# Comedians who turn out to have good dramatic acting skills **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [April 8, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515 "2022-04-08T12:57:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/121 "2022-04-15T13:19:25Z")
Who knew she was a boxer? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/122 "2022-04-15T13:23:26Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Mary Tyler Moore… was unforgettable as a cold, grieving mother, winning a Golden **Glove** for her performance. > [@mbh](#): > > Who knew she was a boxer? This gave me a good Friday laugh 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/123 "2022-04-15T14:07:18Z")
Every time I see this thread, I misread the first word as “Canadians.” ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/124 "2022-04-15T14:10:08Z")
Justin Trudeau’s performance as Othello was riveting. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/125 "2022-04-15T14:15:00Z")
> [@solost](#): > > This gave me a good Friday laugh 😆 Me too! ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2022, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/126 "2022-04-16T21:52:32Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Art Carney became successful as the clownish Ed Norton in _The Honeymooners_ , but was quite effective in a _Twilight Zone_ episode as a department store Santa. One of my favs. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/127 "2022-04-17T17:41:57Z")
I thought Carell was brilliant in [The Morning Show](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7203552) as well. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/128 "2022-04-17T18:01:56Z")
You can’t mention Art Carney as a dramatic actor without pointing out that he beat out the likes of Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, and Albert Finney for the 1974 Best Actor Oscar award. With the exception of Finney, those other guys got better at acting and won Oscars of their own later on in their careers. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/129 "2022-05-01T00:32:56Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@dorvann](#): > > > > Hugh Laurie was most known for doing comedy in Great Britain before he took a dramatic role as the title character in _House_ . > > I think there are a lot of British examples. [Ben Miller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Miller), for instance. I first saw him doing comedy in Armstrong&Miller sketches on YouTube, but he did really well in Death In Paradise, and Primeval. I don’t know if a single episode is sufficient to make a judgment, but I was surprised by Lee Mack’s performance in the _Doctor Who_ episode “Kerblam” - he was friendly but restrained, and slightly sad; pretty much the diametric opposite to his comic persona. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/130 "2022-05-01T00:47:10Z")
If you’re going to throw in Hugh Laurie, you should also add his girlfriend and stalwart comic in the same sketch comedies: Emma Thompson ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/131 "2022-05-01T05:58:09Z")
I just watched some clips on YouTube that reminded me how good a nonfunny Chris Pratt was in _Moneyball_. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/132 "2022-05-01T07:22:05Z")
It’s been stated, but Robin Williams did beautifully as the shy doctor in _Awakenings_. His care for the Robert De Niro character, and his burgeoning affection of the nurse (played by Julie Kavner) showed that he had dramatic acting chops. Where he lost it, according to me, was the films where he started the movie as a crazy comedy, then the movie turned into a serious drama: _Patch Adams_, _Good Morning Vietnam_, and the like. Of course, he continued to do crazy comedies, but they were comedies. The half-drama, half-comedy stuff never worked. Williams could do drama, and he could do comedy, but he should never have mixed them. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/133 "2022-05-01T13:26:29Z")
Doug Stanhope exhibited pretty good dramatic acting skills as a suicidal comedian on “Louie”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/v8JcrEMtxR8/maxresdefault.jpg "Louie - Eddie Scene") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8JcrEMtxR8) Louie CK didn’t do too bad himself. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/134 "2022-05-01T16:11:40Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Of course, he continued to do crazy comedies, but they were comedies. The half-drama, half-comedy stuff never worked. Williams could do drama, and he could do comedy, but he should never have mixed them. So very true! ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/135 "2022-05-01T21:46:14Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Louie CK didn’t do too bad himself. Nor was he afraid to poke fun at the limits of his dramatic acting talent: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jXDRP9fukGc/hqdefault.jpg "“Your father is dead”") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXDRP9fukGc) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/136 "2022-05-02T04:27:32Z")
Some of the roles Goodman played in various Coen brother movies are downright terrifying. He can be a seriously scary mf when he puts his mind to it. ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/137 "2022-05-02T04:52:10Z")
I recently saw Sean Hayes, who played Jack on _Will & Grace_, on stage in _[Good Night, Oscar](https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Oscar)_. He showed some serious dramatic acting skills in that production. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/138 "2022-05-02T04:53:24Z")
He’s a hell of a singer too, as evidenced by his work on _Nashville._ ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/139 "2022-05-03T13:44:01Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Some of the roles Goodman played in various Coen brother movies are downright terrifying. He can be a seriously scary mf when he puts his mind to it. Yeah, at one point I considered starting a thread about actors who can play ‘nice guys’ or ‘evil, scary or hateful bastards’ equally well. Goodman was one I would have used for a prime example, as well as J.K. Simmons. John Carroll Lynch is another-- he played kind of a goofy character on The Drew Carey Show, but he was also the scary clown on the ‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ season, and he did a very good job playing a quietly malevolent character in the movie "The Invitation’. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/140 "2022-05-03T14:33:56Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Except that some of the people mentioned _have_ formal training in acting. Adam Sandler trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts the same time as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathleen Erbe (L&O), and Mrs. Cheesesteak. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515.md?page=8)