Robert Smigel (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor, humorist, comedian, and writer known for his Saturday TV Funhouse cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.
Smigel initially joined Saturday Night Live as a writer in 1985 and served as an SNL featured player from 1991 to 1993. Then after eight years as a writer (including two as a featured player), Smigel left to become the head writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Smigel would contribute and write additional sketches over the next few seasons, and rejoined SNL in 1996 to contribute the TV Funhouse cartoon shorts, and would be in that role until his departure in 2008, after 20 non-consecutive years a writer.
Impressions/Characters[]
Impressions[]
- Al Franken
- Al Sharpton
- Alan Dershowitz
- Albert Einstein
- Benjamin Harrison
- Daniel P. Moynihan
- David Blaine
- Dick Cheney
- Don McLean
- Doug Collins
- Fran Drescher
- Franklin Roosevelt
- Gene Shalit
- George Steinbrenner
- George Washington
- Geraldo Rivera
- Jack Welch
- John McCain
- Keith Moon
- Larry Thurlow
- Lorne Michaels
- Marlon Brando
- Marv Albert
- Mel Gibson
- Michael Gross
- Michael Powell
- Moby
- Pat Roberston
- Ray Lewis
- Ron Reagan
Characters[]
- Carl Wollarski, from Bill Swerski's Superfans
- Hank Fielding, with "The Modern Perspective" on Weekend Update
- "Hub's Gyros" Employee
SNL Career[]
- 1985-1993; 1996-2008: Writer
- 1991-1993: Featured Player
Gallery[]
Intro for Season 17 (1991-92; his first season as a featured cast member. His seventh season on the writing staff)
Intro for Season 18 (1992-93; his second/final season as a featured cast member. His eighth season as a writer. Initially left at the end of the season, but would return as a writer/producer of TV Funhouse from 1996 to 2008).