Gilda Radner, a beloved member of the original “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) cast in 1975, left an indelible mark on her colleagues and audiences alike. Radner is best remembered for her comedic genius and the iconic characters she created. Her Baba Wawa, a parody of Barbara Walters, and Roseanne Roseannadanna, a “Weekend Update” consumer affairs reporter, are only the tip of her influence. During her time on SNL, which continued until 1980, she worked with legendary comedians including Bill Murray and Steve Martin.
Bill Murray, who succeeded Radner when he joined SNL in 1977, painted warm memories of working alongside Radner. He recalled her joie de vivre and infectious laughter. So powerful was her influence that it reduced her to tears or, funnier still, made her wet herself in rehearsal.
“She would wet her pants, that’s what Gilda would do,” – Bill Murray
Perhaps it was Radner’s incredible knack for enjoying the present that created such a sense of love and loyalty among her contemporaries. Murray spoke about the experience of knowing the late Radner as a comedic touchstone of his career, saying “it was great introduction” to comedy.
“To know her for as long as I knew her was, really, sort of a training camp,” – Bill Murray
Radner’s influence extended beyond her SNL tenure. She worked with Steve Martin to cut a classic dance routine. That joint performance would go on to be the crowning moment of their tribute during SNL’s 50th anniversary special. Murray appeared overwhelmed with emotion as he looked on to the tribute. Tears glistened in his eyes as he looked back on Radner, and on the coworkers he lost over the years.
“Just now. I could have cried just now. Just when they came up on screen, and they showed, you know, footage of the dance number that she did…with Steve Martin, and it was a beautiful thing,” – Bill Murray
Gilda Radner died in 1989, just weeks before her 43rd birthday, from ovarian cancer. In spite of her untimely death, her comedic genius and sunny spirit have had a revolutionary impact. And so from there people went on to celebrate her work for its humor. She was a huge pleasure magnet to anyone in her orbit.
