Comedy film is genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humor. It is one of the oldest genres in film, as some of the very first silent movies were comedies. Comedy, unlike other film genres, puts much more focus on individual stars, with many former stand-up comics transitioning to the film industry due to their popularity. While many comedic films are lighthearted stories with no intent other than to amuse, others contain political or social commentary (such as Wag the Dog and Man of the Year). Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... Look up humour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Even in the early days of film history, the audience appetite for new content was voracious. ... Richard Pryor hits the money line A stand-up comedian or stand-up comic is someone that performs in comedy clubs, usually reciting a fast paced succession of amusing stories, short jokes and one-liners, typically called a monologue. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article contains a trivia section. ...

Types of Comedies

The following are various sub-genres of comedy:

• A comedy of manners film satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters. The plot of the comedy is often concerned with an illicit love affair or some other scandal, but is generally less important than its witty dialogue. This form of comedy has a long ancestry, dating back at least as far as Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare.

• In a fish out of water comedy film the main character, or characters, finds himself in an alien environment and this drives most of the humor in the film. Situations can be swapping gender roles, as in Tootsie (1982); an age changing role, as in Big (1988); a freedom-loving individual fitting into a structured environment, as in Police Academy (1984); a rural backwoodsman in the big city, as in Crocodile Dundee, and so forth.

• A parody or spoof film is a comedy that satirizes other film genres or classic films. Such films employ sarcasm, stereotyping, mockery of scenes from other films, and the obviousness of meaning in a character's actions. Examples of this form include Blazing Saddles (1974), Airplane! (1980), and Young Frankenstein (1974).

• The anarchic comedy film uses nonsensical, stream-of-consciousness humor which often lampoons some form of authority. Films of this nature stem from a theatrical history of anarchic comedy on the stage. Well-known films of this sub-genre include Duck Soup (1933), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).

• The black comedy is based around normally taboo subjects, including, death, murder, suicide and war. Examples include Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Monsieur Verdoux (1947), Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Ladykillers (1955), Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), The Loved One (1965), Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) and The War of the Roses (1989).

• Gross-out films are a relatively recent development, and rely heavily on sexual or "toilet" humour. Example include American Pie (1999), There's Something About Mary (1998), and Dumb and Dumber (1994).

• The romantic comedy sub-genre typically involves the development of a relationship between a man and a woman. The stereotyped plot line follows the "boy-gets-girl", "boy-loses-girl", "boy gets girl back again" sequence. Naturally there are innumerable variants to this plot, and much of the generally light-hearted comedy lies in the social interactions and sexual tensions between the pair. Examples of this style of film include It's a Wonderful World (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Sabrina (1954), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Pretty Woman (1990), and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).

• It was not uncommon for the early romantic comedy film to also be a screwball comedy film. This form of comedy film was particularly popular during the 1930s and 1940s. There is no consensus definition of this film style, and it is often loosely applied to slapstick or romantic comedy films. Typically it can include a romantic element, an interplay between people of different economic strata, quick and witty repartee, some form of role reversal, and a happy ending. Some examples of the screwball comedy are: It Happened One Night (1934), Bringing Up Baby (1938), Philadelphia Story (1940), His Girl Friday (1940), and more recently What's Up, Doc? (1972).

The comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young. ... Title page of the first quarto (1600) Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... In a fish out of water comedy film the main character (or characters) finds himself in an alien environment and this drives most of the humor in the film. ... George Fields and Dorothy Michaels at the Russian Tea Room Tootsie is a 1982 comedy film, which tells the story of a talented, but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult makes him unemployable. ... Big is a 1988 comedy film which tells the story of a teenaged boy who is aged to adulthood by a magical fortune telling machine. ... Police Academy is a 1984 comedy crime film starring Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall and G.W. Bailey. ... Crocodile Dundee is a 1986 Australian comedy film set in the Australian Outback in the area around Walkabout Creek and in New York City. ... A parody or spoof film is a comedy that satirizes other film genres or classic films. ... Alex Karras as Mongo in Blazing Saddles Blazing Saddles (1974) is a comedy directed by Mel Brooks and starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, and released by Warner Brothers. ... Airplane! is an American comedy film, first released on 27 June 1980, produced, directed, and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. ... Young Frankenstein is a 1974 comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder as the title character. ... Anarchic comedy (or wacky comedy) is a genre of cinema using nonsensical, stream-of-consciousness humor. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ... Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by Joseph Kesselring, which was made into a film by director Frank Capra. ... Monsieur Verdoux is a film by Charles Chaplin that debuted in 1947. ... Kind Hearts and Coronets is a 1949 Ealing comedy film. ... The Ladykillers is a 1955 British film. ... For the hit 1987 single by Depeche Mode, see the album Music for the Masses Film poster for Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a 1964 satirical film directed by Stanley Kubrick. ... The Loved One was also a short movie directed by wrestler Mick Foley chronicling the rise to success of his character Dude Love. ... The Meaning of Life was a Monty Python comedy film made in 1983. ... The War of the Roses is a 1989 American motion picture based upon the 1981 novel The War of the Roses by Warren Adler. ... Gross-out film is a sub-genre of comedy movies in which the producers aim to gross out their audience with disgusting and disturbing material, such as sexual or toilet humor. ... American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film directed by Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz and written by Adam Herz. ... Theres Something About Mary is an American film based on a real-life story released in 1998 by 20th Century Fox, directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly (the Farrelly brothers). ... Dumb and Dumber is a comedy film starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, released in 1994. ... Romantic comedy films are a sub-genre of comedy films as well as of romance films. ... Its a Wonderful World is a 1939 romantic screwball comedy starring Jimmy Stewart & Claudette Colbert. ... The Shop Around the Corner is a 1940 romantic comedy film starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. ... // Goddess of the River Severn in Insular Brythonic mythology. ... The gate under which Harry meets Sally in the film; located on the campus of the University of Chicago When Harry Met Sallys Ill have what shes having. ... Pretty Woman is a 1990 American romantic comedy motion picture. ... Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British romantic comedy film directed by Mike Newell. ... The screwball comedy is a subgenre of the comedy film genre. ... Look up Wit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wit is a form of intellectual humor, based on manipulation of concepts; a wit is someone who excels in witty remarks, typically in conversation and spontaneously, since wit carries the connotation of speed of thought. ... It Happened One Night is a 1934 romantic comedy directed by Frank Capra, in which a pampered socialite (Claudette Colbert) tries to get out from under her fathers thumb, and falls in love with a roguish reporter (Clark Gable). ... Bringing up Baby is a 1938 screwball comedy which tells the story of a scientist who winds up in various predicaments with a woman who has a unique sense of logic and a leopard named Baby. ... The Philadelphia Story is a 1940 romantic screwball comedy starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart. ... His Girl Friday is a 1940 screwball comedy, a remake of the 1931 film The Front Page, itself an adaptation by Charles Lederer, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur of their play of the same name. ... Whats Up, Doc? is a screwball comedy from 1972, directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan ONeal, and Madeline Kahn (in her first full-length film role). ...

Hybrid genres

• Action comedy films blend comic antics and action where the film stars combine wit and one-liners with a thrilling plot and daring stunts. The genre became a specific draw in North America in the eighties when comedians such as Eddie Murphy started taking more action oriented roles such as in 48 Hours. These type of films are often buddy films, with mismatched partners such as in Midnight Run and Hot Fuzz. Hong Kong action cinema also integreated into this style through slapstick martial arts films such as Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle and the films of Jackie Chan.

• Comedy horror films are types of horror films in which the usual dark themes are portrayed using a humorous approach. These films are either use goofy horror cliches such as in The Old Dark House, Young Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors and Scary Movie where campy styles are favoured. Some are much more subtle and don't parody horror, such as Shaun of the Dead. Another style of comedy horror can also rely on over the top violence and gore such as in Dead Alive (1992).

• Fantasy comedy films are types of films that uses magic, supernatural and or mythological figures for comic purposes. Most fantasy comedy includes an element of parody, or satire, turning many of the fantasy conventions on their head such as the hero becoming a cowardly fool, the princess being a klutz. Examples of these films include Being John Malkovich, Groundhog Day and Shrek.

• Sci-fi comedy films, like most hybrid genre of comedy use the elements of science fiction films to over the top extremes and exagerated science fiction stereotypical characters. Popular examples of these types of films include Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Mars Attacks!, and Men in Black.

