Skip to content

Top Navigation

EW.com EW.com
    • All TV
    • TV Reviews
    • TV Reunions
    • Recaps
    • What to Watch
    • Winter TV
    • Comedy
    • Crime
    • Drama
    • Family
    • Horror
    • Reality
    • Sci-fi
    • Thriller
    • All Movies
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trailers
    • Film Festivals
    • Movie Reunions
    • Movie Previews
    • All Music
    • Music Reviews
    • All What to Watch
    • What to Watch Podcast Episodes
    • TV Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • All BINGE
    • EW's Binge Podcast Episodes
    • Recaps
    • Survivor
    • This is Us
    • RuPaul's Drag Race
    • Stranger Things
    • The Boys
    • The Blacklist
    • The Walking Dead
    • Better Call Saul
    • All The Awardist
    • The Awardist Podcast Episodes
    • Oscars
    • Emmys
    • Golden Globes
    • SAG Awards
    • Grammys
    • Tony Awards
    • All Books
    • Book Reviews
    • Author Interviews
    • All Theater
    • Theater Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Gaming
    • All Events
    • Comic-Con
  • Celebrity
  • Streaming

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe

Explore EW.com

EW.com EW.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The 10 best songs of 2022

      The 10 best songs of 2022

      From disco-trap to deconstructed techno to Dolly-style country, we rank our favorite tracks this year. Read More
    • The 10 best movies of 2022 (and 5 worst)

      The 10 best movies of 2022 (and 5 worst)

      Let there be Mavericks, Bollywood magic, and a Cate Blanchett maestro on the loose. Read More
    • The true story of the g-strings and murders behind Welcome to Chippendales

      The true story of the g-strings and murders behind Welcome to Chippendales

      A look back at the crazy true story of Chippendales founder Somen "Steve" Banerjee and the murder and murder-for-hire plots at the center of the Hulu series. Read More
  • TV

    TV

    See All TV
    • TV Reviews
    • TV Reunions
    • Recaps
    • What to Watch
    • Winter TV
    • Comedy
    • Crime
    • Drama
    • Family
    • Horror
    • Reality
    • Sci-fi
    • Thriller
  • Movies

    Movies

    See All Movies
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trailers
    • Film Festivals
    • Movie Reunions
    • Movie Previews
  • Music

    Music

    See All Music
    • Music Reviews
  • What to Watch

    What to Watch

    See All What to Watch
    • What to Watch Podcast Episodes
    • TV Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
  • BINGE

    BINGE

    See All BINGE
    • EW's Binge Podcast Episodes
    • Recaps
    • Survivor
    • This is Us
    • RuPaul's Drag Race
    • Stranger Things
    • The Boys
    • The Blacklist
    • The Walking Dead
    • Better Call Saul
  • The Awardist

    The Awardist

    See All The Awardist
    • The Awardist Podcast Episodes
    • Oscars
    • Emmys
    • Golden Globes
    • SAG Awards
    • Grammys
    • Tony Awards
  • Books

    Books

    See All Books
    • Book Reviews
    • Author Interviews
  • Theater

    Theater

    See All Theater
    • Theater Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Gaming
  • Events

    Events

    See All Events
    • Comic-Con
  • Celebrity
  • Streaming

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Gallery
  3. 'SNL': Ranking Alums' Success

'SNL': Ranking Alums' Success

Tina Fey returns for season opener -- see where she lands on our list

By EW Staff September 28, 2013 at 05:00 PM EDT
Skip gallery slides
FB

1 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

20. Harry Shearer (1979-80, 1984-85)

Harry Shearer | Fun fact: Shearer had not one but two stints as a repertory player on Saturday Night Live , both of them terrifically unhappy. (When ShearerÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Fun fact: Shearer had not one but two stints as a repertory player on Saturday Night Live, both of them terrifically unhappy. (When Shearer left the show for a second time, then-Executive Producer Dick Ebersol blamed creative differences; upon hearing that excuse, Shearer reportedly quipped, ''Yeah, I was creative and they were different.'') Thankfully, Shearer soon found a better outlet for his talents: The Simpsons, where he's been voicing iconic characters like Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders for the past 24 years. He may not have the name recognition of some big SNL alumni — but those ridiculously lucrative residuals are pretty eeeexcellent. — Hillary Busis

