Best Comedy Drunk

[bhowells]

If anyone was going to compile a list of great comedy drunks who have apeared on tv and movies, I am sure Freddie Frinton is going to come farily high.

I do remember him opposite Thora Hird iN Meet the Wife, I was a little bit too young to apprciate him fully then but I have seenc clip of him, he was great.

Dick Van Dyke did a comedy drunk on his tv show, sadly he had a drink problem which he managed to beat.

Arthur Hoseuman who was part of Laurel and Hardy's "repotory company" at Hal Roach was another brilliant drunk.

Dickie Henderson also played a comic drunk in his stage act.

Who remembers that sketch that Michael Bentine did on record where he plays a toastmaster who gets progressivly drunk.

[Mr Cosmo]

Comedy drunks are a cheap laugh and it's a shame people find it funny when in reality it's tragic.
To me when a drunk is introduced in a sitcom it's a case of the writers having run out of inspiration.

[davidb]

richard e grant in withnail and i

[penfold]

Arthur Lowe as Mainwaring's black sheep brother in Dad's Army....

[Greyandwhite]

Dick Van Dyke did a comedy drunk on his tv show, sadly he had a drink problem which he managed to beat.


Quite right, he should have carried on drinking

[Greyandwhite]

W.C. Fields

[scholes]

Willie Ross in
'Rita and Sue and Bob too'

[Steve Crook]

Charles Laughton in Hobson's Choice (1954)
Trying to catch the moon in a puddle

Steve

[Edward G]

A lot of comedy is based on tragedy.
The idea being that to laugh at our misfortune helps us handle and even conquer it....Of course, there are boundaries of decency and diplomacy that suggest that, for example, jokes about a specific tragedy should not be made shortly after the event ; so as to avoid causing hurt to people still reeling from a recent experience.
Alcoholism is tragic in essence but it is part of the human condition, like infidelity, depression, miserlyness, vanity and many other vulnerabilities.
If you single it out, what else do you add to the "cannot go there" list?
Personally, I find Arthur Housman's antics in the Laurel and Hardy shorts absolutely hilarious. A cheap laugh? Only if it isn't done with any conviction.

Originally Posted by Mr Cosmo Comedy drunks are a cheap laugh and it's a shame people find it funny when in reality it's tragic. To me when a drunk is introduced in a sitcom it's a case of the writers having run out of inspiration.

[bhowells]

I neglected to mention Dudley Moore in Arthur.

[scholes]

Well said EG.
Oh and I forgot to mention Frank Gallagher (Galagor) in 'Shameless' played by the very able David Threlfall.

[Jackdaw]

Dylan Moran always plays as if he's had a few, whether it be in sitcom or stand-up, and since it is underplayed, I can't work out the reality....Hic!

[billy bentley]

I agree with Mr Crook regarding Charlie Laughton in "Hobson's Choice" , but how about Lee Marvin in "Cat Ballou" ?

[marker]

Jimmy James was a good drunk

[Arthur Linden-Jones]

Originally Posted by penfold Arthur Lowe as Mainwaring's black sheep brother in Dad's Army....

That's the first one that came to my mind.