North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Edward Eddie Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York City[1]) is an Academy Award nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and comedian. ... 48 Hours can refer to: The 48 Hours title card, circa 1994 48 Hours is a documentary and news television program broadcast on the CBS television network since 1988. ... A Buddy Film is exactly what the name suggests; A film featuring two or more characters who exhibit a close relationship. ... For the Konami Arcade Racing game, see Midnight Run (video game). ... Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British police action/comedy film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, who were previously in the motion picture Shaun of the Dead and the television series Spaced. ... Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industrys global fame. ... Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated physical violence. ... Martial arts film is a film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. ... Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film directed by acclaimed Hong Kong comedian, actor and director, Stephen Chow. ... Kung Fu Hustle (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) is a 2004 Hong Kong martial arts film directed and co-written by Stephen Chow. ... Chan Kong-Sang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as Jackie Chan Sing Lung (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) or Jackie Chan SBS, (born on April 7, 1954) is a Chinese martial artist, action star, actor, director, screenwriter, film producer, singer and stunt performer. ... The Old Dark House is a 1932 horror film directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff, produced just one year after their success with Frankenstein. ... Young Frankenstein is a 1974 comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder as the title character. ... Little Shop of Horrors is a 1986 screen adaptation of the off-Broadway stage musical of the same name. ... Scary Movie (2000), an American film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, is a comedy-gross-out film spoof that parodies the horror and mystery genres. ... Shaun of the Dead is a zombie-themed romantic comedy (or rom zom com as it dubs itself) or zombie comedy released in 2004. ... Possibly the goriest movie ever, Braindead (1992) is a cheerfully extreme zombie horror-comedy directed by Peter Jackson. ... Magic Circle by John William Waterhouse Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Being John Malkovich is a 1999 film written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Spike Jonze. ... Groundhog Day is a 1993 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Poster for The Day the Earth Stood Still, an archetypal science fiction film. ... This article is about the first film in the Back to the Future trilogy. ... Ghostbusters is a 1984 sci-fi comedy film about three eccentric New York City parapsychologists. ... Mars Attacks! is a comedy and science fiction film by Tim Burton based on the popular card series Mars Attacks. ... Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy action film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent DOnofrio. ...

History

1900–1920s

The very first movie to be produced was Thomas Edison's kinetoscope of his assistant Fred Ott in Record of a Sneeze. This could also be considered the first to show a comedic element. Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices which greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph and a long lasting light bulb. ... Interior view of Kinetoscope with peephole viewer at top of cabinet. ... Fred Ott in mid-sneeze This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Fred Ott in mid-sneeze Frederick P. Ott (1860, New Jersey – 24 October 1936, West Orange, New Jersey) was an employee of Thomas Edisons laboratory in the 1890s. ...

Comedic films began to appear in significant numbers during the era of silent films, prior to the 1930s. These were mainly focused on visual humor, including slapstick and burlesque. A very early comedy short was Watering the Gardener (1895) by the Lumière brothers. Prominent clown-style actors of the silent era include Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Photograph of Sally Rand, 1934. ... LArroseur Arrosé (also known as The Waterer Watered and The Sprinkler Sprinkled) is an 1895 French short black-and-white silent comedy film directed and produced by Louis Lumière and starring François Clerc and Benoît Duval. ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Lumière Brothers, Louis Jean (October 5, 1864–June 6, 1948) and Auguste Marie Louis Nicholas (October 19, 1862–April 10, 1954), were the creators of the cinematographic projector. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr. ... Buster Keaton (born Joseph Frank Keaton, October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American silent film comic actor and filmmaker. ... Harold Clayton Lloyd (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American film actor and director, most famous for his silent comedies. ...

A popular trend during the 1920s and afterward was comedy in the form of animated cartoons. Several popular characters of the period received the cartoon treatment. Among these were Felix the Cat, Krazy Kat, and Betty Boop. However the development of the cartoon medium was inhibited by the lack of sound and color. The famous Felix pace as seen in Oceantics (1930) Felix the Cat is a cartoon character from the silent-film era. ... Krazy Kat is a comic strip created by George Herriman that appeared in U.S. newspapers between 1913 and 1944. ... Betty Boop from the opening title sequence of the earliest entries in the Betty Boop Cartoons Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character appearing in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop series of films produced by Max Fleischer and released by Paramount Pictures. ...

