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Catherine O'Hara Quit SNL Before Debut
1 Feb
Summary
- Catherine O'Hara resigned from SNL after one week in the early 1980s.
- She left to rejoin the cast of her Canadian sketch comedy show, SCTV.
- Her departure paved the way for high school friend Robin Duke's SNL role.
Catherine O'Hara revealed that she resigned from Saturday Night Live just one week after being cast in the early 1980s. She had accepted a role on the show's sixth season but departed when her Canadian comedy sketch series, SCTV, was renewed.
O'Hara explained that she felt compelled to return to her SCTV "family," considering her previous show's inconsistent work. She later reflected that her decision to leave SNL without filming an episode was perhaps "stupid," as it was not ideal to abandon a commitment.
Ultimately, O'Hara's high school friend, Robin Duke, took over her intended role on Saturday Night Live. O'Hara also shared her past connection to Gilda Radner, having understudied her at Toronto's Second City and considering Radner a role model for balancing humor with kindness. O'Hara’s SCTV co-stars included notable talents like John Candy and Martin Short.
