Darrell Hammond
| Darrell Hammond | |
|---|---|
Hammond in 2016.
|
|
| Born |
Darrell Clayton Hammond October 8, 1955 Melbourne, Florida, United States |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian, impressionist |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Title | Saturday Night Live Announcer |
| Term | 2014 - Incumbent |
| Predecessor | Don Pardo |
| Spouse(s) | E. A. Hammond (1990–1994; 1997–2011) |
Darrell Clayton Hammond (born October 8, 1955) is an American actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist. He was a regular member of "The Not Ready For Prime Time Players Company" on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2009.
Upon his departure, Hammond, at age 53, was also the oldest cast member in the show's history. Hammond made more SNL appearances than any other cast member and impersonated more than 107 celebrities, with Bill Clinton as his most frequent impression.
Hammond held the record for most impersonations by an SNL cast member with 107, until he was surpassed by Kenan Thompson on May 3, 2014. As of December 10, 2011, he had appeared on the show eight times since leaving the cast.
On September 19, 2014, Hammond was announced as the new announcer of SNL, replacing Don Pardo, who had died the month before. In May 2015, he began portraying Colonel Sanders in television commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken, although he was replaced by Norm Macdonald, also a former SNL cast member, just three months later.
Hammond was born in Melbourne, Florida, the son of Margaret and Max Hammond. Hammond was severely abused by his mother, contributing to his lifelong struggles with depression and substance abuse.
He played baseball in high school and at Brevard Community College. In high school, he was a teammate of San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy. He went on to attend the University of Florida, where he graduated in 1978 with a degree in advertising and a 2.1 GPA. He credits UF theater professor David Shelton for encouraging his work. After completing college, Hammond moved to New York City where he worked as a waiter, studied at HB Studio, did roles in theater productions, performed one set at a comedy club at age 26, and then returned to Florida, where he became a voiceover artist in the Orlando area.
...
Wikipedia