Get ready to chuckle! Pairing two comedians is a tricky business. It’s like mixing ingredients for the perfect cake – you need just the right chemistry. When it clicks, though, it’s pure magic! Movies have given us some unforgettable comedy duos who kept us laughing for years. We’re taking a trip down memory lane, decade by decade, to celebrate the funniest movie comedy duos from the last 100 years. From silent film stars to modern-day masters, let’s dive into the pairs who made cinematic history with their humor!
1920s—Laurel & Hardy
When you think of classic comedy duos, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy often come to mind. Even though they haven’t performed together in many, many years, their legacy lives on. These two talents came from vaudeville and the silent movie era, and they complemented each other perfectly.
Most comedy pairs back then had one comedian and one ‘straight man’ who didn’t tell jokes. But Laurel and Hardy were both natural comics. They always knew how to get a laugh. If one needed to play it serious for a moment, they could do that too, flawlessly.
They first started working near each other in the early 1920s but weren’t an official team yet. That changed in 1926 with a short film they did together. From that point on, Laurel and Hardy became a comedy sensation.
Throughout the 1920s, they became icons. Their success rolled right into the 1940s, with their last movie together, Atoll K, released in 1950. Over their amazing partnership, Laurel and Hardy made 107 films together. This included 32 short silent movies and 40 short ‘talkies,’ plus many TV guest spots.
Laurel and Hardy truly shaped comedy in movies for decades. You can still see their influence today. As Mark Hamill famously said, “If you don’t like Laurel and Hardy, you are no friend of mine.” He’s definitely not alone in loving these classic comedians.
1930s—Pitts & Todd
While Laurel & Hardy were huge stars in the 1920s and 1930s, they weren’t the only funny team around during the Great Depression. Duos like Wheeler & Woolsey brought lots of laughs, but another pair truly deserves a spotlight.
Hal Roach, the same creative mind behind Laurel & Hardy, had an idea for a female comedy team. In 1931, he brought together Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts, creating the first major female comedy duo. Their place in history is important, not just for comedy, but for women in the entertainment world.
Roach combined a glamorous blonde, known for her comedic timing, with one of the busiest character actresses of the time. And guess what? The pairing was a hit! They didn’t stay together for a very long time, but their work is still remembered.
Pitts & Todd starred in 17 short films together. They even had Laurel and Hardy make an appearance in one of their movies! Sadly, their partnership ended after just two years when Pitts decided to leave the team.
Hal Roach tried to keep the magic going by bringing in other actresses. While some of those films were funny, they never quite captured the special spark of the original Pitts and Todd duo.
1940s—Abbott & Costello
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are one of the most famous comedy duos from their time. Both started in vaudeville, then moved to radio, and finally hit the big screen. You probably know their legendary ‘Who’s on First?’ routine, but they offered so much more!
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Abbott & Costello were on top of the entertainment world. They toured extensively in the ’40s, even entertaining troops during World War II. At that time, they became the highest-paid entertainers globally.
These guys were everywhere! They did live shows, appeared on TV, ruled the radio, and had an incredibly successful movie career.
Their film journey began in 1940 with One Night in the Tropics, where they had supporting roles. Despite not being the main stars, they stole every scene. They went on to make hit after hit together throughout the decade.
They made 25 films in the 1940s and kept working into the ’50s. Their partnership officially ended in ’57. This was partly due to feeling tired of their act and, believe it or not, they didn’t always get along off-stage. Despite all their movies and shows, they’re still best known for ‘Who’s on First?’ – a routine they performed around 15,000 times!
1950s—Martin & Lewis
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis are another timeless comedy duo. They started working together in 1946, performing live in clubs. By ’49, they were a massive hit on the radio.
Their act was built on a lot of improvisation and energetic slapstick comedy. They perfectly played the roles of the smooth straight man (Martin) and the zany funny man (Lewis). Their show successfully moved from stage to radio, then to television, and finally to movies.
Their first film came out in 1949. Most of their movie collaborations happened in the 1950s, a decade they truly dominated. Martin & Lewis starred in 16 feature films during this time. Many were incredibly funny, like Sailor Beware, Living It Up, and You’re Never Too Young.
During the ’50s, their official name became ‘Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis’. This change was to help them build their solo careers for when their partnership eventually ended. That end came in 1956. Sadly, they didn’t speak privately for 20 years after their split. Thankfully, Frank Sinatra helped them reconcile in 1976.
1960s—Lemmon & Matthau
The 1960s had some great comedic talent. The Smothers Brothers were huge, but they mostly focused on TV variety shows. Since we’re honoring film comedy duos, the best team-up award for the 1960s goes to Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Unlike many other duos on this list, Lemmon and Matthau weren’t a typical stand-up style comedy act. When they appeared on screen together, their characters were often arguing or at odds. But even with all the on-screen bickering, their fantastic chemistry was undeniable.
These two men were best friends in real life, but they often played characters who couldn’t stand each other on film. This might sound like a setup for a serious drama, but they turned it into comedy gold in movies like The Fortune Cookie and The Odd Couple.
The Odd Couple is probably their most famous pairing, and it led to even more opportunities for them to work together. Decades later, they reunited for the two Grumpy Old Men movies, showing their chemistry was still as strong as ever. In total, they made eight films together, and their work in the ’60s delivered some of the best comedy of that decade.
