Best Comedian

The Marx Brothers were a comedic ensemble famed for their chaotic performances originating in vaudeville. Their brand of humor utilized rapid dialogue, exaggerated physical comedy, and satirical observations on society. This trio – consisting of Groucho, Harpo, and Chico – remains notable for its in...

Bert Williams was a Black comedian, singer and actor whose work helped define popular entertainment in the early twentieth century. Born in the Bahamas, he built a career in the United States through vaudeville and musical theater, including a notable partnership with George Walker. His restrained c...

Jon Stewart is an American comedian best known for his long-running tenure as host of The Daily Show. His sharp, satirical commentary on politics significantly impacted television news and remains influential for those seeking critical perspectives on current events. He primarily engages audiences i...

Will Rogers (1879-1935) brought rope tricks and conversational humor from Wild West entertainment to vaudeville and Broadway. His act developed as he added topical observations to his skill with a lariat, turning an exhibition of technique into a platform for social and political commentary. A delib...

American actress and comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus is known for Elaine Benes in NBC's Seinfeld, which ran from 1989 to 1998, and Selina Meyer in HBO's Veep, which ran from 2012 to 2019. She was a Saturday Night Live cast member from 1982 to 1985 and later led The New Adventures of Old Christine from...

Oliver Hardy, who lived from 1892 to 1957, was an American comic actor and the larger member of Laurel and Hardy. His partnership with British comedian Stan Laurel took shape at Hal Roach Studios in the late 1920s. Together they appeared in more than 100 films across the silent and sound eras, inclu...

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise formed a British comedy double act whose work moved through stage performance, radio, television and film. Their blend of sketches and musical variety reached its greatest public prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. BBC Christmas specials became a recurring part of Britis...

Personal experience became a central source of Richard Pryor's stand-up comedy, especially in the routines that established his influence during the 1970s. He addressed race and addiction through autobiographical storytelling, using shifts in voice and character to give an account dramatic shape. Fa...

時そば is an iconic Japanese comedic performance known as rakugo. The piece depicts a clever customer employing a deceptive counting method to defraud a soba shop owner during the Edo period. Its enduring popularity stems from the intricate trickery and skillful execution of the character’s deceptio...

Harry Relph performed as Little Tich in English music hall during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known for his short stature, commonly given as about four feet six inches, he built a distinctive act around eccentric dancing and physical comedy. His stage name came from a nickname...

Phil Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, and graphic designer who gained fame as a cast member on NBC's sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1994. Known for his versatile impressions and reliable performances, he earned the nickname "The Glue" for holding the cast togethe...

English music hall performer Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (1870–1922), known professionally as Marie Lloyd, was one of the most popular entertainers of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. She began performing in London around 1885 and built a following through songs with suggestive lyrics and d...

American actress, playwright, and comedian Mae West (1893–1980) began performing in vaudeville as a child and moved to Broadway revues and her own plays in the 1920s, including Sex (1926), for which she was prosecuted on obscenity charges and briefly jailed. Her Hollywood film career began in 1932,...

Small breaches of social etiquette become extended comic conflicts in Larry David's work. The American comedian and writer is known for an irritable persona that questions conventions other people accept without discussion. In Curb Your Enthusiasm, which he created and stars in, a fictionalized vers...

Lucille Ball remains a pivotal figure in American comedy. Her work as an actress and comedian, most notably starring in “I Love Lucy,” demonstrated innovative techniques in television production. She pioneered physical humor and sketch comedy within sitcoms. Ball’s influence is particularly signific...

Bud Abbott (1897–1974) was an American comedian and straight man who rose through burlesque and the Mutual radio circuit before pairing with Lou Costello in 1936. Their Abbott and Costello act became one of the most popular comedy teams of the 1940s and 1950s, starring on radio, film, and television...

Ronnie Barker was a British comedian and actor known for his work in television sitcoms and sketch comedy. He is best known for starring as Norman Stanley Fletcher in the BBC sitcom "Porridge" and co-hosting "The Two Ronnies" with Ronnie Corbett. His career, which spanned several decades, earned him...

Bill Hader is an American comedian, actor, and writer who first gained national attention as a cast member on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" from 2005 to 2013. He is widely recognized for his versatile celebrity impressions and the recurring character Stefon. Following his tenure on SNL, he co-created...

Fannie Brice (1891–1951) was an American comedian, singer, and Broadway performer who rose from amateur nights on New York's Lower East Side to become a headliner in Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies from 1910 onward. She combined physical comedy, character sketches, and sentimental ballads, and created th...

Rowan Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and writer known for his mastery of physical comedy. He achieved international recognition for his work on the historical sitcom Blackadder, where he starred alongside Tony Robinson. In 1990, he debuted the largely silent character Mr. Bean, which became...

Sophie Tucker (1886–1966), born Sonia Kalish to a Jewish immigrant family, was an American singer and comedian billed as "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas." She began in vaudeville around 1906, performing in blackface early in her career before abandoning the practice and building her reputation on bra...

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy formed one of cinema’s most enduring comedic partnerships. Their performances, characterized by exaggerated physicality and a distinct contrast in personalities, remain iconic examples of silent film slapstick. The duo's routines are appreciated by audiences interested i...

Carol Burnett is a celebrated American comedic performer known for her innovative and enduring television work. Her “Carol Burnett Show” revolutionized variety programming with its blend of sketch comedy, musical numbers, and character-based humor. The show’s success showcased female performers in l...

Peter Sellers was a highly influential British comedian renowned for his versatile performances. He achieved significant acclaim through iconic roles such as Dr. Strangelove’s Major Trainor and Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films. His unique skill lay in creating distinct character impressi...

Mitchell and Webb are a British comedy duo consisting of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, who met at Cambridge University in the early 1990s. They are best known for the Channel 4 sitcom 'Peep Show' (2003-2015), in which they play mismatched flatmates Mark and Jeremy, and their BBC sketch show 'That...

John Oliver is a British-American comedian and political satirist who hosts 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,' a weekly news satire program on HBO that premiered in April 2014. Before his HBO show, Oliver was a correspondent on 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' from 2006 to 2013, and guest-hosted...

Sir Harry Lauder (1870–1950) was a Scottish singer, comedian, and songwriter who became one of the highest-paid entertainers of the early twentieth century and among the first British performers to achieve international stardom. Performing in a comic Scottish persona complete with kilt, tam o'shante...

Robin Williams was a highly influential American stand-up comedian and actor celebrated for his exceptional improvisational skills and energetic performances. His unique style blended observational humor with manic energy, captivating audiences worldwide. He achieved significant recognition through...

Mel Brooks is a celebrated American comedian recognized for his groundbreaking work in film and television. He is primarily known as a writer and director, crafting iconic comedic sketches and movies like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. His unique blend of satire and musical elements has ear...