1930–1950s

Toward the end of the 1920s, the introduction of sound into movies made possible dramatic new film styles and the use of verbal humor. During the 1930s the silent film comedy was replaced by dialogue from film comedians such as the W. C. Fields and the Marx Brothers. The comedian Charlie Chaplin was one of the last silent film hold-outs, and his films during the 1930s were devoid of dialogue, although they did employ sound effects. W. C. Fields (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946) was an American juggler, comedian, and actor. ... Groucho, Gummo, Minnie (mother), Zeppo, Frenchy (father), Chico and Harpo. ... Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr. ...

Screwball comedies, such as produced by Frank Capra, exhibited a pleasing, idealised climate that portrayed reassuring social values and a certain optimism about everyday life. Movies still included slapstick humor and other physical comedy, but these were now frequently supplemental to the verbal interaction. Another common comedic production from the 1930s was the short subject. Hal Roach Studio specialized in this form. While Columbia was prolific, producing 190 Three Stooges releases, alone. These non-feature productions only went into decline in the 1950s when they were migrated to the television. This article is about the film director. ... Harold Eugene Roach, Sr. ... The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the mid 20th century best known for their numerous short films. ...

In the United Kingdom, film adaptations of stage farces were popular in the early 1930s, while the music hall tradition strongly influenced film comedy into the 1940s with Will Hay and George Formby among the top comedy stars of the time. In England in the late 1940s, Ealing Studios achieved popular success as well as critical acclaim with a series of films known collectively as the "Ealing comedies", from 1946 to 1956. They usually included a degree of social comment, and featured ensemble casts which often included Alec Guinness or Stanley Holloway. Among the most famous examples were Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and The Ladykillers (1955). Look up farce in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Music Hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which reached its peak of popularity between 1850 and 1960. ... A publicity shot for the film The Ghost of St. ... George Formby, OBE (May 26, 1904 – March 6, 1961) was an English singer and comedian who became a major star of both cinema and music hall. ... Ealing Studios, a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London, claims to be the oldest film studio in the world. ... See also: 1945 in film 1946 1947 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Bells of St. ... See also: 1955 in film 1956 1957 in film 1950s in film years in film film // Events November 15 - The film Love Me Tender starring Elvis Presley (his first film) opens. ... Sir Alec Guinness CH CBE (April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000) was an Academy Award and Tony Award-winning English actor who became one of the most versatile and best-loved performers of his generation. ... Stanley Augustus Holloway (October 1, 1890 - January 30, 1982) was an English actor and entertainer famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady. ... Kind Hearts and Coronets is a 1949 Ealing comedy film. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... The Lavender Hill Mob is a 1951 comedy film from Ealing Studios. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Ladykillers is a 1955 British film. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ...

With the entry of the United States into World War II, Hollywood became focused on themes related to the conflict. Comedies portrayed military themes such as service, civil defense, boot-camp and shore-leave. The war-time restrictions on travel made this a boom time for Hollywood, and nearly a quarter of the money spent on attending movies. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... ...

The post-war period was an age of reflection on the war, and the emergence of a competing medium, the television. In 1948 TV began to acquire commercial momentum and by the following year there were nearly a hundred television transmitters in American cities. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

By the 1950s the television industry had become a serious competition for the movie industry. Despite the technological limitations of the TV medium at the time, more and more people chose to stay home to watch the television. The Hollywood studios at first viewed the TV as a threat, and later as a commercial market. Several comedic forms that had previously been a staple of movie theaters transitioned to the TV. Both the short subject and the cartoon now appeared on the TV rather than in the theater, and the "B" movie also found its outlet on the television.

Some Like it Hot often voted among the best comedy films of all time.

