Top Ten Dead Comedians

Jason1743

All-American
Jan 23, 2006
23,474
5,655
113
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
 

WDLion

Senior
Dec 18, 2006
316
499
63
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
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Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
10,631
16,934
113
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman

Like, comedians, or comedic actors? Big difference IMO.

Actors like Wilder do a different thing than Carlin. Some can do both though (Pryor, Dangerfield, etc.).
 
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PSU12046

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2021
1,485
2,548
113
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
Andy Kaufman. Or is he still alive?
 
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razpsu

Heisman
Jan 13, 2004
12,049
11,272
113
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
Dude Sam kinison.
 

PSU73

Senior
Feb 10, 2002
481
812
93
Great list. Good thing it doesn't include 'Tommy', you would be scrambling for words:

 
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LionJim

Heisman
Oct 12, 2021
12,429
17,147
113
Henry Hill: You're a pistol, you're really funny. You're really funny.
Tommy DeVito: What do you mean I'm funny?
Henry Hill: It's funny, you know. It's a good story, it's funny, you're a funny guy.
[laughs]
Tommy DeVito: What do you mean, you mean the way I talk? What?
Henry Hill: It's just, you know. You're just funny, it's... funny, you know the way you tell the story and everything.
Tommy DeVito: [it becomes quiet] Funny how? What's funny about it?
Anthony Stabile: Tommy no, you got it all wrong.
Tommy DeVito: Oh, oh, Anthony. He's a big boy, he knows what he said. What did ya say? Funny how?
Henry Hill: Jus...
Tommy DeVito: What?
Henry Hill: Just... ya know... you're funny.
Tommy DeVito: You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little ****** up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to ******' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?
Henry Hill: Just... you know, how you tell the story, what?
Tommy DeVito: No, no, I don't know, you said it. How do I know? You said I'm funny. How the **** am I funny, what the **** is so funny about me? Tell me, tell me what's funny!
Henry Hill: [long pause] Get the **** out of here, Tommy!
Tommy DeVito: [everyone laughs] Ya ************! I almost had him, I almost had him. Ya stuttering prick ya. Frankie, was he shaking? I wonder about you sometimes, Henry. You may fold under questioning.
 

Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
10,631
16,934
113
Yea Robbin Williams was phenomenal at both.
I'd also include Madeline Kahn as comedic actors. She was always one of my favorites.

Comedy is the hardest performance there is IMO. Which is why comedic actors are often so good at drama (Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Jim Carrey, Jason Sudeikis, Kristin Wiig, Eddie Murphy, Steve Carrell, John Leguizamo, etc.). But, being a 'comedian' doesn't always translate to being a great comedic actor. Carlin and Chappelle for example are elite comics, but only average actors.
 

TheBigUglies

All-Conference
Oct 26, 2021
1,146
1,808
113
It is tough to narrow down a list of the top.

George Carlin
Robin Williams
Don Rickles
Rodney Dangerfield

would be my top.

Jonathan Winters and Madeline Kahn are on the list as well.

I like Belushi and Candy but they wore more actors in funny shows/movies. Did they do stand up?

Some noteables from way back I would add:
Bob Hope
George Burns
Soupy Sales
Milton Berle
Benny Hill
Graham Chapman
Terry Jones
Buddy Hacket
Rik Mayal
Sid Ceaser
Andy Kaufman
Harold Ramis
Alan King

There are just too many good ones. I give up. Was bored at work as well....
 

NEPA Lion

Sophomore
Nov 2, 2021
91
139
33
Dangerfield
Foxx
Carlin
Robin Williams
Flip Wilson
Dom DeLuise
Pryor
Youngman
 

STPGopherfan

All-Conference
Aug 10, 2001
32,565
1,315
113
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
I think Redd Foxx should be at least an honorable mention.
It is tough to narrow down a list of the top.

George Carlin
Robin Williams
Don Rickles
Rodney Dangerfield

would be my top.

Jonathan Winters and Madeline Kahn are on the list as well.

I like Belushi and Candy but they wore more actors in funny shows/movies. Did they do stand up?

Some noteables from way back I would add:
Bob Hope
George Burns
Soupy Sales
Milton Berle
Benny Hill
Graham Chapman
Terry Jones
Buddy Hacket
Rik Mayal
Sid Ceaser
Andy Kaufman
Harold Ramis
Alan King

There are just too many good ones. I give up. Was bored at work as well....
Regarding the way back list, Lenny Bruce would also be an honorable mention because of the greats he influenced.
 

VicVaselino

Senior
Nov 14, 2009
322
600
93
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
None of them can hold a candle to Corbett Monica.
 

Colt2169

Senior
Dec 13, 2021
673
770
93
Not as interesting as the hot broad polls, but I'm slow at work so here we go. Arbitrarily all the comedians had to be active after 1970. I have thirteen names on my top ten list. Did I leave anyone out? What's your list?
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Robin Williams
Rodney Dangerfield
John Belushi
John Candy
Johnny Carson
Norm MacDonald
Gilbert Gottfried
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Don Rickles
Henny Youngman
Ralphie May
John Pinette
 

LionJim

Heisman
Oct 12, 2021
12,429
17,147
113
I find myself increasingly thinking that the funniest actors I’ve seen have been Chaplin in The Gold Rush and in his Mutual shorts, Keaton in The General, and Gene Wilder in anything. As great as Wilder was in Young Frankenstein, he was even funnier in Stir Crazy, a seriously, seriously underrated film.

Chevy Chase was consistently really good. Clark Griswold, I mean, how much funnier can you get? (Right now I’m thinking of him stuck in the London traffic roundabout.) Cary Grant made some really funny comedies, too. Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau, priceless.
 
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PSU12046

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2021
1,485
2,548
113
I find myself increasingly thinking that the funniest actors I’ve seen have been Chaplin in The Gold Rush and in his Mutual shorts, Keaton in The General, and Gene Wilder in anything. As great as Wilder was in Young Frankenstein, he was even funnier in Stir Crazy, a seriously, seriously underrated film.

Chevy Chase was consistently really good. Clark Griswold, I mean, how much funnier can you get? (Right now I’m thinking of him stuck in the London traffic roundabout.) Cary Grant made some really funny comedies, too. Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau, priceless.
Clark Griswold when he was trying to get his outdoor Christmas lights to come on
 
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