Comedy is quite a bit more durable to drag off efficiently than it is typically given credit score for. It is smart that among the greatest filmmakers in historical past started their careers as comics, or a minimum of comedic actors, given how an amazing comic’s thoughts works. They see the world in fully alternative ways, and that means of issues typically means nice films, like among the greatest rom-coms of all time, however they are not at all times comedies. Right here is our checklist of nice comics who turned nice filmmakers.
Mel Brooks
You actually could not have this checklist with out Mel Brooks. His films, which he is been making for an astonishing seven many years, by no means fail to disappoint. His profession stretches again to the Forties! He reinvented comedy on movie along with his early films like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Younger Frankenstein, and whereas he does not do as a lot directing today, he is nonetheless killing it when he does.
Jordan Peele
Of all of the comedians-turned-directors on this checklist, the largest departure from his appearing profession to his directing profession must be Jordan Peele. He first entered our collective consciousness along with his legendary sketch comedy present Key and Peele, however beginning with Get Out in 2017, he is change into one of many premier horror administrators in trendy Hollywood.
Amy Poehler
Like so many comedians over the past 50 years or so, Amy Poehler acquired her massive break on Saturday Night time Stay. She left the long-running comedy present in 2008 to work on her subsequent hit present, Parks & Recreation. In 2019, she directed her first film, Wine Nation, and adopted that up with 2021’s Moxie.
Christopher Visitor
A few of the most quotable films of all time have come from the collective minds of the ensemble casts that Christopher Visitor has assembled for his films, like Ready for Guffman, Finest in Present, and A Mighty Wind. He serves because the director, however he offers nice leeway to his fellow forged members in the entire films.
Paul Feig
Although he is greatest generally known as a author and a director today, Paul Feig began as a humorist when he first arrived in Hollywood within the Eighties. He struggled as an actor earlier than scoring a job in Heavyweights in 1995. Whereas engaged on that film, he met author Judd Apatow and the 2 co-created Freaks and Geeks. The remainder is historical past.
Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller’s greatest early break got here within the Ben Stiller Present on MTV, which blended sketch comedy with music movies. From there, Stiller principally took over Hollywood to the purpose that it appeared like he was making a dozen films a 12 months! Okay, perhaps not that many, however he was in a whole lot of films, together with many who he directed, like Actuality Bites, The Cable Man, Zoolander, and Tropic Thunder.
Mike Nichols
EGOT winner Mike Nichols directed among the most iconic films in Hollywood historical past. Motion pictures like The Graduate, Working Woman, and The Birdcage. Nichols began his profession as a part of the comedy duo Nichols & Might alongside Elaine Might, who additionally turned a filmmaker of some renown.
Charlie Chaplin
There are few individuals in Hollywood historical past who’re as essential to the expansion of the business as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin wrote, starred, and directed nearly all his main hits from the silent period up till A Countess from Hong Kong in 1967. He even scored lots of his films. He began in present enterprise within the very early twentieth Century in comedic roles on stage earlier than films had been even invented.
Rob Reiner
Because the son of the nice Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner has comedy in his blood. His greatest fame early got here as Mike “Meathead” Stivic in All within the Household, however for a lot of the final half-century, he is been identified for his writing and directing, creating such films as This Is Spinal Faucet, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally…, amongst many others.
Chris Rock
Like many SNL alums, Chris Rock has had an unimaginable profession in Hollywood. He began appearing as an adolescent in New Jack Metropolis, however he rapidly turned identified for his stand-up act and his work on SNL. He is lengthy been a author and producer, and he began directing in 2003 along with his directorial debut, Head of State. He is been busy directing ever since, along with all the pieces else he does.
Judd Apatow
One of the profitable comedy administrators in the previous few many years is Judd Apatow. He is a one-man present, in some ways, writing, producing, and directing hits like The 40-Yr-Previous Virgin, Knocked Up, The King of Staten Island, and This Is 40. He is additionally produced an entire slew of profitable comedies, like Bridesmaids, Anchorman, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Specific. That does not even get into the TV exhibits he is produced or co-created, like Freaks and Geeks, Ladies, and Crashing.
Harold Ramis
With out query, Harold Ramis belongs on the Mount Rushmore of comedy writers and administrators. The checklist of films he is directed and written (or co-written) is wonderful. Caddyshack, Nationwide Lampoon’s Trip, and Groundhog Day are simply the tip of the iceberg. Like so many in his era of comedians, he began in sketch comedy at Second Metropolis in Chicago.
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais gained worldwide fame when he co-created, co-wrote, and starred within the authentic model of The Workplace within the U.Ok. He is created a slew of exhibits since, and will even be credited with serving to create podcasts along with his early podcast, The Ricky Gervais Present. The humorist began directing movies in 2009 with The Invention of Mendacity.
Penny Marshall
We misplaced quite a bit when Penny Marshall died in 2018 at age 75. She started her profession in comedic roles, most notably as Laverne DeFazio, first on Completely satisfied Days, then in her personal spin-off, Laverne & Shirley. Earlier than lengthy, although, she transitioned to directing. Her first film, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, launched the world to Whoopi Goldberg as a comedic actor (her lone earlier credit score was within the drama The Colour Purple) and went on to direct beloved hits like A League of Their Personal and Massive.
Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane began largely as a comedy author, which is hardly a shock. He then created the animated exhibits Household Man and American Dad for Fox. He made his directorial debut with Ted in 2012.
