Great comedian talents across the world

1. Charles Chaplin

Writer | The Great Dictator

Considered to be one of the most pivotal stars of the early days of Hollywood, Charlie Chaplin lived an interesting life both in his films and behind the camera. He is most recognized as an icon of the silent film era, often associated with his popular character, the Little Tramp; the man with the ...

2. Laurel & Hardy

British reggae group from the 1980s (Paul Dawkins and Anthony Robinson), not to be confused with the comedy duo (Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy).

3. Stan Laurel

Actor | Saps at Sea

Stan Laurel came from a theatrical family, his father was an actor and theatre manager, and he made his stage debut at the age of 16 at Pickard's Museum, Glasgow. He traveled with Fred Karno's vaudeville company to the United States in 1910 and again in 1913. While with that company he was Charles ...

4. Oliver Hardy

Actor | Saps at Sea

Although his parents were never in show business, as a young boy Oliver Hardy was a gifted singer and, by age eight, was performing with minstrel shows. In 1910 he ran a movie theatre, which he preferred to studying law. In 1913 he became a comedy actor with the Lubin Company in Florida and began ...

5. The Marx Brothers

Actor | Duck Soup

The zaniest of all madcap comedy teams were the Marx Brothers, namely Groucho (aka Julius Henry), Chico (aka Leonard), and Harpo (aka Adolph). There were also Zeppo (aka Herbert) -- who featured in their early comedies as a straight man and later became a theatrical agent -- and Gummo (aka Milton),...

6. Groucho Marx

Actor | A Night at the Opera

The bushy-browed, cigar-smoking wise-cracker with the painted-on moustache and stooped walk was the leader of The Marx Brothers. With one-liners that were often double entendres, Groucho never cursed in any of his performances and said he never wanted to be known as a dirty comic. With a great love...

7. Harpo Marx

Actor | A Night at the Opera

With poofy, curly red hair, a top hat and a horn, the lovable mute was the favorite of the Marx Brothers. Though chasing women was a favorite routine of his in the movies, Harpo was a devoted father and husband. He adopted the mute routine in vaudeville and carried it over to the films. Harpo was ...

8. Chico Marx

Actor | Duck Soup

As a kid trying to negotiate his way through various gang territories to a floating crap game or a new pool hall where he was not yet known as a hustler, Leonard (Chico) Marx learned to fake several accents. Because he later employed an Italian accent in the Marx Brothers' act, people assumed his ...

9. Nagesh

Actor | Nammavar

Nagesh was born on September 27, 1933 in Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. He was an actor, known for Nammavar (1994), Dasavatharam (2008) and Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya (1996). He was married to Regina. He died on January 31, 2009 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

10. Goundamani

Actor | Gentleman

Goundamani was born on May 25, 1939 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor, known for Gentleman (1993), Indian (1996) and Malayur Mambattiyaan (1983). He is married to Shanthi Karuppaiya.

11. Senthil

Actor | Jeans

Senthil was born on March 23, 1951 in Llanjambore, India. He is an actor, known for Jeans (1998), Muthu (1995) and Indian (1996). He is married to Kalaiselvi.

12. Kovai Sarala

Actress | Kanchana: Muni 2

Kovai Sarala was born on April 7, 1962 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. She is an actress, known for Kanchana: Muni 2 (2011), Mersal (2017) and Sathi Leelavathi (1995).

13. Vadivelu

Actor | Maamannan

Vadivelu was born on October 10, 1960 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor, known for Maamannan (2023), Pokkiri (2007) and Chandramukhi (2005).

14. Vivek

Actor | Sivaji

Vivek was born on November 19, 1961 in India. He was an actor, known for Sivaji (2007), Anniyan (2005) and Run (2002). He was married to Arulselvi Vivek. He died on April 17, 2021 in Chennai, India.

15. Kumarimuthu

Actor | Villu

Kumarimuthu was born in 1939 in India. He was an actor, known for Villu (2009), Musthaffaa (1996) and Jananam (2004). He died on February 28, 2016 in India.

16. Venniradai Moorthy

Actor | Malai Sooda Va

Venniradai Moorthy is known for Malai Sooda Va (1975), Naanum Oru Thozhilaali (1986) and Killadi (2015).

17. Johnny Walker

Actor | Anand

One of the earliest and best-loved comedians of Indian Cinema, Johnny Walker brought smiles and amusement to all whenever he was on film. Christening himself after the famous Scotch whisky, Walker would drive audiences wild with laughter with his squeaky voice, pencil-thin moustache and his ...

18. John Cleese

Actor | A Fish Called Wanda

John Cleese was born on October 27, 1939, in Weston-Super-Mare, England, to Muriel Evelyn (Cross) and Reginald Francis Cleese. He was born into a family of modest means, his father being an insurance salesman; but he was nonetheless sent off to private schools to obtain a good education. Here he ...

19. Rowan Atkinson

Actor | Johnny English

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on 6 January, 1955, in Consett, Co. Durham, UK, to Ella May (Bainbridge) and Eric Atkinson. His father owned a farm, where Rowan grew up with his two older brothers, Rupert and Rodney. He attended Newcastle University and Oxford University where he earned degrees ...

20. Eddie Murphy

Actor | The Nutty Professor

Edward Regan Murphy was born April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillian Lynch (born: Lillian Laney), a telephone operator, and Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer who was also an amateur comedian and actor. After his father died, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a ...

21. Damon Wayans

Writer | My Wife and Kids

A tall (6'2"), sly, cueball-domed comedian of film and television satire, Damon Wayans hit outrageous 90's TV stardom playing various wise guys and streetwise slick characters on older brother Keenen Ivory Wayans' landmark, black-oriented TV sketch comedy In Living Color (1990). The show was pretty...

22. Jim Carrey

Actor | Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey, Canadian-born and a U.S. citizen since 2004, is an actor and producer famous for his rubbery body movements and flexible facial expressions. The two-time Golden Globe-winner rose to fame as a cast member of the Fox sketch comedy In Living Color (1990) but leading roles in Ace Ventura: ...

23. Joe Mafela

Actor | Retribution

Joe Mafela was born in 1942 in Sibasa, Transvaal, South Africa. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Retribution (2011), Going Up! (1998) and Ten Little Indians (1989). He died on March 18, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.