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Darrell Hammond’s documentary “Cracked Up” is set to hit theaters on Sept. 13.

The doc, captured by director Michelle Esrick, portrays the ‘Saturday Night Live’ star’s decades-long struggle with substance abuse, self-harm and misdiagnoses as he rose to fame on the iconic sketch show. Known for his iconic impersonations of Sean Connery, Regis Philbin and former President Bill Clinton, Hammond held the record for the longest tenure on the show (14 seasons) until he was surpassed by Kenan Thompson in 2017.

Despite the years of comedy, Esrick’s film reveals that Hammond was actually suffering with repressed memories throughout his ‘SNL’ stretch.

“I am deeply humbled by the impact the film has had since our Doc NYC festival premiere, from helping congress pass a bill into law recognizing trauma as a root cause of addiction – to a woman deciding not to commit suicide because they heard Darrell and myself talking about...

For 14 seasons, “Saturday Night Live’s” Darrell Hammond delighted crowds with his uncanny impersonations of Sean Connery, Regis Philbin, and (most notably) former President Bill Clinton. Mimicking over 107 celebrities, Hammond found fame on the sketch show, appearing on films and even performing at the White House Correspondents’ dinner. But behind-the-scenes, the comedian suffered.

Plagued by incapacitating flashbacks, Hammond struggled to cope, eventually turning to substance abuse and self-harm. After 50 years of pain and misdiagnoses, he discovered the root of his ailments: repressed memories from his youth. Documentarian Michelle Esrick captured Hammond’s story in the film “Cracked Up.”

Esrick, who met Hammond via mutual friends years ago, could tell they were both on a healing path and wanted to tell the actor’s story with a balance of comedic clips, interviews, and the intricate sculptures from the artist Dustin Yellin.

“[Hammond] said something to me that really stood out,” Esrick explains to Variety.

No, Michelle Esrick’s documentary is not about Ben & Jerry’s nutty ice cream; but it is about the namesake of its now defunct flavor. Wavy Gravy began his life as Hugh Nanton Romney. A beatnik poet in Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, Romney befriended and roomed with Bob Dylan and opened up for John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. At the advice of Lenny Bruce, Romney headed west to California and was instantly immersed into the burgeoning hippie culture, becoming a Merry Prankster and Hog Farmer. Free from inhibitions and donning a court jester cap, Romney and his fellow "hog farmers" provided security (meaning: caring for and feeding 400,000 people) at Woodstock; he also functioned as the festival’s emcee. Soon thereafter, with a thirst for helping others, Romney and his friend Dr. Larry Brilliant (along with a caravan of helpers) travelled through the Middle East and Asia providing free...

As far as documentary subjects go, Wavy Gravy, the focal point of Michelle Esrick's new documentary "Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie," is as multifaceted as one could imagine. A countercultural icon of the hippie movement, Wavy Gravy is perhaps best known as the acting Mc of the Woodstock Festival. If that role didn't suffice, Ben & Jerry's ice-cream took care of immortalizing him in popular culture by naming a ...

As far as documentary subjects go, Wavy Gravy, the focal point of Michelle Esrick's new documentary "Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie," is as multifaceted as one could imagine. A countercultural icon of the hippie movement, Wavy Gravy is perhaps best known as the acting Mc of the Woodstock Festival. If that role didn't suffice, Ben & Jerry's ice-cream took care of immortalizing him in popular culture by naming a ...

irector: Michelle Esrick Featuring: Wavy Gravy, Larry Brilliant, Jackson Browne, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, The Grateful Dead, The Hog Farm, Odetta, Bonnie Raitt, Jahanara Romney, Buffy Sainte-Marie No, Michelle Esrick’s documentary is not about Ben & Jerry’s nutty ice cream; but it is about the namesake of its now defunct flavor. Wavy Gravy began his life as Hugh Nanton Romney. A beatnik poet in Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, Romney befriended and roomed with Bob Dylan and opened up for John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. At the advice of Lenny Bruce, Romney headed west to California and was instantly immersed into the burgeoning hippie culture, becoming a Merry Prankster and Hog Farmer. Free from inhibitions and donning a court jester cap, Romney and his fellow "hog farmers" provided security (meaning: caring for and feeding 400,000 people) at Woodstock; he also functioned as the festival’s emcee. Soon thereafter, with a thirst for helping others,...

Oakland — Just in time for the holiday season, the Gravy has arrived.

Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie opens up in various theaters across America at the start of December. Wavy Gravy is an icon with an ever changing career. He’s gone from the legendary Merry Pranksters to the head of security at the original Woodstock to running a respected charity and finally achieving international greatness as a flavor of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. The many facets of his life are covered in the documentary directed by Michelle Esrick.

We had a chance to sit down for an extensive interview with Wavy Gravy and Michelle Esrick when the movie premiered at 2009’s Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

This first part has him discuss getting drunk with Jack Kerouac (On the Road) and dropping acid at the Electric Acid Kool-Aid Tests. Ahhh good times.

Now we get...