As TV became filled with family-oriented comedies, the 1950s saw a trend toward more adult social situations. Only the Walt Disney studios continued to steadily release family comedies. The release of comedy films also went into a decline during this decade. In 1947 almost one in five films had been comedic in nature, but by 1954 this was down to ten percent. File links The following pages link to this file: Some Like It Hot Categories: Video covers ... File links The following pages link to this file: Some Like It Hot Categories: Video covers ... Some Like It Hot is a 1959 comedy film directed by Billy Wilder. ... For the company founded by Disney, see The Walt Disney Company. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The 1950s saw the decline of past comedy stars and a certain paucity of new talent in Hollywood. Among the few popular new stars during this period were Judy Holliday and the comedy team phenom of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Lewis followed the legacy of such comedians as Keaton and Harold Lloyd, but his work was not well-received by critics in the United States (in contrast to France where he proved highly popular.) Judy Holliday (June 21, 1921–June 7, 1965) was an Academy Award and Tony Award-winning American actress. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The British film industry produced a number of highly successful film series, however, including the Doctor series, the St. Trinian's films and the increasingly bawdy Carry on films. John and Roy Boulting also wrote and directed a series of successful satires, including Private's Progress (1956) and I'm All Right, Jack (1959). As in the United States, in the next decade much of this talent would move into television. Michael Caine in Get Carter (1971). ... Doctor in the House is a 1954 British comedy film, directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box. ... St Trinians is a fictional girls school created by Ronald Searle, a British cartoonist. ... The Carry On films were a long-running series of British low-budget comedy films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers. ... John and Roy Boulting were English film-makers, who became known for their popular series of satirical comedies in the 1950s and 1960s. ... Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject (individuals, organizations, states) often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. ... Privates Progress is a British comedy film of 1956, based on the novel by Alan Hackney. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Im All Right, Jack is a British comedy film directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A number of French comedians were also able to find an English speaking audience in the '50s, including Fernandel and Jacques Tati. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (May 8, 1903 – February 26, 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French actor. ... Jacques Tati as Monsieur Hulot. ...

1960s–1980s

The next decade saw an increasing number of broad, star-packed comedies including It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) and The Great Race (1965). By the middle of the decade, some of the 1950s generation of American comedians, such as Jerry Lewis, went into decline, while Peter Sellers found success with international audiences in his first American film The Pink Panther. The bumbling Inspector Clouseau was a character Sellers would continue to return to over the next decade. Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is an American motion picture directed by Stanley Kramer about a madcap pursuit of $350,000 of stolen cash by a diverse group of strangers. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1963 Replica of the Bristol Boxkite, now hanging in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Cover of the 2004 DVD release of The Great Race The Great Race is a 1965 semi-comical, semi-dramatic film directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Richard Henry Peter Sellers, CBE (8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English comedian, actor, and performer, who came to prominence on the BBC radio series The Goon Show and later became a film star. ... The Pink Panther, directed by Blake Edwards and co-written by Edwards and Maurice Richlin, is a 1963 comedy film, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, and Robert Wagner. ... Inspector Jacques Clouseau is a bumbling fictional French detective who was a character in the Blake Edwardss Pink Panther series. ...

Toward the end of the 1950s, darker humor and more serious themes had begun to emerge, including satire and social commentary. Dr. Strangelove (1964) was a satirical comedy about Cold War paranoia, while The Apartment (1960), Alfie (1966) and The Graduate (1967) featured sexual themes in a way that would have been impossible only a few years previously. Strangelove redirects here. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... The Apartment is a 1960 romantic comedy-drama directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alfie is a 1966 film starring Michael Caine. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... For the American rock band, see The Graduate (band). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

In 1970 the black comedies Catch 22 and M*A*S*H reflected the anti-war sentiment then prevalent, as well as treating the sensitive topic of suicide. M*A*S*H would be toned down and brought to television in the following decade as a long-running series. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Catch-22 is a 1970 film, adapted from the book of the same name by Joseph Heller. ... M*A*S*H is a 1970 satirical American dark comedy film directed by Robert Altman, based extremely loosely on the novel written by Richard Hooker. ...

