Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1984–85


The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between October 6, 1984, and April 13, 1985, the tenth season of SNL.

Ed Grimley

played a hyperactive nerd. Ed originally appeared as a recurring character in the Canadian series, SCTV. Debuted on SNL October 6, 1984.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10October 6, 1984none
10October 20, 1984Jessie Jackson
10November 17, 1984Ed Asner
10December 8, 1984Ringo Starr
10February 2, 1985Alex Karras
10April 13, 1985Howard Cosell
12December 6, 1986Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Martin Short
22December 7, 1996Martin Short
41November 7, 2015Donald Trump

Rich Hall's Election Report

A Rich Hall sketch.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10October 6, 1984none
10October 20, 1984Jessie Jackson
10November 10, 1984George Carlin

Lawrence Orbach

A Martin Short character, Lawrence was awkward and child-like. Lawrence also originally appeared in the Canadian series SCTV, as a contestant in the game show parody "Half-Wits". Debuted on SNL October 6, 1984.

Lew Goldman

Goldman was a stereotypical elderly Jewish man played by Billy Crystal. He was prone to commenting on his disrespectful family while doing various commentaries. He also coughed and cleared his throat frequently, due to an apparent excess of phlegm. One of his most memorable insults was: "I have coughed up things that were more interesting than you!" Debuted October 13, 1984.

Tippi Turtle

A Christopher Guest sketch. Debuted October 13, 1984.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10October 13, 1984Bob Uecker
10October 20, 1984Jessie Jackson
10November 17, 1984Ed Asner

Willie & Frankie ("Don't ya hate it when...?")

A Billy Crystal and Christopher Guest sketch. Two good friends have meandering discussions in a variety of settings that inevitably drift into detailed anecdotes of grotesquely painful self-abuse. The men each complete the other's statements, correctly assuming increasingly outlandish scenarios. The characters periodically made some version of the remark "Don't ya hate it when that happens?" as though the pain they inflicted on themselves was a matter of bad luck. Debuted October 20, 1984.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10October 20, 1984Jessie Jackson
10November 10, 1984George Carlin
10December 8, 1984Ringo Starr
10January 12, 1985Kathleen Turner
10February 16, 1985Pamela Sue Martin
10April 13, 1985Howard Cosell

Buddy Young, Jr.

Buddy Young, Jr. was a Las Vegas lounge comedian played by Billy Crystal. This is a rare example of a little-known character spinning off into a feature film. Although Buddy Young, Jr. appeared only four times on SNL, he was the principal character in the 1992 film, Mr. Saturday Night. Debuted October 20, 1984.

Fernando's Hideaway

played a parody of Fernando Lamas as the character Fernando, who would interview various celebrities, often confusing them with someone else. During each interview he would say, "You look mahvelous", and frequently the sketch would end with, "It's better to look good than to feel good." Debuted November 3, 1984.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10November 3, 1984Michael McKean"Barry Manilow"
10December 8, 1984Ringo StarrRingo Starr & Barbara Bach
10March 2, 1985SNL Film FestivalGene Siskel and Roger Ebert
10March 30, 1985Mr. T, Hulk Hogan
10April 13, 1985Howard Cosell

The Joe Franklin Show

A parody of The Joe Franklin Show, with Billy Crystal impersonating host Joe Franklin. Debuted November 10, 1984.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10November 10, 1984George Carlin
10January 12, 1985Kathleen Turner
10February 16, 1985Pamela Sue Martin
10March 30, 1985Mr. T, Hulk Hogan

Jackie Rogers Jr.

A Martin Short Character. Debuted November 10, 1984

Chi Chi & Consuela

A Mary Gross and Julia Louis-Dreyfus sketch. Debuted November 10, 1984.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10November 10, 1984George Carlin
10December 1, 1984Ed Begley Jr.
10January 19, 1985Roy Scheider

Nathan Thurm

A shady lawyer, Thurm was a chain-smoker, quite paranoid, and constantly in denial about his paranoia. "I'm not being defensive. You're the one who's being defensive." When questioned, his response often included, "It's so funny to me that you would think..." He would break the fourth wall, looking into the camera and expressing his puzzlement at the questioner by asking, "Is it me, or is it him? It's him, right?" Other times, he would deny an accusation, then immediately reverse his position when the accuser reaffirmed the statement. "No, it isn't!" "I know that! Why wouldn't I know that? I'm well aware of that!" Debuted November 17, 1984.
Perhaps the best known appearance of Thurm was in a 1984 SNL sketch that was a send-up of 60 Minutes. Harry Shearer played Mike Wallace, accusing Thurm of being involved in corporate corruption. Thurm of course denied everything and nervously tried to turn the tables on Wallace.
Thurm was later reprised on Martin Short's short-lived talk show in 1999–2000.
In his book I Must Say: My Life As A Humble Comedy Legend, Short revealed that the character was based on a makeup artist who worked at SNL.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10November 17, 1984Ed Asner
10December 1, 1984Ed Begley Jr.Saturday Night News
10February 2, 1985Alex KarrasSaturday Night News
10March 30, 1985Mr. T, Hulk Hogan
10April 13, 1985Howard CosellSaturday Night News

Paul Harvey

impersonates Paul Harvey on Saturday Night News.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10November 17, 1984Ed Asner
10December 15, 1984Eddie Murphy
10January 19, 1985Roy Scheider
10April 6, 1985Christopher Reeve

Strictly From Blackwell

A Harry Shearer sketch. Debuted December 8, 1984.

Ricky & Phil

A Billy Crystal and Christopher Guest sketch. Debuted January 19, 1985.

That White Guy

A James Belushi sketch. Debuted February 2, 1985.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10February 2, 1985Alex Karras
10February 16, 1985Pamela Sue Martin
10April 13, 1985Howard CosellThat Russian Guy

Robert Latta

A Rich Hall sketch based on a man who was caught trespassing at the White House in 1985. Debuted February 2, 1985.
;Appearances:
SeasonEpisodeHostNotes
10February 2, 1985Alex KarrasSaturday Night News
10February 9, 1985Harry Anderson
10February 16, 1985Pamela Sue Martin
10April 13, 1985Howard CosellSaturday Night News