BIOGRAPHY

DARRELL HAMMOND

SHORT FORM BIO:

Darrell Hammond is an American actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist. He is one of the longest-running cast members on “Saturday Night Live” and has famously portrayed Presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, among others. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller “God, If You’re Not Up There I’m F*cked,” which was just released as an audiobook on Audible.com narrated by Hammond himself. The film “Cracked Up,” detailing his life and career, was released at the end of last year.

LONG FORM BIO:

Actor/comedian Darrell Hammond fondly recalls his first taste of show business at age five practicing the impressions of his family members on the porch of their home in Melbourne Florida. It wasn’t many years later when Darrell realized he wanted to submerse himself in the pursuit of bringing his comedy and impressions to a much bigger stage. For years now, Hammond has brought to life a cavalcade of politicians, media figures, celebrities and newsmakers on television. Darrell is known for being one of the most prolific comedians of his time. He is one of the longest running cast members in SNL history. He frequently tours comedy clubs and theaters boasting a number of brilliant impressions in his act that keep people laughing nationwide.

Hammond has brought a great number of wonderful impressions to SNL over the years. Television critics and viewers alike, for their accuracy and range, have applauded each and every one of his impressions. Amongst the great number of people he has impersonated include; Bill Clinton, Sean Connery, Regis Philbin, Dan Rather, John Travolta, Jesse Jackson, Richard Dreyfus, Jay Leno, and Ted Koppel. 

In addition to his SNL appearances, Hammond has been seen in a number of feature films and television shows. As a truly versatile actor Darrell has displayed his talents in both dramatic and comedic roles. Some of his feature films include: Screen Gems feature WEINERS and the Regency feature BOB BAILEY’S DISCO BALLS. He has also starred opposite Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in Warner Bros’ NEW YORK MINUTE and in the Dimension features SCARY MOVIE 3 and SCARY MOVIE 6. He shared the screen with Frankie Muniz and Hillary Duff in MGM’s AGENT CODY BANKS. Darrell also starred with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin in El Dorado Picture’s THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER. He received tremendous amount of reviews for his portrayal as a deranged but intense criminal defense lawyer in Dick Wolf’s LAW AND ORDER: SVU. Additionally, he did a guest spot on NBC’s THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN. His other film credits include an appearance in Universal’s BLUES BROTHERS 2000 which also starred Dan Aykroyd, and Disney’s CELTIC PRIDE. In 1999 he moved audiences everywhere by playing the voice of Master Little in Disney’s animated hit THE KING AND I. 

Darrell starred in Bay Street Theatre’s “TRU”, written by Jay Presson Allen and directed by Matt McGarth. Darrell also finished shooting a TBS pilot, HOUND DOGS, as Harry Hound, with director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham & White Men Can’t Jump). Darrell is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, “God If You’re Not Up There, I’m F***ed: Misadventures with Fake Noses, Funny Accents, Addiction, and Saturday Night Live”, which was released by Harper Collins in October of 2011 to rave reviews. 

A Native of Florida, Darrell began doing his impressions and comedy early on in life, but his real pursuit of a career in performing began after graduating from the University of Florida at Gainesville. After college, Hammond spent several years in New York appearing in many off-Broadway productions and honing his stand up at the local comedy clubs. With his acerbic wit and masterful impressions Darrell quickly became a favorite on the comedy circuit. He would also frequently display his comedic styles performing on a wide array of local and national radio stations.

Although it was a dream come true for Darrell to be a regular on NBC’s SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, one of Hammond’s biggest honors came at our nation’s capital in April 1997. During a surprise appearance with President Bill Clinton, Hammond was widely praised by the media for his dead-on impression of the President at an event before a great number of government officials and members of the Washington Press Corps. In an equally as impressive fete at 2001’s WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER, Darrell received a standing ovation for his performance in front of 2000 press people and President George W. Bush. 

Darrell continues to move audiences with his comedy, performing in New York and throughout the entire country. As an actor he continually looks for new challenging roles to expand his talents in Film and Television. His recent television appearances include Criminal Minds, At Home with Amy Sedaris, Damages, and Dreamcorps, LLC. 

He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller God, If You’re Not Up There I’m F*cked, which was just released as an audiobook on Audible.com narrated by Hammond himself. The film “Cracked Up,” detailing his life and career was shown as part of the DOC-NYC film festival at the end of last year. 

In “Cracked Up,” we witness the impact adverse childhood experiences can have across a lifetime through the incredible story of actor, comedian, master impressionist and “Saturday Night Live” veteran Darrell Hammond. Behind the scenes, Hammond suffered from debilitating flashbacks, self-injury and addiction until he came to understand the role that early trauma played in his development. “Cracked Up” creates an inspiring balance between comedy and tragedy, helping us to understand the effects of childhood trauma in a new light, breaking down the barriers of stigma and replacing shame with compassion and hope.