4 Saturday Night Live Cast Members Missing From SNL's 50th Anniversary Special

Although Saturday Night Live's 50th-anniversary celebration featured the return of numerous noteworthy cast members (even some from the first season), four performers were noticeably missing from the episode. The NBC late-night live sketch comedy variety program has had over 160 cast members over the years, many of whom got their start on the show. From Bill Murray to Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live has been the place where many of Hollywood's most famous comedians began their careers, and after 50 years, it remains a dominant force in the comedy world.

Various former cast members and celebrity guests attended "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" on February 16, 2025. Old-school players like Garrett Morris and Jane Curtin appeared. Meanwhile, stars from the 21st century, including Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon performed in iconic sketches during the three-hour episode. Unfortunately, not every prominent member of the Saturday Night Live community was able to make it to "SNL50: The Anniversary Special," whether because they had prior commitments or simply because they turned down an invitation to join in on the fun.

4 Bill Hader

Cast Member From 2006–2013

Bill Hader, one of the most recognizable Saturday Night Live cast members of the 2000s, did not attend the late-night live sketch comedy variety program's 50th anniversary. Hader joined the team of featured players in 2006. He quickly made himself an integral part of the cast, though, via his hilarious impressions, which included John Malkovich, Keith Morrison, and Clint Eastwood. However, perhaps Hader's most iconic character in Saturday Night Live is Stefon, a recurring correspondent for Weekend Update.

Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia 2

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According to PEOPLE, Hader was invited to "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" but had to decline. He reportedly had a "longstanding schedule conflict." As a result, Hader couldn't appear in the three-hour special, much to the disappointment of many who hoped to see him reprise some of his funniest roles (like Stefon).

3 Dan Aykroyd

Cast Member From 1975–1979

Among the living original Saturday Night Live cast members, four of the five returned for "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" — Garrett Morris, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman. Dan Aykroyd was the only one not to attend the event. Aykroyd made his Saturday Night Live debut during the show's premiere episode on October 11, 1975, and he would stay with the program for four more years before exiting in 1979. The comedian had many notable moments on the show over the years, including the Coneheads and the "Point/Counterpoint" segment of "Weekend Update."

Two of the original seven SNL cast members (aka the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players") have since died — John Belushi and Gilda Radnor.

Of course, Aykroyd's absence was quite noticeable, given his legendary status within the walls of Studio 8H. Aykroyd was reportedly busy and couldn't attend the February 16 episode. However, the actor shared his excitement for Saturday Night Live's "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" on X. Aykroyd wrote:

"Cracking a Head with pride at having been a co-founder of SNL along with everyone we were together with in those four years, five decades ago. This telecast is as historical as the next moon landing. Comedy stars of our age all gathered under the aegis of America's greatest living impresario, my boss Lorne Michaels. People it's friggin' Holy!!"

2 Dana Carvey

Cast Member From 1986–1993

Dana Carvey was also missing from NBC's celebration of Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary of being on the air. Carvey joined the cast in 1986 and remained on the late-night live sketch comedy variety program for seven seasons, as he left Saturday Night Live in 1993. Given that SNL served as the breakthrough in his career, Carvey is most known for his time on the show among some of his other roles. Carvey's memorable characters include the Church Lady, George H. W. Bush, and Garth Algar from Wayne's World.

Dana Carvey's Notable Movies & TV Shows	Role
Saturday Night Live	Himself/Various Roles
Moving	Brad Williams
Opportunity Knocks	Eddie Farrell
Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2	Garth Algar
Trapped in Paradise	Alvin Firpo
The Dana Carvey Show	Himself/Various Roles
The Master of Disguise	Pistachio Disguisey

Carvey recently returned to Studio 8H in the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election to impersonate Joe Biden and Elon Musk. Sadly, though, Carvey seemingly couldn't make it back for "SNL50: The Anniversary Special." As of the writing of this article, it remains unclear why Carvey didn't show up during the three-hour episode.

1 Colin Quinn

Cast Member From 1996–2000

The fourth and final prominent Saturday Night Live star who was missing during "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" is Colin Quinn. Quinn was a member of the cast in the mid to late 1990s. He was most notably the host of Weekend Update from 1998 to 2000, but Quinn can also be recognized for characters such as Lenny the Lion and Joe Blow. As for why he didn't attend Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary, Quinn's website reveals that he had a live stand-up comedy performance on February 16 in Raleigh, North Carolina.