Tragic Details About The Cast Members Of SNL

The following article includes topics of substance abuse, mental health, and suicide.

"Saturday Night Live" has been an entertainment institution for over 50 years. In that time, dozens of brilliant comics have joined the cast. There have been so many comedians on SNL that it's difficult to remember them all. Some came and went without much fanfare, while others, like Kenan Thompson, remained on the show for years.

SNL cast members have died while working on the show, and many SNL cast members had dark secrets they've tried to keep quiet. Many others have had impressive post-SNL careers in movies and television. With so many talented people working on the show, it shouldn't be surprising to learn that many have complicated lives. Being a famous comic isn't always easy, and some SNL members have truly tragic stories from their past.

Longtime fans likely know the cast members with the most problematic pasts. Still, with so many people on the show during its long run, there are likely many tragic details about the cast members of SNL that most viewers probably don't know. Each of the people mentioned below spent some time at Studio 8H, and they've all experienced tragedies.

Pete Davidson joined SNL in 2014 and remained on the show until 2022, though he's returned as a guest on the show in the years since. Before SNL, Davidson started doing stand-up and based much of his comedy on personal experiences. These include everything from sex and dating to his high school years and the loss of his father, Scott Matthew Davidson, a New York City firefighter for Ladder 118.

Scott was one of many firefighters who died during the 9/11 attacks, and was last seen running up the stairs of the Marriott World Trade Center. Soon after, the Twin Towers collapsed, and Scott was never seen again. Losing his father at the age of 7 had a significant impact on Davidson.

Instead of internalizing his pain, he poured it into his comedy, often making light of serious issues. That's not something most people would do, but Davidson's edgy humor made him a star. At the Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber, Davidson quipped, "I lost my dad on 9/11, and I always regretted growing up without a dad ... until I met your dad, Justin. Now I'm glad mine's dead" (via The New York Times).

Tina Fey entered the comedy world via The Second City before joining the writing crew on SNL. Fey built her career as a writer, becoming the show's first female head writer in 1999 and going on to co-host (and then host) "Weekend Update." Fey's time at SNL kept her busy, but since leaving in 2006, she's been busy on the silver screen, most notably with her movie "Mean Girls." She also created and starred in "30 Rock" — Fey's career has been going strong for years. 

For the most part, Fey had a relatively normal upbringing. That's certainly true of most of her childhood, but when she was 5, something terrible happened to Fey. While playing outside, a stranger approached Fey and slashed her in the face with a knife, leaving her with a long scar on the left side of her cheek and chin.

You can still see the scar on Fey's face, and she discussed it in her autobiography, "Bossypants," though she doesn't like talking about it. "It's impossible to talk about it without somehow seemingly exploiting it and glorifying it," she admitted to Vanity Fair (via People).

Anthony Michael Hall had his breakout role playing Rusty in "National Lampoon's Vacation," but his work with director John Hughes made him a star. He played leading roles in "The Breakfast Club" and "Weird Science" before moving to SNL. Hall joined when he was 17, becoming the youngest cast member to date.

Like many child stars before and since, Hall began drinking at the age of 13, and it became a big part of his life over the next seven years. This created problems for the young actor, and he found sobriety in his early 20s. Hall has also been diagnosed with "bipolar active disorder depression with psychotic features."

Hall didn't last long on SNL, having only appeared in 12 episodes in his one and only season. Hall found SNL challenging despite wanting to become a cast member since he was a kid. Hall told Underground Online, "My year there, I didn't have any breakout characters, and I didn't really do the things I dreamed I would do, but I still learned a lot, and I value that."

Maya Rudolph joined the cast of SNL in 2000 and remained a main player on the program until 2007. Rudolph has since returned to play various roles as a guest star, including playing Vice President Kamala Harris during the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential Election. Rudolph extended her career beyond SNL, appearing in numerous TV series and feature films.

Rudolph suffered a tragic loss when she was only six, when her mother, Minnie, died at the age of 31. Minnie was a singer who worked with Maya's father, Richard, a composer. In her song "Lovin' You," Minnie sings "Maya," so Rudolph grew up with love and support. Sadly, a couple of weeks before her seventh birthday, Minnie died of breast cancer.

