I think George was funnier on Seinfeld than Kramer. Nothing on that show was funnier than George getting pissed off about something and being powerless to do anything besides make things worse. Sure, Kramer had some physical comedy going, but angry George is funny George.
George (Seinfeld) and Gob (Arrested Development) are funnier than anyone on this list IMO.
edit: So is Bill McNeal (NewsRadio)
Hey, good call. How about Sue Ann Nivens from MTM? I know she’s overexposed right now, but it was good then. I’d like to say Mama, but she wasn’t real funny in the sitcom, just on the Carol Burnett Show.
Also Berta on Two and a Half Men.
As for women…there’s Lucille Ball. Ellen DeGeneres was quite funny on her sitcom. Everyone loves Tina Fey and Amy Poehler both from SNL and their own shows. Roseanne was funny on her sitcom. Penny Marshall was quite good on Laverne & Shirley. All of the Golden Girls were top-notch.
Christopher Lloyd, no question. The Jim Ignatowski character was so unusual (and unused, to great comic effect), that he outshines all the rest on the list.
One name I’d want to see on there:
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Charlie Kelly
Dietrich on Barney Miller is a great character, but funny in a quirky way. I think Fish was funnier. Or possibly Yamana.
Lucy DEFINITELY belongs on a list of all-time funniest sitcom characters.
Of the women mentioned, Ellen came closest to making the list. Sue Ann Nivens? Not at all. Any of the Golden Girls? They were OK, but I think they were helped immensely by outstanding writing (which, I know contributes to the Funny of the character, but is just one part of the equation).
As for Lucille Ball, I’ve never understood her appeal.
mmm
Basil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers
George from Blackadder III
Baldrick in Blackadders II, III, Blackadder Goes Forth are all as funny, if not funnier, than anyone on your list.
Another big second for Lucille Ball. If this one or this one don’t make you laugh, our definitions of ‘funny’ are probably irreconcilable.
You didn’t say how many we could vote for, so I chose five:
Sheldon Cooper
Maxwell Smart
Ed Norton
Dwight Schrute
Cosmo Kramer
Many of your other choices are good characters on funny shows, but I picked these five because the characters themselves are funny, if that makes any sense. A little extra something in the actors’ portrayal that makes them unique.
Larry David, Frank Burns, and Niles Crane were on the fence, but I decided to go with no more than five.
Geoge Costanza would have been a worthy choice, and I heartily second the Basil Fawlty mention.
I think I’m in the minority in that, though I really liked Taxi, I never was a big fan of Jim Ignatowski. He was OK in small doses, but wore out his welcome by the end of the show’s run, IMHO.
Yes - funnier than anybody on the current list.
Also agree that George was funnier than Kramer.
“Hold on. Back it up. Beep, beep, beep.”
“Believe it or not, George isn’t at home…”
You got a lotta splainin to do.
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in 30 Rock would have gotten my vote, but not on the list, so I vote for Hawkeye Pierce.
Good one. I honestly didn’t think of him.
mmm
Well I’m pleased to see that my two choices, Niles Crane and Jim Ignatowski, are currently the top two in the poll.
But in my opinion, the funniest sitcom character ever was George Jefferson.
Surprised at the lack of love for Louie DePalma.
Two characters who are missing in my opinion are Al Bundy and Dick Solomon.
Hawkeye and Burns weren’t even the funniest characters on MASH. That would be Henry Blake.
IMO, some under-rated talent was Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies (B/W episodes) and Roseanne’s sister Jackie.
I bust a gut every time Jackie gets on the phone to tell her hearing impaired relative that her Jackie’s father is dead.
Jim Ignatowski has the funniest scene (SLOW DOWN) ever in sitcom history.
Okay, MY top 25 funny sit-com characters (in no particular order):
1 Archie Bunker from All in the Family
2 Edith Bunker from All in the Family
3 George Costanza from Seinfeld
4 Bull from Night Court
5 Dan Fielding from Night Court
6 Roz Russell from Night Court
7 Burt Campbell from Soap
8 Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies
9 Milburne Drysdale from The Beverly Hillbillies
10 Fred Sanford from Sanford and Son
11 Cpl Agarn from F Troop
12 Chief Wild Eagle from F Troop
13 Sgt Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes
14 Colonel Klink from Hogan’s Heroes
15 Al Bundy from Married with Children
16 Peggy Bundy from Married with Children
17 Inspector Luger from Barney Miller
18 Arthur Dietrich from Barney Miller
19 Nick Yemana from Barney Miller
20 Thurston Howell III from Gilligan’s Island
21 Herman Munster from The Munsters
22 Sgt Ernie Bilko from You’ll Never Get Rich
23 Ralph Kramden from The Honeymooners
24 Alice Kramden from The Honeymooners
25 Ed Norton from The Honeymooners
I was happy to see the 'Ol Inspector get a mention.
He’s in my top three, at least. Thought he was too minor to include in the poll, though.
[inspector] “Your office, Barney?” [/inspector]
mmm