Laraine Newman and Jane Curtin Honor Late Costar and Friend Gilda Radner DuringSNL50th Anniversary Special

Mar. 15, 2025

Laraine Newman and Jane Curtain hold up Gilda Radner’s photo at conclusion of SNL50.Photo:NBC

NBC

Laraine Newmanand Jane Curtin made sureGilda Radnerwas honored at theSNL50: The Anniversary Special.

As cast members past and present squeezed together on stage at the end of the celebration, viewers spotted the the actresses holding up a photo of Radner. The three were the only women in the original cast ofSaturday Night Liveand starred alongsideDan Aykroyd,John Belushi,Chevy Chase, George Coe,Garrett Morrisand Michael O’Donoghue.

For five seasons, Radner entertained audiences with iconic characters like Emily Litella, Roseanne Roseannadanna,Baba Wawa, Lisa Loopner and many more. Her work on the show even garnered her an Emmy Award in 1978.

Radner left the show in 1980 to pursue acting in movies. At the time, she was married toSNLband leader G. E. Smith.

In 1982, Radner starred alongside her future husband, the lateGene Wilder, inHanky Panky. The two married in 1984 and went on to act in two more films together:The Woman in Red(1984) andHaunted Honeymoon(1986). The two remained married through Radner’s death of ovarian cancer at 42 in 1989.

“IfSaturday Night Livewas like Never-Never-Land, the Island of Lost Boys, she was Tinker Bell,” Anne Beatts, the show’s former head writer, told PEOPLE at the time of her death. “She just hadn’t lost touch with the child in her.”

Bill Murray as Todd, Jane Curtin as Jody Jobo, Dan Aykroyd as Vic, Gilda Radner as Pammy, John Belushi as Chip, Laraine Newman as Tammy during the ‘What’d I Say’ skit on November 12, 1977.NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Saturday Night Livehas been known to produce some of Hollywood’s funniest comedians in its five decades on air.

Some of the show’s notable losses have includedJohn Belushi,Chris Farley, Glida Radner and Andy Kaufman. In recent years, theSNLfamily has also lostNorm Macdonald,Peter Aykroyd,Gilbert Gottfriedand Dan Vitale.

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SNL50: The Anniversary Specialaired live on Sunday, Feb. 16, on NBC and Peacock.

source: people.com