We may all think we're comedians, but sadly, we're not. Good thing there are so many truly funny people out there to make us laugh. Some comedians use their wit and smarts to make clever jokes and poke fun, while others use their physicality and appearance to to keep us doubled over. Formats range from stand up comedy and sketch comedy to talk shows, and subjects include politics, everyday life, and the comedians themselves. Here's a look at the famous comedians who've kept us laughing over the years.
Chutzpah? Check. Self-deprecation? Check. Estrogen? Yes ma'am! Rollicking, quick-witted ladies like Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers, Tina Fey, and Ellen DeGeneres have boldly laughed their way into an industry which even today is still considered a boys' club. Talk about being ballsy.
Browse notable film actresses such as Debbie Harry, Lauren Bacall, and Kathy Bates.
George Burns met Gracie Allen in 1922, and they married in 1926. Their highly successful vaudeville act featured George as the straight man to Gracie's zany antics. The couple created its best-known sketch for radio, a situation comedy starring themselves as a working show-business couple. They carried the format to television in 1948, including next-door neighbors Harry and Blanche Morton, Gracie's infamous illogical logic, and the signature "Say goodnight, Gracie" at the show's close. The duo also made films, including an Oscar-nominated turn in A Damsel in Distress with Fred Astaire.
Meet famous people who share a birthday in July. Ernest Hemingway, Milton Berle, Bill Cosby, John Glenn, Selena Gomez, Woody Guthrie, Princess Diana, Nelson Mandela, Jane Lynch, and many more, are people who were born in July.
Take a look at famous people named Allen, such as Joan Allen, Ethan Allen, and Woody Allen.
Meet famous people such as Julia Child, Princess Diana, John Hughes, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Babe Ruth, who died in the month of August.
Browse notable singers such as Mariah Carey, Johnny Cash, and Linda Ronstadt.