Dan Vitale | |
|---|---|
| Died | May 6, 2022 Manhattan, US |
| Occupation(s) | 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 Dan, 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]
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 along side 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]
Vitale lived in Manhattan since 1980. [3] He died on May 6, 2022. [5] [6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Who's the Man? | Bartender | Uncredited [7] |
| 2003 | Anger Management | Monk | Uncredited [7] |
| Malibu’s Most Wanted | Man | Uncredited [7] | |
| 2012 | Gangs of Brooklyn | Man on phone [7] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The New Show | Various | One episode [7] |
| 1985 | Big Shots in America | Dave | Pilot episode [7] |
| 1985—1986 | Saturday Night Live [7] | Various | Two episodes |