David Brent

There is a very fine line between comic actors being classed as very funny or plain stupid.
People will always have differing opinions as to who's funny and who's not.
Take the following -
Jim Carrey, Danny Kaye, Norman Wisdom, Arthur Askey, Harry Enfield, Steve Coogan, Lenny Henry, Steve Martin, Lee Evans, George Formby, Jerry Lewis, Ronald Shiner.
Genius or Prat
Personally i can watch Steve Martin, Norman Wisdom, Steve Coogan, Jerry Lewis and Lee Evans but in small doses - the others i avoid like the plague.
There seems no middle ground with stars like those mentioned. You either love 'em or hate them.
I'd be interested in other members views on those listed and any others that seem to fit the catagory.

Dave

dylan

I detest comic actors who base their humour on pretending to be mentally retarded. Real humour is laughing at ourselves (or those in authority)-not at individuals less smart than us.

Paul E

Jim Carrey, Norman Wisdom, Harry Enfield, Lenny Henry, Steve Martin, Lee Evans, Jerry Lewis, Ronald Shiner

Although I'd hesitate to call the ones I've omitted geniuses, the ones left are prats to a man. Especially Jim Carrey. And I've no idea who Ronald Shiner is.

DB7

I like Askey in The Ghost Train and Back-Room Boy but admittadly his act may be irritating to many. Norman Wisdom falls into the same category and is loved and loathed in equal measure; the sentimentality of A Stitch in Time is too much for me.

I'll have to hold my hands up and admit Dumb and Dumber is one of my favourite comedies. oops

Traffic cop: Pullover!
Carey: No, it's a cardigan but thanks for noticing.

MrT

Arthur Askey's films are variable, but the best in my opinion are the two musicals from 1942 - 43: King Arthur was a gentleman and Miss London Ltd. Plenty of songs, lots of good one liners, and the same excellent supporting cast in each film - Evelyn Dall, Anne Shelton, Max Bacon and Jack Train.

Mike

smudge

Norman Wisdom is a genius for his comic invention ; arguably on a par with Chaplin or Stan Laurel for the stuff he put into his routines. The physicality of his work (and how he survived it) is still amazing to this day. It's just a shame that so very often he let excellent comic performance lapse into pathos moribundity.

Jim Carrey needs to be restrained - if he could be a little more selective when choosing his roles, he could be up there with the comedy greats. Unfortunately he falls back too often on the 'rubber face' routines.

People like Askey (etc.) have to be taken in context, as is the case with all things historical, though I have to admit that I fail to see how Ronald Shiner was hige in his day. I am afraid that I caught a Danny Kaye film on SKY the other day and had to switch over straight away - and years ago I thought he too was inventive and funny...

Things change.

SMUDGE

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sanndevil

From what I have read about Ronald Shiner (being born in 1962 means I know nothing first hand!) he was a massive music hall act of the 40s and 50s, his material was extremely blue and despite heralding from London he appealled to the Northern Working Men's Club audiences. Obviously it was impossible to replicate his nightclub act cinematically, so his screen persona was altered into buffoonery - at a cost. He was, believe it or not, one of the biggest box office draws in the early fifties, but audiences soon tired of his diluted screen act as it didn't resemble what they were expecting, and thus by the end of the decade he had all but disappeared from the screen. Having seen many of his films, they are truly disappointing, but then again, Coogan's films are equally abysmal - and that guy is seriously funny on stage and TV!

Bloody difficult to cross over to film - as the likes of Morecambe & Wise, Hancock, Coogan, Vegas and Enfield (to name but a few) will testify! Wonder what drives them to try? Ego? A perception that cinema provides an artistic nirvana? They should realise that their audiences are ten times bigger on the telly!

The_Late_Peter_Cook

Difficult question. I've only seen Jim Carrey in BATMAN FOREVER and I found him so painfull that I have never watched him in anything else. Enfield seems to depend on his material and I think he suffered a bit when his main writer hit the big time. Henry isn't my cup of tea and I don't know anything about Evans and Coogan (Shiner likewise hasn't made much of an impact.

Martin is a bit of an odd case. I discovered him at the video library (his movies at that point seemed to bypass the pictures here in Britian) and movies like THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS and PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES were very funny, but as soon as he became famous over here he seemed to go off the boil and his '90's movies are a very poor lot.

As a lad I used to enjoy Danny Kaye. Channel 4 used to show his movies all the time, but I must admit that his humour has dated a bit (I rewatched THE COURT JESTER last year, while fun it just wasn't as funny as I remembered it).

I've never found Jerry Lewis funny (even as a child) but I like Norman Wisdom, some of his movies like THE GIRL ON THE BOAT are hidden gems.

Steve Crook

Some others where he gets away from the "gump" character like The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) and Double X: The Name of the Game (1992) are also well worth watching. What's Good for the Goose (1969) was a bit strange.

He's also done some very good TV plays like Going Gently (1981). I heard he was also very good in Androcles and the Lion (1967) but I've not found a copy yet.

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS

smudge

And you're even less likely to find a copy of one of his other rated performances, THERE WAS A CROOKED MAN, Steve. I have read about all these things ; it's tough that where copies do exist, we can't get to see them.

A Tontine, a la WRONG BOX, would be no good, but perhaps any member of our e-community who comes in big on the Lottery should open his own DVD label, eh ;-)

(Well that's MY chance stuffed for tonight now I've said that....)

SMUDGE

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Rob Compton

I've been looking for this film for years - PLEASE does anyone have access to a copy or know where it can be found?

Rob

smudge

secret

I know someone who has it, and I TRIED (I really did !) to inviegle a copy out of him, but no way !

Very, very remote light on the horizon ; he MAY try to see if there's an issue with DVD publishing rights...but that's a very long way off, as well, as he's so busy.

Wait and see is the only answer.

SMUDGE

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Rob Compton

Thanks Smudge - I'll live in hope then thumbs_u

The thing is, there are a number of films with this name - couldn't be confusing it with another, possibly? As far as I know, it has disappeared without trace. Copyright issues, possibly? I don't think it was from the same studio stable as the others?

I'll keep hoping!

Cheers
Rob

smudge

The one I speak of is the NW film Rob. The proud possessor has a direct connection with the great man. wink

SMUDGE (also living in hope...)

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Rob Compton

Thanks Smudge!

rgds
Rob