Gilda Radner

Gilda Susan Radner (June 28, 1946 – May 20, 1989) was an American actress and comedian. Radner was one of the seven original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from its inception in 1975 until her departure in 1980. In her sketches on SNL, she played various original characters on the show's Weekend Update segment, such as the elderly, hard-of-hearing Emily Litella and the advice specialist Roseanne Roseannadanna, who rarely offered advice but often provided disgusting, off-topic stories. Radner won an Emmy Award for her performances on the show in 1978. She also portrayed those characters, among others, in her one-woman show Gilda, Live on Broadway in 1979 and later on film in 1980. After leaving Saturday Night Live, Radner appeared in various films, including three with her future husband Gene Wilder, with whom she first appeared in 1982's Hanky Panky. She also worked on stage, appearing in the Broadway play Lunch Hour with Sam Waterston in 1980. She also continued to work on network and cable television, making appearances on Lorne Michaels' The New Show and It's Garry Shandling's Show. After nearly a year of misdiagnoses, Radner was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986 and died from the disease in 1989. Shortly before her death, she published her autobiography, It's Always Something, which dealt frankly with her life, work, and personal struggles, including her struggles with the illness. Her widower, Gene Wilder, carried out her wish that information about her illness would be used to help other people living with cancer, founding—and inspiring the founding of—organizations that emphasize early diagnosis, attention to hereditary factors, and support for cancer patients. Posthumously, Radner won a Grammy Award in 1990, was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 1992, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003. Other comedians have cited Radner as an influence on their work.