The 25 Best 'SNL' Stars Turned Movie Stars

Many 'Saturday Night Live' alums have gone on to acclaimed and lucrative film careers (Bill Murray); others have gone on to lucrative and not-so-acclaimed careers (ahem, Rob Schneider). We rank the 25 most sucessful, based on a complicated algorithm that takes into account quality of work, popularity and box-office haul.

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25. Sarah Sliverman

Career Highs: 'Jesus Is Magic' is a gem. And who could forget her turn as "Raving Bitch" in 'Way of the Gun'?
Career Low: 'Screwed,' about a kidnapped canine, was aptly named, seeing as it screwed the pooch.
Verdict: She needs to ditch the "quirky friend" roles and play leading lady for a change.

24. Nora Dunn

Career High: She played a fierce and funny war reporter in 'Three Kings.'
Career Low: No one -- not Julianne Moore, not Pierce Brosnan -- came out of 'Laws of Attraction' unscathed.
Verdict: She stands out in everything she does as a smart broad; unfortunately Hollywood doesn't know what to do with smart broads.

23. Dana Carvey

Career Highs: 'Wayne's World' is one of the best 'SNL' skits-turned-movies (not like that's saying that much). 'Opportunity Knocks' rocks.
Career Low: 'The Master of Disguise' was so not masterful.
Verdict: The opportunity's stopped knocking after that slice of career suicide called 'Master.'

22. Maya Rudolph

Career Highs: She had funny parts in 'Chuck and Buck' and 'A Prairie Home Companion.'
Career Low: Her one co-starring role so far was in the barely released 'Idiocracy.'
Verdict: She sings. She acts. And she's married to Paul Thomas Anderson ('Magnolia'). Surely a good part will come her way before long.

21. Jimmy Fallon

Career Highs: The Farrelly brothers' rom-com 'Fever Pitch' is significantly underrated.
Career Lows: The Fallon-Queen Latifah action-comedy 'Taxi' is significantly horrendous.
Verdict: Fallon's stock has taken a dive since he jetted from 'SNL,' but here's hoping he rebounds in the indie dramedy 'Rockett.'

20. Tim Meadows

Career Highs: We don't care what the critics said: 'Ladies Man' Leon Phelps is one hilarious sex machine. He was perfect in 'Mean Girls.'
Career Lows: Pretty much every other film, including 'It's Pat' and 'The Cookout.'
Verdict: Meadows should be fine so long as he works with people like Tina Fey more, Rob Schneider less.

19. Tina Fey

Career High: 'Mean Girls' (which she wrote) was one of the best teen comedies since John Hughes.
Career Low: She made an ill-advised cameo in 'Artie Lange's Beer League.'
Verdict: She's brainy-hot, she's got a hit sitcom ('30 Rock') and she's writing a Sacha Baron Cohen movie ... We love you, Liz Lemon.

18. Martin Short

Career Highs: '80s flicks like 'Innerspace,' 'Three Amigos' and even 'Three Fugitives' hold a special place in our hearts. His 'Father of the Bride' bits are sublime.
Career Lows: Is it true they use 'Clifford' on prisoners in Guantanamo?
Verdict: How could you possibly dislike Martin Short?

17. Chris Rock

Career Highs: The dark comedies 'Dogma' and 'Nurse Betty' were his brightest moments.
Career Low: 'Pootie Tang' just sounds like "career low."
Verdict: He's got the buzzed-about 'Bee Movie' (sorry!) coming, a 'Madagascar' sequel and an untitled Brett Ratner project. Looks like Rock is on a roll.

16. Janeane Garofalo

Career High: Outshining Uma isn't easy, but Garofalo was the cat's meow in 'The Truth About Cats and Dogs.'
Career Low: She hasn't had any major duds -- just tons of minor ones, like the animated flop 'The Wild.'
Verdict: If being an acerbic, disheveled pessimist is wrong, then may she never be right.

15. Molly Shannon

Career Highs: Shannon has gotten raves for some of her most recent work, including a supporting gig in 'Marie Antoinette' and a starring turn in 'Year of the Dog.'
Career Low: Mary Katherine Gallagher joined a long list of 'SNL' characters who tanked in feature-form with 'Superstar.'
Verdict: Shannon is finally finding suitable, unsucky roles.

14. Joan Cusack

Career Highs: She's always "the friend,' but who cares when it's nabbed her two Oscar nominations ('Working Girl,' 'In & Out')?
Career Low: Just because she wasn't the star doesn't absolve her of blame for 'A Smile Like Yours.'
Verdict: We've dug her since her neck-brace days in 'Sixteen Candles.' John who?