1 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

19. Martin Short (1984-85)

Martin Short | Unlike most new SNL recruits, SCTV alum Short was already a well-known sketch comedian before he joined the show's cast in 1984. (In an attemptÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Unlike most new SNL recruits, SCTV alum Short was already a well-known sketch comedian before he joined the show's cast in 1984. (In an attempt to save the floundering series, Ebersol intentionally populated SNL with ringers that year.) After winning hearts with characters like Jackie Rogers Jr. and Ed Grimley, Short brought his manic schtick to films including Three Amigos and Father of the Bride, Comedy Central's critically acclaimed Primetime Glick, and countless roles on screens big and small. Short has also found a third home on the Broadway stage, earning a Tony award for the 1999 revival of Little Me. At this point, he's more beloved character actor than leading man...but somehow, we sense that's just fine by Short. — Hillary Busis

2 of 20

3 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

18. Chris Farley (1990-95)

Chris Farley | Farley used SNL as a launching pad, starting with small parts in films like Wayne's World and moving on to starring roles in Tommy BoyÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Farley used SNL as a launching pad, starting with small parts in films like Wayne's World and moving on to starring roles in Tommy Boy and Black Sheep. By the time Beverly Hills Ninja hit theaters, Farley was a bona fide comedic star. But despite his success on screen, Farley struggled with his weight and drug abuse — eventually succumbing to an accidental overdose in 1997, just two months after his final guest appearance on SNL. Surely if his life hadn't been cut short, he'd have moved on to bigger and better things — like the title part in DreamWorks's Shrek, which Farley had partially recorded before his untimely death. —Shirley Li

3 of 20

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

17. Amy Poehler (2001-08)

Amy Poehler | Fans were devastated when Poehler — who portrayed everyone from Hillary Clinton to Project Runway winner Christian Siriano on the show — left SNL inÂ…
Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC

Fans were devastated when Poehler — who portrayed everyone from Hillary Clinton to Project Runway winner Christian Siriano on the show — left SNL in 2009. But they must be pleased with the way things have worked out since: Though Poehler hasn't yet found much big-screen success, she's won multiple Emmy nominations for her starring role on Parks and Recreation. Poehler's crack timing and improv skills have also made her a favorite at awards shows, eventually leading to a well-received Golden Globes hosting gig in 2013 alongside fellow SNL alumna Tina Fey. Fingers crossed that the gals turn in a repeat performance next year. —Erin Strecker

4 of 20

Advertisement

5 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

16. Phil Hartman (1986-94)

Phil Hartman | On SNL , Hartman was a virtuosic performer equally adept at impressions (Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton) and indelible original characters (Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer). He alsoÂ…
Credit: Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

On SNL, Hartman was a virtuosic performer equally adept at impressions (Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton) and indelible original characters (Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer). He also found time to voice classic Simpsons characters like Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure while still a member of the sketch show's cast. Five years after sharing the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program with the rest of the SNL team, he seemed set for a decades-long career when he departed the show. Hartman soon booked a steady stream of film and TV roles, eventually landing a regular gig as endearingly arrogant news anchor Bill McNeal on the critically embraced sitcom News Radio. Unfortunately, Hartman's story ends prematurely: in 1998, his wife murdered him before committing suicide. He was nominated for a posthumous Emmy that same year, a testament to what he could (and should) have achieved given the chance. —Lanford Beard

5 of 20

6 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

15. Chevy Chase (1975-76)

Chevy Chase | Chase was SNL 's first big star, but his decision to leave for Hollywood after one season rubbed some the wrong way. After a fewÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Chase was SNL's first big star, but his decision to leave for Hollywood after one season rubbed some the wrong way. After a few missteps, he found his stride in the 1980s with hit comedies like Caddyshack, four National Lampoon's Vacation movies, and Fletch; he even co-hosted the Oscars in 1987 and '88. His luck ran out when his poorly conceived late-night talk-show was notoriously canceled after five weeks, but after two decades as a comic punchline, he returned to relevance with a supporting role on Community — which, for better and worse, proved once again that he's Chevy Chase and you're not. —Jeff Labrecque

