1995-2000
 

 

Jim Breuer
Jim Breuer was a cast member for 3 seasons on SNL. His gig brought about some new and funny characters like Don Wong, Gunner Olsen, and Goat Boy. He has done impressions of Joe Pesci, Sean Penn, and Terry Nichols. Still being rumored, although it was apparent that Jim was fired in summer 1998 after saying something bad to a network executive. Since then, he's traveled the country and done standup.

Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell was an on-air performer for 7 seasons on SNL. Although when he joined in 1995, he was awarded by the press as "most annoying new cast member." Today, he is known as one of the greatest performers ever on the show. Through his tenure, he created characters Marty Culp, Frank Henderson and "Get off the shed!" Roger Klarvin from "The Luvahs," Tom Wilkins, Craig Buchanan from the "Spartan Cheerleaders," and Steve Butabi of The Roxbury Guys, which was made into a movie in 1998. With over 60 impressions under his belt including George W. Bush, Fred Schneider, Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Carrey, Kenneth Starr, Ted Kaczynski, Kevin Bacon, Neil Diamond, Gene Frenkle from Blue Oyster Cult, Janet Reno, James Lipton, Hugh Hefner, Dan Fouts from Monday Night Football, Bob Guccione, and Willie Nelson. His true role was a wacky and zany sketch player, and in his last few seasons, used in almost every sketch. During his time on the show and after, he has starred and supported in several movies. In his farewell tribute, Horatio Sanz summed it up well by saying, "There will never be another Will Ferrell; there may be a lot of imitations, but no one like him."

David Koechner
David Koechner was a cast member for 1 season on SNL, from 1995-1996. Although not really known why he was fired, largely due to his hilarity in his only season, he created characters like Gary MacDonald, Fagan Callow, and Gerald Tibbins. Impressions include Charlie Sheen, Pat Buchanan, and Mike Ditka. After he was fired, he has gone around the country to do standup.

Cheri Oteri
Cheri was a player from 1995-2000, and was deemed the best female member since Gilda Radner. Cheri's outrageous work on the show proved this, with a mix of characters like Arianna, Mickey the Dyke, Laura Zimmerman, Collette Reardon, Rita DelVecchio, and Cass Van Rye. Impressions include Barbara Walters, Fran Drescher, Mary Bono, Kathie Lee Gifford, Jennifer Lopez, Robin Bird, Yoko Ono, and Judge Judy Scheindlin. Cheri left the show in the spring of 2000 to pursue a film career, as well as a TV career.

Molly Shannon
Molly joined SNL in February 1995 as a featured player and survived the summer cast changes to come back in the fall as a full time player. Characters include Mary Katherine Gallagher, which was made into a movie in 1999, Sally O'Maley, Terry Rialto, Helen Madden, and Miss Colleen from "Dog Show." Impressions of hers range from Anna Nicole Smith, to Monica Lewinsky, to Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, Courtney Love, Denise Rich, Meredith Viera, and Janis Joplin. Since her departure in February 2001, she's gone to cameo in several sitcom and star in several movies.

Nancy Walls
Nancy was a one year member of SNL, from 1995-1996. During her time she created characters Gali Lafferty and impressions of Diane Sawyer, Judy Woodruff, Sharon Stone, and Martha Stewart. After she was released, she moved to Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" as a correspondent. 

Colin Quinn
Colin was an SNL funnyman for 5 years. After an on and off featured player for 2 seasons, he was promoted to cast member status in fall 1997. Characters he created include Joe Blow, Gene the ex-con, and Lenny the Lion, with impressions of Leon Panetta and Robert DeNiro. After Norm was fired from the show, he took over Weekend Update on January 10, 1998, and was the anchorman for the next 2 ½ seasons, and then left to pursue a film and TV career. He also had a talk show on NBC, "The Colin Quinn Show," which featured a monologue, a roundtable panel, commercial parodies, and topical sketches.