They say laughter is the best medicine and as the world recovers from one of mankind’s biggest crisis, some humour could definitely help heal better. World laughter day is celebrated on the first Sunday of every May. This year, we celebrate the day of laughter on May 1. Here we bring you a list of popular comedians of all times.
Charlie Chaplin
English comic, actor, filmmaker and composer Charlie Chaplin rose to fame in the era of silent films and became one of the most prominent comedians of his time and is regarded so till date. His most famous character, the Tramp, became an icon and Chaplin is remembered for that. He had a 75-year-long career full of both controversy and admiration. His early life was full of hardships as his mother was admitted to a mental asylum and his father was absent. He began performing and working at an early age to support his family.
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson became one of the most popular names among children and youngsters with his show Mr Bean in the 1990s. His other famous works include the film series Johnny English (2003-2018), James Bond film Never Say Never Again (1983), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and Love Actually (2003). The British sitcom co-written and created by Rowan also had a long-running animated series that became as successful as the show itself. In 2018, he received YouTube’s Diamond Play Button for surpassing 10 million subscribers, becoming one of the most watched channels in the world. His physical style of enacting is often compared to that of Buster Keaton and sets him apart from other modern-day comics.
Laurel & Hardy
The comic duo of the early classical Hollywood era consisted of Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel. They began their careers in the silent era of Hollywood and were famous for their slapstick comedy from the 1920s to 1950s. While Hardy played the bully, Laurel played the childish, clumsy friend. Their bowler hats became their recognition and so did their famous Cuckoo Song. Their first act was in a 1926 short film and together appeared in 107 films. A tit-for-tat fight with an adversary was their most popular routine.
Johnny Lever
The Indian actor and comedian is well known and recognised for his work in Hindi cinema. At a point in the 90s, Johnny Lever was a fixed name who added a comic element in almost every other commercial Hindi film. He is also one of the first stand-up comedians in India and has been awarded for his performance multiple times. Lever, who began his career in 1984, has acted in more than 300 films. He had started his career as a stand-up comedian and got his first big break after late actor Sunil Dutt noticed him and offered him the film Dard Ka Rishta. His first commercial success was the 1993 film Baazigar, after which his career really took off.
Mehmood
Indian actor, singer, director and producer Mehmood was widely known for playing comic roles in Hindi cinema. One of his most memorable roles was that in the film Padosan. With a career spanning four decades, he worked in more than 300 films. He was one of the most renowned comedians of his time in Bollwyood. He became popular for his roles in the 1950s and 60s and later in the 1970s, his popularity began to decline with the emergence of other comedians in films like Asrani, Deven Verma, Kader Khan and others. His last film was the 1994 hit Andaz Apna Apna. He passed away in 2004. Mehmood, father of singer Lucky Ali, is also known to have introduced actor Amitabh Bachchan into commercial cinema and gave breaks to music director RD Burman and Rajesh Roshan.
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd Sr was an American actor and comedian who worked in many silent films. Alongside Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd is known to be one of the most influential and successful comedians of the silent film era. His popular films include Safety Last!, The Freshman, Speedy, Never Weaken and more.
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank Buster Keaton, known simply as Buster Keaton, was a popular comic actor known for his physical comic style during the silent era of cinema. His deadpan expression got him the nickname ‘the great stone face’. Some of his most popular films include The Cameraman, The Navigator, Three Ages, One Week, Go West, College and more.