1970s—Cheech & Chong
The 1970s was a fantastic decade for comedy, bringing us geniuses like Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and the Monty Python crew. But when you talk about comedy duos of the ’70s, one pair stands out: Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong.
They started their act together in 1971. Cheech & Chong’s hilarious stand-up routines quickly led to success with comedy albums and several popular movies. Almost everything they did centered around themes of counterculture, free love, and, well, a lot of marijuana.
These guys really loved their pot! They even made a movie where they drove across the country searching for marijuana in a van made of ‘Fiberweed.’ You can only imagine what those exhaust fumes were like! Cheech & Chong were incredibly popular throughout the ’70s and into the 1980s, which is when most of their movies actually came out.
Despite many films in the ’80s, they are perhaps best known for their first movie, Up in Smoke, released in 1978. Their partnership ended in 1987 when Cheech decided to focus on a solo career. He wanted to move away from the drug-focused humor of their act. Thankfully for fans, they eventually reunited and started working together again in the early 2000s.
1980s—Wilder & Pryor
Most successful comedy duos in earlier decades were typically of the same race, and often Caucasian. Before Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder teamed up, many had tried to make a mixed-race duo work. There have been others since, but none achieved the level of success these two did.
Their comedic partnership actually started in the previous decade with the 1976 film Silver Streak. It did well, but their biggest hit was yet to come. That hit arrived in 1980 with Stir Crazy, which many consider their best movie together. They continued to make films in the 1980s, including See No Evil, Hear No Evil. Their final movie pairing was 1991’s Another You.
Of course, their paths had crossed before. Wilder starred in the 1974 classic Blazing Saddles, which Pryor co-wrote. Pryor was originally supposed to be in the film, but the studio chose Cleavon Little instead. So, it took a few more years before they shared the screen.
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor’s on-screen chemistry was legendary. They always played off each other perfectly. While they were brilliant together in films, Pryor’s struggles with substance abuse sometimes made their off-screen friendship challenging. Despite this, they held a great deal of respect and admiration for one another.
1990s—Farley & Spade
The 1990s were packed with comedy duos, with many emerging from the ranks of Saturday Night Live. Mike Myers and Dana Carvey’s Wayne’s World characters led to two hit movies, and they were fantastic together. However, you can’t discuss ’90s comedy duos without spotlighting Chris Farley and David Spade.
These two had some of the most incredible on-screen chemistry ever, and they couldn’t have been more different as performers. Spade was known for his dry, deadpan wit and sarcastic remarks. Farley, on the other hand, was a physical comedian who would do almost anything for a laugh, whether it was crashing through a coffee table or hilariously making fun of his own weight.
Both comedians appeared in the movie Coneheads, though in smaller roles. Their first true collaboration as a leading duo was Tommy Boy. This film put the two off-screen best friends together in a story that became comedy gold. They followed this up with Black Sheep the next year, successfully recapturing their amazing on-screen magic.
Tragically, their partnership ended with Chris Farley’s untimely death in 1997, just one year after Black Sheep was released. Spade was noticeably absent from Farley’s funeral, which led to rumors of a falling out. Years later, Spade explained that attending the funeral was simply too difficult for him because the two had been such incredibly close friends.
2000s—Pegg & Frost
Picking the best comedy duo of the 2000s is tough! This decade gave us so many brilliant pairings. We had Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly, John Cho & Kal Penn, and many more. Despite all these great choices, the title for the 2000s goes to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
These two British talents started working together in 1999 on the TV series Spaced. They’ve kept their fantastic on-screen chemistry alive for years, and they’re still creating great work together. During the first decade of the 21st century, Pegg and Frost became famous for their ‘Three Flavours Cornetto’ trilogy.
These films include Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007). The third film, The World’s End, came out in 2013, putting it slightly outside this specific decade’s focus. The first two films are arguably their best work together. They continue to collaborate in both movies and television.
Their more recent projects include the Amazon Prime series Truth Seekers, which was released in October 2020. Both Pegg and Frost remain close friends and active collaborators on numerous projects. It’s very likely we’ll see more from this dynamic duo in the years to come.
2010s—Fey & Poehler
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have known each other since way back in 1993. It wasn’t long before these two talented women became very close friends. They started working together soon after meeting, and by the early 2000s, both were key players on Saturday Night Live.
They spent the early part of their careers working alongside each other, mostly in television. Their first movie collaboration was in 2002’s Martin and Orloff, though it wasn’t a widely seen film.
Just two years later, in 2004, they unleashed Mean Girls on the world, a film written by Fey and featuring Poehler. Their careers took off from that point. They co-starred in Baby Mama in 2007, and by 2015, they shared top billing in the hilarious movie Sisters.
In 2019, they worked together again in Wine Country, which was Amy Poehler’s directorial debut. The movie was released on Netflix and earned a ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Beyond films, they’ve also famously killed it as hosts of the Golden Globes, proving their comedic chemistry translates everywhere, even when separated by thousands of miles during lockdown for the 2021 ceremony.
Wow, what a ride through a century of laughs! From the slapstick charm of Laurel & Hardy to the witty friendship of Fey & Poehler, these comedy duos have left an undeniable mark on movie history. Each pair brought something unique to the screen, proving that two funny people are often better than one. They’ve given us countless memorable moments and characters that still make us smile today. It’s clear that the magic of a great comedy duo is truly timeless.
These are our top picks, but comedy is all about personal taste! Who are your favorite comedy duos from the past 100 years? Did we miss any of your beloved pairs? Leave your comment below and let us know!