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Janet V. "Jan" Hooks (born April 23, 1957) is an American actress and comedian best known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL), on which she appeared from 1986 to 1991. Her subsequent work has included a regular role on the final two seasons of Designing Women, and a number of roles in film and television. Hooks was born in Decatur, Georgia, east of Atlanta. She began her career as a member of the Los Angeles-based comedy troupe The Groundlingsand in an Atlanta nightclub act called The Wits End Players. In 1978–1979, Hooks appeared in Tush on Ted Turner's television station... MORE

Janet V. "Jan" Hooks (born April 23, 1957) is an American actress and comedian best known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL), on which she appeared from 1986 to 1991. Her subsequent work has included a regular role on the final two seasons of Designing Women, and a number of roles in film and television. Hooks was born in Decatur, Georgia, east of Atlanta. She began her career as a member of the Los Angeles-based comedy troupe The Groundlingsand in an Atlanta nightclub act called The Wits End Players. In 1978–1979, Hooks appeared in Tush on Ted Turner's television station WTCG, which eventually became TBS. She gained notice in the early 1980s on the HBO comedy series Not Necessarily the News. Hooks also had guest comedienne appearances on Comedy Tonight with Mack and Jamie in the mid-'80s. Hooks was considered for SNL in 1985 but was passed over by the show's producers in favor of Joan Cusack. After SNL's 1985-1986 season was deemed a ratings disaster and put on the chopping block for cancellation, returning producer Lorne Michaels offered Hooks a contract in 1986. Together with new recruits Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, and others, Hooks helped put the show back in the LESS