People are always asking me, “What are your Favorite Comedy Movies?”, “Who is your favorite Comedian or Comedic Actor of all time and who is your Favorite working today?” and questions such as that, as if I have a better take than they do. But that is not true. We are all affected in the same ways from the same stimuli. I guess the only difference is that maybe it influenced me in some way, maybe even subconsciously and very possibly shaped my own stage personna somehow. So anyway, here we go.
My absolute Favorite Comedic Movie Actor of all time was beyond a shadow of doubt, Groucho Marx. I used to laugh out loud so hard watching The Marx Brothers movies as a kid and still do ’till this day, which probably explains why my Favorite Comedy Movie of all time is ‘A Day At The Races’. The scene with Groucho as Doctor Hackenbush on the phone driving Mr. Whitmore absolutely nuts is hysterical. And of course, who can forget the notorious operating room scene when all three Marx Brothers are examining Margaret Dumont and all the mayhem that ensues.
The physical comedy of Harpo, the musical comedy of Chico and the lines that Groucho would get away with in those glorious movies are still so memorable and still hold up today. The most amazing thing to me was the double entente insults and sexual innuendos that Groucho would say, especially for that era. I mean it was, after all, the 30’s and 40’s and the censors must have been pulling out their collective hair.
I also don’t want to forget about some of my other Favorite Acts of those great comedic times. Abbott & Costello were the best of both worlds in Comedy. They were Cerebral and Slapstick at the same time and their routines will live on as long as there are people living and laughing. Bud Abbott, even though he was labeled the best straight man in the business, was an incredible comedian with flawless timing. Without him the comedy would not have worked. Their chemistry together was impeccable.
Let’s also add in Laurel & Hardy. How could one not love them. They had a sweetness about them and it came across in their comedy, no matter the situation they were in. Does anyone, besides me, remember the movie in which Laurel gets his head banged by a closing window in a college dorm room and he becomes a super intelligent, strong sports hero. Apparently that was who he was until a similar accident happened many years before while he was attending Oxford and he became the Stan Laurel we were all accustomed to. Oh, don’t worry he hits his head again at the end and becomes himself again…..Classic!
During the 50’s & 60’s I loved to watch Jerry Lewis movies. I know people like to throw the word ‘genius’ around a lot but he truly was. I loved ‘The Errand Boy’. The premise being that he was an errand boy for Paramutual Movie Studios and all he had to do was what he was told to do. But of course, he screwed that all up and somehow ruined all the movies being made at the studio by either accidentally being on the set at the wrong time and getting into the movie. Or how about the time he goes into a sound studio and by playing around he unintentionally does a voice over of a song that on the soundtrack, was supposed to be a woman singing.
Well, to cut to the chase, as all of the studio executives are watching all the dailys and previews of all the studios movies ( One of my Favorite Comedy Scenes), people are laughing their respective heads off watching and listening to this fool. They think it is part of the plan and of course, a star is born. I loved the old Martin & Lewis movies also. The Stooge was terrific with many great scenes. It was almost biographical in a way.
Gene Wilder in The Producers with Zero Mostel is absolutely brilliant. What a terrific performance, as always. And that was just the beginning of his body of classic work. Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Lady In Red, and the fabulous movies partnered with greatly missed, Richard Pryor: Stir Crazy, Silver Streak, Another You (One of my Favorites they did together) and See No Evil Hear No Evil. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryortogether were so much fun to watch. I know it’s a term that gets used a lot, but I simply loved their chemistry together. They had perfect timing, which is so essential in Team Comedy.