13. Jon Lovitz

Career Highs: He was comedic gold in 'A League of Their Own' and 'Rat Race.' Also, he recently beat up Andy Dick.
Career Low: He only had a cameo in 'Little Nicky,' but that stinker tarnished the good name of everyone in it.
Verdict: We'd watch this scene-stealer in anything (except 'Little Nicky').

12. Rob Schneider

Career High: 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' is the funniest man-whore movie EVER!
Career Lows: 'European Gigolo' should have been denied a travel visa.
Verdict: He needs to do fewer movies where he turns into the title ('The Animal,' 'The Hot Chick,' 'Untitled Human Carrot Project') and more cameos in Adam Sandler movies.

11. Chris Farley

Career Highs: He achieved iconic status among the frat set for the David Spade buddy comedies 'Tommy Boy' and 'Black Sheep.'
Career Lows: Was it 'Beverly Hills Ninja' that drove him down that dark path toward raging alcoholism?
Verdict: Only the hilarious heavyset former 'SNL' comics die young.

10. David Spade

Career Highs: He cracked us up in 'Tommy Boy,' won our hearts as 'Joe Dirt' and scored his biggest hit ($89 million) with the animated 'Emperor's New Groove.'
Career Low: 'Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star' almost made him a former star.
Verdict: When it comes to lowbrow comedy, Spade's an ace.

9. Dan Aykroyd

Career Highs: 'Blues Brothers' and 'Ghostbusters' are classics.
Career Low: We hate to say it, but 'Coneheads' was not his finest moment.
Verdict: Aykroyd sprinkles in the highbrow ('The House of Mirth'), but we miss his comic chops.

8. John Belushi

Career Highs: In his brief career, he made the best frat movie ('Animal House') AND the best SNL-based movie ('Blues Brothers') of all time.
Career Low: Belushi's final film, 'Neighbors,' was a disaster; his drug problems didn't help.
Verdict: His death at the age of 33 remains one of comedy's greatest losses.

7. Chevy Chase

Career Highs: After starring in classics such as 'Caddyshack,' 'Vacation,' 'Fletch,' 'Spies Like Us' and 'Three Amigos,' he was a comedic deity.
Career Low: 'Vegas Vacation' was bad enough, but the voice of Cho-Cho in '04's 'Karate Dog'? Say it ain't so, Chevy.
Verdict: The juicy roles aren't exactly rolling in anymore, but we'll always love our Chevy.

6. Billy Crystal

Career High: Though the 'City Slickers' star has never won an Oscar, he's hosted the Oscars eight times, which is way cooler.
Career Low: 'My Giant' made a pint-sized $8 million at the box office.
Verdict: Unlike many 'SNL' alums, he doesn't need potty jokes to be funny. You want class? Go with Crystal.

5. Mike Myers

Career Highs: He scored uber-popular franchises with 'Shrek,' 'Austin Powers' and 'Wayne's World.'
Career Low: Five words: 'The Cat in the Hat.'
Verdict: He knows how to mine the tried and true (a fourth 'Shrek' is in the works), but he's not afraid to try some new (he'll be Keith Moon and Walter Mitty in upcoming flicks).

4. Adam Sandler

Career Highs: He scored a Golden Globe nod for the drama 'Punch Drunk Love,' but it's his comedies ('Billy Madison,' 'Happy Gilmore') that are truly golden.
Career Low: 'Little Nicky,' in which Sandler plays the devil's son, is pure hell.
Verdict: Nobody is better at playing childlike adults -- except maybe Dakota Fanning.

3. Will Ferrell

Career Highs: No one does idiocy (or nudity) like Ferrell, who's scored with 'Old School' and 'Talladega Nights.'
Career Low: If we wiggle our noses, will 'Bewitched' disappear?
Verdict: He's even shone in drama ('Stranger Than Fiction'). Like Ricky Bobby, this guy wakes up in the morning and pisses excellence.

2. Bill Murray

Career Highs: He starred in some of the best comedies ever ('Stripes,' 'Caddyshack,' 'Tootsie') and snagged an Oscar nod for 'Lost in Translation.'
Career Low: Murray voiced lasagna-loving feline Garfield in two Odie-ous movies.
Verdict: Unlike lasagna, this movie legend only gets better with age.

1. Eddie Murphy

Career High: He got an Oscar nod for his strong turn in 'Dreamgirls.'
Career Low: He unwisely followed that with the fat-is-funny lowbrow comedy 'Norbit.'
Verdict: Once a certified A-lister ('48 Hours,' anyone?), Murphy's had so many comebacks, we stopped counting. He's never been down for the count, though.

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