Barack Hussein Obama
Red Skelton or Bob Hope
Others as well
Neither of those could act well
Steve Martin can act and do stand up
Nicholson can act and be funny doing so
Cagney could do it all. He sang, danced, and he was a great actor.
Sam Kinison and Rodney Dangerfield. Both did good stand-up and both were great in Back to School.
Mel Brooks.
Slim Pickens.
Moe Howard, Curly Howard, Larry Fine
Excellent topic. Very, very good comments. Thanks.
Red Skelton. Saw him live in 1984. One and a half hours of pure joy.
Conan. His Youtube videos crack me every day.
Writers in Hollywood always said there was one guy to write for: Sid Caesar.
Charlie Chaplin
Greatest male comedian, Jerry Lewis, and greatest female comedian, Lucille Ball.
Greatest actor, Charlton Heston.
Greatest actor: Robert Duvall
Greatest comedian: Carol Burnett
Sam Kinison.
Wouldn’t say #1 but deserves a mention for making people laugh
PAUL LYNDE Hollywood Squares
When I was a kid, Laurel & Hardy were my favorites. Abbott & Costello, too.
Have to give Buster Keaton props, his comedic stunts are amazing to this day.
Jackie Gleason’ Honeymooners established so many sitcom basics.
Carlin was rude and crude, but always laugh-out-loud funny
More recently, loved the Airplane! and Naked Gun movies.
MST3K reruns still make me laugh.
Of the more recent comedians, I like Brian Regan and Jim Gaffigan.
I been diggin on ol Red Foxx as Fred Sanford lately.
That show is hilarious. He’s an old black bigot but, it’s so funny, it’s from back when we could still laugh about such things.
Agreed: W. C. Fields. You nailed it.
Plus the Marx Brothers.
couple of points. I want to put Jerry Lewis into nomination. In the 50s and early 60s he was king. I do like the Marx brothers Fields and the others. Robin Williams more recently.
I think Jim Carey was the new Lewis. His work in The Mask was great. There were times I couldn’t tell whether he was doing his physical schtick or it was special effects. I know he imploded, but he’s a great physical comic.
I’d add best entertainer of the last century. Bob Hope, radio, movies, comedy, TV, the military, and sang and danced some. I don’t think anyone can touch him for all over entertainer.
"What's Up Doc?" ..."Love is never having to say you're sorry" ..."That's the STUPIDEST thing I ever heard of."
Jack Lemon, Tony Curtis & Marilyn Monroe, in: "Some Like it Hot".
Tony Curtis, Jack Lemon, Peter Falk & Natilie Wood in: "The Great Race". (Jack Lemon said this was the one film in his entire career that he loved the most... "Brandy, throw more brandy"... WHAP, he gets hit in the face with another pie: ... "Rum, blech... I never mix my drinks!")
Peter Falk & Allan Arkin: "The In-laws". ..."Serpentine Sheldon, SERPENTINE!"
Peter Sellers....John Cleese....that Mr Bean actor?????
Bill Murray in What About Bob?
Undercover Hero...Peter Sellers 1975
I’m surprised that this thread could get to almost four hundred posts without a mention of Ernie Kovacs. Now there was one funny guy who died way too soon.
Jerry Lewis. Period. End of discussion.