Gilda Radner honored by Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman during ‘SNL 50’ anniversary special

nypost.com:

Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special on NBC included a moment where original cast members Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman paid tribute to their late co-star Gilda Radner.During the show’s goodbye, Curtin and Newman, who were squeezed in the massive crowd on the stage, held up a framed photo of Radner, who died at age 42 in 1989.Curtin, 77, Newman, 72, and Radner were the only women in the OG “SNL” cast, which also included Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi.Radner was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986 and died three years later.

She was on “SNL” for the first five seasons and was beloved for playing characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Baba Wawa.She famously dated “SNL” alum Martin Short and was married to “SNL” musician G.E.

Smith from 1980 to 1982 and Gene Wilder from 1984 to 1989.The special also featured a performance by Sandler to a song called “50 Years,” where he honored five decades of “SNL.” His song included mentions of late “SNL” alums Chris Farley and Norm Macdonald.“Six years of our boy Farley and five of our buddy Norm/ 50 Years of one of us getting to say/ ‘Live from New York, it’s Saturday night’/ 50 years of standing on home base/ waving goodnight and goodbye/ 50 years of the best times of our lives,” Sandler sang.Farley was one of the biggest stars to come out of “SNL.” He joined the cast in 1990 and played iconic characters including motivational speaker Matt Foley and a morbidly obese Chippendale’s dancer.

The comedian left the show in 1995 to pursue his film career.Farley died Dec. 18, 1997, at the age of 33. He overdosed on cocaine and morphine, which is commonly known as a “speedball.”Sandler previously paid tribute to Farley when he returned to.