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Best Comedian or Comic actor of all time?

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POed_Ex_Repub Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:27 PM
Original message
Poll question: Best Comedian or Comic actor of all time?
Edited on Sun Mar-28-04 12:26 AM by POed_Ex_Repub
A wide and diverse field, pick your favorite
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oxymoron Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:28 PM
Response to Original message
1. Groucho (nt)
Edited on Sat Mar-27-04 11:36 PM by oxymoron
on edit: and Jonathan Winters
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beachbum Donating Member (88 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:40 PM
Response to Reply #1
6. Robin Williams
Non stop all the time.
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:29 PM
Response to Original message
2. Sammy!!!! AH-AAAHHHH! Kinison
I'd normally say Bill Hicks because he's my freakin idol in those respects, but he didn't do much acting outside of Ninja Bachelor Party
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arewethereyet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:29 PM
Response to Original message
3. nobody beats Red
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The empressof all Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:30 PM
Response to Original message
4. I have two
Gracie Allen and Bob Newhart
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Rowdyboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:34 PM
Response to Original message
5. Robin Williams
John Belushi
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leftofthedial Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 03:40 AM
Response to Reply #5
37. Robin Williams
could damn near kill you
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pagerbear Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:41 PM
Response to Original message
7. Is this poll men only?
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POed_Ex_Repub Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:47 PM
Response to Reply #7
9. I really wanted to put Lucille Ball
And then I found myself on #10. *ashamed look*
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gyopsy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:45 PM
Response to Original message
8. No...
You just can't say one is THE GREATEST ever. They all had their own specialties and contributed in their own way.
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eileen from OH Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:47 PM
Response to Original message
10. Peter Sellars, hands down
n/t

eileen from OH
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Old and In the Way Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:21 AM
Response to Reply #10
15. My favorite, too.
Just thinking about him as Inspector Clousseau gets me to chuckling...
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FloridaJudy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:54 AM
Response to Reply #10
22. Sellars was a freakin' genius
Gene Wilder and Christopher Guest are none too shabby, either.
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SheWhoMustBeObeyed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:32 AM
Response to Reply #10
25. Peter Sellers was the first name that came to mind
when I saw the title of this thread. All the Pink Panthers, the original Ladykillers, Dr. Strangelove, Mouse That Roared, Magic Christian and of course, of course anything Goonish...he made some horrible stinkers but his own performances were always priceless.
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PurityOfEssence Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 02:10 AM
Response to Reply #10
32. Sellers or W.C. Fields
Gotta be Sellers though, for sheer range alone. Some of those old Ealing comedies still aren't available; if you ever get a chance to see "Up the Creek", ya just gotta.

Think of the range from "Battle of the Sexes" through "The Party" all the way to the three roles in "Dr. Strangelove".

He left a lot of great work behind, and even the clunkers are great performances.
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Faygo Kid Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:50 PM
Response to Original message
11. Cary Grant or Jack Lemmon
Cary: Impossibly good looking, and impossibly droll and funny. Jack: Impeccable timing. A thumbs up for Walter Matthau, as well. Hey, Bob Hope was very funny, too. An impossible poll. Too many deserving candidates.
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TahitiNut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-27-04 11:50 PM
Response to Original message
12. Sid Caesar ... no contest.
Edited on Sat Mar-27-04 11:57 PM by TahitiNut


TV comedy started with Caesar's Your Show of Shows on Saturday nights in the 1950s. Mel Brooks learned to write comedy while writing for him. So did Woody Allen, Neil Simon, M*A*S*H creator Larry Gelbart and Carl Reiner, who says he based The Dick Van Dyke Show on his experience while writing for Caesar.

... and that's just the beginning.
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/2020/2020_010601_caesar.html
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MissMarple Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:12 AM
Response to Original message
13. Gracie Allen. Hands down. No contest.
:bounce:
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Bundbuster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:14 AM
Response to Original message
14. Gene Wilder, anyone?
I think his comedic timing & wit were as good as anyone's.

