# Best acting performance by a comedian **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488 "2005-06-23T04:06:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/41 "2005-06-24T02:05:56Z")
> [@Kaspar Hauser](#): > > I don’t think Bill Murray was ever a stand-up (unless you count sketch and improv groups as stand-up, which it really isn’t). Hmmm, I hadn’t even considered that, and if true, you raise a good point. I don’t ever recall seeing a Bill Murray standup performance, so I tend to believe you. However, my original thought was along the lines of best SNL performer who went on to become a respected dramatic actor. Given that, sketch comedy and improv counts, IMO. (Opening up the casts from Fridays, SCTV, Kids in the Hall, etc…) Many of those mentioned are great, and I can’t believe I forgot about them. **Jim Carrey** was indeed excellent in _Man On The Moon_. That’s one of those movies where I must grudgingly admit that Courtney Love does a decent job portraying the girlfriend, similar to _People vs Larry Flint_. (sp?) I can’t believe I didn’t think of **Marlon Wayans** for _Requiem for a Dream_, one of my favorite movies. **Billy Crystal** has been pretty good as well. And though I already mentioned _Any Given Sunday_, I neglected to give **Jamie Foxx** the proper credit for _Collateral_, where he delivered quite the impressive performance. And finally, was **Michael Keaton** a comedian – standup, improv or sketch? If so, it’s a tribute to his acting chops that I don’t even think of him as a comedian at all, but rather as a dramatic actor with comedic ability. _The Paper_ was an excellent movie, and he was great in it. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/42 "2005-06-24T03:07:32Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > _The Paper_ was an excellent movie, and he was great in it. I prefer _My Life_. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/43 "2005-06-24T03:08:42Z")
Or _Clean & Sober_. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/44 "2005-06-24T03:17:52Z")
Somewhat obscure but **Dean Martin** ’s first non-comedy role in [The Young Lions](http://imdb.com/title/tt0052415/) was fantastic. This is a really underrated film. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/45 "2005-06-24T05:50:03Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I haven’t seen it in a while, but I seem to recall that Jackie Gleason’s performance in _Nothing in Common_ was pretty good. He’s amazing in _The Hustler_, although admittedly it’s not a huge role. He’s just note-perfect playing against Paul Newman. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/46 "2005-06-24T06:15:14Z")
**Whoopi Goldberg** was great in _The Color Purple_ (and a couple of others). ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/47 "2005-06-24T11:05:45Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Kevin Pollack in The Usual Suspects is the least funny of the good comedian performances I can think of. He was also very good in **A Few Good Men** , widely regarded as his dramatic breakout role. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/48 "2005-06-24T11:51:31Z")
> [@chefjef](#): > > I definitely vote for Robin Williams. But I think his dramatic role in _Dead Poet’s Society_ was by far the best. IMHO. I don’t even consider Robin Williams a comedian. He’s a damn good actor who can do outstanding comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/49 "2005-06-24T16:08:54Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > And finally, was **Michael Keaton** a comedian – standup, improv or sketch? If so, it’s a tribute to his acting chops that I don’t even think of him as a comedian at all, but rather as a dramatic actor with comedic ability. _The Paper_ was an excellent movie, and he was great in it. He actually did start out as a stand-up, IIRC. He did a routine on one of the Comedy Relief shows once. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/50 "2005-06-24T16:43:10Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Already mentioned twice here. 🙂 What? You expect me to read the threads before responding? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/51 "2005-06-24T19:18:49Z")
I gotta second Robin Williams in **Good Will Hunting**. The guy is an angry coked up officious prick of a thieveing comedian who rides the clever coattails of those who can write- and those he can steal material from. When he took this role, he TOOK it. I got the shudders in a few scenes he appeared in. The guy earned his statue. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/52 "2005-06-25T04:50:25Z")
I can’t believe **Tom Hanks** has only gotten a side mention in this thread. He began SOLELY as a comedian / comedic actor, then decided to try his hand at dramas and is now widely regarded as one of the top dramatic actors in the business, with 2 best actor Oscars…I’d say that puts him at the top of a short list in this category. I do have to agree that **Robin Williams** is also one of the top contenders. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2005, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/53 "2005-06-25T11:53:59Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > I can’t believe **Tom Hanks** has only gotten a side mention in this thread. > > He began SOLELY as a comedian / comedic actor, then decided to try his hand at dramas and is now widely regarded as one of the top dramatic actors in the business, with 2 best actor Oscars…I’d say that puts him at the top of a short list in this category. > > I do have to agree that **Robin Williams** is also one of the top contenders. My three top contenders would be Robin Williams, Tom Hanks and Hank Azaria. But Williams is far and away better as a comedian than the other two or any other actor that can do both comedy and drama. He is the two mask symbol personified. I think the late John Ritter deserves a nod here. Anyone that shines as a preacher on the Waltons and with his physical comedy in Three’s Company is definitely showing both sides of a very shiny coin. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/54 "2005-06-25T22:02:06Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I think the late John Ritter deserves a nod here. Anyone that shines as a preacher on the Waltons and with his physical comedy in Three’s Company is definitely showing both sides of a very shiny coin. Good nod. Let’s not forget about his performance in _Sling Blade_. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/55 "2005-06-26T06:54:56Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I think the late John Ritter deserves a nod here. Anyone that shines as a preacher on the Waltons and with his physical comedy in Three’s Company is definitely showing both sides of a very shiny coin. Do you think he was more funny “ha ha” or funny “queer”? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2005, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/56 "2005-06-26T11:37:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Do you think he was more funny “ha ha” or funny “queer”? On “Three’s Company” he was funny “ha ha.” And his physical comedy was gold (Remember the high faluting dance sequence?) John should have been on “Dancing with the Stars.” He played a gay character in “Sling Blade” but NOT for laughs. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488/57 "2005-07-04T13:16:44Z")
> [@E. Thorp](#): > > Jim Carrey was awfully good in _The Truman Show_ and in _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_, IMHO. I didn’t think much of _The Majestic_, but I’ve only seen it on an airplane so my opinion could be biased. I just saw _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_ this past weekend on the Saturday premiere. I think Jim Carrey did a good job, but I think he was much better in _Man on the Moon_. But holy freakin’ shit, ESotSM blew me away. Fantastic, says I! I understand that it may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but it immediately vaulted to one of my very favorite movies. It had the freakiness of _The Butterfly Effect_, the tension of (the novella) _The Langoliers_, the outright insanity of _Pi_, and the humor of…I don’t know, but it was goddamn funny. The humiliation scene where his mom walks in on him jerking off (“I don’t like this either!”) and Clementine starts laughing her ass off was one of the truest, funniest moments I’ve ever seen on film. Far superior to the _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_ scenario. “I…uh…I’ll ask you in the morning!” And every moment of him as a four-year-old was pure gold. “I just want her to pick me up. It’s _amazing_ how strong the feeling is.” I’m not a fan of Kate Winslet. Or rather, I wasn’t until I saw this movie. Oddly enough, I despised _Being John Malkovich_ and was not impressed with _Adaptation_. Also, haven’t been online in over a week, but just wanted to nod my aproval of the mentions of **John Ritter**. He was superb in _Sling Blade_, and did a number of solid guest appearances on various tv shows. I could swear he did another dramatic role in a movie that generated the following dialogue countless times: “John Ritter impressed me with his acting in \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.” “You should see _Sling Blade_.” Am I just imagining that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-performance-by-a-comedian/309488.md?page=2)