Ask AS: How long do cast members stay Featured Players?

The normal route is to be a featured player for two years. Cast members to pull off this trick (to go to repertory player after only one year as a featured player) were Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig (in 2006), Will Forte (2003), Amy Poehler (2002), Tina Fey (2001), Chris Parnell, Jimmy Fallon, and Horatio Sanz (1999), Chris Kattan (1996), Molly Shannon (1995), Norm MacDonald (1994), Chris Farley, Julia Sweeney, and Chris Rock (1991), Mike Meyers (1989), Kevin Nealon (1987).



Those unlucky enough to go three years as a featured player (I'm listing their year they graduated to repertory player) include Jay Mohr (1996; Jay was actually kept on the show as a featured player a third year, but he quit when learning that he wasn't graduating to repertory player), Tim Meadows, David Spade, and Adam Sandler (1993; it was a big year with lots of players, so that's why).

Cast members to have no years as a featured player (went right to repertory player) include Ana Gasteyer and Tracy Morgan (1996), Darrell Hammond, Cheri Oteri, Jim Breuer, and Will Ferrell (1995), Mark McKinney (he was in Kids in the Hall; 1994), Chris Elliott and Janeane Garofalo (1994), Michael McKean (1993), Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, and Phil Hartman (1986), Nora Dunn, Jon Lovitz, and Dennis Miller (1985). (I won't go earlier than 1985 because that's when featured players were more likely just writers that Lorne put on camera a lot, and they were never meant to become repertory players.)

Enjoy!