Most Legendary Comedy Stars Who Have Passed Away

Comedy has been shaped by performers whose work redefined how audiences find funny—onstage, on television, and on film—and whose legacies still set the bar for timing, writing, and character work. The figures below built careers that blended innovation with mainstream appeal, leaving behind catalogs of specials, series, and movies that continue to be studied and enjoyed. Many were multi-hyphenates who wrote, directed, produced, or trailblazed formats that others later adopted. Their careers spanned sketch groups, studio systems, late-night circuits, and global tours, showing how durable and adaptable great comedy can be.

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin created the Tramp character and produced, directed, wrote, scored, and starred in many of his features. His films, including ‘The Kid’, ‘City Lights’, ‘Modern Times’, and ‘The Great Dictator’, blended visual gags with social themes. He co-founded United Artists, gaining unusual creative control over distribution and production. His approach to physical storytelling set patterns later filmmakers adopted in both comedy and drama.

Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball fronted the landmark sitcom ‘I Love Lucy’, which popularized the three-camera setup before a live studio audience and helped establish syndication. With Desi Arnaz, she launched Desilu Productions, which produced influential series and advanced filming methods for television. She balanced physical comedy with tightly scripted scenarios that became templates for later sitcoms. Her executive leadership opened opportunities for performer-producers across the industry.

Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor reshaped stand-up by drawing directly on personal experience and American social realities. He released best-selling comedy albums and headlined concert films such as ‘Richard Pryor: Live in Concert’. Pryor co-wrote for television and films and starred in hits alongside Gene Wilder, including ‘Stir Crazy’. His material influenced club, album, and televised stand-up formats that followed.

Robin Williams

Robin Williams broke through with high-velocity improvisation and character voices on ‘Mork & Mindy’. He moved into major films including ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, ‘Aladdin’, and ‘Good Will Hunting’. Williams continued stand-up tours and cable specials while alternating between comedic and dramatic roles. His work in animation, television, and film demonstrated a broad range of performance techniques.

George Carlin

George Carlin specialized in stand-up that examined language, culture, and civic life, captured in numerous HBO specials and albums. His ‘Seven Words’ routine intersected with broadcast-standards history and a Supreme Court case on indecency. Carlin published books and toured extensively, refining long-form, idea-driven sets. His catalogs offer detailed examples of wordplay, cadence, and conceptual structuring in stand-up.

Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers built a multi-decade career across stand-up, talk shows, books, and red-carpet coverage. She served as a frequent guest host of ‘The Tonight Show’ and later anchored her own programs. Rivers’ joke-dense monologues and interviews documented a high-output writing process. Her work on ‘Fashion Police’ helped codify a recurring format for comedic style commentary.

John Belushi

John Belushi came from The Second City to ‘Saturday Night Live’, where he co-created standout characters and musical sketches. He starred in ‘National Lampoon’s Animal House’ and co-led ‘The Blues Brothers’, extending sketch personas into music and film. Belushi’s projects linked TV sketch, touring bands, and features in a coordinated way. His performances highlighted how ensemble and music can integrate with screen comedy.

Gilda Radner

Gilda Radner was an original ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member known for characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Emily Litella. She staged the Broadway show ‘Gilda Radner: Live From New York’ and published a memoir. Radner’s sketches emphasized point-of-view and catchphrases grounded in specific character traits. Her legacy includes Gilda’s Club, a community network supporting people impacted by cancer.

Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers gained global recognition for multi-role performances, notably Inspector Clouseau in ‘The Pink Panther’ series. He collaborated with Blake Edwards and Stanley Kubrick on films such as ‘Dr. Strangelove’ and ‘Being There’. Sellers’ background in radio and recording informed his voice work and character variations. His methods showcase accent control, timing, and transformation across genres.

Gene Wilder

Gene Wilder collaborated with Mel Brooks on ‘The Producers’, ‘Blazing Saddles’, and ‘Young Frankenstein’, combining farce with precise dialogue. He co-wrote scripts and directed features, adding a writer’s structure to his roles. Wilder’s portrayal in ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ became a widely referenced cultural performance. His career illustrates how script development and performance choices align in comic storytelling.

Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis rose with Dean Martin before becoming a solo star and filmmaker. He directed ‘The Nutty Professor’ and introduced video-assist monitoring on sets, changing how directors review takes. Lewis also hosted nationally televised telethons that raised significant funds for medical research. His films and technologies influenced slapstick staging and production workflows.

Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman earned a reputation on ‘Saturday Night Live’ for technically precise impressions and ensemble support. He co-wrote ‘Pee-wee’s Big Adventure’ and later starred on ‘NewsRadio’. Hartman voiced multiple roles on ‘The Simpsons’, showcasing range in animation. His body of work demonstrates how consistent structure and timing support sketch and sitcom ensembles.

Chris Farley

Chris Farley, a Second City alum, became a central physical comedian on ‘Saturday Night Live’, creating characters such as Matt Foley. He led films including ‘Tommy Boy’ and ‘Black Sheep’, translating sketch energy to features. Farley’s projects frequently paired him with fellow SNL writers and performers. His approach highlights stunt-level commitment within character-driven scenes.

Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielsen transitioned from dramatic roles to deadpan parody with ‘Airplane!’ and ‘The Naked Gun’ series. He maintained the same straight-faced delivery while scripts escalated absurd premises. Nielsen’s sustained collaboration with parody creators helped define a repeatable spoof framework. His earlier dramatic image increased contrast and comic payoff in later roles.

Don Rickles

Don Rickles became synonymous with insult comedy, working nightclubs, casinos, and television for decades. He appeared frequently on late-night programs and performed in films, plus voice work in ‘Toy Story’. Rickles’ albums and televised roasts document a highly interactive, crowd-responsive style. His methods informed modern roast formats and approaches to audience engagement.

Andy Kaufman

Andy Kaufman blended performance art with comedy by building layered personas and staged confrontations. He performed on ‘Taxi’ while maintaining unconventional acts like the Foreign Man/Tony Clifton construct. Kaufman developed kayfabe-style narratives, including televised wrestling storylines. His work remains a reference for experimental structures and audience-expectation play.

Benny Hill

Benny Hill headlined ‘The Benny Hill Show’, built on visual gags, chase sequences, and musical interludes. The series sold internationally and reached broad audiences with minimal dialogue. Editing rhythms and recurring bits shaped the show’s sketch flow. Its export success illustrates how visual humor scales across language and market boundaries.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald anchored ‘Weekend Update’ on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and released stand-up specials and a best-selling memoir. He developed long-form jokes and misdirection that played out on late-night appearances. Macdonald produced digital-era shows and podcasts that extended his stand-up sensibility. His catalog provides examples of joke architecture and pacing across platforms.

Bob Hope

Bob Hope worked across vaudeville, radio, film, and television while performing hundreds of shows for service members on USO tours. He hosted major award broadcasts and anchored high-rating specials for network TV. Hope’s movie partnerships included the ‘Road to…’ series, which paired comedy and travelogue elements. His cross-medium career documents strategies for longevity and mass-audience reach.

Betty White

Betty White built one of television’s longest careers, starring in ensemble comedies such as ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’, ‘The Golden Girls’, and ‘Hot in Cleveland’. She hosted and appeared on game shows, winning multiple awards and setting participation records for the medium. White published books and maintained recurring guest roles that connected classic and contemporary TV eras. Her work maps the evolution of sitcom ensembles and intergenerational audience appeal.

John Candy

John Candy moved from SCTV to film stardom with roles in ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’, ‘Uncle Buck’, and ‘Spaceballs’. He alternated between leading and supporting parts, balancing slapstick with character warmth. Candy collaborated with directors across studio and independent projects, often within ensemble casts. His sketch background informed timing, reaction beats, and collaborative scene construction.

Share the comedy legends you’d add—and your favorite roles or sketches of theirs—in the comments!