Though the original cast of Saturday Night Live was stacked with future comedy legends including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, and Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner holds a special place in the heart of comedy fans. Radner’s exuberant, energetic characters like newscaster Roseanne Roseannadanna, hyperactive preteen Judy Miller, and “Nerd” Lisa Loopner helped make the show an instant success, and Radner a household name, especially among the youthful Baby Boomers who made the show a hit.
Radner left SNL in 1980 and died tragically only nine years later, at age 42, of ovarian cancer. Though her post-SNL work didn’t quite reach the highs that her iconic run on the show did, she remains a legend and an inspiration, especially to female comedians.
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
