Throughout history, talented comics have performed for the entertainment of the masses, but there’s something about a good comedy duo that truly ups the ante when it comes to making people laugh.
One comic is great, but when one comic can play off of another, the act only gets better and better. Think of Penn and Teller. While technically not comedians, they would probably be successful magicians on their own… but together, they are a brilliant act people come from all over the world to see. The same is true for comedy duos.
There have been hundreds of talented comedy duos over the years, but some tend to perform better than others. Whether they produced better sketches or films, there are a couple of guys and gals whose work together stands above the rest.
When it comes to choosing the 10 best comedy duos of all time, it’s inevitible some will be left off the list. If your favorite isn’t listed, shout out in the comments and let us know who your favorite comedy duo of all time is!
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10. Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly
On one side, you have Will Ferrell, an actor who spent his entire career working in comedy. On the other, John C. Reilly, a man who worked tirelessly to make it as a serious, dramatic actor before doing a complete 180 and becoming one of the funniest comedic actors of his day (After meeting Ferrell). Together, they are a modern comedy duo who work so well together, it’s difficult to imagine them working apart.
Fortunately, that’s not a major concern as these two funnymen have collaborated on dozens of projects with another set to drop in late 2018.
Interestingly, it was Ferrell who pulled Reilly from the world of dramatic acting and into comedy with the film that is arguably their best collaboration: Step Brothers.
Ferrell refused to even work on the project unless his pal could star opposite him. Fortunately, the producers decided to work with him and cast Reilly. That wasn’t their first time working together on screen, but it was their most notable buddy comedy picture, which may see something of a spiritual sequel in Holmes & Watson when it hits theaters on Christmas day, 2018.
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9. Dan Aykroyd & John Belushi
Calling Dan Aykroyd & John Belushi a comedy duo only works when you look at their best collaboration: The Blues Brothers. These two SCTV and Saturday Night Live alumni worked together for years before coming up with the sketch that would become the sketch comedy series’ first feature film.
The two met back in Toronto in 1974 and began working together almost immediately. The following year, both men would go on to become founding members of the SNL cast, but it wasn’t until 1978 that the pair launched their most memorable act on the show.
The Blues Brothers even worked as a musical guest on SNL on April 22, 1978, but they also released several albums and finally brought their act to the silver screen in 1980.
Tragically, Belushi passed away in 1982, but his spirit would live on with Ackroyd continuing to play Elwood J. Blues off and on to remember his partner and friend. He even starred in a sequel released in 1998, which honored Belushi’s memory while staying true to the act’s comedy and musical roots.
https://youtu.be/JzzE6XLbC8M
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8. Jack Lemmon & Walter Mathau
Jack Lemmon & Walter Mathau were literally the original Odd Couple. These two comedy legends managed to star in 10 feature films together from The Fortune Cookie in 1966 all the way to The Odd Couple II in 1998.
What made these two legends so much fun to watch was their on-screen chemistry worked only because it didn’t. They often played each other’s foil on-screen, but when the cameras stopped rolling, they were the best of friends.
That friendship was apparent in their collaborative projects, which is why they managed to recreate the same sort of scenarios over and over again, but managed to make it fresh each and every time. The movie, Grumpy Old Men (and its sequel) was basically The Odd Couple thirty years later, but it worked.
Their act was something most people could relate to: not getting along with someone you have to live with, but ultimately realizing you’re closer than you actually thought. Throw in some witty words written by the great Paul Simon and you’ve got comedy gold with these two.
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7. Gene Wilder & Richard Pryor
When you think of a comedy duo, generally, people picture a sketch comedy duo, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, a couple of guys get together and put out a movie or two that works so well, they become branded as a comedy duo forever more.
Gene Wilder & Richard Pryor’s work together falls in that category as these two legends of comedy only starred in four movies together, but they were four of the funniest comedies ever made.
Their collaboration began with Silver Streak in 1976 and only improved with hits like See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Stir Crazy. Off and on, these two comedy greats worked together for 15 years, but their work came to an end due to Pryor’s ongoing problems with addiction.
When they worked together, it just worked. Wilder would play the straight-man while Pryor’s ad-libbed dialogue always stole the scene. Wilder’s ability to keep a straight face during “most” of Pryor’s antics only added to the scene’s hilarity. When asked how he managed to keep a straight face all that time, all Wilder had to say was, “I wouldn’t want to have ruined the scenes,” which seems impossible given how great these two worked together.
(Excerpt) Read More at: WhatCulture.com
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