# Greatest Comic Group of the Twentieth Century? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883 "2006-05-31T15:30:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/1 "2006-05-31T15:30:15Z")
Who are/were the greatest Comic Duo, Group or Troop of the Twentieth Century? This is a spin off of [Greatest Comic Genius of the Twentieth Century](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7444042#post7444042) I nominate: Abbott & Costello Burns & Allen Laurel & Hardy Monty Python Original Cast SNL The Goons The Marx Brothers Jim ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/2 "2006-05-31T15:35:06Z")
The Kids In The Hall. This threasd is now over. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/3 "2006-05-31T15:36:55Z")
Monty Python. The most amazing thing about them, to me, is that even after you go to countless parties where geeks recite Python skits word-for-word, when you sit down and watch the skit again, _it’s still funny_. They are beyond geeks’ usual ability to make anything they touch unfunny! My runners-up would be _The Kids in the Hall_. Then way further down, _Stella_, or maybe some version of the cast of _Mad TV_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/4 "2006-05-31T15:40:42Z")
Of those not mentioned: The Firesign Theater And, of course, Monty Python and the Marx Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/5 "2006-05-31T15:42:24Z")
Some others: Flanders and Swann The Bonzo Dog Band Blotto Spike Jones and his City Slickers. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/6 "2006-05-31T15:46:15Z")
Python were great, but I think the nod has to go to the Marx Brothers. Longevity, originality and material that transcends language barriers. Watch _Duck Soup_ or _Horse Feathers_ with the sound off sometime. Still funny. 2nd Place goes to the first season Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time-Players. Sheer genius, but like the candle burning at both ends. They never could sustain the level past the first year. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/7 "2006-05-31T15:51:07Z")
Just ones that haven’t been mentioned, yet: The Frantics (I’m a huge fan of Dan Redican and Rick Green’s solo stuff as well as the Frantics stuff.) The Vacant Lot (If for no reason but their ‘Blinded by the Light’ bit.) Wayne and Shuster (Not very edgy or groundbreaking, but uniformly good.) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/8 "2006-05-31T16:11:17Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 2nd Place goes to the first season Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time-Players. Sheer genius, but like the candle burning at both ends. They never could sustain the level past the first year. I thought in some ways they really didn’t hit their stride until the 2nd and 3rd years. Chevy Chase was great that first year but his departure is when John, Dan & Gilda really stepped up and gave the show its best 2 years. It is a tough call, I would say overall the 75-78 seasons were great. Python had a similar 3 year run of Genius plus some incredible movies. Marx Brothers are genius, word play and slapstick. High concepts and low. Abbott & Costello can compete for “Who’s on First” alone but they made a half dozen very funny movies and six humorous ones. If pressed I would go with Monty Python & the first 3 seasons of the Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time-Players. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/9 "2006-05-31T16:14:32Z")
The Goon Show, ran from 1951 to 1960 and contained the combined genius of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. With the Harry Secombe and for a short while Michael Bentine. For those who don’t know about Spike Milligan, he went on to invent the Monty Python TV style years before Monty Python. About [Spike Milligan](http://www.thegoonshow.net/cast/spike_milligan.asp) Note also in that link mention of Eric Sykes probably unknown in America, but one of the true comic geniuses of our time. A true vaudervillian who made the transfer to TV and Radio. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/10 "2006-05-31T16:17:54Z")
The Three Stooges…but only with Curly. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/11 "2006-05-31T16:18:11Z")
[Savoy and Brennan](http://www.queermusicheritage.com/jun2004b.html), the godfathers of camp. “You _musssst_ come ovah!” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/12 "2006-05-31T16:37:24Z")
**Monty Python** —no question about it. Brilliantly conceived, brilliantly written, brilliantly performed. Enormously influential. Laugh-out-funny bits, and still-funny-when-you-think-about-them-days-later bits. More absolutely classic sketches and routines than any other comedy group. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/13 "2006-05-31T16:42:40Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > The Goon Show, ran from 1951 to 1960 and contained the combined genius of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. With the Harry Secombe and for a short while Michael Bentine. For those who don’t know about Spike Milligan, he went on to invent the Monty Python TV style years before Monty Python. > About [Spike Milligan](http://www.thegoonshow.net/cast/spike_milligan.asp) > > Note also in that link mention of Eric Sykes probably unknown in America, but one of the true comic geniuses of our time. A true vaudervillian who made the transfer to TV and Radio. Yep, and the Goon Show had a HUGE influence on the Monty Python gang. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/14 "2006-05-31T17:03:10Z")
Two more for consideration: 1. The cast of _Your Show of Shows_ 2. The cast of _Beyond The Fringe_ ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/15 "2006-05-31T17:33:39Z")
The Smothers Brothers–too far ahead of their time to be tolerated. The Laugh-In Crew–for their time, fresh, funny & innovative. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/16 "2006-05-31T18:52:03Z")
**SNL** circa 1988, their strongest-ever cast. The original cast broke a lot of ground, but these guys stood on their shoulders and hit unmatched heights. Phil Hartmen, Dennis Miller, Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz and Jan Hooks were at their considerable peaks. Also, Guest/McKean/Shearer and their various ensembles. **Spinal Tap, Best of Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind.** American satire doesn’t get much better. And don’t discount the various **National Lampoon** recording projects. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/17 "2006-05-31T19:10:02Z")
I’ll second “Your Show of Shows”, with Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca & company, and add a vote (at least honorable mention) for SCTV with John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, et al. Also worthy of consideration might be the original cast of the Carol Burnett show with Harvey Korman and Tim Conway. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/18 "2006-05-31T19:21:33Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > The Frantics (I’m a huge fan of Dan Redican and Rick Green’s solo stuff as well as the Frantics stuff.) “What was your inspiration the create the fabulous, and I’m not just saying that, I’m actually salivating at the same time \, what was your inspiration to create the fabulous CN Tower?” I’ve only heard a few routines of theirs, but it’s good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/19 "2006-05-31T19:33:19Z")
Nobody makes me laugh like the Marxes - I’d say their top five (or so) movies are untouchable, even with the singing in some of them. What about the unofficial ‘Mel Brooks company?’ Do they count? Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Chloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars… although they didn’t all work together in all of his movies. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883/20 "2006-05-31T19:42:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Nobody makes me laugh like the Marxes - I’d say their top five (or so) movies are untouchable, even with the singing in some of them. > > What about the unofficial ‘Mel Brooks company?’ Do they count? Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Chloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars… although they didn’t all work together in all of his movies. Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Dom DeLuise and Brooks himself would have to be included. Maybe Ron Carey. Hell of a group and many of them also did [The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072608/). Jim [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-comic-group-of-the-twentieth-century/358883.md?page=2)