Saturday Night Live - Darrell Hammond's Biography

Darrell Hammond
(cast member)

Now entering his eighth season on “Saturday Night Live,” Darrell Hammond is best known for the many impressions he has brought to the show.

His impressions have been applauded by television critics and viewers alike for their uncanny accuracy and range.

After playing President Bill Clinton for most of his time in office, Hammond has taken over playing practically the entire Bush Administration from Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge – sometimes in the same sketch. Hammond performed as Vice President Al Gore in a performance so telling that it was used as a reference in preparation for the 2000 Presidential debates. Other political highlights include Jesse Jackson and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Hammond has also played media figures including Dan Rather, Ted Koppel, Geraldo Rivera, Sam Donaldson, Bob Costas, Tim Russert, Phil Donahue and Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s “Hardball” as well as celebrities (Sean Connery, Jay Leno, and Regis Philbin).

In April 1997, Hammond was applauded in the media for his dead-on impression of President Clinton during a surprise appearance with the President himself at an event before thousands of government officials and members of the Washington Press Corps. He returned to DC to perform as himself for newly elected President George W. Bush at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2001. He’s also performed for Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld and countless Senators.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Florida, Hammond began doing impressions as a child, but his pursuit of a career in performing only began after graduating from the University of Florida at Gainesville. After college, Hammond lived in New York for several years and appeared in off- and off-off-Broadway productions, in both dramatic and comedic roles. Later, he returned to Florida and honed his skills as an impressionist, performing on local and national radio programs.

For the last several years, Hammond has been performing stand-up comedy and impressions in New York and throughout the country. On film, he has lent his vocal talents to the recent animated version of “The King And I.” On television, Hammond has appeared on NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit;” “Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Hollywood Squares,” MTV, Showtime, Comedy Central, VH-1 and A&E’s “Comedy on the Road.”

Hammond is a proud resident of the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan. His birthday is October 8.

Biography Courtesy SNL's Official Site