“Saturday Night Live” Alum and the veteran comic were 61 years old: deadline

Norm Macdonald, the laconic delivery of sharp and incisive remarks made him one of the people Saturday night liveThe most influential and beloved cast members died today after a nine-year private battle against cancer. He was 61 years old.

His management company Brillstein Entertainment announced Macdonald’s death on Deadline. Producer friend and humor friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, who was with him when he died, said Macdonald had been battling cancer for nearly a decade, but was determined to keep his health struggles private, away from family, friends and fans.

“I was very proud of his comedy,” Hoekstra said. “He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the public or any of his loved ones saw it. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that “a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never be overlooked.” It certainly never went unnoticed. The rule will be lost terribly. “

Macdonald was scheduled to be part of the New York Comedy Festival lineup in November.

Macdonald was a SNL member of the cast from 1993 to 98, with its greatest impact as an anchor for the “Weekend Update” segments of the program for three seasons. Remembered both for his funny style and for his refusal to make OJ Simpson easy despite pressures from NBC executives, Macdonald would be one of the most shocking “Update” anchors, moving away from the approach. of Chevy Chase and toward the political approach of his successor Colin Quinn.

Born on October 17, 1959 in Quebec City, Macdonald began his acting career in Canadian comedy clubs, developing the cheeky style that would become both his trademark and a very influential touchstone for to a generation of comics. A contestant a Search for stars in 1990, he got his first regular television writing concert The Dennis Miller Show, led by the man who anchored the 1986-91 “Weekend Update.”

Macdonald was hired to write for Roseanne Barr’s sitcom Roseanne for the 1992-93 season before landing the coveted concert on NBC Saturday night live.

Among its most popular SNL bits was an impression of Burt Reynolds, with a charming smile, a bolo tie and a servant attitude.

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Macdonald’s exit from the show was controversial in itself and he often attributed his shot to the fact that he continued to wrap Simpson as a murderer despite what he said was the displeasure of Don Ohlmeyer, chairman of the Coast Division. west of NBC, which Macdonald said was a great former football friend.

After leaving SNL in 1998, Macdonald starred in his own comedy series, The Norm Show, from 1999-2001. He also did a one-season talk show for Netflix, Norm Macdonald has a show, in 2018. He also received a nomination for the CableACE Award as a member of the editorial team for the 1992 variety special Free to Laugh: A comedy and music special for Amnesty International.

Over the years he made numerous appearances in various nightly shows, including Late Night With David Letterman i Conan, and had a recurring role in The middle.

He also released three stand-up comedy albums: Ridiculous (1996), I standing (2011) i Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (2017), the latter taken from a Netflix special.

MORE TO COME…

Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.