These days, Rudolph looks much like her mother did and could have been her twin, but she doesn't like talking about her in interviews. It was a common theme to bring up Minnie, and while she discussed the loss of her mother previously, she now prefers to avoid the subject. Rudolph explained her position to Vanity Fair, saying, "Who wants to be asked about their childhood trauma every time they talk about their career?"

Gilda Radner was one of the original seven cast members of SNL, and she helped establish the series' many tropes. Radner's comedy focused mostly on doing parodies of whatever was popular. As many fans already know, Radner died in 1989 from ovarian cancer at the age of 42.

While many know that already, what isn't as well known is that her death may have been preventable. Radner wanted to have children with her husband, Gene Wilder, but couldn't conceive. She became very aware of her ovaries and had symptoms that were misdiagnosed. In fact, she was misdiagnosed for several years until it was too late to do anything about it.

Doctors finally diagnosed Radner with ovarian cancer, but because it took so long to figure that out, the cancer was already terminal. Radner died soon after her diagnosis. Wilder established a research program in her honor and spent the rest of his days working to help prevent deaths from ovarian cancer. He testified before Congress, noting Radner would have survived if doctors had done a history on her.

Tracy Morgan got his start in television, appearing on "Martin" before moving to film. He joined the cast of SNL in 1996 before leaving in 2003. After leaving the show, he joined Tina Fey as a main cast member on "30 Rock," then built a massively successful career despite his health issues. Morgan was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in 1996, which was compounded by alcoholism.

Morgan required a kidney transplant in 2010 from these health issues, but they pale in comparison to his accident in 2014. Morgan was a passenger when the vehicle he was in was hit from behind by a Walmart truck. He was in the car with three other comedians, including James McNair, Morgan's mentor and longtime friend, who was killed in the crash that severely injured Morgan.

Morgan discussed his injuries in a comedy special, "I suffered some terrible injuries — traumatic brain injury. I broke every bone in my face, my ribs. I pulverized my femur. ... I was blind for a week" (via Entertainment Weekly). After recovering, Morgan hosted SNL, and he came out slurring his speech, making it appear as if he was still recovering It was all to play for laughs and Morgan was okay.

Julia Sweeney joined the cast of SNL in 1990 and remained on the show until 1994. Despite leaving, Sweeney has returned several times over the years, as some cast members do from time to time. Sweeney launched a successful film career and showed up in most SNL movies produced throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s.

Sweeney's career may have been doing great, but in 1995, everything came to a halt. Her brother, Michael, had terminal lymphatic cancer. Upon learning of this, Sweeney put her career on hold and moved Mike into her home to take care of him. She became a full-time nurse, caring for Mike's needs for nine months. If that wasn't bad enough, two weeks before his death, Sweeney received a diagnosis of her own.

Sweeney learned she had cervical cancer and then spent the next two weeks watching her beloved brother die of his own cancer. She approached her condition with fervor, opting for a radical hysterectomy and radiation treatments to terminate her cancer. The treatment worked, and Sweeney beat the disease, but she had to endure a great deal of hardship to achieve that result.

John Belushi was one of seven original cast members of SNL and he's remembered for his hilarious characters. Belushi was a comic master who commanded a room and direct all attention his way. He was also a hard partier, which ultimately cost him his life. Belushi had substance abuse issues, which caught up with him on March 5, 1982. Belushi's trainer found him dead in his home, and a subsequent inquest revealed he died of an overdose after receiving a speedball injection consisting of a mix of cocaine and heroin. Belushi was a comedy legend, and his death was a blow to his fans. One of those fans, Chris Farley, joined the cast of SNL in 1990, following the footsteps of the comedy legend.

Sadly, Farley was a bit too much like Belushi due to his substance abuse and alcoholism. Farley died in much the same way as Belushi on December 18, 1997. Farley died from a speedball made up of cocaine and morphine. Both comedians were 33 at the time of their deaths, making Farley's passing an eerie coincidental reminder of Belushi's passing 15 years earlier.

Keenan Thompson got started in the entertainment industry when he was a child. And like any kid who suddenly gets a lot of cash, he didn't know how to handle it. This led him to hire an accountant, to whom he gave full control of his finances. Thompson would star in numerous movies and TV series before joining the cast of SNL in 2003.

Thompson is the longest-serving cast member on the show, having completed more than 20 seasons. Before any of that happened, Thompson's earlier financial decision would prove tragic for the young comic. Thompson worked for Nickelodeon until 2000 and left with no money. As he explained on "The Breakfast Club," "I had a bad accountant."

