Don Novello was primarily a writer for SNL in its early years, but he created one of the show’s most enduring and beloved characters: Father Guido Sarducci. As the chain-smoking, gossip-loving Vatican correspondent, Sarducci delivered hilarious monologues on ‘Weekend Update,’ offering papal news and get-rich-quick schemes like the ‘Find the Pope in the Pizza’ contest. Novello’s character was so popular that he released comedy albums and appeared in numerous other TV shows and films as Father Sarducci. His work was a perfect example of how a brilliant, well-defined character could become a cultural touchstone far beyond the confines of SNL.