Molly Shannon’s Most Iconic ‘SNL’ Characters Ranked

Molly Shannon has wowed as various memorable characters in hilarious sketches on ‘Saturday Night Live’ over the years. Relive some of the best here.

• Molly Shannon is an actress best known for her work on ‘Saturday Night Live.’
• She went on to also appear in various television shows and films, including ‘Never Been Kissed’, ‘Serendipity’, ‘Superstar,’ and ‘The Other Two.’
• She is set to return to the ‘SNL’ stage for a hosting gig on Apr. 8, 2023.

Molly Shannon has brought some of the most iconic characters to the stage on Saturday Night Live. The talented comedic actress was on the comedy sketch show from 1995 until 2001 and left a lasting memorable impression with various scenes that allowed her to portray all kinds of hilarious versions of people, including a supermodel, public radio host, and a Catholic school student. Her success on the show led her to an even bigger career with epic roles in both television and film. She is set to take the SNL stage once again for a hosting gig on Apr. 8. and many fans can’t wait to see what kind of new and old characters she’ll bring to their television screens.

Take a look back at and learn more about some of Molly’s best SNL characters below!

Ann Miller from “Leg Up”

Molly played the role of dancer Ann Miller in a sketch that was a tribute to Hollywood and Broadway’s Golden Age. She starred alongside co-star Cheri Oteri, who played Debbie Reynolds, as they rocked sparkly red outfits and fitting wigs. In the sketch, they hosted a talk show called Leg Up, and displayed over-the-top celebrity personas. They introduced their guests in hilarious ways that included repeat words like “hot,” and even called Quentin Tarantino a “flavor of the month.”

Veronica from “Veronica & Co.”

In this sketch, Molly starred as a supermodel named Veronica who hosted a talk show called Veronica & Co. She put on a memorable European accent and welcomed odd guests. She also gave off a very superficial personality that could be insensitive at times. She talked about buying a plane and a boat “in one week” because she “has so much money from modeling.” The character proved to be a fan favorite.

Elizabeth from “Southern Gals”

Who doesn’t love when an actress plays a Southern girl? Molly did exactly that in this sketch, which featured her as Elizabeth, a tourist in New York who spoke about the oddities of the city with her Southern friends. From calling the pizza “so dirty” to mentioning how a lady brushed her hair in Times Square, Molly had many people laughing. The sketch co-starred Cheri and Ana Gasteyer.

Helen Madden from “Pretty Living”

Molly played the guest, Helen Madden, in this sketch, which was a parody of a talk show. It was hosted by Ana and featured some of Molly’s best work. As Helen, she called herself a “joy-ologist” who could offer absurd solutions to life’s problems. She grabbed her behind at one point, just because she “loved it”, and showed off her flexibility by crossing her legs in all kinds of ways as she sat on the chair during the hilarious interview. Her character’s confidence didn’t waver as she got super excited when talking about eating buffalo wings, shouting with an energetic demeanor. No one could have played this character better than Molly!

Courtney Love from “The Courtney Love Show”

Molly played rocker Courtney Love in this sketch. She wore a blonde wig and silky white dress, just like the singer, and acted as if she hosted a talk show called The Courtney Love Show. Her portrayal of Courtney included clumsiness and wild antics. Some of the antics included shouting for a cigarette, sitting on top of a desk, and even unexpectedly kissing a guest.

Colleen from “Dog Show”

Molly was paired with funny man Will Ferrell for this canine-loving sketch. They played the hosts of a low-budget talk show that was all about their dogs. They were weird and silly at the same time and the show featured various pooches that they got to spend time with. The role of Colleen was a more aggressive one than other roles Molly played and showcased her incredible versatility as an actress.

Terry Rialto from “NPR: Delicious Dish”

Molly and Ana were joined by multiple guests in this sketch. They portrayed two hosts of an NPR radio show who both had calm voices yet odd conversations. During Christmas, Molly’s Terry revealed she wanted Santa Claus to bring her nothing but “glue traps” for the “rat problem” she had. Their attempts at making corny jokes and laughing at themselves was one personality trait both characters had and it received many laughs from the audience. The character of Terry also had a way of constantly bringing up innocent sexual remarks that left viewers wanting to see more.

Sally O’Malley from various sketches

Molly’s character of Sally O’Malley showed up on SNL many times throughout Molly’s time on the show and became a fan favorite. Sally always wore a red jumpsuit in the sketches and loved to kick and stretch. The character also always loved to remind viewers she was 50 years old and proud. “I’m 50! 50 years old,” she would shout over and over again. From dancing with a leopard print purse to constantly pulling up her pants, Molly’s portrayal of Sally was perfection.

Mary Katherine Gallagher from various sketches

Molly’s most famous character on SNL was, of course, Catholic school student Mary Katherine Gallagher. Mary was always desperate to please people and her uniform became an iconic one. It included a Catholic school girl outfit and pointy framed glasses. She also wore a headband over her shoulder-length hair that was flipped at the ends. Flailing and armpit sniffing were two of Mary’s most memorable quirks. As a waitress in the above sketch, she aimed to “win with a grin” and went overboard when trying to prove to her customers she was a ready and willing waitress with impeccable hygiene.

“I just want to take this opportunity, to let you two know that I just came from the ladies’ room, and, in accordance to state law, I just washed my hands with a very powerful antibacterial soap, so I just want to announce that I am ready. To handle. Your food,” she hilariously told the seated customers after taking their beverage orders. Molly’s role of Mary led to the successful film, Superstar in 1999.