Over the past 50 years, Saturday Night Live has given the world some of the funniest, most memorable, and most legendary characters in the history of television. These recurring characters have become staples of the popular sketch comedy show as well as American pop culture as a whole.
As we continue to celebrate the legacy of the long-running series that has launched the careers of countless comedians over the past half-century, let’s look back at 32 of the funniest recurring characters on Saturday Night Live.
Matt Foley
Chris Farley had a ton of hilarious and famous lines throughout his tenure on Saturday Night Live, and many of those came from his hapless motivational speaker, Matt Foley, the man known for his “I live in a van down by the river” quote. One of Farley’s best characters from the show, Foley popped up multiple times, with each appearance being more absurd than the last.
Mr. Robinson
One of the characters that showcased a young Eddie Murphy’s incredible comedic timing and made him one of the biggest stars on the planet, Mr. Robinson was a rawer and less kind version of Mr. Rogers, with a run-down housing project in place of the more family-friendly neighborhood. Responsible for several of Murphy’s funniest SNL moments, the character would show up again when the comedian returned to Studio 8H in 2019.
The Festrunk Brothers (Two Wild & Crazy Guys)
The two wild and crazy guys, aka, the Festrunk Brothers, are one of the most iconic pairs of siblings to show up on SNL over the years. Portrayed by Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd, these smooth players had so many hilarious lines that we’re still thinking about all these years (and decades) later.
Debbie Downer
The sad trombone, the facial expressions, and the extreme close-up shot on Rachel Dratch made Debbie Downer one of the most iconic bits on Saturday Night Live throughout the early 2000s. It didn’t matter who was appearing beside her or the topic of conversation, Debbie was always quick to bring the mood down a few notches with her pessimistic outlook on life.
Stefon
One of the best Weekend Update guests, Bill Hader’s Stefon has been comedy gold for the better part of the past two decades. Created by Hader and John Mulaney, the “city correspondent” comes around every now and then to talk about the craziest parties, nightclubs, and social scenes in New York City, breaking more times than not.
Bill Swerski's Superfans
There have been so many great SNL skits involving professional athletes, and several of those feature Bill Swerski’s Superfans. This recurring segment, featuring Chicago sports nuts played by Joe Mantegna, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Robert Smiegel, and George Wendt, was featured throughout much of the early-to-mid 1990s, but the surviving characters have returned multiple times since.
Stuart Smalley
“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me” will forever be one of the funniest lines uttered by Al Franken’s Stuart Smalley, an all-time great recurring character. The host of a self-help show was a standout on SNL throughout the ‘90s before getting his own movie.
Wayne Campbell & Garth Algar
Wayne Campbel (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), the hosts of the public-access TV show Wayne’s World, will forever be remembered as two of the best TV characters of all time. The pair would later go on to lead one of the best ‘90s comedies and one of the top SNL film adaptations to date.
Hans & Franz
“Pumpin’ Up with Hans & Franz” is one of those Saturday Night Live sketches that even the most casual of fans will recognize. The bits, that introduced us to Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon’s European bodybuilders, were always a sight to see and continue to pump us up all these years later.
Irwin Mainway
When it comes to sleazy SNL characters, Irwin Mainway (Dan Aykroyd) is in a league of his own. In bits like “Consumer Probe” and “On the Spot,” Mainway was subjected to all kinds of questions about his extremely dangerous and unethical creations, making some iconic TV moments along the way.
Gap Girls
Portrayed by Chris Farley, David Spade, and Adam Sandler (and at one point Charles Barkley), the Gap Girls were a staple of early ‘90s Saturday Night Live, showing up in multiple segments where these cross-dressing comedians had a ball. However, most will remember these characters from Farley’s classic “LAY OFF ME, I’M STARVING!” freakout.
Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer
Not a day goes by when Phil Hartman is not missed. The late SNL star was responsible for some of the show’s best characters, including Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, a thawed attorney who got pretty far in life despite having a primitive mind. Not too bad for a guy who fell down a “big giant hole in ice” thousands of years before passing the bar.
Nick The Lounge Singer
When it comes to classic Bill Murray Saturday Night Live characters, Nick the Lounge Singer is one of the best. Be it performing variations of the Star Wars theme in a smoky bar or singing in prison or just showing out for the sake of showing out, this mustached performer with a love for bandanas was a riot.
Roseanne Roseannadanna
Famously portrayed by Gilda Radner during the early days of Saturday Night Live (and later by Emma Stone for the SNL 40 celebration in 2015), Roseanne Roseannadanna was an all-time great Weekend Update guest. With her hilarious and spot-on critiques on current issues and inability to stay on topic, Roseanna made the mid-show news sketch must-see TV.
Church Lady
Some SNL stars have one or two famous characters, but Dana Carvey has a roster of unforgettable personas. And one of the best happens to be Church Lady, his iconic and incredibly wholesome recurring character. Always quick with a joke or comment about society, this hilarious god-fearing Christian was always there for a laugh.
