Summary

• A good SNL host can make or break an episode by embracing the wildness of the show and working well with the ensemble.
• Some hosts like Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken have become legends in the Five-Timers Club for their sketch comedy skills.
• Alec Baldwin holds the record for hosting SNL the most times at 17, proving himself as a top performer on the legendary show.

Each week, Saturday Night Live brings in an exciting new guest host to lead the episode, but there are some who have hosted SNL the most, proving themselves legends on the late-night show. Though the cast is the backbone of the show, the host is usually what makes or breaks an episode of Saturday Night Live. The best hosts are willing to embrace the wildness of the show, stand out, and also work as part of the larger ensemble. Since its beginning, SNL has seen many hosts return to the show and fans often wait for their favorites to come back.

Whether it's a classic comedian like Steve Martin or a surprise hit like Drew Barrymore, there is usually a good reason why SNL hosts are asked back. Some were frequent hosts in the early days of the show, others are more recent favorites, and some rare ones have stuck around for decades, making it into the coveted Five-Timers Club and beyond. The Saturday Night Live hosts with the most appearances have proven to be exceptionally skilled at the sketch comedy format and made their mark on the legendary show throughout its nearly 50 years on the air.

Saturday Night Live is available to stream on Peacock .

10 Scarlett Johansson

Hosted SNL 6 Times

Scarlett Johansson is one of SNL in the past, but her time on the sketch show actually predates her time playing Black Widow. Johansson hosted for the first time in 2006, where she exemplified what makes for a great Saturday Night Live host. She embraced her wacky characters and went all in with big sketch premises while also working as part of the ensemble of the show.

Johansson is one of the youngest hosts to reach the Five-Timers Club

Johansson is one of the youngest hosts to reach the Five-Timers Club, an impressive achievement especially considering that she's not primarily known for comedy movies. Unlike some of the other frequent hosts who appeared more in the past, Johansson is one of the more modern popular hosts, having last hosted SNL in 2019. While Johansson made many memorable appearances on the show, perhaps her most famous one is a sketch in which she played Black Widow spoofing Marvel's lack of female stories as it imagines her solo movie as a romantic comedy with Ultron.

9 Elliott Gould

Hosted SNL 6 Times

Elliott Gould has not hosted SNL in more than 40 years, and yet he still remains one of the most frequent hosts in the show's history. Gould made a name for himself by starring in some of the funniest films of the 1970s, including MASH and The Long Goodbye. Naturally, he got the call to host SNL, with the first time being in 1976, and was a frequent host through the first half-decade of the series.

He fit in well as part of the ensemble, showing why he is one of the most beloved character actors of all time.

Gould's own brand of dry humor fit well with the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" and he was a sturdy and reliable host in the early days. Though he was always skilled when appearing on the show, Gould didn't deliver too many memorable moments. Instead, he fit in well as part of the ensemble, showing why he is one of the most beloved character actors of all time.

8 Drew Barrymore

Hosted SNL 6 Times

Drew Barrymore had a leg up on a lot of her contemporaries because she got an early start in the entertainment industry. Barrymore first hosted SNL in 1982 when she was only 7 years old, and she is still the youngest person ever to host the show. As part of the famous Hollywood Barrymore family, she had a very public battle with addiction at a young age before turning her life around and delivering one of the biggest comebacks in Hollywood history.

As such, there is a considerable gap between the first time she hosted the show and the second with a 17-year span. However, following her comeback in the 1990s and popular hits like Charlie's Angeles and 50 First Dates, Barrymore became a popular Saturday Night Live host. Barrymore's most recent hosting appearance was back in 2009.

7 Christopher Walken

Hosted SNL 7 Times

Christopher Walken is an actor who comedians love to do impressions of, with many of them appearing on SNL. However, Walken has proven time and time again that his presence on SNL is a lot funnier than any impression. With his eccentric personality and unique vocal delivery, Walken seems to lean into these famous aspects of himself with each hosting duty, becoming one of the rare hosts who steals every skit rather than just ing the cast .

One of the rare SNL hosts to get their own recurring character

Walken hosted for the first time in 1990 where he quickly established himself as a natural for the show's format. He is also one of the rare SNL hosts to get their own recurring character with the hilariously creepy skit "The Continental". During his last hosting appearance in 2008, Walken was in a skit called "Walken Family Reunion" which gave the entire cast an opportunity to do an impression of Walken to his face. However, he is best known for delivering one of the most iconic SNL lines, "I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell."

