QUIZ: Can You Name These Iconic Comedy Legends?
It takes a special talent to make people laugh, and audiences tend to love entertainers who have that great gift. Are you a fan of funny films and television shows? How well do you remember the most iconic comedians in history? Take this quiz and see how many legendary comedians you can identify. Feel free to have a laugh while you’re at it!
He was best known for his screen persona, “the tramp”
A. Charlie Chaplin
B. Don Rickles
C. Jack Benny
D. Groucho Marx
Answer: Charlie Chaplin
The actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin rose to prominence in the age of silent films and had a career lasting more than 75 years. This photo is from the set of the 1931 film City Lights, which is still praised as one of the greatest movies of all time.
You’re no dummy if you recognize this comedian
A. Rodney Dangerfield
B. Red Skelton
C. Redd Foxx
D. Jamie Foxx
Answer: Redd Foxx
Born John Elroy Sanford, Redd Foxx made a name for himself in the nightclub scene of the 1950s and ’60s. He’s best known for playing the cantankerous character Fred G. Sanford on the edgy sitcom Sanford and Son, which originally ran from 1972 to 1977.
This iconic comical couple had a famous son together
A. George Burns and Gracie Allen
B. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
C. Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara
D. Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally
Answer: Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara
Husband-and-wife comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara Rivers were hugely popular during the 1960s and ’70s as the comedy team Stiller and Meara. They later appeared on various television series, with Stiller finding a resurgence of fame with a role on the ’90s sitcom Seinfeld. They had two children together, including son Ben Stiller.
Can you give him a little respect?
A. Rodney Dangerfield
B. John Candy
C. Don Rickles
D. Lenny Bruce
Answer: Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield was famous for his uniquely self-deprecating humor and catchphrase “I get no respect!” After starting out on the talk show circuit he eventually became a successful film star, with titles like Easy Money, Back to School, and of course, Caddy Shack.
He is considered to be one of the greatest British comedians of the 20th century
A. Lenny Bruce
B. Don Rickles
C. Benny Hill
D. Rowan Atkinson
Answer: Benny Hill
The English actor, comedian, singer, songwriter, and writer is best remembered for The Benny Hill Show, which was so popular that it eventually aired in over 140 countries around the world. This 1970 photo shows Hill with a donkey on the set of his show.
He was one of the original cast members on Saturday Night Live
A. Lenny Bruce
B. John Belushi
C. Jim Belushi
D. Mitch Hedberg
Answer: John Belushi
After a successful run on SNL with memorable characters like Samurai Futaba, John Belushi shot to fame in the 1979 film National Lampoon’s Animal House. He and Dan Akroyd then starred in The Blues Brothers in 1980, based on characters developed during their time on SNL. Sadly, Belushi passed away in 1982, when he was only 33.
The legend pictured here with Lucille Ball lived to be 100 years old
A. Bob Newhart
B. George Burns
C. Dick Van Dyke
D. George Carlin
Answer: George Burns
With a life spanning a century, George Burns had a career that covered vaudeville, radio, film, and television. The funnyman worked until just weeks before his death in 1996.
She could be just as controversial as she was hilarious
A. Joan Rivers
B. Gilda Radner
C. Gracie Allen
D. Cloris Leachman
Answer: Joan Rivers
With her raspy voice and her sassy, biting commentary on everyone from herself to celebrities, Joan Rivers was one of America’s first successful female stand-up comedians. “Can we talk?” was her catchphrase, indicating she was ready to drop some gossip.
He was known as the “The One-Man Morale Machine” for his work with the USO
A. Johnny Carson
B. Bob Hope
C. Henny Youngman
D. Jack Benny
Answer: Bob Hope
Bob Hope’s legendary career spanned almost eight decades during which his expert timing and self-deprecating humor entertained audiences from tiny vaudeville venues to massive USO tours serving active duty military personnel overseas.