6 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

14. Christopher Guest (1984-85)

Christopher Guest | The modern mockumentary movement owes a lot to Saturday Night Live . Guest co-wrote and co-starred in This Is Spinal Tap prior to joining theÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The modern mockumentary movement owes a lot to Saturday Night Live. Guest co-wrote and co-starred in This Is Spinal Tap prior to joining the show for a special yearlong engagement — then began experimenting with film direction after arriving on SNL's set. (His documentary-style ''Synchronized Swimming'' sketch plays like a primordial Digital Short.) Years later, Guest would become the nascent mock-doc genre's standard-bearer, thanks to films like Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. Oh, and as if that weren't notable enough: The guy has also been married to Jamie Lee Curtis since his SNL days and came into a British baronage in 1996. If that's not success, we're not sure what is. —Hillary Busis

7 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

13. Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon | Famous for his pre-punchline giggle fits, Fallon is still laughing — all the way to the bank. Initially, Fallon's future in Hollywood looked bleak; filmsÂ…
Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Famous for his pre-punchline giggle fits, Fallon is still laughing — all the way to the bank. Initially, Fallon's future in Hollywood looked bleak; films like Taxi and Fever Pitch failed to hit commercially or critically. But starting in 2009, Fallon found his niche: That's when he began hosting Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and crafting some of the viral age's best and most-shared clips. And even though his stab at producing was a bust — remember NBC's Guys With Kids? — Fallon will truly get the last laugh next winter: He's currently preparing to take the Tonight Show reins from Jay Leno. (Hopefully Fallon has a smoother transition than that other former SNL writer's....) —Jennifer Arellano

8 of 20

Advertisement

9 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

12. Mike Myers (1989-95)

Mike Myers | In this post- Love Guru age, it's tough to remember how wild America once was for this goofy Canadian. Chances are, though, that you stillÂ…
Credit: Al Levine/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

In this post-Love Guru age, it's tough to remember how wild America once was for this goofy Canadian. Chances are, though, that you still find yourself quoting Wayne's World's Wayne Campbell, Austin Powers, or Dr. Evil more often than you'd like to admit. And while Myers hasn't had a live-action hit since 2002's Goldmember — unless you count his bit part in Inglourious Basterds — a steady supply of Shrek films mean that, monetarily, he's doing just fine. (The paychecks definitely exceed one meeeeellion dollars.) —Hillary Busis

9 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

11. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (1982-85)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus | What Seinfeld curse? Initially, the actress may have struggled to find a lasting role after going from being SNL 'S youngest cast member to playingÂ…
Credit: Fred Hermansky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

What Seinfeld curse? Initially, the actress may have struggled to find a lasting role after going from being SNL'S youngest cast member to playing Elaine Benes on the long-running comedy — but after wrapping up a solid run on CBS's The New Adventures of Old Christine, Louis-Dreyfus found her way to HBO's critically acclaimed Veep. She's since nabbed two consecutive Emmys for her performance as Vice President Selina Meyer, giving her four Outstanding Lead Actress statuettes in total — a number matched only by Lucille Ball. Louis-Dreyfus doubles as the most-nominated comic actress in Emmy history. That's enough to make anybody feel like dancing. —Shirley Li

10 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

10. John Belushi (1975-79)

John Belushi | Belushi was a comic marvel revered by all his peers, and his performance in 1978's Animal House — filmed while he was still on theÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Belushi was a comic marvel revered by all his peers, and his performance in 1978's Animal House — filmed while he was still on the show — helped pave the path to Hollywood for subsequent SNL stars. The Blues Brothers were the first of the series' characters to be handed their own movie vehicle, and Belushi's iconic performance as Jake immortalized a career that was tragically cut short when the comic died of a drug overdose in 1982. Even so, his legacy looms large enough to compensate for his abbreviated time in the spotlight; no list of SNL successes would feel complete without Belushi near the top. —Jeff Labrecque

11 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

9. Dan Aykroyd (1975-79)

Dan Aykroyd | True, Aykroyd often played second fiddle to his SNL brethren on the big screen — to Belushi in The Blues Brothers , to Murphy inÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

True, Aykroyd often played second fiddle to his SNL brethren on the big screen — to Belushi in The Blues Brothers, to Murphy in Trading Places, to Murray in Ghostbusters, to Chase in Spies Like Us. But he also co-wrote many of his box-office hits — and even as he resurrected the Blues Brothers and the Coneheads for new movies, he also successfully transitioned to drama, becoming the second SNL alum to earn an Oscar acting nomination for his 1989 supporting turn in Driving Miss Daisy. Outside the entertainment industry, Aykroyd is also a successful beverage entrepreneur, raking in untold fortunes as the co-owner of Crystal Head vodka (the Rolling Stones' official spirit) and the company that distributes Patrón tequila in his native Canada. —Jeff Labrecque

