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'SNL' veteran Jan Hooks dies

 
Tampa Bay Times
Published Oct. 10, 2014

Jan Hooks, who worked with some of Saturday Night Live's biggest stars, has died. She was 57.

The Designing Women alum passed away Thursday in New York City, her agent told the Los Angeles Times. A cause of death was not given, but she was said to have been battling a serious illness.

Though Hooks was best known for her work on SNL and Designing Women, she had roles in several TV shows and movies, including Batman Returns, 3rd Rock from the Sun (for which she earned an Emmy nod), The Simpsons and 30 Rock.

Castmates during her run on SNL from 1986-1991 included Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey and Dennis Miller, to name a few. Known for her Sinead O'Conner and Hillary Clinton impressions, Hooks also played one half of the Sweeney Sisters on the late-night sketch comedy show.

Hooks was born in 1957, in Decatur, Ga. One of her first movies was Pee-wee's Big Adventure in 1985.