Among the leading lights in comedy films of the next decade were Woody Allen and Mel Brooks. Both wrote, directed and appeared in their movies. Brooks' style was generally slapstick and zany in nature, often parodying film styles and genres, including Universal horror films (Young Frankenstein), westerns (Blazing Saddles) and Hitchcock films (High Anxiety). Following his success on film and on Broadway with The Odd Couple playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon would also be prominent in the 1970s, with films like The Sunshine Boys and California Suite. Other notable film comedians who appeared later in the decade were Richard Pryor, Steve Martin and Burt Reynolds. Woody Allen (born Allen Stewart Königsberg on December 1, 1935) is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director, writer, actor, jazz musician, comedian, and playwright. ... Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky on May 9, 1926) is an Academy Award-winning American actor, writer, director and producer best known as a creator of broad film farces and comedy parodies. ... A genre is any of the traditional divisions of art forms from a single field of activity into various kinds according to criteria particular to that form. ... A gallery of classic Universal monsters Universal Horror is the name given to the distinctive series of horror films made by Universal Studios in California from the 1920s through to the 1950s. ... Young Frankenstein is a 1974 comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder as the title character. ... Broncho Billy Anderson, from The Great Train Robbery The Western movie is one of the classic American film genres. ... Alex Karras as Mongo in Blazing Saddles Blazing Saddles (1974) is a comedy directed by Mel Brooks and starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, and released by Warner Brothers. ... Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (August 13, 1899 – April 29, 1980) was a highly influential British-born film director and producer who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres. ... High Anxiety is a 1977 comedy film directed by and starring Mel Brooks. ... Broadway theatre[1] is the most prestigious form of professional theatre in the U.S., as well as the most well known to the general public and most lucrative for the performers, technicians and others involved in putting on the shows. ... Walter Matthau and Art Carney in the 1965 Broadway production The Odd Couple was a hit 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series, as well as other derivative works and spinoffs, many featuring one or more of the same actors. ... A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or drama. ... Screenwriters, scenarists or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... The Sunshine Boys is a comic play by Neil Simon. ... California Suite is a play by Neil Simon about five couples, all set in one hotel suite in California. ... Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor, and writer. ... For the football player of the same name see Steve Martin (football player). ... Burt Reynolds (born Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. ...

Most British comedy films of the early 70s were spin-offs of television series, including Dad's Army and On the Buses. The greatest successes, however, came with the films of the Monty Python team, including And Now For Something Completely Different (1971), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Monty Python's Life of Brian in 1979. British Comedy, in film, radio and television, is known for its consistently quirky characters, plots and settings, and has produced some of the most famous and memorable comic actors and characters in the last fifty years. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Dad’s Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard in the Second World War, written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. ... On The Buses was a British situation comedy created by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney. ... Monty Python, or The Pythons, is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ... And Now For Something Completely Different is a film spinoff from the television comedy series Monty Pythons Flying Circus featuring favourite sketches from the first two seasons. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Monty Pythons Life of Brian is a 1979 comedy written and performed by the Monty Python comedy team. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

In 1980 the gag-based comedy Airplane!, a spoof of the previous decade's disaster film series was released and paved the way for more of the same including Top Secret! (1984) and the Naked Gun films. The year 1980 in film involved some significant events. ... Airplane! is an American comedy film, first released on 27 June 1980, produced, directed, and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. ... In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... Top Secret! is a 1984 comedy directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... The Naked Gun is the name of a series of comedy movies starring Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley and OJ Simpson. ...

Cover of Turner and Hooch

Popular comedy stars in the '80s included Dudley Moore, Tom Hanks, Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Many had come to prominence on the American TV series Saturday Night Live, including Bill Murray, Steve Martin and Chevy Chase. Eddie Murphy made a success of comedy-action films including 48 Hrs. (1982) and the Beverly Hills Cop series (1984–1993). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (626x848, 121 KB) Summary Turner and Hooch video tape couver. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (626x848, 121 KB) Summary Turner and Hooch video tape couver. ... Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ... Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American film actor, Emmy-winning director, voice-over artist and movie producer. ... Edward Eddie Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York City[1]) is an Academy Award nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and comedian. ... Daniel Edward Aykroyd CM (born July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is an Academy Award-nominated Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, and musician. ... Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a weekly late night 91-minute American comedy-variety show based in New York City that has been broadcast live by NBC on Saturday nights since October 11, 1975. ... William James Bill Murray (b. ... For the football player of the same name see Steve Martin (football player). ... Chevy Chase (born October 8, 1943) is an Emmy Award-winning American comedian, writer, and television and film actor. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... 48 Hrs. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Beverly Hills Cop (1984) is an American comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Eddie Murphy. ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Also popular were the films of John Hughes such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He would later become best-known for the Home Alone series of the early 1990s. The latter film helped a revival in comedies aimed at a family audience, along with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and its sequels. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Ferris Buellers Day Off is a 1986 comedy film written and directed by John Hughes. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 comedy film released through Walt Disney Pictures. ...