12 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

13 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

8. Tina Fey (1997-2006, writing staff; 2000-06, full cast member)

Tina Fey | SNL 's most successful alumna (as well as its first female head writer) has had no shortage of material since her 2006 exit. After writingÂ…
Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

SNL's most successful alumna (as well as its first female head writer) has had no shortage of material since her 2006 exit. After writing and co-starring in 2004's eminently quotable Mean Girls while still at SNL, Fey garnered multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her ripped-from-real-life sitcom 30 Rock, wrote the bestseller Bossypants, nailed a 2013 Golden Globes co-hosting gig with gal pal Amy Poehler, and most recently sold two comedy pilots in a single week. Yeah, Tina's not going anywhere. —Jennifer Arellano

13 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

14 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

7. Chris Rock (1990-93)

Chris Rock | After bidding farewell to late-night TV, Rock returned to his first love: stand-up comedy. Twenty years and four Emmys later — for his specials BringÂ…
Credit: Alan Singer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

After bidding farewell to late-night TV, Rock returned to his first love: stand-up comedy. Twenty years and four Emmys later — for his specials Bring the Pain (1996) and Kill the Messenger (2008), as well as his 1997-2000 talk show The Chris Rock Show — he's established himself as a solo force to be reckoned with. (In 2004, EW even named him the funniest person in America.) Though Rock's film vehicles (Head of State, I Think I Love My Wife) and award show gigs (namely, the 2005 Oscars) have been met with mixed reviews, he remains unparalleled in the stand-up community. On top of that, Rock's success as a producer (including the semi-biographical Everybody Hates Chris and the 2009 documentary Good Hair), plus a well-received 2011 run in Broadway's The Motherf---er With the Hat, prove he's good for much more than laughs. —Andrew Asare

14 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

15 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

6. Will Ferrell (1995-2002)

Will Ferrell | Ferrell — who appeared in films such as Zoolander and A Night at the Roxbury during his tenure at SNL — found his movie careerÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Ferrell — who appeared in films such as Zoolander and A Night at the Roxbury during his tenure at SNL — found his movie career taking off soon after the release of Old School in 2003. Starring roles in films he co-wrote, including Anchorman and Talladega Nights — as well as the new Christmas classic Elf — followed. In the mid-aughts, Ferrell also tried his hand at drama, winning critical praise for his performance in Stranger than Fiction. And, while more recent films have met with less success (Land of the Lost, anybody?), Ferrell also branched out in 2007 by co-founding the comedy website Funny or Die — a reliable font of viral videos that regularly nabs appearances from big names like Ryan Gosling and Jerry Seinfeld. Creating classic film roles is good; creating your own comedy empire is better. —Erin Strecker

15 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

16 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

5. Billy Crystal (1984-85)

Billy Crystal | Like Short, Guest, and Shearer, Crystal was fairly famous prior to joining the show's cast: He had already starred on Soap , helmed a short-livedÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Like Short, Guest, and Shearer, Crystal was fairly famous prior to joining the show's cast: He had already starred on Soap, helmed a short-lived NBC variety hour, and even hosted Saturday Night Live itself. Still, Crystal wasn't a household name until his brief run on the sketch show. And after that run ended, roles in films like When Harry Met Sally? and City Slickers turned him into a bona fide movie star. But though he's found success on the big screen and in various avenues including theater, voice acting, and even professional baseball, Crystal will always be remembered best as a consummate Academy Awards host. With nine stints under his belt, he's emceed the show more times than anyone but Bob Hope. —Hillary Busis

16 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

17 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

4. Robert Downey Jr. (1985-86)

Robert Downey Jr. | Undoubtedly SNL 's most successful one-and-done cast member, Downey's been through his share of highs (an Oscar nomination for Chaplin ) and near-career-ruining lows (stintsÂ…
Credit: Alan Singer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Undoubtedly SNL's most successful one-and-done cast member, Downey's been through his share of highs (an Oscar nomination for Chaplin) and near-career-ruining lows (stints in rehab for drug abuse). But thanks to a little movie called Iron Man — perhaps you've heard of it? — the actor pulled off a soaring comeback, assembling three more big screen appearances as genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist-turned-Avenger Tony Stark. He's also played Sherlock Holmes in the Guy Ritchie-directed franchise and won an Oscar nomination for his supporting turn in Tropic Thunder. Safe to say Downey's back on the A-List...not to mention $50 million richer thanks to The Avengers. And, oh yeah: He can fly. —Shirley Li

