Jan Hooks, one of the strongest cast members in Saturday Night Live, has passed away at age 57. Coming from the Groundlings, she became a member in the SNL cast during one of the show’s best tenures, from 1986 to 1991 and together with Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman and Kevin Nealon who joined SNL the same year, defined a new period in its history.
After leaving SNL, Jan Hooks joined the sitcom Designing Women and then 3rd From The Sun, she voiced The SImpsons' Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon and more recently appeared in 30 Rock as Verna Maroney, Jena’s mom.
Her film appeareances include Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Coneheads and Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.
Here she is between Kevin Nealon and a young Conan O’Brien, who was then a writer in the show and played an extra in the bit.
ZR