Top 10 Successful SNL Alumni
These once small screen thespians have earned big time success and continue to provide us with everlasting laughs. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Successful Saturday Night Live Alumni. For this list, we're focusing on "SNL" alums that have experienced continued success, both commercial and critical, upon leaving NBC,s sketch comedy series. We have excluded performers who appeared in only one season of the show.
Special thanks to our users Rey Henry and Kurtsymon Cruz for submitting the idea on our Interactive Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
Top 10 Successful SNL Alumni
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These once small screen thespians have earned big time success and continue to provide us with everlasting laughs. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Successful Saturday Night Live Alumni. For this list, we’re focusing on “SNL” alums that have experienced continued success, both commercial and critical, upon leaving NBC’s sketch comedy series. We have excluded performers who appeared in only one season of the show.
#10: Andy Samberg
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We know what you’re thinking: it must be the hair and his command of his unique brand of comedy. But you’re wrong: it’s just the hair. All joking aside, Andy Samberg has put together quite the post-SNL career by starring in FOX’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” for which he took home a shiny piece of hardware known as a Golden Globe Award. Sure, trophies aren’t everything, but they do help your career, and given Samberg’s thrilling performance in HBO’s “7 Days in Hell,” it appears that he’s ready to take over “Like a Boss.”
#9: Dan Aykroyd
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Millennials know him as the guy from the 2014 Melissa McCarthy comedy “Tammy,” but some of you older Mojoholics know him as one of the original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players.” Dan Aykroyd was a Blues Brother and Eddie Murphy’s brother from another mother; he was a Ghostbuster and played one annoying mother (bleep-er) in “The Great Outdoors.” As a writer and as an actor, Dan Aykroyd has kept us laughin’ for decades.
#8: Amy Poehler
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From 2004 to 2008, she rightfully earned her spot as one of SNL’s most hilarious Weekend Update co-anchors, and now she’s got network comedy on lockdown. We said “Lock…DOWN.” Parks and Rec. Broad City. Any time Amy Poehler signs on the dotted line, it’s the equivalent of comedy gold. She’s like a magical golden ticket for TV executives and we’re all winners every time she appears on TV. But not only does Poehler light up the screen, she’s also an executive herself, which means that she can make you a star or send you packin’. Maybe both. Regardless, she’ll make you laugh in the process.
#7: Chris Rock
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It’s been said that “all things must pass,” and for the love of God, let’s all be thankful that this former SNL star managed to salvage his career after 1993’s “CB4.” Chris Rock has starred in dozens of movies in the 2000s, and we wouldn’t be surprised if his stand-up specials sent people to the hospital for excessive laughter. In other words, this guy kills it, and in 2015, Rock not only wrote and directed the film “Top Five,” but also earned a Critics’ Choice nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy. He’s an inspiration for many, but unfortunately few will ever be able to match the career accomplishments of Mr. Rock.
#6: Mike Myers
Wayne’s World. Austin Powers. SHREK. Mike Myers was born a Canadian, but he’s actually made of American dollar bills. Even if you never saw one second of his legendary run on “Saturday Night Live,” you undoubtedly know him from one of the many strange characters he’s played on the big screen. And that’s the brilliance of Mike Myers. He’s simply a magnificent bastard, and he even played one in the 2009 Quentin Tarantino classic “Inglourious Basterds.” Show us one unsuccessful Mike Myers films, Mojoholics, and we’ll show you a monkey flying out of your butt. Actually, let’s not do that... since, you know… “The Love Guru”…
#5: Adam Sandler
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Here’s a man known for his intellectually stimulating movie characters. Ok, not really, but Adam Sandler IS known for making people filthy rich, including himself. With a remarkable ability to combine drama with toilet humor, Sandler has become one of the more bankable movie stars of the past couple of decades, and his production company “Happy Madison” is responsible for box office hits like “Mr. Deeds, “Anger Management” and “Grown Ups.” Of course, it’s also responsible for a few turds, but hey, that’s Hollywood. You gotta take risks, and Sandler’s not afraid to roll the dice.
#4: Tina Fey She’s smart…SEXY…and quite possibly one of the funniest people alive. Her impressions will make you shoot accidental snot rockets, and her comedy writing is both timely and edgy. For years, she served as the head writer and Weekend Update co-anchor at “Saturday Night Live” before taking on “30 Rock,” and now she’s ventured into the executive side of the industry with “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Tina Fey is always one step ahead of the game, and it’s her progressive thinking that makes her one of comedy’s elite.
#3: Eddie Murphy
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For 35 years, TV and movie executives have allowed Eddie Murphy to be Eddie Murphy. Why? Well, because he’s arguably the funniest man to ever live. “Saturday Night Live” made him a star, but given his natural gift for comedy, it was only a matter of time until Murphy became a box office sensation. Let’s say this: it’s impossible to binge on his ‘80s hits in one day, and he was actually nominated for three Golden Globes by 1984. A Grammy Award. An Oscar nomination. SHREK. You did all right, kid.
#2: Will Ferrell
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Maybe they should starting calling him Big Daddy Ferrell because his name is synonymous with big money. And it seems Will doesn’t really give a rat’s ass about superficial things like awards. Well, perhaps he actually does care deeply about them, but given his ridiculous characters, it’s safe to say that Will Ferrell likes to improvise and make us laugh. He’s a comic’s comic, he’s always in character and he’s always up for a nude role. That takes commitment, and it also takes balls – pun intended. As a result, Hollywood keeps knocking on Papa Burgundy’s door, and we keep buying tickets. This man is a true artist. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. - Kristen Wiig - Jimmy Fallon - Chevy Chase - Chris Farley - Bill Hader
#1: Bill Murray
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During the closing years of the ‘70s, this comic appeared in 70 episodes of “Saturday Night Live,” and today, he’s one of the most acclaimed actors of his time. Here’s the thing about Bill Murray: he’s never gone away. Sure, a few years may pass without a new movie, but he always returns, and on his own terms. Fifteen years before his first collaboration with Wes Anderson, Murray was already a massive movie star, and his oddball style of humor made him a perfect fit as the elder statesman of modern indie films. He’s been successful for decades, but he’s managed to stay relevant as well. A true original. Do you agree with our list? Who is your favorite successful SNL alum? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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