17 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

18 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

3. Adam Sandler (1991-95)

Adam Sandler | Say what you will about the quality of his movies, but numbers don't lie. When adjusted for inflation, Sandler's films have earned over $3 billionÂ…
Credit: Raymond Bonar/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Say what you will about the quality of his movies, but numbers don't lie. When adjusted for inflation, Sandler's films have earned over $3 billion at the box office. That's right: billion. (Box Office Mojo places him among the top 30 earners in Hollywood.) Most of those flicks are the products of Sandler's own Happy Madison Productions, the laugh factory also responsible for hits like Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Maybe critics savage his every new release; maybe he hasn't made a solid dramatic film since 2002's Punch-Drunk Love. But how long can you cry when you're wiping away your tears with $100 bills? —Hillary Busis

18 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

19 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

2. Bill Murray (1977-80)

Bill Murray | Perhaps no SNL alum has balanced commercial and critical success like Murray, who used the show as a springboard for staring roles in Caddyshack ,Â…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Perhaps no SNL alum has balanced commercial and critical success like Murray, who used the show as a springboard for staring roles in Caddyshack, Stripes, and Ghostbusters — a trio of 1980s comedies that solidified the irreverent comic persona he'd established in Meatballs. But, even then, Murray demonstrated a willingness to be daring in movies like Tootsie and The Razor's Edge. After 20 years of classic Murray roles, typified by 1993's Groundhog Day, a new generation of filmmakers adopted him as their muse in heralded films like Rushmore and Lost in Translation, which won him a Golden Globe. Over the past decade or so, Murray has also become famous for his off-screen quirks: doing dishes at a random house party in Scotland, tending bar at an Austin watering hole, and crashing a kickball game in Brooklyn. As a comedic force, he has few equals; as a living legend, he has none. —Jeff Labrecque

19 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

20 of 20

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

1. Eddie Murphy (1980-84)

Eddie Murphy | Murphy was a movie star and a TV star simultaneously, thanks to 48 HRS. and Trading Places . But his first post- SNL movie, 1984'sÂ…
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Murphy was a movie star and a TV star simultaneously, thanks to 48 HRS. and Trading Places. But his first post-SNL movie, 1984's Beverly Hills Cop, truly rocketed him into the Hollywood elite. Murphy's 1987 stand-up movie Raw is still the biggest live-concert film of all time, and after huge hits (Coming to America) and misses (Vampire in Brooklyn) he settled into lucrative family comedies like The Nutty Professor and Shrek. Then, just when everyone thought he couldn't surprise us anymore, he earned an Oscar nomination (and a Golden Globe award) for his role in Dreamgirls. Sure, he's had some flops since then (Meet Dave, Imagine That, A Thousand Words), but even the Norbit Effect can't sink Murphy's sterling legacy. —Jeff Labrecque

20 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By EW Staff

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 20 20. Harry Shearer (1979-80, 1984-85)
    2 of 20 19. Martin Short (1984-85)
    3 of 20 18. Chris Farley (1990-95)
    4 of 20 17. Amy Poehler (2001-08)
    5 of 20 16. Phil Hartman (1986-94)
    6 of 20 15. Chevy Chase (1975-76)
    7 of 20 14. Christopher Guest (1984-85)
    8 of 20 13. Jimmy Fallon
    9 of 20 12. Mike Myers (1989-95)
    10 of 20 11. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (1982-85)
    11 of 20 10. John Belushi (1975-79)
    12 of 20 9. Dan Aykroyd (1975-79)
    13 of 20 8. Tina Fey (1997-2006, writing staff; 2000-06, full cast member)
    14 of 20 7. Chris Rock (1990-93)
    15 of 20 6. Will Ferrell (1995-2002)
    16 of 20 5. Billy Crystal (1984-85)
    17 of 20 4. Robert Downey Jr. (1985-86)
    18 of 20 3. Adam Sandler (1991-95)
    19 of 20 2. Bill Murray (1977-80)
    20 of 20 1. Eddie Murphy (1980-84)

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message
    EW.com

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Meredith© Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright EW.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://ew.com

    View image

    'SNL': Ranking Alums' Success
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.