I was thinking about this last night so I took to the internet to see what others think. To my surprise, most of the characters listed were from the sort of 'modern day' shows, which, to me, most aren't near as funny as some characters from years ago.
As with any list, it is so subjective, especially as to your age, what you deem as funny, and types of humor (slapstick, racy, dark, etc). Myself, I feel I am a fan of all humor, except humor that is done by just saying dirty words. I find ensemble casts funny mostly because of the writing and shows like MASH which I loved, the characters were serious as much as really funny.
So, this is my own list and it is only from TV characters, not from stand-up comediennes.
To me, maybe the funniest TV character EVER was Jim Ignatowski from Taxi. I was a huge fan of this show and really everyone on it was funny.
I would also add Louie DePalma as another I would put in my top ten. And I would put Taxi in my list of top 5 comedy shows ever on TV.
After that my list would be
Lucy
Archie Bunker
Larry David
Tim Conway
Laverne and Shirley
Niles Crane
Norm and Cliff (Cheers) (Just another great cast and would also be in my top 5 comedies ever)
Barney Fife
AND, believe it or not--Kermit the Frog (I was and still am, a HUGE fan of the old The Muppett Show and just loved the Swedish Chef and Sam the Eagle)
Give me more time and I will think of others
You forgot Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton. LOL
Agree with all of them. I can add one. I never got through an episode without laughing if Bob Newhart was in the show. Never has there been a better "straight guy" either surrounded by idiots or dealing with an awkward situation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yyB06HvAjI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5_Phzx4Ok
The old show "Becker" with Ted Danson as Dr. Becker used to be hilarious. Unlike Newhart, he was an angry straight man surrounded by idiots except that he was crotchety and short of patience with anyone he had to deal with
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxHna3gReBw
SNL had the funniest guy IMO in Chris Farley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2VIEY9-A8
One more - Detective/Sergeant Philip K. Fish, NYPD - Abe Vigoda's character on "Barney Miller." Bob
Quote from: Bob In PA on May 29, 2022, 12:49:32 PM
You forgot Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton. LOL
Without a doubt Bob. How could I have omitted those two?
Ten lashes with a wet noodle.
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 29, 2022, 01:28:20 PM
The old show "Becker" with Ted Danson as Dr. Becker used to be hilarious. Unlike Newhart, he was an angry straight man surrounded by idiots except that he was crotchety and short of patience with anyone he had to deal with
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxHna3gReBw
I loved Danson from Cheers and I watched some of this show, but it never really made me want to watch after a year or so.
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 29, 2022, 01:06:24 PM
Agree with all of them. I can add one. I never got through an episode without laughing if Bob Newhart was in the show. Never has there been a better "straight guy" either surrounded by idiots or dealing with an awkward situation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yyB06HvAjI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5_Phzx4Ok
Yes. Bob was great.
I never really watched the original Bob Newhart Show, but loved the second one with Daryl, Daryl, and Larry. Funny as hell, which made me start watching the original and it was just as good. Definately belongs on any list.
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 29, 2022, 01:29:20 PM
SNL had the funniest guy IMO in Chris Farley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2VIEY9-A8
Me, myself, and I, just was never a real fan of SNL. I watched a lot, but mostly from the original cast. Funny guys and gals, but again, some just weren't my cup of tea, and that includes Farley, Belushi, Murray, etc. My favorite used to be Gilda Ragner and sadly she passed away way too soon.
Martin Lawrence was simply hilarious, especially with all the different characters he did. His show was definitely underrated.
https://youtu.be/aWRwocvbYTs
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Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 29, 2022, 01:29:20 PM
SNL had the funniest guy IMO in Chris Farley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2VIEY9-A8
Jolly: The thing to notice about this clip is that AT LEAST TWO professional actors could not hold it together. They tried looking away, looking down, hiding their faces under their hair, then in their hands, all to no avail. Bob
Quote from: Bob In PA on May 29, 2022, 05:04:47 PM
Jolly: The thing to notice about this clip is that AT LEAST TWO professional actors could not hold it together. They tried looking away, looking down, hiding their faces under their hair, then in their hands, all to no avail. Bob
Yeah, sometimes even professional comics can't keep it together. I remember Harvey Korman breaking up many times while Tim Conway kept a straight face. Sometimes the other actors just can't keep in character because one of them is too funny
Another SNL skit where the actors couldn't keep it together when Kate McKinnon goes into detail about her alien abduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfPdYYsEfAE
Cosmo Kramer
Curly Howard
Stan Laurel
W. C. Fields
John Candy
Robin Williams
Btw, Don Knotts was a comedic genius. How convincingly he played Barney Fife with simple face expressions and the timing of each interaction went unappreciated by the audience.
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Quote from: Ed Vette on May 29, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Cosmo Kramer
Curly Howard
Stan Laurel
W. C. Fields
John Candy
Robin Williams
Btw, Don Knotts was a comedic genius. How convincingly he played Barney Fife with simple face expressions and the timing of each interaction went unappreciated by the audience.
Ed: It's not underappreciated by me. I have DVD's of every one of his goofy movies, even the one where he turns into a cartoon fish ("The Incredible Mr. Limpet"). My favorite is "The Reluctant Astronaut." LOL
Agree on Rev. Jim and Louie DePalma, Norm and Cliff, Bob Newhart, Cosmo and George. The cast from Carol Burnett. A few cast members from SNL, particularly Bill Murray and Phil Hartman. I
I would be remiss to forget to leave out Jason Alexander (aka George Costanza) who was so funny that he type cast himself forever as Costanza (whose HS coach used to call him "Can't Stand Ya"). And Jerry Stiller who played his father Frank Costanza was also hilarious =))
Seinfeld was an incredible success as one of (if not thee) best sitcoms in history...and it NEVER would have been so incredible without the incredible actor playing "George" as the dimwitted friend. The others were good, even great as they played off him, but George made the show the success it was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldUZvxjKMGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L37Rckt5WFA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSbtDuFJF6U&t=58s
Like Seinfeld, "Two and a Half Men" was an incredibly successful sitcom with a unbelievable supporting cast from Berta the Maid, Rose the Stalker, Evelyn the Bawdy Mother, Russell the drug-using pharmacist, Charlies sarcastic therapist Dr. Linda Freeman, to the dim-witted Kandi who suddenly got very smart once she married Alan and he won a half million dollars. My vote though, goes to the dim-witted brother Alan played by Jon Cryer. Though Charlie gets most of the kudos along with the kid, I think Alan's role put the finishing touches on the show and deserved an Emmy for "Best Supporting Cast"...which could also go to Berta or any of the others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3C-6XGpLcg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6TKjIoKYHI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRulo-PUd3U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-By-_O6gCXQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNmnroyJSzo&ab_channel=CrazymanSeeks
I must add the dim-witted knockout Kandi to the list of best supporting cast in Two and a Half Men
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmzEz4c5Q6M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcv2MsIBgSE
I know these are shows and not people but
Scrubs
Friends
Pysch
Seto kabia
Sometimes sopranos especially Paulie
Quote from: ralphpal on June 10, 2022, 07:36:35 PM
I know these are shows and not people but
Scrubs
Friends
Pysch
Seto kabia
Sometimes sopranos especially Paulie
It is funny in that the Sopranos did have some very amusing moments especially once you got to know the characters. The episode when Christoper and Pauli were stuck out in the woods, after that Russian dude. ON the surface, it wasn't much to be amused, but knowing Chris and Paulie and the way they interacted, freezing wt al, it was hilarious. Especially when Bobby, dressed in full outdoor hunting gear is sent to rescue them.
I would say a lot of very dark humor.