Can you name a more beloved comic actor today than Martin Short?

[Mojo2]

And BTW, just sayin' - to exclude anyone who started out as standup is kind of ridiculous considering a HUGE swath of actor/comedians started as stand ups

Most did yes. That is what makes this so challenging.

I'm glad SOMEONE has the brains to recognize this.

Darn, I just read that Jim Carrey did do stand up, so that counts him out too. But I have Steve Carell from the office still and Will Smith.

I think Will Smith fits the bill. He is a great comedic actor, and he's never done stand up. Also, he is beloved by many, including myself.

Good.

So that makes Will Smith the first and only one, so far, to reach the heights of beloved comic actordom as Martin Short in this survey.

 

[Mojo2]

And BTW, just sayin' - to exclude anyone who started out as standup is kind of ridiculous considering a HUGE swath of actor/comedians started as stand ups

You would then have "who's your favorite stand up?" and that is not only lame but impossible to do anything with.

Okay, so you like Louie CK, Chris Rock, Amy "What's her name", Jim Gaffigan, Anthony Jeselnik and Jerry Seinfeld.

Great.

ZZzzzzz.

Agree. It wouldn't be challenging at all because most of the comedic actors/actresses on television and movies got started by doing stand up in seedy clubs when they were young.

Bingo!

 

[ChrisL]

What about Chevy Chase? I think he got his start on SNL and was not a stand up comic.

 

[ChrisL]

And BTW, just sayin' - to exclude anyone who started out as standup is kind of ridiculous considering a HUGE swath of actor/comedians started as stand ups

Most did yes. That is what makes this so challenging.

I'm glad SOMEONE has the brains to recognize this.

Darn, I just read that Jim Carrey did do stand up, so that counts him out too. But I have Steve Carell from the office still and Will Smith.

I think Will Smith fits the bill. He is a great comedic actor, and he's never done stand up. Also, he is beloved by many, including myself.

Good.

So that makes Will Smith the first and only one, so far, to reach the heights of beloved comic actordom as Martin Short in this survey.

I've got a couple at least, I think.

Will Smith
Steve Carell
Ben Stiller
Chevy Chase
Julia Louis Dreyfus (your OP doesn't say no females )

 

[ChrisL]

Most people do not even remember who Martin Short was or what was funny about him

Give me Dana Carvey or Rick Moranis any day

Both got started as stand up comedians, I think. That means they don't count.

I don't think of Martin Short as a comedic actor and cannot think of any roles that were beloved
Short did skit comedy much like Moranis and Carvey. If you want to talk beloved....go with Mike Meyers...Wayne's World, Ausin Powers and Shrek

Mike Meyers. He never did stand up? If not, he is a pretty good choice if only because of his Austin Powers series.

 

[Mojo2]

Ben Stiller, who has been in many, many comedies, including There's Something About Mary. Very funny.

I really like Martin Short- I don't know enough about him personally to know whether he passes the "I would want to have a beer with him" test.

My vote would be Bill Murray.

Ever see his bit role in Zombieland?

He is known for playing with the crowds when playing golf, and I have never heard a person say a bad thing about him.

As far as straight-up comedic acting, Bill Murray is at least in the top five in history.

Loved him in SNL, Caddy Shack, Stripes, Groundhog Day, What About Bob, the Sophia Coppola film, Lost in Translation and on his appearances on the talk show circuit.

But who could ever forget him in Ghost Busters, Kingpin, Meatballs and Tootsie???

I mean c'mon!



I love him, but he's got a prickly side which I have no problem with but it prevents his truly being thought of as "beloved."

Did you know that he and his best friend and comic genius and film collaborator Harold Ramis had a falling out which, IIRC, they never repaired before Ramis died.

 

[ChrisL]

Ben Stiller, who has been in many, many comedies, including There's Something About Mary. Very funny.

I really like Martin Short- I don't know enough about him personally to know whether he passes the "I would want to have a beer with him" test.

My vote would be Bill Murray.

Ever see his bit role in Zombieland?

He is known for playing with the crowds when playing golf, and I have never heard a person say a bad thing about him.

As far as straight-up comedic acting, Bill Murray is at least in the top five in history.

Loved him in SNL, Caddy Shack, Stripes, Groundhog Day, What About Bob, the Sophia Coppola film, Lost in Translation and on his appearances on the talk show circuit.

But who could ever forget him in Ghost Busters, Kingpin, Meatballs and Tootsie???

I mean c'mon!



I love him, but he's got a prickly side which I have no problem with but it prevents his truly being thought of as "beloved."

Did you know that he and his best friend and comic genius and film collaborator Harold Ramis had a falling out which, IIRC, they never repaired before Ramis died.

Hmm. Tootsie, what about Dustin Hoffman?

 

[Papageorgio]

Bill Cosby
Chevy Chase

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Ben Stiller, who has been in many, many comedies, including There's Something About Mary. Very funny.

I really like Martin Short- I don't know enough about him personally to know whether he passes the "I would want to have a beer with him" test.

