Even though “Saturday Night Live” has endured for 50 years on NBC, there have been several instances where it was nearly canceled, and other times when the show took a comedic spill and had to regroup. In the mid-90s, not only was the show in danger of being canceled due to a decline in quality and ratings, but it was also contending with the departure of longtime cast members Phil Hartman, Melanie Hutsell, Rob Schneider, and Julia Sweeney, as well as featured player Sarah Silverman, heading into season 20 in September 1994.
While new cast members added in season 20 included Chris Elliott, Janeane Garofalo and Laura Kightlinger, with Morwenna Banks, Mark McKinney, and Molly Shannon added during the season’s run, the show eventually saw breakout star Mike Myer leave midseason in January 1995.
Following the May 13, 1995 season 20 finale, cast members Ellen Cleghorne, Kevin Nealon, Michael McKean, Chris Elliott, and Laura Kightlinger left the show on their own terms, while Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Morwenna Banks, and Jay Mohr were all let go.
That paved the way for showrunner Lorne Michaels to completely revamp the “SNL” cast for the show’s 21st season, beginning on September 30, 1995. That’s when America was introduced to the man who would become one of the most beloved comedy stars of all time: Will Ferrell.
But Ferrell’s debut was met with trepidation, not just from the audience and critics, at least at first, but from the blossoming comedian himself, especially after a bit of playful pressure put on him from Lorne Michaels.