Albert Brooks
The legendary Albert Brooks began his profession in sketch comedy in collectives like The Credibility Hole and appeared on selection exhibits within the late ’60s and early ’70s as a stand-up. His first directing gig was as a part of the primary season of SNL, earlier than directing his first characteristic, Actual Life, co-written along with his buddy Harry Shearer. His later films embody classics like Defending Your Life, Mom, and The Muse.
Keenen Ivory Wayans
The Wayans brothers have actually left an enormous mark on Hollywood through the years, and the oldest sibling, Keenen Ivory Wayans, is the one who acquired all of them began. He created and directed In Residing Colour, which made him a family title, however he had already directed I am Gonna Git You Sucka earlier than that. His greatest success, in fact, is the Scary Film franchise.
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner acquired his begin as a author and actor in comedy sketches on two exhibits starring Sid Caesar, Your Present of Exhibits and Caesar’s Hour. He then teamed up with fellow author from the exhibits, Mel Brooks, and collectively they launched comedy albums within the early Nineteen Sixties. By the top of the last decade, he was directing films, along with his two most notable hits, The Jerk and Oh! God, coming within the late ’70s.
Cheech Marin
One of many greatest comedy duos of the ’70s is, in fact, Cheech & Chong. Earlier than lengthy, Cheech Marin was directing films with out his companion, together with his directorial debut, Born in East L.A., in 1987.
Woody Allen
WE could not have this checklist with out Woody Allen. Setting apart any private emotions individuals could have in the direction of the actor for his questionable private life, Allen is, palms down, one of the vital profitable comedy movie administrators in Hollywood historical past. The checklist of films he is written, directed, and starred in is way too lengthy to checklist right here. He developed his well-known persona whereas working as a humorist in New York within the Nineteen Sixties.
Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton was one of the vital profitable comedic actors of the Eighties with films like Mr. Mother, Beetlejuice, and Johnny Dangerously. He began taking up extra dramatic roles as the last decade got here to an in depth, and naturally, he starred because the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton’s Batman. He made his directorial debut in 2008 with the drama The Merry Gentleman and, extra lately, directed the underrated Knox Goes Away in 2023.
Bob Odenkirk
Together with David Cross, Bob Odenkirk first broke massive on Mr. Present with Bob and David, however that was after years in sketch comedy on exhibits like SNL and The Ben Stiller Present. He has gained his greatest fame extra lately because the character Saul Goodman in Breaking Dangerous and the spinoff Higher Name Saul (which in some way by no means received an Emmy).
Jerry Lewis
His comedy may not have been for everybody, however you’ll be able to’t argue with Jerry Lewis’ unimaginable success over many years in Hollywood. After all, he began as a part of a duo with Dean Martin, however he quickly took off on his personal with films like The Nutty Professor and The Bellboy. He directed each these films as effectively, and would proceed to direct his personal films all through the ’60s.
Donald Glover
Whereas nonetheless in school, Donald Glover began doing sketch comedy in New York Metropolis. After graduating, he turned a author on 30 Rock first got here to the general public’s consideration in Group on NBC. His greatest crucial success got here with the present he created and produced the present Atlant,a in 2013. His first characteristic movie directing gig got here with Bando Stone & the New World, which is a companion piece to his album of the identical title.
Jeff Garlin
For most individuals, Curb Your Enthusiasm is the place they first noticed Jeff Garlin, however his profession goes again additional than that. He additionally starred in The Goldbergs earlier than abuse accusations led him to depart the present. Over time, he is directed numerous films, just like the indie rom-com I Need Somebody to Eat Cheese With and 2017’s Good-looking, which you’ll be able to watch with a Netflix subscription.
Buster Keaton
Like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton was an enormous determine within the silent period of Hollywood. Additionally like Chaplin, the comic began in theater on the daybreak of the twentieth century after which started writing, directing, and starring in his personal movies within the teenagers. He was one of many greatest stars of the early movie business, making greater than a dozen hits within the Twenties.
Bob Saget
Not solely is without doubt one of the dirtiest comedians of all time (and his model of The Aristocrats joke proves it), Bob Saget was additionally so beloved TV dad and healthful host of America’s Funniest Dwelling Movies. Saget’s first directorial credit score got here within the hilarious and underrated Soiled Work, working with Norm McDonald and Artie Lang on what will need to have been only a wild movie shoot.
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari had his breakout function as a member of the forged of Parks and Recreation, however he was already an skilled stand-up when that present took off. He directed his first movie, Good Fortune, which he additionally wrote and stars in.
Jerrod Carmichael
Jerrod Carmichael is without doubt one of the hottest stand-up comedians in recent times and acquired his first main publicity with The Carmichael Present on NBC in 2015. He made his directorial debut in 2021 with On the Depend of Three, which he additionally stars in alongside Christopher Abbott and an ensemble forged that features Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, and Henry Winkler.
Bo Burnham
Bo Burnham made his title as actually a one-man present along with his musical comedy YouTube channel that he began in 2006 (the very early days of YouTube). His first job as a director got here in 2018 with Eighth Grade, which he wrote and stars in, as effectively.
Robert Townsend
Robert Townsend was groundbreaking as a Black comedian-turned-filmmaker within the Eighties when he wrote, directed, and starred in films like Hollywood Shuffle, The 5 Heartbeats, and Meteor Man, which is a comic book guide film that deserves a reboot.
Bobcat Goldthwait
Surely, one of many strangest films talked about on this checklist is Shakes the Clown, which was the primary movie directed by legendary humorist Bobcat Goldthwait. He is directed seven impartial movies since Shakes and they’re at all times distinctive and humorous.