1990s–2000s

One of the major developments was the re-emergence of the romantic comedy film, encouraged by the success of When Harry Met Sally... in 1989. Other examples included Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Clueless (1995) and You've Got Mail (1998) from the United States, and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Sliding Doors (1998) and Notting Hill (1999) from the United Kingdom. Spoof remained popular as well, especially with the Scary Movie series and Not Another Teen Movie. Romantic comedy films are a sub-genre of comedy films as well as of romance films. ... The gate under which Harry meets Sally in the film; located on the campus of the University of Chicago When Harry Met Sallys Ill have what shes having. ... // Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia for $20 million. ... Sleepless in Seattle is a 1993 movie, directed by Nora Ephron, based on the story by Jeff Arch. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Clueless is a 1995 comedy film, loosely based on Emma by Jane Austen, written and directed by Amy Heckerling and produced by Scott Rudin. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Youve Got Mail is an American romantic comedy released in 1998 by Warner Brothers. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British romantic comedy film directed by Mike Newell. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Sliding Doors is a 1998 film written and directed by former actor Peter Howitt. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Scary Movie (2000), an American film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, is a comedy-gross-out film spoof that parodies the horror and mystery genres. ... Not Another Teen Movie is a film released in 2001 by Sony Pictures. ...

Probably more representative of British humour were the working class comedies Brassed Off (1996) and The Full Monty (1997). Other British comedies examined the role of the Asian community in British life, including Bhaji on the Beach (1993), East is East (1999), Bend It Like Beckham (2002) and Anita and Me (2003). British humour is a somewhat general term applied to certain comedic motifs that are often prevalent in comedic acts originating in Great Britain and its current or former colonies. ... Brassed Off (1996) is a British film written and directed by Mark Herman. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the film. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... British Comedy, in film, radio and television, is known for its consistently quirky characters, plots and settings, and has produced some of the most famous and memorable comic actors and characters in the last fifty years. ... This article deals primarily or exclusively with the definition of Asian in English-speaking countries, mainly referring to immigrants or descendants of immigrants living therein. ... Bhaji on the Beach is a 1993 film by director Gurinder Chadha. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... East is East was a movie (released in 1999) of a mixed Pakistani-English household in Salford, Manchester in 1971. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Bend It Like Beckham is a British film released in 2002 in the UK and released in the United States in March 2003. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Anita and Me is Meera Syals debut novel, and was first published in 1996. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Another development was the increasing use of "gross-out humor" usually aimed at a younger audience, in films like There's Something About Mary, American Pie and its sequels, and Freddy Got Fingered. In mid 2000s the trend of "gross-out" movies is continuing, with adult-oriented comedies picking up the box office. In 2005 several gross-out movies have performed surprisingly well catering to such an adult market, these include Wedding Crashers and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. But serious black comedies (also known as dramatic comedies or dramedies) were performing also well, such as The Weather Man, Broken Flowers and Shopgirl. In late 2006, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan came out with satirical comedy. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Theres Something About Mary is an American film based on a real-life story released in 1998 by 20th Century Fox, directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly (the Farrelly brothers). ... American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film directed by Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz and written by Adam Herz. ... ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wedding Crashers is a 2005 comedy film, directed by David Dobkin. ... The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a 2005 comedy film starring Steve Carell and directed by Judd Apatow. ... Weather man and Weather Man redirect here. ... Broken Flowers is a 2005 comedy-drama film directed and written by Jim Jarmusch and produced by Jon Kilik and Stacey Smith. ... Shopgirl is a 2005 film starring Steve Martin, Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

See also

• AFI's 100 Years, 100 Laughs (1924–1998, list made in 2000)
• humor
• List of British comedy films
• List of United States comedy films
• Silent comedy film
• Slapstick film
• Splatstick film
• Tragicomedy and related Black comedy

The American Film Institute, celebrating the 100th anniversary of film, created several top 100 lists covering movies in American cinema. ... Look up humour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This is a list of British comedy films. ... This is a list of United States comedy films. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... Slapstick films are a type of comedy film that employ slapstick comedy with five main conventions: Pain with no real consequence Editing to turn a situation more unrealistic Impossible situations Zooms to confuse the audience Off screen use of sounds for impossible stunts and tension for audience Films: Home Alone... Poster art for Blood Feast (1963) A splatter film or gore film is a type of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. ... Tragicomedy refers to fictional works that blend aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

References

• Thomas W. Bohn and Richard L. Stromgren, Light and Shadows: A History of Motion Pictures, 1975, Mayfield Publishing.

External links

• Comedy films overview