Jimmy Fallon is one of several stars who found their break onSaturday Night Live, which is why his early departure from the hit sketch comedy series is surprising. When he first joined the show, Fallon quickly became known as one of manySNLactors to break charactereasily. His character breaks and impressive impersonations quickly made him one of the show’s more memorable cast members during the show’s impressive season 24.
Fallon’s time on the show led to hilarious skitsas well, and he was even part of several ofSNL’s best skits of all time, alongside comedy masters like Rachel Dratch and Will Ferrell, who were also part ofSNLduring Fallon’s time on the show. Given Fallon’s success onSNL, it was surprising that he left the show so early when it seemed like he was at the peak of his career as a comedian.
Jimmy Fallon Was A Saturday Night Live Cast Member From 1998-2004
Fallon Was Praised For His Impersonations
While Fallon is now considered to be one of the best modern late-night hosts with his show,The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he had humble beginnings as a cast member onSaturday Night Live.Fallon was hired in 2004 after his audition, which featured various impersonations, impressedSNL’s creator, Lorne Michaels. He was also one of the few actors who made Michaels laugh during the audition. It is almost funny to imagine such a well-known comedian like Fallon having to submit an audition video for the hit series, but it is what launched his career in comedy.
Once he joined,Fallon often worked alongside his co-stars, Horatio Sanz and Chris Parnell, who were also hired for the same season. He appeared in many sketches over the years, with his most notable ones being the ones where he broke character. It often acted as a domino effect and impacted his co-stars too. In 2000, Fallon and Tina Fey also took over the opening slot for the duo on the Weekend Update segment of the show. Fallon remained on Weekend Update until his exit in 2004.
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Aside from his sketches and time as a host on Weekend Update,Fallon was also praised for his impressive impersonations. Some of his most famous ones include his impersonations ofSNLalum, Adam Sandler, as well as Jerry Seinfeld and Barry Gibb. He would use his talent to impersonate celebrities in skits as well as guests on Weekend Update, making him a multifaceted character actor on the show.
Jimmy Fallon Quit SNL To Branch Out And Do Movies
Fallon Wanted To Try Playing More Serious Roles
After a successful comedy career onSNL, Fallon decided to leave the show to try and branch out into movies. According toLast Night On,Fallon wanted to “try his talents elsewhere.“Jimmy Fallon’s first movie after leavingSNLwas meant to be a promising launch of his career outside of television.Taxifeatured a star-studded cast including Queen Latifah and comedic moments, but it fell flat on its promise to deliver and was met with negative reviews.
A romantic comedy starring Drew Barrymore,Fever Pitchwas meant to help Fallon be seen as a more serious actor.
Similarly, Fallon’s next movie,Fever Pitch,was also met with poor reviews too. A romantic comedy starring Drew Barrymore,Fever Pitchwas meant to help Fallon be seen as a more serious actor. However, his limited acting roles after leavingSNLnever seemed to match the charm and charisma he gave off while being a character actor. The risk he took in leaving the show eventually paid off with his success in becoming a late-night talk show host, but it took time to get there ashis career took a hit because of the poor success rate.
Has Jimmy Fallon Returned To SNL Since Leaving In 2004?
Fallon Has Returned Many Times As A Guest And Host
Despite leaving his role as a cast member in the mid-2000s,Fallon has returned many times toSNLin a cameo role, as a guest star, and as a host. He first returned toSNLin 2005 in a brief cameo, but he has since had major appearances as well. Fallon has also hostedSNLthree times so far, in 2011, 2013, and 2017. However, some of his most memorable appearances have included him guest-starring in Justin Timberlake’sSNLepisodes, where he and Timberlake would participate in sketches together, like “The Barry Gibbs Talk Show” sketch.
Besides his appearances on the show, Fallon also acted as the host for theSaturday Night Live50th Anniversary Special. As a current late-night host and formerSNLalum, Fallon was possibly the best person for the job. His history on the show as a cast member and beyond has proved to stand the test of time, as Fallon still remains one of the most popular and memorableSNLcast members. His positive relationship with the show and its cast members also made him perfect for the role.
…Fallon still remains one of the most popular and memorableSNLcast members.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why Fallon’s time onSNLis so memorable is because he has continued to appear on the show even several years after he originally left. He has a great relationship with the show and its network, NBC, and he even works in the same building, as his talk show is just set on another floor.Fallon is one of manySNLalumni who can return as many times as he would like, and the show would still never get old.
Jimmy Fallon’s Best SNL Sketches & Characters
Some Of Fallon’s Best Sketches Include His Impersonations
As a cast member,Fallon was best known for breaking characterand being able to do a variety of impersonations. His contributions to the show while he was part of the main cast from 1998 to 2004 led to the creation of some ofSNL’s most memorable skits, including Debbie Downer’s series and the More Cowbell skit. However, his contributions go further than the six years he was regularly on the air, as with each cameo and guest star appearance, he added even more hilarity to the history of the comedy show.
Jimmy Fallon’s Best SNL Characters And Sketches
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger Mirror
While it may be difficult to pick out just which character was Jimmy Fallon’s best onSNL, a few stand out. His role as Barry Gibb alongside Timberlake as Robin Gibb is not only one of his best skits but also shows off Fallon’s skills in comedy as well as his musical abilities. His impersonation of Mick Jagger in the Mick Jagger mirror skit also highlights Fallon’s talent. While Fallon might not have been able to maintain his composure in every skit, he did manage to bring laughter to the audience and his co-stars onSaturday Night Live.
Fallon is one of the select elite ofSNLgraduates who can pop in and out of the iconic comedy series anytime. The fact that his current late-night show is also on NBC makes the crossover much easier. He also maintains a good relationship with many of his fellowSaturday Night Livecomics, making collaborations with them fairly easy.
Saturday Night Live
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Saturday Night Live is a live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels, premiering in 1975. It features comedy sketches parodying contemporary culture and politics, performed by a rotating cast. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest and includes musical performances.
