Saturday Night Live cast Cast members from the second season of Saturday Night Live (1976), also known as the Not Ready for Prime Time Players: (from left) Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, John Belushi, Laraine Newman, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and Bill Murray. Murray replaced original cast member Chevy Chase. (more) SNL cast members Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/SNL-cast-members Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Written by Will Gosner Will Gosner is an associate editor covering general interest topics, including film, television, and sports. He has a B.A. from the University of Chicago. He joined Britannica in 2014. Will Gosner Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep. 29, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who holds the record for being the longest-tenured cast member on SNL? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Kenan Thompson holds the record for the longest-tenured Saturday Night Live cast member with 22 seasons and counting. He joined the show in 2003." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who was the youngest SNL cast member? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The youngest cast member in the history of SNL was Anthony Michael Hall, who joined the show in 1985 when he was 17 and stayed for one season. Hall was already famous at the time for starring in several John Hughes films, including Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985). He was a member of the Brat Pack, a group of actors who starred alongside one another in several coming-of-age films throughout the 1980s. (Find out more in 12 Essential Brat Pack Flicks.)" } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who were the Bad Boys of SNL in the 1990s? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Bad Boys of SNL included Chris Rock, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Norm Macdonald, Rob Schneider, and Chris Farley. Except for Farley, who had a sketch comedy background, the Bad Boys had trained primarily as stand-up comedians. They influenced the show through their wry, never-taking-anything-too-seriously sensibility." } } ] } Top Questions Who holds the record for being the longest-tenured cast member on SNL? Kenan Thompson holds the record for the longest-tenured Saturday Night Live cast member with 22 seasons and counting. He joined the show in 2003.

　　Who was the youngest SNL cast member? The youngest cast member in the history of SNL was Anthony Michael Hall, who joined the show in 1985 when he was 17 and stayed for one season. Hall was already famous at the time for starring in several John Hughes films, including Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985). He was a member of the Brat Pack, a group of actors who starred alongside one another in several coming-of-age films throughout the 1980s. (Find out more in 12 Essential Brat Pack Flicks.)

　　Who were the Bad Boys of SNL in the 1990s? The Bad Boys of SNL included Chris Rock, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Norm Macdonald, Rob Schneider, and Chris Farley. Except for Farley, who had a sketch comedy background, the Bad Boys had trained primarily as stand-up comedians. They influenced the show through their wry, never-taking-anything-too-seriously sensibility.

　　Since its debut in 1975, the beloved sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) has managed to weather its many ups and downs by constantly evolving. One of the sources of this renewal is the steady churn of the show’s cast. After nearly every season, familiar faces are let go and new comedians are brought in. Some cast members stay for many years—the record holder is Kenan Thompson with 22 seasons and counting—while others flame out and are dismissed after one season. A major source of continuity through all this change is Lorne Michaels, the show’s cocreator and, excepting a ...(100 of 1071 words)

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