Harry Caray
There’s a case to be made for Will Ferrell being on Mt. Rushmore of Saturday Night Live stars, mostly due to his hilarious recurring characters from his run on the sketch comedy show. One of the best is his take on Harry Caray throughout the mid-to-late ‘90s. Whether it’s predicting the World Series on Weekend Update or asking Jeff Goldblum to name his favorite planet on Space, The Infinite Frontier, it was a hoot.
Linda Richman
Mike Myers’ Linda Richman from the Coffee Talk segments was never a dull moment, especially whenever Madonna and Roseanna Barr came on for some fun, laughter, butter comparisons, and praise for Barbara Streisand. Though it’s been nearly 30 years since Linda appeared on the show, she still has a place in the hearts of millions of fans.
Sean Connery On Jeopardy
There have been countless guests featured on Celebrity Jeopardy sketches on Saturday Night Live over the years, but none come even close to Darrel Hammond’s over-the-top portrayal of Sean Connery. The mispronunciations, the banter with Will Ferrell’s Alex Trebek, and the beard, they all worked together to create unforgettable TV and an even more unforgettable character.
Miss Rafferty
Kate McKinnon’s alien abduction sketches are the gift that keeps on giving, even after the longtime SNL star left the show. If you’re a fan of watching skits where comedians and celebrity hosts try (often in vain) to not break character, you’re all too aware of just how funny these timeless sketches about Miss Rafferty and her ongoing struggles with aliens could be.
The Anal Retentive Chef
There have been some great SNL cooking shows over the years, and one of the best is the Anal Retentive Chef, Phil Hartman’s classic culinary expert who had to have everything a certain way. Though he tried time and time again to make it through a recipe, this OCD cook never presented the finished product to his viewers at home, which made it even funnier.
The Coneheads
Before they were turned into a movie, the Coneheads were unleashed upon this world in a series of sketches on Saturday Night Live. One of the earlier recurring characters, this alien family with their signature domes was played by Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman nearly a dozen times throughout the final years of the 1970s.
The Californians
One of the funniest recurring characters from the 2010s, the Californians were characters made to poke fun at soap operas and the wealthier families living in places like Orange County. Known for their wild directions and mugging faces, this lovable lot was played by the likes of Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and numerous celebrity guests over the years.
The Target Lady
One of Kristen Wiig’s best Saturday Night Live characters, the Target Lady was an absolute hoot. One of the crazier cashiers featured on the show over the years, Wiig’s iconic checkout lady found herself in all kinds of wild situations at the popular megastore.
Leon Phelps
Leon Phelps, aka, the Ladies Man, is probably one of the first characters that come to mind when you think of Tim Meadows’ run on SNL, and for good reason: this smooth-talking, sophisticated, yet hapless radio show host was a well of comedy and innuendo that never ran dry.
Buckwheat
Eddie Murphy’s Buckwheat, a grown-up version of the iconic Little Rascals character, was one of the roles that made the up-and-coming comedian one of the funniest men on the planet back in the day. Appearing multiple times in the early days of SNL, the part wasn’t okay but otay!
Mary Katherine Gallagher
With her explosive energy, obsession with smelling her armpits, and general demeanor, Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon) became one of the most featured SNL characters in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. The Catholic schoolgirl with her signature glasses and spontaneity was something to behold.
David S. Pumpkins
David S. Pumpkins could very well be the best Tom Hanks character of the 21st century. First appearing back in October 2016, the mysterious figure with his wild suit and even wilder hair made an immediate impression on audiences, and his grip hasn’t loosened since. He’s gone on to appear a couple of times in recent years, including an animated version and then another crazy live-action sketch that was up there with the original.
Diondre Cole
“What’s up with that?” has been the signature catchphrase of Diondre Cole, Kenan Thompson’s game show host for years now, and like the great recurring character, it never gets old. The wackiness and incredible comedic timing of one of Thompson’s signature roles makes this an all-timer.
Opera Man
One of Adam Sandler’s best characters from his time on Saturday Night Live, Opera Man was always there to make viewers laugh when he’d appear on Weekend Update. With hits like his take on Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” and his use of that wild Sandler gibberish voice (which the comedian has used time and time again in his various movies over the years), there was so much to love about the character
The Continental
Add this to the list of Saturday Night Live characters that haven’t aged so well over the years, the Continental was one of Christopher Walken’s less-than-appropriate roles while hosting the popular sketch show. The flirtatious and borderline creepy behavior by the wealthy smooth-talker does work well by today’s standards, but back in the day, this was one of the funniest and most memorable characters around.
Pat
Julia Sweeney’s Pat O'Neill Riley, an androgynous character who appeared multiple times throughout the early ‘90s, was always someone who could make the audience laugh, even if the other folks they shared the screen with were often left confused.
Mr. Bill
The Mr. Bill character, a clay figurine that was subjected to all kinds of horrible injuries alongside his trusty pet, Spot, is one of the earliest recurring characters, having first been introduced during the show’s first season. Though the accident-prone hero hasn’t been on Saturday Night Live in some time, a couple of dozen shorts featuring him and his classic “Oh no” catchphrase made quite a mark back in the day.
