Tim Meadows
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Tim Meadows
Born Date: February 5, 1961
Born Place: Highland Park, Michigan
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: Tim Meadows is best known for his 10-season tenure on Saturday Night Live (1991–2000). He is widely recognized for his original SNL character, the smooth-talking "Ladies' Man" Leon Phelps, and for his film role as Principal Duvall in Mean Girls.
Early Life and Career Beginnings:
Born in Highland Park, Michigan, Meadows graduated from Pershing High School and studied radio and television broadcasting at Wayne State University. He began his comedic career in the 1980s at the Soup Kitchen Saloon in Detroit before moving to Chicago, where he joined the legendary The Second City comedy troupe.
Saturday Night Live (1991–2000):
Meadows joined Saturday Night Live in 1991 and stayed for an impressive ten seasons, holding the record for the longest-running cast member on the show for many years. During his decade on the show, Meadows was a reliable anchor for the sketch comedy team, writing and performing memorable impressions and characters, including:
Leon Phelps: The lovably clueless, Courvoisier-drinking talk-show host known as "The Ladies' Man".
Lionel Osbourne: The eccentric host of the sketch Perspectives.
Celebrity Impressions: Including OJ Simpson, Ike Turner, and Sammy Davis Jr.For his writing on the show, he earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 1993.
Film and Television Success:
Transitioning to the big screen, Meadows adapted his beloved character into the 2000 feature film The Ladies Man. He is universally known to audiences as Principal Duvall in the 2004 cult-classic teen comedy Mean Girls. Meadows returned to reprise his role in Mean Girls 2 and the 2024 musical adaptation. Meadows has remained a staple in film and television comedies, often collaborating with former SNL colleagues like Adam Sandler and Tina Fey:
Film: Co-starred in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.
Television: Starred as John Glascott in ABC's The Goldbergs and its spin-off Schooled, voiced Mike the Mailman on Bob's Burgers, and has appeared in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Poker Face, Peacemaker, and Son of Zorn.
Current Projects and Stand-Up:
Meadows stays highly active in the entertainment industry, balancing guest roles and television work—such as his lead role in the CBS comedy DMV—with a steady schedule of live stand-up comedy. He frequently performs at esteemed venues like Chicago's ImprovOlympic and regularly tours across the country.
Born Date: February 5, 1961
Born Place: Highland Park, Michigan
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: Tim Meadows is best known for his 10-season tenure on Saturday Night Live (1991–2000). He is widely recognized for his original SNL character, the smooth-talking "Ladies' Man" Leon Phelps, and for his film role as Principal Duvall in Mean Girls.
Early Life and Career Beginnings:
Born in Highland Park, Michigan, Meadows graduated from Pershing High School and studied radio and television broadcasting at Wayne State University. He began his comedic career in the 1980s at the Soup Kitchen Saloon in Detroit before moving to Chicago, where he joined the legendary The Second City comedy troupe.
Saturday Night Live (1991–2000):
Meadows joined Saturday Night Live in 1991 and stayed for an impressive ten seasons, holding the record for the longest-running cast member on the show for many years. During his decade on the show, Meadows was a reliable anchor for the sketch comedy team, writing and performing memorable impressions and characters, including:
Leon Phelps: The lovably clueless, Courvoisier-drinking talk-show host known as "The Ladies' Man".
Lionel Osbourne: The eccentric host of the sketch Perspectives.
Celebrity Impressions: Including OJ Simpson, Ike Turner, and Sammy Davis Jr.For his writing on the show, he earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 1993.
Film and Television Success:
Transitioning to the big screen, Meadows adapted his beloved character into the 2000 feature film The Ladies Man. He is universally known to audiences as Principal Duvall in the 2004 cult-classic teen comedy Mean Girls. Meadows returned to reprise his role in Mean Girls 2 and the 2024 musical adaptation. Meadows has remained a staple in film and television comedies, often collaborating with former SNL colleagues like Adam Sandler and Tina Fey:
Film: Co-starred in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.
Television: Starred as John Glascott in ABC's The Goldbergs and its spin-off Schooled, voiced Mike the Mailman on Bob's Burgers, and has appeared in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Poker Face, Peacemaker, and Son of Zorn.
Current Projects and Stand-Up:
Meadows stays highly active in the entertainment industry, balancing guest roles and television work—such as his lead role in the CBS comedy DMV—with a steady schedule of live stand-up comedy. He frequently performs at esteemed venues like Chicago's ImprovOlympic and regularly tours across the country.