TV: Biggest star who came out of Saturday Night Live (appeared on at least 2 seasons)

[Hasbro]

I watched some SNL skits on YT during the RDJ and Anthony Michael Hall stint. Ho boy, were they bad. Hard to believe there were seasons worse than the ones today, especially during the golden area of 80's comedy.

I'd say Will Ferrell has got to be the most successful post-SNL career.

Also, how about Keenen Thompson being the most successful PRE-SNL career?

Ebersol's last season they brought in established stars like Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Christopher Guest and Pameula Stephenson.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

After Groundhog Day, Murray wasn't really starring in a lot of roles as a leading man though

Murphy's been getting top billing for over 4 decades now

Depends on what you value.

I mean if you want to claim forgettable dreck like Meet Dave and Mr. Church as wins, I guess? I did forget Dolemite Is My Name, which was pretty good. But outside of Shrek and its sequels (big hits, supporting role), I don't think he's had a hit where he's a star in 25 years (Dr. Dolittle 2). And outside of Dolemite and his Oscar nominated supporting role in Dreamgirls I don't know that he's done anything that would be considered respected or well reviewed in that time.

Murray's like a guy who was a star player but adapted his game to be a strong contributing player on championship teams. He's a relevant guy still making the playoffs. Murphy's spent the past two decades being the best player on the worst team in the league. He's sitting at home every spring.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

What is meant by "biggest star"? I hate to be obtuse (actually I don't, semantics is a real thing), but I think Murphy is the biggest "star" because of his peak. But I agree with Kallio's take on Murray having the overall better/higher-quality/whatever career. Those two are a tier above anyone else for me.

Because Sandler not only remains a star (albeit, as some described, oved but not respected) but also run his own production company, he gets mention if we're talking "successful." Dude basically writes himself a blank check to make good, funny movies starring himself and with his buddies every two years. I can dig that. It doesn't hurt that I think he's laugh-out-loud funny. He's another tier by himself.

Ferrell, Belushi and Dreyfus certainly get mention, but then so does Dan Ackroyd, whose name I haven't seen yet. But none of them are bigger" stars than the other three. Ackroyd gets a bump due to his writing and for being a lesser version of Murray when it came to respectable acting. Fey is probably in this tier, too?

Rock, Myers are below them, and Fallon probably sneaks in here due to his Tonight Show and related stuff. Probably for popularity Jim Belushi gets in there, too.

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

1. Eddie Murphy
2. Adam Sandler
3. Bill Murray

Murphy and Sandler are the guys where I felt like people were going to their movies cause they were in them. Bill Murray was in a handful of great popular movies, but I don't know if I'd put Ghostbusters success on him as much as Murphy in BHC. It makes perfect sense that with populist audiences they'd find Sandler's slapstick easier to appreciate than Murray's style of comedy. Likewise I think Myers got fortunate with some good skit type ideas like Wayne's World and Austin Powers but when he was in a bad project the floor was low. I'd make the same argument for Ferrell as Sandler but his movies just weren't that huge, like Anchorman despite being one of Ferrell's iconic movies was still only as big as Murphy's Daddy Day Care.

Murphy is my clear #1 overall, the guy was a titan at the box office. First off Beverly Hills Cop was as big as Ghostbusters and had the more popular sequel (both are like Top Gun Maverick in inflated box office).He dripped off a bunch of other hits like 48 Hours (and forgotten Another 48 Hrs was as big), Trading Places, Coming to America, etc. and moderate successes like Harlem Nights, Boomerang, Bowfinger. Then, he has a kids movie type phase where is also huge, just with a lot of movies that we don't like as much. Like Dr Doolittle and Nutty Professor were actually as big as Wayne's World and both had successful sequels, stuff like Haunted Mansion and Daddy Day Care were solid enough mid hits. And of course, he ripped off animated roles in Shrek, Shrek 2 and Mulan. He also came as close to winning an Oscar as Murray albeit in supporting. Overall he was cooking at the box office for like 20 years which is not really that bad for longevity. And even to this day if all these guys released a movie on Netflix, I think it'd go Sandler, Ferrell then Murphy for biggest draws.

 

[93LEAFS]

Hard to say? Mainsteam acting? Probably Sandler or Murrey. At one point was the biggest stand-up in the world? Eddie Murphy or Chris Rock. Iconic status due to dying too young? Farley and Belushi.