Chris Parnell, born Thomas Christopher Parnell, is an American actor, is a member of the cast of Saturday Night Live, and his role on NBC’s 30 Rock. Parnell was born in February of 1967 in Memphis, TN. He grew up in Memphis, before leaving to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, where he received his BFA in Drama.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663177/

Parnell performed with the Berkshire Theatre in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. He later returned to Tennessee where he taught acting, film, and video at his old high school. After teaching for a while, Chris Parnell relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he joined the improvisational comedy troupe, The Groundlings.http://chrisparnell24_7.tripod.com/

After performing with The Groundlings and making several appearances on television, Chris Parnell landed his first major role as a regular member of the Saturday Night Live cast in 1998. Parnell was widely regarded for his variety of celebrity impersonations while on SNL. He was let go from Saturday Night Live in 2001 due to budget cuts, but rejoined the show soon after. He was let go again due to budget shortfalls in 2006, this time permanently. His comedic styles landed him other feature roles, like that of Dr. Leo Spaceman on 30 Rock in 2006.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663177/

Chris Parnell was born Thomas Christopher Parnell on February 5, 1967, to a Southern Baptist family in Memphis, TN. He was raised and educated in Memphis, where he attended Germantown high school. Parnell was highly interested in the theater in high school, and auditioned for every play the school held. In his senior year at Germantown in 1985, Parnell was voted “Most Talented” by his fellow classmates.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663177/

After graduating Germantown high school, Parnell left Tennessee to attend college at the University of North Carolina School of Arts in Winston-Salem, where he received his BFA in Drama. After receiving his degree, Parnell went on to perform with the Berkshire Theatre in Stockbridge, MA, and the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, before returning to teach at Germantown high school. He soon became bored with his position as a teacher, and again left Memphis, this time relocating to Los Angeles, CA. In Los Angeles, Parnell took a job at the FAO Schwartz toy store and joined the improvisational comedy troupe, The Groundlings.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663177/

Scouts for Saturday Night Live attended a Groundlings performance and asked Parnell to come to New York and audition for the show. Parnell joined the cast of SNL in the 1998-99 season.

Chris Parnell premiered as a feature member of the Saturday Night Live cast on September 26, 1998, and received a promotion to repertory player in 1999. In 2001, facing budget cuts, 'Saturday Night Live producer, Lorne Michaels, cut Parnell from the cast. However, Parnell returned to the cast soon after being released.http://chrisparnell24_7.tripod.com/

In 2006, again facing budget cuts, Lorne Michaels announced that a number of cast members would be cut, including Parnell. Chris Parnell later discussed being okay with Michaels’ decision, as he was considering leaving the show the following season.http://chrisparnell24_7.tripod.com/

While on Saturday Night Live, Parnell was regarded for his many celebrity impersonations.

• Andrew Card
• Arlen Specter
• Bert Convy
• Bing Crosby
• Bob Barr
• Bob Schieffer
• Cameron Crowe
• Chad Lowe
• Charles Gibson
• Chris Fowler
• David Gregory
• Emeril Lagasse
• Eminem
• Eric Bloom
• Evan Bayh
• Fred Savage
• Gary Bauer
• George W. Bush
• Jack Osbourne
• Jim Gray
• Jim Lehrer
• Senator Joe Lieberman
• John F. Lehman
• Senator John McCain
• Justin Bartha
• Karl Rove
• Kenneth Starr
• Lance Bass
• Mark Geragos
• Michael Isikoff
• Michael Kors
• Moe Howard

• Stanley Brutus in Megalomania (2000)
• Ron Silverbug in Ira and Abby (2006)
• Dr. Leo Spaceman in 30 Rock (2006-09)
• Barry Pasternack in Hot Rod (2007)
• Bruce Terry in Miss Guided (2008)
• Cyril Figgis in Archer (2009-10)

(re: staying in character) "Sometimes it's very hard, but hopefully you are in the moment as an actor and you are just trying to react as the character in the scene would."IMDb: Chris Parnell Biography

• Note: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.

• February 5, 1967: Born

• 1995: Decade of Love

• 1996: Jingle All the Way

• 1998-2006: Saturday Night Live

• 2000: The Ladies Man

• 2003: Down with Love

• 2004: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

• 2006-2007: 30 Rock