Rich Hall

Birth Name:

Richard Hall

Birth Place:

Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Profession

Actor, Writer, Producer, Soundtrack

Created the alter ego Otis Lee Crenshaw, a cranky, white trash old man who is described as "a loving tribute and sharply critical of the U․S․A․" and for which he won a Perrier Award, a Time Out Comedy Award, and an Adelaide Fringe Festival Award
Was nominated for four CableACE Awards for Writing a Comedy Series for "Not Necessarily the News" in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1987
Attended Western Carolina University and graduated from Western Washington State College with a degree in Journalism
Moved to New York City in 1979, where he performed at The Comic Strip and The Improv, and was later invited to write for "The David Letterman Show․"
Worked as a newspaper reporter before deciding to become a street performer, doing shows at local open mic nights and college campuses
Best known as a writer and cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and "Not Necessarily the News․"
Moved to the UK in the early 1990s, where he frequently appears on comedy panel and quiz shows like "Never Mind the Buzzcocks," "QI," and "Have I Got News for You․"
Wrote and hosted four BBC documentaries about American film culture called "How the West was Lost," "The Dirty South," "Continental Drifters," and "Inventing the Indian․"
Does impersonations of Vince McMahon, Doug Flutie, Doug Henning, and Mark Goodman, among others
Invented the word sniglet on an episode of "Not Necessarily the News" in 1983, where he did segments about "any word that doesn't appear in the dictionary, but should․"

1981Daytime Emmy - Special Classification of Outstanding Individual Achievement - Writers:Winner
1983ACE - Writing in a Variety Program:Winner
1984ACE - Writing a Comedy or Music Program:Nominated
1985ACE - Writing a Comedy Series:Nominated
1987ACE - Writing a Comedy Series:Nominated

Fast Facts