Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1989–90
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The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 24, 1989, and May 19, 1990, the fifteenth season of SNL.
Lank Thompson
[edit]Mike Myers played Lank Thompson in three different sketches. Thompson was a very handsome man who marketed a line of videos to help men look and act more handsomely. Debuted October 21, 1989.[1][2]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | October 21, 1989 | Kathleen Turner | Lank Thompson: I'm a Handsome Man |
| 16 | February 23, 1991 | Alec Baldwin | Lank Thompson: I'm a Handsome Actor |
| 17 | April 18, 1992 | Jerry Seinfeld | Lank Thompson: I'm a Handsome Black Man |
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
[edit]A parody of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, with Dana Carvey impersonating Johnny Carson and Phil Hartman impersonating Ed McMahon.[3]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | October 28, 1989 | James Woods | |
| 15 | January 20, 1990 | Christopher Walken | |
| 15 | May 19, 1990 | Candice Bergen | |
| 16 | October 27, 1990 | Patrick Swayze | |
| 16 | May 18, 1991 | George Wendt | The Carsenio Show |
| 17 | October 5, 1991 | Jeff Daniels | |
| 17 | May 16, 1992 | Woody Harrelson | |
| 20 | October 22, 1994 | Dana Carvey | The OJ Trial |
Lyle the Effeminate Heterosexual
[edit]An effeminate character played by Dana Carvey who needs to convince others that he is not gay. Debuted November 11, 1989.[4][5]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | November 11, 1989 | Chris Evert | |
| 17 | March 21, 1992 | Mary Stuart Masterson |
Annoying Man
[edit]Portrayed by Jon Lovitz,[6] he spoke in a high-pitched nasal voice and did annoying things in front of Weekend Update's Dennis Miller, such as chewing with his mouth open, or scratching a fork across a slate chalkboard. These sketches often ended with Lovitz saying something in a calm, cultured, refined tone; for example, "You don't have to yell" or "I love you." Debuted November 11, 1989.[7]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | November 11, 1989 | Chris Evert | |
| 15 | December 2, 1989 | John Goodman | |
| 15 | January 20, 1990 | Christopher Walken | |
| 15 | February 24, 1990 | Fred Savage | |
| 15 | March 17, 1990 | Rob Lowe | |
| 15 | May 12, 1990 | Andrew Dice Clay | |
| 16 | December 15, 1990 | Dennis Quaid |
Singing Cowboys
[edit]A Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman sketch.[8][9]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | November 18, 1989 | Woody Harrelson | |
| 16 | September 29, 1990 | Kyle MacLachlan | |
| 16 | March 23, 1991 | Jeremy Irons | |
| 17 | January 11, 1992 | Rob Morrow | |
| 17 | May 16, 1992 | Woody Harrelson |
Hanukkah Harry
[edit]Jon Lovitz plays a Jewish variation of Santa Claus. Debuted December 16, 1989.[10][11]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | December 16, 1989 | Andie MacDowell | |
| 15 | April 14, 1990 | Corbin Bernsen |
The Continental
[edit]Christopher Walken plays a self-imagined ladies' man. Debuted January 20, 1990.[12]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | January 20, 1990 | Christopher Walken | |
| 18 | October 24, 1992 | Christopher Walken | |
| 21 | January 13, 1996 | Christopher Walken | |
| 25 | April 8, 2000 | Christopher Walken | |
| 26 | May 19, 2001 | Christopher Walken | |
| 28 | February 22, 2003 | Christopher Walken |
Middle-Aged Man
[edit]Mike Myers portrays Ed Miles, a nominal superhero in late middle age whose superpower is elder wisdom; he solves young adults' mundane life problems. Chris Farley plays Miles's sidekick, Drinking Buddy. Each episode features a full theme song and introduction, with Don Pardo announcing the episode's title. Debuted April 21, 1990.[13][14]
- Appearances
| Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | April 21, 1990 | Alec Baldwin | |
| 16 | October 20, 1990 | George Steinbrenner | |
| 16 | May 18, 1991 | George Wendt |
References
[edit]- ↑ "Character | Lank Thompson". SNL Archives. 31 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Sketch | I'm a Handsome Man". SNL Archives. 31 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Bashian, Lori (2025-12-17). "Johnny Carson made dignified exit from 'Tonight Show' after enduring years of 'SNL' mockery". Fox News. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ Saturday Night Live (2013-10-02). Lyle, the Effeminate Heterosexual - Saturday Night Live. Retrieved 2026-03-31 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "The best (& worst) LGBTQ+ sketches in 'Saturday Night Live' history". Out Magazine. 2025-02-16. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ "John Lovitz: Various - Alan Cranston - Annoying Man". IMDB. 31 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Character | Annoying Man". SNL Archive. 31 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Saturday Night Live (2013-10-08). We're Cowboys and We're Proud - Saturday Night Live. Retrieved 2026-03-31 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Saturday Night Live (Ft. Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman & Woody Harrelson) – Three Very Lonesome Cowboys, retrieved 2026-03-31
- ↑ Yousuf, Imaan (31 March 2026). "Who is Hanukkah Harry?". Britannica.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Neil Gale, Ph.d., In Business Management (2018-11-20). "The Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal™ : The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas". The Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal™. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Sketch | The Continental". SNL Archives. 31 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Saturday Night Live (2013-09-25). Middle Aged Man - Saturday Night Live. Retrieved 2026-03-31 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Sketch | Middle-Aged Man". SNL Archives. 31 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)