Young Frankenstein was my alltime "most-laughs" movie.
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lpbk2713 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:23 AM
Response to Original message
16. Alan Arkin was good in comedic roles.
Catch-22, The Russians are Coming, The In-Laws.
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King_Crimson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:24 AM
Response to Original message
17. Not Red Skeleton...
Red SKELTON!
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POed_Ex_Repub Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:26 AM
Response to Reply #17
18. Thank you!
*Tips his hat*
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kodi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:32 AM
Response to Original message
19. only richard pryor has brought me to tears of laughter
.
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xcentrik Donating Member (315 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:40 AM
Response to Original message
20. Sorry! Two questions!
Best comedian: Pryor
Best comedic actor: Peter Sellers and Charlie Chaplin (tie)
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Penndems Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 12:49 AM
Response to Original message
21. Tie: Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor
Gene Wilder, too.

Honorable mention to Eddie Murphy.

Hall of Fame: Ernie Kovaks.
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VOX Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:22 AM
Response to Original message
23. Actors: Buster Keaton, W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy, Peter Sellers...
All one-of-a-kind, and their pushed their comic acing to the level of art.

There will never be anyone as influential as these gentlemen.
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SheWhoMustBeObeyed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:36 AM
Response to Reply #23
26. superb selection
I voted Sellers in another reply but I am deeply in love with the work of Keaton and Fields.
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doc03 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:23 AM
Response to Original message
24. Jackie Gleason
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opiate69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:44 AM
Response to Original message
27. Hmm....
Edited on Sun Mar-28-04 01:45 AM by opiate69
Best comedian: Bill Hicks
Best comedic actor: John Cleese
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ChavezSpeakstheTruth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:48 AM
Response to Original message
28. Red Fox?!?!?!?!
Come on now!
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snoochie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:58 AM
Response to Original message
29. Steve Martin
Larry Fine
Moe Howard
Curly Howard
Shemp Howard
:)
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NashVegas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 08:57 AM
Response to Reply #29
41. I'm down w/Steve
I don't think anyone in the modern era has bested his physical comedic performance in Roxanne, and none of the early greats could match his stand-up shows, AFAIK.
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bubblesby2002 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 01:59 AM
Response to Original message
30. Lucille Ball
Edited on Sun Mar-28-04 01:59 AM by bubblesby2002
still one of the funniest shows ever. Desi and Lucy did a movie called the Long Trailer (I think), and it was hilarious.
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montana_hazeleyes Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 03:51 AM
Response to Reply #30
38. She is my pick also
To me, she can't be beat as a comedic actor. She was so funny in so many ways. She would do anything to be funny. She gains new fans with each generation. Timeless.
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mitchum Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 02:00 AM
Response to Original message
31. Best comedian: Lenny Bruce Best comic actor: Jackie Gleason...
Best comedy writer: Michael O'Donoghue
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TOhioLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 02:51 AM
Response to Original message
33. Benny Hill....
Edited on Sun Mar-28-04 02:51 AM by trekkerlass
yeah he was a lecherous old man...but hey I liked him anyway..
R.I.P Benny.
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maveric Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 03:07 AM
Response to Original message
34. Jerome Horowitz. See pic
AKA: "Curly"
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aint_no_life_nowhere Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 03:10 AM
Response to Original message
35. Louis De Funes
Although all his films are in French. I admire all the other people above, but for anyone who understands French and who has seen some of his better films, they are hilarious beyond belief. He is considered France's greatest comedic actor of all time.
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Spirochete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 03:29 AM
Response to Original message
36. Harold Lloyd
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Laughing Mirror Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 07:42 AM
Response to Original message
39. Zero Mostel, the zaniest
Edited on Sun Mar-28-04 07:43 AM by downstairsparts
Like that other genius, Groucho Marx, Zero used to come on the Dick Cavett show and it was madcap insanity. He just wouldn't stop. Even when they'd break away for commercials and come back he was still "on" and nobody could turn him "off."

Wouldn't or couldn't. But underneath it all, there was this deep humanity that exuded from him, the man, somehow.

I believe that he was blacklisted in Hollywood during the McCarthy era.

Everybody knows about Fiddler on the Roof and the Producers, the movies. My favorite Zero movie was Hot Rock, with George Peppard, I think.
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Kahuna Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-28-04 08:48 AM
Response to Original message
40. Charlie Chapin. Hands down. Dude was a comic genuis..
check him out.

My second favorite is, Cary Grant.
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