Jan Hooks was an American actress and comedian born on April 23, 1957, in Decatur, Georgia. She began her career as a member of the Los Angeles-based comedy troupe the Groundlings and later appeared on various television shows, including "Not Necessarily the News" and "The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour."

In 1986, she joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live," where she became known for her versatile impersonations of celebrities like Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and Tammy Faye Bakker. Her time on "SNL" lasted until 1991, but she continued to make cameo appearances until 1994.

After leaving "SNL," Jan Hooks took on a regular role on the final two seasons of "Designing Women" and had a recurring role on "3rd Rock from the Sun," for which she earned an Emmy Award nomination.

She also appeared in several films, including "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," "Batman Returns," and "Coneheads." In addition to her television and film work, she lent her voice to characters in animated series like "The Simpsons" and "Futurama."

Jan Hooks was known for her private nature and never married, though she was in a long-term relationship with her "Saturday Night Live" co-star Kevin Nealon.

She passed away on October 9, 2014, at the age of 57 due to complications from throat cancer.