My vote would be Bill Murray.

Ever see his bit role in Zombieland?

He is known for playing with the crowds when playing golf, and I have never heard a person say a bad thing about him.

As far as straight-up comedic acting, Bill Murray is at least in the top five in history.

Loved him in SNL, Caddy Shack, Stripes, Groundhog Day, What About Bob, the Sophia Coppola film, Lost in Translation and on his appearances on the talk show circuit.

But who could ever forget him in Ghost Busters, Kingpin, Meatballs and Tootsie???

I mean c'mon!



I love him, but he's got a prickly side which I have no problem with but it prevents his truly being thought of as "beloved."

Did you know that he and his best friend and comic genius and film collaborator Harold Ramis had a falling out which, IIRC, they never repaired before Ramis died.

Hmm. Tootsie, what about Dustin Hoffman?

Oh I don't know...Hoffman has a renowned reputation as a jackass.

 

[ChrisL]

Bill Cosby
Chevy Chase

I'm pretty sure Bill Cosby did stand up comedy at one time.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Bill Cosby
Chevy Chase

Bill Cosby would certainly be waaay up there.
I looooooved Fat Albert when I was a kid. My favorite Sat. morning cartoon for sure

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Bill Cosby
Chevy Chase

I'm pretty sure Bill Cosby did stand up comedy at one time.

yeaahh...but he is not a stand up comedian.
By far his celebrity is films and TV[/QUOTE]

 

[ChrisL]

Mojo2

Leslie Nielsen?

 

[Sherry]

My favorite comedian is Vince Vaughn, but probably not considered as "beloved". However, I think his buddy, Owen Wilson, could fit the bill.

 

[ChrisL]

Bill Cosby
Chevy Chase

I'm pretty sure Bill Cosby did stand up comedy at one time.

yeaahh...but he is not a stand up comedian.
By far his celebrity is films and TV

[/QUOTE]

This is getting confusing. So what criteria makes one a stand up comic and not a stand up comic?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Mojo2

Leslie Nielsen?

he is dead though

 

[ChrisL]

Mojo2

Leslie Nielsen?

he is dead though

Oops!

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Bill Cosby
Chevy Chase

I'm pretty sure Bill Cosby did stand up comedy at one time.

yeaahh...but he is not a stand up comedian.
By far his celebrity is films and TV

This is getting confusing. So what criteria makes one a stand up comic and not a stand up comic? [/QUOTE]

Even Martin Short has done stand up a couple times.
Cosby did 3 or 4 stand up specials, but overwhelming his career was film and TV.

 

[HenryBHough]

Better comic?

OK, for low comedy, Algore!

Too bad he's not making the rounds of the late-nite talk shows as often as he used to.

 

[Mojo2]

And BTW, just sayin' - to exclude anyone who started out as standup is kind of ridiculous considering a HUGE swath of actor/comedians started as stand ups

Most did yes. That is what makes this so challenging.

I'm glad SOMEONE has the brains to recognize this.

Darn, I just read that Jim Carrey did do stand up, so that counts him out too. But I have Steve Carell from the office still and Will Smith.

I think Will Smith fits the bill. He is a great comedic actor, and he's never done stand up. Also, he is beloved by many, including myself.

Good.

So that makes Will Smith the first and only one, so far, to reach the heights of beloved comic actordom as Martin Short in this survey.

I've got a couple at least, I think.

Will Smith
Steve Carell
Ben Stiller
Chevy Chase
Julia Louis Dreyfus (your OP doesn't say no females )

Will Smith we agree on.

Ben Stiller is right there, too.

Chevy Chase isn't particularly beloved, is he? I like his "smart ass" persona he has made a career from portraying. But I don't get a sense of him being all that well liked.

Steve Carrell is tough for me.

I wasn't a fan of the Office after giving it several tries. Just not a big yuk fest for me. It is situational humor and its just okay in my book. But I liked him in the 40 Year Old Virgin. He seemed like a likable guy.

I just don't think he has reached the point in his creer where America has taken him into their hearts and minds and his sort of low key, self effacing, dryish, cerebral humor is nice but...I think he needs one buig, huge smash hit. Yeah, I'm biased.

And for the kicker.

My 80 year old Mother LOVES Julia Louis Dreyfus.

She never knew of her from SNL.

She never watched an episode of Seinfeld.

Mother Mojo fell in love with The New Adventures of Old Christine.

And yeah, she has to be given that kind of consideration.

People DO love her!

And what female comic actor is more accomplished than she?

I have an issue with her, personally.

On Seinfeld she felt it was okay to date a Communist.

And she ostracized Puddy because he was a Christian.

Then, in an episode of Old Christine, she (Old Christine) went ape shit when her ex and his new wife (the "New" Christine) took their son to Church.

She is a liberal and she hates Christianity but thinks Communism is okay.

Uh, I have a real problem with her being considered beloved.

I like her and think she's hottish for a bird of her vinatge.

But I will defer to others' opinion of her.

 

[ChrisL]

Danny Devito! I love It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Lol!