 12 of the 13 but wasn't aware that the majority of em were ever on SNL.

Lori said...

Wow, I had no idea they were all on SNL. Im a big Madd TV fan myself:) Happy TT.

Open Grove Claudia said...

It's funny. Sometimes the cast and the show really jells and other times? Not so much. I admire them for continuing to make it. I think it's hard to have so many creative "genius's".

Happy TT, Malcolm - well done as usual! :)

Malcolm said...

Holly: Arlington Road was a really good movie. It definitely wasn't a typical role for Joan Cusack.

The Gal Herself: "Chicago's own Joan Cusack"... that's pretty funny. I didn't include Charles Rocket because I don't think he is as famous as the 13 that made the list. Instead of people saying, "Wow, I didn't know Charles Rocket was on SNL", I think many would have said, "Who is Charles Rocket?"

Yeah, you go me first again this week... that's two in a row.

Pjazzy: Maya Rudolph was about the only one worth watching on SNL over the past few years. One of my favorite performances by her was when Janet Jackson was the guest host. They did a "Good Times" skit and Maya played Thelma. As Thelma, she ran into the bedroom crying and then came in the front door as Wilona!

Sandy: You're welcome

Greatfullivin: Thank you. Some would say by not tuning in over the past 20 years, you haven't missed much.

Ellen: Thanks for visiting

Drilleraa: My first exposure to Martin Short was when he was on the short-lived ABC comedy "The Associates". I wouldn't mind seeing that again.

Morgan: I don't know if Comedy Central ever shows the reruns from the mid 80s. It would be interesting to see people like Anthony Michael Hall and Joan Cusack when they were regulars.

SJ: Don't tell me you switched to watching reruns of "Matlock" and Murder, She Wrote"!

Susan: Because there are so many comedy outlets besides SNL (Mad TV, Comedy Central, etc.), I think the talent is spread a lot thinner these days.

JB: Well since you remembered them all, at least you still have your memory.

Nicholas: I know that it may be blasphemous to some, but I always felt that The Not Ready For Prime Time Players were overrated.

Sandee: Thanks! I am glad that you were able to find another song to vote for since "She's Gone" wasn't eligible.

Natalie: I read that Damon was sick of the way he was treated on the show. As a result, he camped up a straight character so that the producer would fire him... it worked.

Chuck: Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed it.

Such Simple Pleasures: I would love to see the episodes from the 1985-1986 season that feat. Hall, Downey, and Quaid among others.

Secret Agent Mama: About the only time I catch SNL these days is if there is a guest host or musical performer that interests me.

Melanie: Thank you. Until I looked it up today, I had forgotten that Sarah Silverman was once a regular.

Sarah: Surprising ain't it?

Lori: I prefer Mad TV to SNL myself. Two of my favorite performers on the show are Nicole Sullivan and Debra Wilson.

Malcolm said...

Open Grove C: I think that SNL is like "Meet the Press" and "60 Minutes", institutions that will probably run as long as there is TV.

Lex Valentine said...

Great list! I remember them all. And wow... Holly Smith liked Arlington Road. I stuffed envelopes for the premiere of that movie because the producer, Peter Samuelson, was one of the board members of the Starlight Children's Foundation where I worked at the time. I digress... LOL This was an awesome TT!

marcia@joyismygoal said...

they have graduated some very talented comics/actors

Sharon said...

I haven't watched SNL is years. (11:30 is not "late" since I have kids that don't sleep thru the night;)

I love most of these actors. Sarah Silverman really annoys me (did you see her on Monk?), but I love many of those actors.

Randy Quaid is looking pretty old in that picture. Is that recent?

Thanks for sharing. Have a good one!

Christa said...

I used to love SNL. My blog's address is from an SNL skit with Ben Affleck. They use the ridiculous Boston phrase "So don't I!" instaed of "Me too!"

Thea @ It's Me Vs. Me said...

You're right, I didn't remember any of them being on the show!

Nissa said...

I remembered all excpet Christopher Guest... hmm..

Happy T13!

Xakara said...

Anthony Michael Hall...I should have known that, there have been other references, but I wouldn't have guessed it for anything.

Great idea for a TT. I haven't watched SNL in ages, but I remember the good old days when I was really too young to be watching it but enjoyed it all the same.

Happy TT

~Xakara <-----Please use this link

Chelle Y. said...

It is pretty sad that I am old enough to remember all of them.

Natalie said...

Sorry my play list freaked you out. That made me laugh! LOL!

Beware if you check out Yo Gabba Gabba...it's a show for pre-schoolers that's made by a couple former members of the Aquabats. It's just weird.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why I forgot Christopher Guest, but the others I remember seeing. Ah, the days when SNL was funny and you'd talk about it the following Monday. I miss that.

Unknown said...

Remember everyone of them and their time frames on SNL, stil;l during the era that you had some classic performances. Now it is not as funny as it once was. Great TT. Mine is up, a retrospective look at the 1930s

AutoSysGene said...

I'm ashamed to say I don't know who a few of these people are...though I did watch during the 80's.

Happy TT!

Cynthia said...

Great list...I had no idea Sarah S. was on it...

Anonymous said...

I didn't watch SNL for several years. I might have missed the majority of the 80s and 90s, in fact. I didn't know Joan Cusak, Damon Wayons, Randy Quaid, or Gilbert Gottfried - ew! - were performers on the show.

But did I ever love Martin Short!

http://www.samaraleigh.blogspot.com

Michelle B said...

Great list! I had forgotten many of them. I should check out SNL again. Haven't seen it lately.

Michelle

http://lilikoi44.blogspot.com

Malcolm said...

Winter: Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed the list. I had forgotten all about "Arlington Road" until Holly mentioned it. Yet another movie that I need to see again.

Marcia: They sure have

Sharon: I don't watch "Monk" like I used to, but I did see the promo for her guest appearance. Yes, that is a recent pic of Randy. I just looked it up and found that he'll be 58 this year so he doesn't look too bad to me.

Sandy Feet: Thanks for the explanation regarding your blog address. I would have read it as "Sodonti" and thought it was some sort of obscure African dialect.

Thea: The only reason I remember Julia Louis-Dreyfus being on the show is because she was on the same time as Eddie Murphy.

Nissa: You sound like quite the SNL buff. Thanks for visiting.

Xakara: I am just finding it hard to picture Anthony Michael Hall on SNL. I might have even seen him on there, but it's still hard.

Chelle: Look at it this way, you have a helluva memory, lol.

Natalie: Thanks for the warning about "Yo Gabba Gabba". I looked it up on Wikipedia and found that one of the creators is Christian Jacobs (aka The MC Bat Commander). As a kid, he played Mike and Gloria's son Joey on the spinoff "Gloria".

Michael T: I too remember talking about it in school the following Monday during the Eddie Murphy era.

Mama Bear: I think the show is waiting for the next big talent ala Phil Hartman, Eddie Murphy, etc. to get them out of the slump. Maya Rudolph was pretty good, but she hasn't rejoined the show since the writers' strike ended.

Melissa: Are you hanging your head in shame? If so, it's OK to raise it, lol. Thanks for swinging by.

Nap Warden: I had forgotten about Sarah Silverman too until I looked it up.

Samara: Thanks for stopping by. Your reaction to Gilbert Gottfried cracked me up.

Michelle B: Some cynics would say you haven't missed much by not checking out SNL lately. I appreciate you visiting.

 
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