Darrell Hammond

Darrell Clayton Hammond (born October 8, 1955) is an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and announcer. Hammond was a regular cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2009, and has been its announcer since 2014. Upon his departure from the cast in 2009, Hammond, at age 53, was the oldest cast member in the show's history. He has made more SNL appearances than any other cast member besides Kenan Thompson, and impersonated more than 107 celebrities, with Bill Clinton as his most frequent impression. On September 19, 2014, Hammond was announced as the new announcer of SNL, replacing Don Pardo, who had died the month before. Early life Hammond was born in Melbourne, Florida, the son of Margaret and Max Hammond. He was severely abused by his mother, contributing to his lifelong struggles with depression and substance abuse. Hammond's father, dealing with his own psychological issues resulting from his military service during World War II, often drank heavily and acted out violently. Hammond found as a child that doing impressions was the only thing he did his mother liked. He played baseball in high school and at Brevard Community College. In high school, he was a teammate of future San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy. He went on to attend the University of Florida, where he graduated in 1978 with a degree in advertising and a 2.1 GPA. He credits UF theater professor David Shelton for encouraging his work. After completing college, Hammond moved to New York City where he worked as a waiter, studied at HB Studio, played roles in theater productions, and performed one set at a comedy club at age 26. Hammond then returned to Florida where he was a radio DJ at BJ 105 FM, telling Howard Stern in 2002, "First I tried to be a jock, which I really sucked at," followed by being a voiceover artist in the Orlando area. Career