Movie Who do you rate as comedic geniuses?

[Catfish Alley]

Some great comedians listed here but a bit of a sausage-fest. Not sure if anybody has mentioned them but I'm going to add French and Saunders.

 

[The Dawes]

My all-time list:

Buster Keaton
WC Fields
Charlie Chaplin
Marx Brothers but particularly Groucho
Abbott & Costello
Laurel & Hardy
Monty Python
Peter Sellars
Barry Humphries
Mel Brooks
Ben Elton and Rowan Atkinson - mainly for Black Adder
Robin Williams, up until the last decade or so at least.
Billy Connolly

 

[magtrev]

Some great comedians listed here but a bit of a sausage-fest. Not sure if anybody has mentioned them but I'm going to add French and Saunders.

At the risk of stereotyping, thats because the vast majority of female comics are terrible.

 

[Heisenberg_]

At the risk of stereotyping, thats because the vast majority of female comics are terrible.

Got it in one.
Their is only so many jokes about what a terrible mother you are and how much of a bitch you are when you are having your period that one can take

 

[Jeffers]

Got it in one.
Their is only so many jokes about what a terrible mother you are and how much of a bitch you are when you are having your period that one can take

Judith Lucy in one. What a hack.

 

[sherrinorburley]

At the risk of stereotyping, thats because the vast majority of female comics are terrible.

Them birds from Absolutely Fabulous arent too bad.

Genius might be a stretch, but funny.

 

[CF]

Them birds from Absolutely Fabulous arent too bad.

Genius might be a stretch, but funny.

There are a number of very good comedians listed here but some people just don't get the term genius in this context. Being a good comic doesn't make you a genius. Being someone who changes the comic landscape, invents something new that has never been done that person should be considered a comedic genius.

Someone who is very good at doing what most other comics do does not make them a genius to me. Just Talented.

 

[sherrinorburley]

There are a number of very good comedians listed here but some people just don't get the term genius in this context. Being a good comic doesn't make you a genius. Being someone who changes the comic landscape, invents something new that has never been done that person should be considered a comedic genius.

Like Buster Keaton

 

[CF]

Like Buster Keaton

yes and Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello etc


In the modern era George Carlin, Richard Pryor (for what he did for black Comedians), Graham Kennedy (For Australian TV), Seinfeld & Larry David, Mel Brooks (created Get Smart and many classic movies) just to name a few I would consider comic geniuses.

 

[dmc333]

Rob Brydon.

 

[flight23]

john candy

 

[Jabso]

Neil Hamburger.

 

[Wallaby]

I think you have to differentiate netween writers and performers - IMO performers are more important.

As examples, I will throw up 2 contrasts - Bob Hope and Billy Connolly. Both delivered fairly standard, sometimes lame jokes, but did them brilliantly - in completely different ways.

By contrast, Spike Milligan's writings are fantastic, wild and ground-breaking - but he was a poor performer and consistently the weakest part of his shows - both the Goons and the TV work. Ben Elton, similar.

Jasper Carrot said he would like to see comedy 'cover versions' - ie, comedians of a certain style performing other comedians work - would be fascinating.

So for me:

Writers

Buster Keaton
Spike Milligan
Eric Sykes
Mel Brooks
Barry Took/Marty Feldman
Blake Edwards (more director/controller of a script department, but very important)
Monty Python team
Richard Curtis

I don't know many of the american script writers, because they get zero publicity, of course.

Performers

Charlie Chaplin
Kenneth Williams
Bob Newhart
John Cleese
Richard Pryor
Bill Murray
Rowan Atkinson
Billy Connolly
Eddie Izzard


Of course, what makes me laugh, may not make you laugh.

 

[Eric Blair]

Im surprised that no one has mentioned the D Generation or Rik Mayall. Otherwise some fantastic comedians being thrown around here