Dennis Miller

Say what you will about Miller, a 1985 hire who lasted until 1991. He’s polarizing today, but he was perfect for the role of anchor of “Weekend Update,” and he absolutely excelled at doing it.

Miller was a cast member, which meant he did a few characters and a couple impressions, but that wasn’t his strong suit. No, Miller helped salvage “Weekend Update” and turn it into the vehicle that worked so well at bolstering the careers of Norm MacDonald, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, and more.

While “Weekend Update” predated him, Miller really reframed what it meant to anchor the segment. This was where his verbose comedic style really popped. The guy knew his way around a joke and a turn of phrase. He is, perhaps, the definitive “Weekend Update” anchor.