New York (CNN Business) Eddie Murphy returned to "Saturday Night Live" after 35 years, and he brought back many of his most popular characters.

The actor, who was a cast member on the NBC variety show from 1980 to 1984 , opened the show by telling the audience how happy he was to be back.

"It's great to be back here finally hosting 'Saturday Night Live' for Christmas," Murphy said. "This is the last episode of 2019, but if you're black this is the first episode since I left back in 1984."

Murphy then showed a picture of himself when he first started on the show.

"I look at least five years younger there," Murphy joked. "You know what they always say, 'money don't crack.'"

Some friends stopped by Eddie Murphy's monologue. #SNL pic.twitter.com/zUR8nnh3NJ — Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) December 22, 2019

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