# Greatest SNL performer of all? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385 "2010-07-20T19:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/1 "2010-07-20T19:43:57Z")
I resoundingly nominate the one, the only [Phil Hartman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X2hqdOMxyM). Also rans who who came thisclose: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Dana Carvey, Christopher Guest, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/2 "2010-07-20T19:45:34Z")
Phil Hartman was the one that came to my mind upon reading the thread title, so Phil it is! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/3 "2010-07-20T19:52:55Z")
A toss-up between Hartman, Murphy and Gilda Radner. Radner’s portrayal of a drugged out rock star was worthy of the highest praise. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/4 "2010-07-20T19:55:11Z")
Gilda Radner, though Carvey was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/5 "2010-07-20T19:59:53Z")
**Martin Short**. Never liked Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/6 "2010-07-20T20:12:35Z")
My vote is for Eddie Murphy. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/7 "2010-07-20T20:14:12Z")
Don Pardo. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/8 "2010-07-20T20:25:37Z")
I’d have to go with Eddie Murphy, he was SNL for several years. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/9 "2010-07-20T20:46:32Z")
1. Phil Hartman - The most painful SNL death, in my opinion. 2. Bill Murray, who has been way funnier outside the show, which perhaps shouldn’t count. 3. Eddie Murphy - Remember when he was funny? 4. Chris Farley - A very funny guy. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/10 "2010-07-20T20:54:53Z")
Charles Rocket ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/11 "2010-07-20T21:38:04Z")
Chris Farley. ---
**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/12 "2010-07-20T21:39:09Z")
Hartman ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/13 "2010-07-20T21:41:09Z")
Farley and Murphy. Not a lot of depth to their SNL work, but I never laughed harder. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/14 "2010-07-20T21:41:28Z")
Belushi. Period. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/15 "2010-07-20T21:43:17Z")
Belushi. There is nobody else even close. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/16 "2010-07-20T22:26:32Z")
Alec Baldwin 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/17 "2010-07-20T22:27:50Z")
I’d have to go with Gilda Radner. She’s the only one who still can consistently crack me up. After her, Belushi and Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/18 "2010-07-20T23:01:49Z")
Belushi. . ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/19 "2010-07-21T00:06:30Z")
Beluchi ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385/20 "2010-07-21T00:08:38Z")
Hartman–by far the most versatile. But my heart belongs to Ms. Tina Fey… [though really as a writer and pin-up gal, not a performer per se] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-snl-performer-of-all/547385.md?page=2)