'Saturday Night Live' adds another Groundlings member to cast

The producers of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" have made a habit of drawing talent from The Groundlings, the Los Angeles-based comedy troupe that performs at a theater space on Melrose Avenue. Some past Groundlings who have spent quality time at 30 Rockefeller Center include Cheri Oteri, Ana Gasteyer, Jimmy Fallon, Phil Hartman and Chris Kattan.

This week, “SNL” said that Groundlings member Taran Killam has been added to the cast as a "featured player," which is the title given to new cast members on the long-running, late-night comedy show.

Killam began training at The Groundlings School in 2004 and became a Groundling in April. No stranger to television, he has had recurring roles on "MADtv," "How I Met Your Mother" and "Scrubs."

Those of you who want to get a glimpse of Killam's comedy chops, you can catch him in the current stage show "Groundlings River Adventure," which is playing Fridays and Saturdays at The Groundlings Theater.

Killam joins two other new "SNL" hires -- Paul Brittain and Vanessa Bayer, who are alums of Chicago's Improv Olympics.

-- David Ng

Photo: Taran Killam. Credit: Disney