At the conclusion of its 47th season in May, the long-running variety sketch show Saturday Night Live said goodbye to some of its most well-known cast members, including Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, and Kyle Mooney. This is the biggest turnover the cast has seen in years, and truly marks the end of yet another era at Studio 8H.

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This isn't the first or last time that the cast of Saturday Night Live will undergo so many changes, as SNL has seen some of the greatest comedians come and go over the years. The show serves as a factory for creating comedy careers, with some truly iconic cast members spending time on the show since its debut in 1975.

10 Adam Sandler Led The Frat Boy Era Of SNL

Adam Sandler on Weekend Update singing the thanksgiving song

Adam Sandler is known for making some ridiculous movies over the years, including Grown Ups, Happy Gilmore, and Big Daddy. However, before he made it big as a movie star, Sandler was one of the headlining cast members on Saturday Night Live.

Debuting on the show in 1990, Adam Sandler would go on to lead what many call the "frat boy era" of SNL, and was certainly one of the biggest draws every week. His most famous sketches include "The Thanksgiving Song," Zagat's, and the Gap Girls. Sandler remained with the show until his sudden departure in 1995, but not before leaving quite the mark.

9 Bill Hader Was One Of The Greatest Impressionists The Show Had

Bill Hader as Stefon on Weekend Update

If there's one thing Saturday Night Live is known for, it's the countless celebrity and political impressions they do in all of their sketches. Perhaps nobody was more versatile in this than Bill Hader, who resided as a cast member on the show from 2005 to 2013.

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Aside from his countless impressions, Bill Hader's characters are some of the most iconic characters to ever grace SNL. Whether it was the unaware Herb Welch, the simple-minded Devon, or the exuberant Stefon on Weekend Update, Hader was always guaranteed to deliver a laugh to audiences.

8 Gilda Radner Was An Early Great

Radnor as Roseanne Roseannadanna

When Saturday Night Live began in 1975, it started with a group of seven cast members known as the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players," including the late Gilda Radner. Radner quickly became a comedy icon while on the show, serving audiences many classic moments during her tenure from 1975-1980.

Gilda Radner's most popular character was Roseanne Roseannadanna, a big-haired loudmouthed editorialist who appeared on Weekend Update with her many opinions. Though she unfortunately died of cancer in 1989, Gilda Radner's legacy continues to live on at SNL. Most recently, Emma Stone paid tribute during the 40th season special by playing Roseanne Roseannadanna.

7 Kristen Wiig Gave It Her All

Kristen Wiig as Gilly in class

What makes Saturday Night Live so special is the cast members who give every sketch their all and don't care how they look as long as it's funny. This is the case with Kristen Wiig, who was on the show from 2005 to 2012 and marked her tenure with some of the funniest and most absurd comedy the show has ever seen.

Wiig was known during her time on the show for her crazy costumes that helped lean into the absurdity of her characters. Some of these characters include Dooneese, Kathie Lee Gifford, and the unforgettable Gilly.

6 Tina Fey Became A Household Name

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

Tina Fey had an interesting path at Saturday Night Live, having joined the show in 1997 as a writer before eventually making her way to joining the cast where she would remain until her departure in 2006. Fey quickly became known for her stern and dry comedy, finding herself behind the Weekend Update desk co-hosting with Jimmy Fallon and, later on, Amy Poehler.

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Interestingly enough, Fey's most popular SNL character comes from her guest appearances in the years after her departure. She began playing former Alaska governor Sarah Palin during Palin's Vice Presidential run in 2008 and hasn't looked back since.

5 Nobody Knows SNL Like Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson as Steve Harvey

For a long time, Darrell Hammond held the record for the longest-tenured cast member of Saturday Night Live thanks to his 14 seasons on the show. However, Kenan Thompson has blown him out of the water, as he joined the show in 2003 and will be returning for his 20th season this year, making him the first ever cast member to hit two decades on the show.

In his 20 years on the show, Kenan Thompson has played some of the most legendary SNL characters ever. With the likes of the Diner Lobster, portrayals of Al Sharpton and Steve Harvey, and the iconic "What's Up With That" sketches, Thompson is an SNL icon.

4 Chris Farley Always Brought The Laughs

Chris Farley as Matt Foley on SNL

Saturday Night Live has had a lot of very loud cast members grace the stage over the years, but none made their presence known more than Chris Farley. Farley was part of the "Bad Boys of SNL" from 1990 to 1995, playing many iconic roles that forever tie him to the show.

Some of Chris Farely's most loved roles included the Gap Girls and Lunch Lady Land. But there is no doubt that Farely is best remembered for playing Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who famously lived in a van down by the river. Matt Foley is arguably one of the most iconic characters in SNL history, a rare character who continues to find new fans every year.

3 Kate McKinnon Was The Clear Star Of Her Era

Kate McKinnon as Colleen Rafferty smoking a cigarette

It's not unusual for someone to rise above the pack in every era of Saturday Night Live. There is always one cast member who serves as the unofficial lead of the show, and this was exactly the role that Kate McKinnon served during her time on SNL. During her tenure from 2012-2022, McKinnon put herself in every and any role week after week.

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One of the most versatile SNL stars of all time, Kate McKinnon could play just about anyone from Hilary Clinton to the bizarre alien abductee Colleen Rafferty to even Rudy Giuliani. There was nobody that McKinnon couldn't play and play well, making her one of the most memorable and funniest cast members of all time.

2 Will Ferrell Was So Funny It Hurt

Will Ferrell wearing short shorts on the 4th of July

Just as Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper" needed more cowbell, Saturday Night Live fans always needed more of Will Ferrell. Ferrell, who spent seven seasons on the show, is arguably one of the funniest players to ever land at Studio 8H. He always knew the assignment, doing the most ridiculous things that made even his fellow cast members laugh.

Will Ferrell had some truly incredible sketches, including Short Shorts for the USA, the Evil Boss, the Jeffrey's, and, of course, More Cowbell. He's not afraid to get loud, hyper, or even naked for comedy, and has cemented himself as one of the best to ever do it.

1 Eddie Murphy Saved The Show

Eddie Murphy as Mister Robinson on SNL

After many of the original players left the show in the early 1980s, Saturday Night Live was in a complete free fall. Viewership was down, the cast was a revolving door, and the brains behind the show, Lorne Michaels, was out. It seemed the writing was on the wall for SNL. But then Eddie Murphy joined the show.

Murphy was a member of SNL from 1980 to 1984, and while he isn't exactly one of the longest-tenured cast members the show has seen, he saved it from probably cancelation. This was due to his many hilarious characters and sketches such as Mister Robinson's Neighborhood, Velvet Jones, and the classic Gumby. Going on to have one of the best comedy careers ever, there's no question Eddie Murphy is the greatest cast member in SNL history.

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