6 Chevy Chase

Hosted SNL 8 Times

Chevy Chase was the first cast member to depart the show, and it was only natural that he would be the first cast member to return as a Saturday Night Live host once his career progressed. Chase left the show after season one but was never very far from SNL in the years immediately following his exit, returning to host for the first time in 1978. With his success as a cast member, it is not a surprise that Chase was a hit on the show each time he returned.

Chase brought a unique energy to the hosting spot because he often felt more like a returning cast member than a host, and he usually revived his old characters. He holds the record as the former cast member who has hosted the most. However, he is also the only former cast member to be on the list of banned SNL hosts following his final appearance in 1997.

5 Tom Hanks

Hosted SNL 9 Times

Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is one of the most beloved Hollywood figures and his many appearances on SNL have only strengthened that reputation. Although he is acclaimed in very dramatic movies like Philadelphia and Saving Private Ryan, Hanks is always willing to let loose and be as goofy as possible when hosting, delivering a number of classic sketches.

Now best ed for his hilarious character of David S. Pumpkins, returning in various Halloween episodes after the character became a viral hit.

Hanks hosted for the first time in 1985 and ed the Five-Timers Club five years later, showing how popular he had become with the sketch series. Hanks has done multiple impressions on the show, such as playing fellow Oscar-winner Michael Caine and hilariously playing a dim-witted version of himself in a Celebrity Jeopardy skit, a first for the show. However, he is now best ed for his hilarious character of David S. Pumpkins, returning in various Halloween episodes after the character became a viral hit.

4 Buck Henry

Hosted SNL 10 Times

The most impressive thing about legendary actor and screenwriter Buck Henry's tenure with SNL was that all 10 of his appearances came within the first five seasons. Henry could always be counted on to anchor the show, and he served as a frequent host in lieu of another celebrity guest. His first appearance came in 1976 and he became the first member of the Five-Timers Club a little under a year later.

Though Henry was always competent in his appearances, he rarely failed to leave a mark on the episodes he appeared in and instead allowed the cast to shine. Despite that, his legacy as a 10-time host is an undeniable and impressive achievement, as are his many behind-the-scenes contributions to the show. Henry hosted for the last time in 1980, and he ed away in 2020.

3 John Goodman

Hosted SNL 13 Times

Though John Goodman may not be the first name that comes to mind when fans think of SNL hosts who have appeared 10 or more times, he has been a favorite of the show for decades. Goodman hosted for the first time in 1989 and subsequently hosted nearly every year of the 1990s. Interestingly, Goodman auditioned to be part of the SNL cast years before finding success on the sitcom Roseanne, but his many hosting appearances proved he was a natural at the show.

Goodman shined as a performer and played an impressive range of characters

What sets him apart from many celebrity hosts is his experience in sketch comedy as a live performer. Goodman shined as a performer and played an impressive range of characters, from politicians such as Rex Tillerson and celebrities like Marlon Brando. Goodman's most recent appearance as a Saturday Night Live host was in 2013.

2 Steve Martin

Hosted SNL 16 Times

Of all the hosts of SNL, Steve Martin is perhaps the person most synonymous with the role. Martin has been with the show since the beginning, with his first appearance coming in the show's second year on the air in 1976. He became such a frequent host that many fans often mistakenly thought he was one of the show's original cast . However, he has worked with many different SNL casts through the years, still proving himself a top performer.

Martin holds the record for being the host who reached the Five-Timers Club in the fastest time, making his fifth appearance less than two years after his first appearance. Along with Dan Aykroyd, Martin's portrayal of Jorge Festrunk in the "Wild And Crazy Guys" sketches is still some of the funniest material in SNL history. His latest hosting stint was in 2022 alongside his comedy partner Martin Short.

1 Alec Baldwin

Hosted SNL 17 Times

Alec Baldwin has become one of SNL's most reliable celebrity hosts of recent memory, and he brings star power with his appearances. Baldwin's first time hosting was in 1990 and managed to appear multiple times over the next three decades. Interestingly, one of those hosting episodes saw Baldwin co-host with his then-wife Kim Basinger. Throughout the years, he has delivered a number of memorable skits, with the famous "Schweddy Balls" being considered one of the greatest SNL skits of all time.

Though he has hosted more than anyone else, Baldwin has also frequently made non-host appearances on Saturday Night Live, including in several episodes in which Steve Martin hosted, playing into an amusing feud about who could host the most times. Baldwin is perhaps most known now for his portrayal of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which saw him make countless cameo appearances. Baldwin's last appearance as a Saturday Night Live host was in 2017.