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Jan Hooks dies at 57; fond memories of the actress who was a valuable part of ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ recovery years Jan Hooks dies at 57; fond memories of the actress who was a valuable part of ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ recovery years
(1 day later)
“Saturday Night Live” alum Jan Hooks, whose death at age 57 was confirmed by a representative Thursday evening, was in the show’s cast from 1986 to 1991. She was part of a group of extraordinarily talented performers who helped the show recover from the 1985-86 season that at the time was considered an utter disaster.“Saturday Night Live” alum Jan Hooks, whose death at age 57 was confirmed by a representative Thursday evening, was in the show’s cast from 1986 to 1991. She was part of a group of extraordinarily talented performers who helped the show recover from the 1985-86 season that at the time was considered an utter disaster.
Hooks, a Georgia native who was a veteran of the Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles, was brought on to “SNL” for the 1986-87 season as part of a gang who would, in time, come to be regarded as some of the show’s hardest-working and most successful performers: Her co-stars included Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz (who survived the ’85-86 season) and Dennis Miller. In the late-’80s and early-’90s, she would also work with Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Chris Farley, David Spade and Chris Rock.Hooks, a Georgia native who was a veteran of the Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles, was brought on to “SNL” for the 1986-87 season as part of a gang who would, in time, come to be regarded as some of the show’s hardest-working and most successful performers: Her co-stars included Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz (who survived the ’85-86 season) and Dennis Miller. In the late-’80s and early-’90s, she would also work with Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Chris Farley, David Spade and Chris Rock.
On a show not always known for equal treatment of its women performers, Hooks and her colleague Nora Dunn (and later Julia Sweeney) stood out for their energetic and spot-on characters. Hooks particularly excelled at playing smarmy, overly schmoozy women. Her most memorable character was Candy Sweeney, one half of a lounge act known as the Sweeney Sisters. (Dunn played the other sister, Liz Sweeney.) Here’s a (scratchy) clip of their medley from a Christmastime episode in which the Sweeney gals are throwing a party, at which Liz announces she’s engaged!On a show not always known for equal treatment of its women performers, Hooks and her colleague Nora Dunn (and later Julia Sweeney) stood out for their energetic and spot-on characters. Hooks particularly excelled at playing smarmy, overly schmoozy women. Her most memorable character was Candy Sweeney, one half of a lounge act known as the Sweeney Sisters. (Dunn played the other sister, Liz Sweeney.) Here’s a (scratchy) clip of their medley from a Christmastime episode in which the Sweeney gals are throwing a party, at which Liz announces she’s engaged!
sweeney sisters christmas! from amy susanne on Vimeo.sweeney sisters christmas! from amy susanne on Vimeo.
Best part? The between-song banter. Hooks was best when she was playing someone phony trying to be “heartfelt”:Best part? The between-song banter. Hooks was best when she was playing someone phony trying to be “heartfelt”:
“I’m gonna get serious for a minute here and say that my sister/bride-to-be has found her fella,” Candy says, during a quiet interlude. “For that, I’m very happy, although it’s not gonna be too easy being the Lone Ranger out there on the range by myself. [I]t may sound corny, but there’s a word in this business, people. And that word is ‘support.’ And this gal has given me nothing but, from the get-go, and I mean that, I do.”“I’m gonna get serious for a minute here and say that my sister/bride-to-be has found her fella,” Candy says, during a quiet interlude. “For that, I’m very happy, although it’s not gonna be too easy being the Lone Ranger out there on the range by myself. [I]t may sound corny, but there’s a word in this business, people. And that word is ‘support.’ And this gal has given me nothing but, from the get-go, and I mean that, I do.”
To which Liz faux-demures: “Well, I’ll tell you one gift she’s not getting for Christmas — the gift of gab. You’ve got that already!” To which Liz faux-demurs: “Well, I’ll tell you one gift she’s not getting for Christmas — the gift of gab. You’ve got that already!”
“Guilty!” Candy shouts and off they go.“Guilty!” Candy shouts and off they go.
Another memorable sketch featured Hooks as that prototypical queen of modern smarm, TV host Kathie Lee Gifford, who serenades a monkey as a statement against the theory of evolution:Another memorable sketch featured Hooks as that prototypical queen of modern smarm, TV host Kathie Lee Gifford, who serenades a monkey as a statement against the theory of evolution:
“The show changed my life,” Hooks told Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales and his co-author James Andrew Miller for their 2002 book “Live from New York: An Uncensored History of ‘Saturday Night Live.’” (The book has recently been updated and re-released.)“The show changed my life,” Hooks told Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales and his co-author James Andrew Miller for their 2002 book “Live from New York: An Uncensored History of ‘Saturday Night Live.’” (The book has recently been updated and re-released.)
“But I have horrible stage fright,” she continued. “And with all these, you know, stand-up comics who I love — you know, Dana [Carvey] and Dennis [Miller] and Kevin [Nealon] and all these people — you know they wanted their shot, they wanted to get in there and do it, but I was one of the ones that between dress [rehearsal] and air was sitting in the corner going, ‘Please cut everything I’m in!’”“But I have horrible stage fright,” she continued. “And with all these, you know, stand-up comics who I love — you know, Dana [Carvey] and Dennis [Miller] and Kevin [Nealon] and all these people — you know they wanted their shot, they wanted to get in there and do it, but I was one of the ones that between dress [rehearsal] and air was sitting in the corner going, ‘Please cut everything I’m in!’”
Happily, they didn’t.Happily, they didn’t.
And, don’t worry, fans of 1985′s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” we didn’t forget you or the Alamo, where, as Hooks reminds us, there is no basement. Never has been, never will be.And, don’t worry, fans of 1985′s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” we didn’t forget you or the Alamo, where, as Hooks reminds us, there is no basement. Never has been, never will be.
  
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View Photo Gallery —A look at those who have died this year.View Photo Gallery —A look at those who have died this year.