Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th Anniversary on the 16th of February 2025 this Sunday. The celebratory anniversary special program aired on NBC as well as Peacock at 8 PM ET. The special episode celebrated the long journey as well as the original star cast of the comedy show. Laraine Newman who was a part of the original SNL star cast made sure to honor her friend and co-star Gilda Radner on this occasion. She was spotted holding up a picture of the late actress along with Jane Curtin. On the occasion of Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary, let’s have a look at Gilda Radner’s contribution to the show’s success.
Gilda Radner: One Of The Only 3 Women Members Of The SNL Cast
The goodbye segment of the 50th-anniversary celebration had both past and present cast members come to the stage. This was definitely a spectacle for the fans of the original Saturday Night Live show. The viewers spotted Laraine Newman holding up a picture of her former co-star Gilda Radner along with Jane Curtin. The trio were the only three women members of the SNL original cast. The three were a part of the initial seasons alongside Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Garrett Morris, George Coe, Michael O’Donoghue, and Chevy Chase.
Radner Earned Emmy For The Show
Gilda Radner was a part of the show for five seasons and even became friends with her co-stars Laraine Newman and Jane Curtin. She played multiple iconic roles like Emily Litella, Baba Wawa, Roseanne Roseannadanna, Lisa Loopner, and more. All her characters gained significant popularity among the masses and she soon became a household name. The Saturday Night Live show earned her an Emmy award in 1978 as well. Her iconic characters are still in the memories of fans who have been following the show.
Radner’s Personal Life
Gilda Radner parted ways with the Saturday Night Live show in the year 1980 and started her movie career. At the time she left the show, Gilda was married to G. E. Smith who was the leader of the SNL band. However, the marriage soon dissolved. Gilda met Gene Wilder in 1982 during the shoot of the movie Hanky Panky. The two got married in 1984 and appeared together for two more movies namely The Woman in Red (1984) and Haunted Honeymoon (1986).
Radner Was The “Tinker Bell” Of SNL
Anne Beatts, who is the former writer of the show, in an interview at the time of her death, mentioned that if SNL was like Never-Never-Land, the Island of Lost Boys, Gilda was the Tinkerbell. She also mentioned in the same interview that Gilda never lost touch with her inner child. She died because of Ovarian Cancer in 1989. Before succumbing to her illness, Gilda published her autobiography It’s Always Something. It quite frankly dealt with her life, work, and struggles, both personally and from the illness. She even won a Grammy in 1990 and was also inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 1992. She received an honorary star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.
Other Iconic Stars Lost Over The Years
The iconic Saturday Night Live show has been the reason for people’s laughter for over 50 years. During this time, the fans also had to bid farewell to many of their favorite cast members. Some of the other iconic stars lost over the years include Chris Farley, John Belushi, Andy Kaufman, Peter Aykroyd, Gilbert Gottfried, Dan Vitale, and Norm Macdonald.
