Mary Ellen Matthews

Last updated

Mary Ellen Matthews
NationalityAmerican
Known forPhotography

Mary Ellen Matthews is a photographer based in New York City and East Hampton, New York. [1] She is best known for her photographs featured on the television sketch comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live (SNL); [1] [2] her portraits of the celebrities who appear as guest-hosts and musical guests of SNL are displayed as the show returns from commercial breaks. [3] [4] Since 2010 she has also directed videos for SNL. [2]

Contents

Career

A native of New Jersey, and currently living in East Hampton, New York, [5] Matthews began her career in film production and music publicity. [1] [4] She moved into the field of entertainment photography when she joined the staff of SNL in 1993 as an assistant to photographer Edie Baskin. In 1999 she took over from Baskin, becoming responsible for the celebrity portraits used as commercial bumpers on the show. [1] [4] [5]

Matthews' SNL photographs are taken at NBC headquarters in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center. [2] Matthews uses Studio 8H as her shooting space—the very same studio from which SNL is broadcast; she often photographs the week's guest-host as the week's musical guest practices their musical set in the same studio. [2] In the summer of 2010 a retrospective of Matthew's photographs from SNL titled "Live from New York: A Decade of Portraits" was exhibited at the John Varvatos boutique at 315 Bowery in New York City—formerly the site of seminal music club CBGB. [3] [6] She also began directing video clips for SNL in 2010, such as the show's opening title sequence. [2]

In addition to her work on SNL, Matthews works in the realms of promotional, editorial and commercial photography for a variety of clients. [1] [2] Matthews is represented by the New York arm of the talent agency Jed Root Inc and her work has appeared in such publications as Rolling Stone , Marie Claire and the Spanish edition of Harper's Bazaar . She took promotional photographs of the 2009 fall/winter collection by Theory, a New York-based sportswear label, as well as photos for the movies What Happens in Vegas and Baby Mama . She has worked as a wedding photographer for such celebrities as Liv Tyler, Kate Hudson and Tina Fey and has also toured with Aerosmith. [1] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Fey</span> American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright (born 1970)

Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. Fey was a cast member and head writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1997 to 2006. After her departure from SNL, she created the NBC sitcom 30 Rock and the Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020), the former of which she also starred in. Fey is also known for her work in film, including Mean Girls (2004), Baby Mama (2008), Date Night (2010), Megamind (2010), Muppets Most Wanted (2014), Sisters (2015), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016), Wine Country (2019), and Soul (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Curtin</span> American actress and comedian

Jane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedian. First coming to prominence as an original cast member on the hit TV comedy series Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s sitcom Kate & Allie portraying the role of Allison "Allie" Lowell. Curtin later starred in the hit series 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001), playing the role of Dr. Mary Albright.

<i>Weekend Update</i> Saturday Night Live parody newscast

Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch and satirical news program that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest-running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance. Historically, one or two of the players are cast in the role of news anchor, presenting gag news items based on current events and acting as hosts for occasional editorials, commentaries, or other performances by other cast members or guests. In modern times, dedicated anchors are chosen among writing staff, often lead writers, in lieu of cast or featured players. Chevy Chase has said that Weekend Update – which he started as anchor in 1975 – paved the way for comedic news shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Kattan</span> American actor and comedian

Christopher Lee Kattan is an American actor and comedian. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Kattan found wider success during his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2003. He also played Doug Butabi in A Night at the Roxbury, Bob on the first five seasons of The Middle and Bunnicula in Bunnicula.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> American late-night live TV sketch comedy and variety show

Saturday Night Live is an American late-night live television sketch comedy, political satire, and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves as the program's showrunner. The show premiere was hosted by George Carlin on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Litella</span> Fictional character

Emily Litella is a fictional character created and performed by comedian Gilda Radner in a series of appearances on Saturday Night Live. Based on a person in her early life, Emily Litella was a popular character in Radner's comedy repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Dratch</span> American actress and comedian

Rachel Susan Dratch is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. After she graduated from Dartmouth College, she moved to Chicago to study improvisational theatre at The Second City and ImprovOlympic. Dratch's breakthrough role was her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006. During her time on SNL, she portrayed a variety of roles including Debbie Downer. She has since occasionally returned to SNL as a guest portraying Senator Amy Klobuchar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Hooks</span> American actress and comedian (1957–2014)

Janet Vivian Hooks was an American actress and comedian. Hooks was best known for her tenure on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, where she was a repertory player from 1986 to 1991. Following her departure from SNL, she continued making cameo appearances until 1994. Her subsequent work included a regular role on the final two seasons of Designing Women, a recurring role on 3rd Rock from the Sun, and a number of other film and television roles, including on 30 Rock and The Simpsons.

