Saturday Night Live closed its Halloween episode on October 31 with an on-air tribute to Patrick Stewart, three days after the actor died at 86. The NBC show replayed a clip from Stewart’s only hosting appearance, on February 5, 1994, in which he introduced musical guests Salt-N-Pepa with visible enthusiasm.
The tribute then showed a promotional photo from that 1994 episode and an in-memoriam card for Stewart. The episode was hosted by Inde Navarrette, with Gracie Abrams as musical guest.
Stewart died on October 28 at his home in Los Angeles, his representative announced. The representative said Stewart had Alzheimer disease and Lewy body dementia, and that his wife, Sunny Ozell, was by his side. His family asked for donations to Alzheimer research and caregiver resources in place of flowers.
Stewart hosted Saturday Night Live just once, but the Salt-N-Pepa introduction stayed in the show’s lore for decades, resurfacing in later sketches and jokes. He was best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films.
His final film performance, a return as Professor Xavier in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, is due for release in December. Marvel Studios said it was deeply saddened by his death and called him a legendary English actor.
Source: Page Six