For his groundbreaking comedy, he was awarded the first-ever Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
A. Richard Pryor
B. Richard Lewis
C. Eddie Murphy
D. Bill Burr
Answer: Richard Pryor
Today, Richard Pryor is viewed as one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time, although his career expanded to film in later years. His observational humor and profanity-laced delivery were groundbreaking in the industry.
Who is this comedian known for her eccentric stage persona?
A. Phyllis Diller
B. Cloris Leachman
C. Joan Rivers
D. Carol Channing
Answer: Phyllis Diller
Known for her trademark bawdy laugh, eccentric clothes, and outlandish hairstyles, Phyllis Diller initially came into the national spotlight after an appearance on Groucho Marx’s hit game show, You Bet Your Life.
Who is this comedian, actress, model, producer, and studio executive?
A. Lucille Ball
B. Carol Burnett
C. Joan Rivers
D. Betty White
Answer: Lucille Ball
This photo of the iconic Lucille Ball, star and producer of beloved shows such as I Love Lucy, was taken in 1938. As the co-owner of Desilu Productions, she was the first female head of a major Hollywood studio.
Who was this famous comedy duo?
A.Abbott and Costello
B. Laurel and Hardy
C. Penn and Teller
D. Burns and Allen
Answer: Laurel and Hardy
Despite their legacy as one of the greatest comedy duos of all time, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (aka Laurel and Hardy) both had successful solo careers in Hollywood prior to their megastar success, appearing in a combined 300 productions before their first team-up in Putting Pants on Philip.
Her trademark move was tugging her left ear at the end of her show
A. Ruth Buzzi
B. Carol Burnett
C. Anne Meara
D. Vicki Lawrence
Answer: Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett is a writer, singer, dancer, producer, and true comedy legend. When she was awarded a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she requested that the star be placed in front of the theatre that she had been rudely fired from in the 50s.
This young comedian and actress would go on to have a career lasting more than 80 years
A. Betty White
B. Gracie Allen
C. Lucille Ball
D. Bea Arthur
Answer: Betty White
To say that Betty White is an icon of the small screen would be an understatement. She held the world record for the longest-running TV career for a female entertainer, marked by her debut in 1939 on one of the first broadcasts on the west coast.
One of his most memorable performances was a sketch called “The Ministry of Silly Walks”
A. Bob Newhart
B. John Cleese
C. Graham Chapman
D. Eric Idle
Answer: John Cleese
Arguably the most recognizable of the Monty Python troupe, John Cleese is a master of comedy. His portrayal of “Basil Fawlty” on Fawlty Towers was based on Donald Sinclair, a WWII veteran, and eccentric hotel owner.
He was called “The King of Comedy”
A. Johnny Carson
B. Jerry Lewis
C. Bob Denver
D. Dean Martin
Answer: Jerry Lewis
Also known as “The King of Comedy,” Jerry Lewis not only influenced such important comedians as Jim Carrey and Eddie Murphy, but he also raised nearly $2.5 billion to help fight muscular dystrophy.
Who is this iconic trio?
A. The Three Stooges
B. The Marx Brothers
C. The Keystone Kops
D. The Rat Pack
Answer: The Marx Brothers
Siblings Groucho, Chico, and Harpo made up the core Marx Brothers comedy team, a box office juggernaut during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Despite their distinct characters, out of costume, it was difficult to tell them apart, allowing them to switch roles occasionally.
This comedian made her film debut in Nashville
A. Lily Tomlin
B. Laraine Newman
C. Betty White
D. Bea Arthur
Answer: Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin started her career as a standup comedian before moving on to the stage and the screen. She is known for her roles in the standup comedy special Lily, which she won an Emmy Award.
This groundbreaking comedian financed the production of her own special, “Party of One,” in 1985
A. Elayne Boosler
B. Phyllis Diller
C. Joan Rivers
D. Chelsea Handler
Answer: Elayne Boosler
The “New York Times” calls her a “comedy master,” and for good reason. Elayne Boosler was one of the primary female comedians of the 1970s and beyond with her hard-hitting, sometimes scathing, material.