Saturday Night Live is an American sketch comedy series created and produced by Lorne Michaels for most of the show's run. The show has aired on NBC since 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Cleghorne</span> American actress and comedian

Ellen Leslye Cleghorne is an American actress and comedian. Cleghorne is best known for her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1991 to 1995. She was the sketch comedy show's second African-American female repertory cast member, succeeding Danitra Vance in its eleventh season, and the first African-American female cast member to stay for more than one season. She returned for its 40th anniversary special on February 15, 2015. Cleghorne was ranked the 69th greatest Saturday Night Live cast member by Rolling Stone magazine.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> (season 33) Season of television series

The thirty-third season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 29, 2007, and May 17, 2008.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> parodies of Sarah Palin Television comedy sketches

The sketch comedy television show Saturday Night Live aired several critically acclaimed sketches parodying then Alaskan Governor and vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin in the lead-up to the 2008 United States presidential election. The sketches featured former cast member Tina Fey, who returned as a guest star to portray Palin. Fey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her impersonation of Palin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate McKinnon</span> American actress and comedian (born 1984)

Kate McKinnon Berthold is an American actress, comedian, impressionist, writer, and singer. McKinnon is most notable for being a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022, where she became known for her character work and celebrity impressions. Prior to SNL, she also starred on the Logo sketch program The Big Gay Sketch Show from 2007 to 2010. She has appeared in films such as Balls Out (2014), Ghostbusters (2016), Office Christmas Party (2016), Rough Night (2017), The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018), Yesterday (2019), and Bombshell (2019). In 2022, she played the role of Tiger King subject Carole Baskin in the miniseries Joe vs. Carole.

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 26, 2009, and May 15, 2010, the thirty-fifth season of SNL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Jones (comedian)</span> American comedian and actress

Annette "Leslie" Jones is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, singer, and game show host. Jones was a cast member and writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2014 to 2019, and is currently the host of the ABC game show Supermarket Sweep. She has also been a featured performer at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and the Aspen Comedy Festival. In 2010, her one-hour comedy special, Problem Child, was broadcast on Showtime. Jones starred in Ghostbusters (2016) as Patty Tolan. In 2017 and 2018, Jones was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Saturday Night Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecily Strong</span> American actress, comedian, and producer

Cecily Legler Strong is an American actress, comedian, producer, author, and singer. Strong is most notable for being a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022. She is also the longest-tenured female cast member in the show's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasheer Zamata</span> American actress and comedian (born 1986)

Sasheer Zamata Moore is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and singer. Zamata is best known for her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2014 to 2017. Since her departure from SNL, she has garnered wider attention for her leading roles in the TV series Woke (2020–2022) and Home Economics (2021–present). She has served as a celebrity ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Heidi Lynn Gardner is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Gardner has been a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live since 2017, beginning in season 43, when she debuted as a featured player alongside Luke Null and Chris Redd. Beginning with the show's 45th season in 2019, Gardner and Redd were both promoted to repertory status.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Fineman</span> American actress, writer, and comedian

Chloe Fineman is an American actress, comedian, impressionist, and writer. Fineman became a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live starting in its 45th season in September 2019, and was promoted to repertory status in 2021 at the beginning of season 47.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mary Ellen Matthews' bio on Jed Root Inc.'s website
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sawalich, William. "Mary Ellen Matthews: It's Saturday Night!", Digital Photo Pro, Feb 23, 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Delahoyde, Steve. "Retrospective of SNL Photographer Mary Ellen Matthews Launches at John Varvatos", Mediabistro's UnBeige, May 12, 2010". Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 "PhotoSynthesis With 'SNL' Photographer Mary Ellen Matthews", Spinner, Apr 2, 2009
  5. 1 2 3 Sancton, Julian. "Live From NY...Mary Ellen Matthews Shoots 'Saturday Night Live'", BlackBook, Oct 1, 2007
  6. ↑ O'Reilly, Kelly. "Live from New York: It's SNL Portraits at John Varvatos", NBC New York, May 5, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.