Thompson went on to explain that in 1999 or 2000, he learned that his trusted accountant had stolen $1.5 million of his earnings. Transitioning from a child actor to working as an adult was difficult. Thompson managed to find work and rebuild his fortune, so landing a gig with SNL certainly helped turn things around.

Phil Hartman joined the cast of SNL in 1986, and it didn't take long for him to make an impact. Hartman's career saw him appear in numerous movies and TV series, including voicing several characters on "The Simpsons." He appeared in most of the SNL movies made during his tenure. He then found success with his own series, "NewsRadio," and other programs.

Hartman was a mainstay of comedy for a long time, but his life ended suddenly and tragically on May 28, 1998. Hartman and his wife, Brynn, had an argument, leading him to go to bed. Around 3:00 a.m., Brynn walked into the bedroom, where she shot Hartman between the eyes and in his throat and chest with a .38-caliber revolver, killing him instantly.

Brynn then met with her friend and confessed, leading to police arriving to assess the situation. While police were on the grounds, Brynn locked herself in the bedroom and died by suicide. Hartman's death was a massive blow to his fans and friends, and it came out of nowhere. Nobody suspected Brynn would kill her husband and herself, and his death undoubtedly impacted Hollywood for years.

Molly Shannon landed her spot on SNL in 1995, and she remained on the show until 2001. Shannon built an impressive film career alongside her SNL performances, appearing in SNL movies, numerous comedies, and animated films. Since leaving SNL, Shannon has kept herself busy, landing gigs on popular TV series, including "Only Murders in the Building."

Shannon's work life may be filled with laughter, but her personal life is filled with tragedy. When she was only four, her mother, three-year-old sister, Katie, and her cousin, Fran, all died in a car accident. Shannon, her six-year-old sister, Mary, and her father all survived. Her dad was drinking the night of the accident and behind the wheel when he sideswiped a car before hitting a light pole.

Shannon wrote about the accident and how it impacted her life in her book, "Hello, Molly!" In it, she recounts the accident, her mother's final words, and how she was able to move on after the tragedy. Shannon used her tragedy in her work and based her famous character, Mary Katherine Gallagher, on a version of herself and how she felt after surviving the wreck that killed half her family.

Norm Macdonald joined the cast of SNL as a writer and cast member in 1993, where he remained for five years. Macdonald's deadpan delivery was perfect for "Weekend Update," and he was there at the desk throughout the O.J. Simpson murder trial. His comments about Simpson's situation landed him in hot water with SNL producer Don Ohlmeyer, who fired him from the show.

Macdonald continued working in comedy, and he landed a podcast and comedy specials. Throughout his time working in comedy, Macdonald had a rather ruinous gambling addiction. After winning a six-figure sum on a craps table in Atlantic City, he became hooked, and at one time, he lost $400,000. Macdonald's gambling was such a problem that he repeatedly lost all of his money.

Macdonald typically bet on sports, which cost him a great sums of money, having gone broke two times. He told Larry King it was "A very cleansing feeling." He later switched to online poker, which took up much of his time and money. Macdonald explained, "Since they went offline, it kind of saved my life. Because I was just grinding out and couldn't even sleep."

Charles Rocket found his way onto the set of SNL in 1980, following the departure of most of the original cast and executive producer, Lorne Michaels. Rocket landed the coveted "Weekend Update" desk and appeared in numerous sketches throughout his time on the show. Unfortunately, during a parody of the "Who Shot J.R.?" story from "Dallas," Rocket dropped an F-bomb and was promptly fired.

After losing his spot on SNL, Rocket appeared in numerous movies, including "Hocus Pocus," "Dumb and Dumber," and many more. Rocket worked fairly consistently throughout the 1990s and 2000s, though his final posthumous acting credit came via 2008's "Fly Me to the Moon." Rocket died by suicide on October 7, 2005, at the age of 56.

The resulting investigation determined there was no criminal aspect of the case and ruled suicide as the cause of death. Unfortunately, as is often the case in suicides, it was never made clear why Rocket died by suicide. His friends, fans, and family were shocked at his passing, with his friend, Chris Frantz, saying, "I'm horrified. I know that Charlie had some pretty big disappointments in his life. The world of Hollywood movies and television can be pretty rough for a person."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, mental health or suicidal ideations, contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

• If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

Please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.