Comic Actors

Actors who primarily appear in comedic roles. It should be emphasised that these people will not often do Stand Up Comedy, because playing a part for them is easier than coming up with a monologue about girls in Ibiza.

If they're black, they may well have done one of the stereotypical black comedy roles, such as Uncle Tomfoolery.

There is a tendency for any comic actor who enjoys a modicum of success to switch to playing dramatic roles.


 * Noah Antwiler
 * Dan Aykroyd
 * David Battley, though he mostly did brief supporting roles.
 * John Belushi
 * Mel Brooks
 * Jim Carrey
 * Jackie Chan
 * Charlie Chaplin
 * Graham Chapman
 * Cheech and Chong
 * John Cleese
 * Carol Cleveland
 * Miranda Cosgrove
 * Louis De Funes
 * Jimmy Durante
 * Anna Faris
 * Chris Farley
 * WC Fields
 * Stephen Fry
 * Ricky Gervais
 * Tom Hanks did the same in the '90s, and was so successful at it that he had a trope named after him.
 * Phil Hartman
 * Bob Hope
 * Jessica Hynes
 * Eric Idle
 * Sid James, best known for the Carry On films.
 * Terry Gilliam
 * Terry Jones
 * Buster Keaton
 * John Leguizamo
 * Max Linder
 * Harold Lloyd
 * Mary Lynn Raksjub (a Stand Up comedian best known for playing Chloe in 24).
 * The Marx Brothers
 * Stephen Merchant
 * David Mitchell
 * Rick Moranis
 * Eddie Murphy
 * Bill Murray
 * Leslie Nielsen
 * Chris Rock
 * Adam Sandler
 * Rob Schneider
 * Pauly Shore
 * Peter Sellers
 * Phil Silvers
 * Will Smith started this way, but has gone increasingly serious recently.
 * David Spade
 * The Three Stooges
 * Robert Webb
 * Robin Williams
 * Jacques Tati