Dan Vitale (comedian)
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Dan Vitale | |
|---|---|
| Died | May 6, 2022 |
| Occupations | Comedian, actor |
| Years active | 1970s–2022 |
| Notable work | Saturday Night Live |
Dan Vitale was an American comedian, best known for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986, appearing in two episodes of its eleventh season.
Vitale was born in Long Island.[1] His mother was an alcoholic and his father, according to Vitale, was a "possibly mobbed up" father who "unknown but shady business dealings".[1] His sister died in a car crash when he was thirteen years old.[1] He was brought up in Flushing, Queens.[2] Vitale abused drugs and alcohol as a teenager, and used comedy as a coping mechanism.[1]
Career
He moved to Greenwich Village in the late 1970s to start his career in comedy, performing at open mic nights and working with writer Tom Saunders.[1]
Vitale caught the attention of Lorne Michaels in 1983, who was looking for cast members for The New Show. Vitale bombed the audition, reportedly lashing out at the audience: "I get in the room, and I see Lorne, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Penny Marshall, all these people I'd seen for years. I get up and I didn't have anything tight prepared because I'd work loose, organic. I start talking, then I get into it, a character. I get no reaction. Absolutely zero. And the arrogance of me in my 20s, at one point, in the middle, I said, "You know, I have a better idea. Why don't all you guys just go fuck yourselves." And I walked out."[3]
Despite his outburst, Michaels allowed him to audition for another show, as according to Vitale he "kind of dug it",[3] and auditioned the pilot episode for another one of his shows, Big Shots in America, which he passed and starred in alongside Joe Mantegna.[1] Big Shots in America was never given a series however Lorne let Vitale audition for Saturday Night Live in 1985, and was brought on the show for its eleventh season.[1]
Vitale was first brought on for an episode taped live on November 23, 1985,[1] and then his second and last appearance on February 8, 1986. He was fired in early 1986 due to his drug and alcohol abuse.[1]
Following his firing from SNL, Vitale found work as an uncredited extra in films and shows including Anger Management and Malibu's Most Wanted[4] and in 2006 starred in a one-man show, Live from Rehab, It's Dan Vitale.[1]