Bill Hader was hired to join the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2005. 

He remained on the iconic sketch comedy series for eight seasons and grew into one of the finest cast members to grace the show. 

Hader won the hearts of his fans for his excellent impressions of both famous and obscure characters, from political consultant James Carville to elderly reporter Herb Welch. 

He left the show in 2017, and since his departure, he has found much blockbuster success.

Here are some of the best SNL characters from his time on the show. 

1. James Carville

Out of all the SNL characters Hader impersonated, the most popular one was a political commentator and TV correspondent James Carville. 

Carville was a bald, bespectacled CNN strategist who often appeared on ‘Weekend Update’ to comment on anything from the Republican Party to gun control and offered the most absurd pearls of wisdom.  

Hader’s voice was always spot-on, with a silly Southern accent that made his whole persona even more outlandish. 

2. Stefon

Another beloved character that Hader took on was Stefon, the crazy ‘Weekend Update’ correspondent. 

Stefon gave the most bizarre suggestions to New Yorkers and tourists on things like the most unusual hotspots and bars to visit across the city and some things people could do during holidays and special occasions.

The comedian co-wrote his Stefon sketches with his SNL co-star John Mulaney, who purposely introduced jokes into the sketch while Hader was live on air.

This always made Hader break character, which made the entire sketch funnier. 

3. Vincent Price

One of the most recurring SNL characters that Hader portrayed was horror movie star Vincent Price. 

Bill Hader as one of his popular SNL characters, Vincent Price

Bill Hader as one of his popular SNL characters, Vincent Price. (Source: Bill Hader/Instagram)

Hader’s Price was a straight man who invited many celebrity guests for holiday specials to cause trouble.

Unfortunately, the hapless host could never get along with his guests. 

Hader ended up causing troubles, and this, combined with his distinct nasal voice and exaggerated Hollywood celebrity mannerisms, made for a truly memorable portrayal. 

4. Vinny Vedecci

Although Hader doing a thick Italian accent as Vinny Vedecci was often considered stereotypical, it is said to be one of his more beloved SNL characters. 

Vedecci was a loud, unprofessional host of the Italian show La Rivista Della Televisione who flipped the script by making inaccurate and insulting comments about his guests. 

Hader carried the sketch entirely on his back with his contagious energy and commitment to take it to a different level. 

The personality he injected into the character and Hader’s fast mix of fluent and incoherent Italian gibberish earned two thumbs up from the viewers. 

5. Herb Welch

Hader’s Herb Welch is another of his iconic SNL characters on the show. 

Welch was an aging, grumpy, and often senile reporter whose overtly sexist, demeaning remarks contradict his devoutly religious views. 

He preferred to be addressed as “Mr. Welch” and did not take suggestions or advice from anyone on how to do his job. 

Welch would often be spotted at the scene of a major event, where he’ll interview a victim or witness but not before hitting them in their mouth with his large microphone.

Hader almost always made it look like he was about to break character, but he got it together and carried on, making it incredibly fun to watch.