Greetings, intrepid readers! M. H. Barton here with another blog on the art and craft of storytelling. Tomorrow is April Fools’ Day, so I thought it’d be appropriate to explore some of the best comedic duos in all of entertainment. Comedy is an incredibly diverse and difficult storytelling art, particularly when working as a duo. Nonetheless, several pairings throughout history have truly risen to the heights of the art form. I’ve narrowed it down to ten iconic duos across over a century, from modern YouTube series all the way back to Vaudeville and silent films. Again, this is only my opinion, so no flaming! Anyway, with that out of the way, let’s have a few laughs.
Number Ten – Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong
Rising to popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, Cheech and Chong pioneered the comedy concept of “stoner buddies.” Among the other famous duos that drew influence from them are Jay and Silent Bob, Harold and Kumar, and Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott. Fittingly for their style, the pair initially met in Canada while dodging the draft for the Vietnam War. Though they’ve more recently found success in movies and TV shows, they are best remembered for their numerous stand-up routines from early in their careers. While their comedy routines about hippies, drugs, and free love aren’t my thing, there’s no denying the entire subgenre they helped create back in the day.
Number Nine – Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane
My generation most fondly remembers their introduction to these two actors in Disney’s The Lion King, but they weren’t yet the iconic duo they’d eventually become. No, these two really came into their own through the numerous films and Broadway shows they’ve starred in together. Most notable of all is their transcendent performance in Mel Brooks’ The Producers, where their classic dynamic of The Schemer and The Coward shines as bright as the sun. Not only is The Producers one of the most hilariously politically incorrect stories ever told, but it hits even harder with the delivery and amazing chemistry from these two masters of comedy.
Number Eight – Statler and Waldorf
Ah, the Muppets. Some people love ‘em. Some people can’t stand ‘em. But these two cranky oldtimers are probably the most consistent part of anything involving the Muppets. Whether a stage show, a major motion picture, or a parody of a novel, the audience can be sure that Statler and Waldorf will show up at some point to complain and heckle the Muppets about the zany antics they get up to. Unlike some comedy duos, these two are essentially the same person broken into two characters, but that just makes their biting criticism all the more entertaining. Their antagonistic relationship with bumbling comedian Fozzie Bear is particularly hilarious. Statler and Waldorf are insult comedy at its absolute finest.
Number Seven – Chris Farley and David Spade
Though these two only made two movies together, Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, their incredible chemistry and years together on Saturday Night Live are more than enough to qualify them for this list. They’re simply brilliant together, as they form a new twist on the Straight Guy and Funny Guy trope. From Farley’s over-the-top slapstick style to Spade’s sarcastic witticisms, you knew anything these two did together was going to be gold. Sadly, the two had some major disagreements behind the scenes, resulting in their separation as a team after Black Sheep, but the moments we do get from this pair are a comedic treasure.
Number Six – Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
Another classic pair of SNL alums, these ladies are the undisputed queens of comedy since the year 2000. Their chemistry made them an instant hit, particularly on the “Weekend Update” segment of the show. Still, probably their most iconic moment came when Fey and Poehler parodied politicians Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential election. Even after leaving SNL and finding individual success as sitcom stars, the duo found time to reunite for a string of comedy films. Even today, they continue to tour together, doing stand-up comedy nationwide. They’ve got stiff competition from the likes of Leslie Jones, Maya Rudolph, and Jane Curtin, but I think these two are absolutely the funniest ladies SNL has ever produced.
Number Five – Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
Though best friends in real life, Lemmon and Matthau had massive success in films where they were the worst of enemies. They were likely one of the earliest examples of the modern frenemies trend. Whether as roommates in The Odd Couple, faking an injury lawsuit in The Fortune Cookie, or competing for the same woman in Grumpy Old Men, these two are at their best when trying to humiliate each other. Sadly, Matthau died before he could work with Lemmon on what could have been their crowning achievement, My Fellow Americans. James Garner was an admirable replacement for Matthau, but it just wasn’t the same. Some duos are so iconic that moving on becomes impossible.
Number Four – Tim Conway and Harvey Korman
It may have been called The Carol Burnett Show, but Conway’s absurdism and Korman’s deadpan comedy always ended up stealing the show. Their skits are classic. Korman would frequently try and portray himself as someone intelligent and cultured, only to have his world rocked by one of Conway’s many insane characters, often the extremely slow Oldest Man. Their best moments together are when Conway does such an incredible job that Korman can no longer keep a straight face. Look no further than their classic sketch, “The Dentist,” for a prime example of their interactions.
Number Three – Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele
These veterans of Mad TV teamed up in the 2010s to take the modern world of comedy by storm. Focusing heavily on race relations and social humor, Key and Peele are known to poke fun at every demographic group imaginable. In particular, they love highlighting the hilarity of African American cultural stereotypes. Among their many famous sketches is a recurring bit where Peele impersonates President Obama while Key serves as his anger translator. Key also has his iconic character, Mr. Garvey, a substitute teacher who cannot pronounce his students’ names properly for the life of him. (A. A. Ron!) Still, I think my personal favorite is their sketch, “If Hogwarts Were an Inner-City School.” While this duo is seen as a paragon of African American comedy, their widespread popularity has appealed to audiences of all backgrounds.
Number Two – Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy
You knew these two would be somewhere on this list. Laurel and Hardy were the original comedy duo and paved the way for everyone else on this list. Though they had great success as individual actors in the silent film era, their incredible chemistry made them an unbeatable team in silent shorts, talkie shorts, and even feature-length films. Their style set the precedents for so many comedic tropes, such as cartoonish violence and slapstick, The Schemer and The Bumbler, and milking a recurring joke. In the end, all their comedic mishaps would inevitably lead them back into the same hardship they began the story. Their success would later inspire the Three Stooges and even the Looney Tunes cartoon shorts. Quite a legacy, indeed.
Before we get to the top pick, let’s do a few…
Honorable Mentions
Jackie Gleason and Art Carney
Best known for their portrayals of Ralph and Ed on The Honeymooners, this iconic duo worked together for years on Jackie Gleason’s own show and on stand-up tours in the years after their initial TV success. They were so popular that they were the eventual inspiration behind another iconic comedy duo – Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble.
Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell
This duo is near and dear to my heart, as my childhood was heavily shaped by their appearances on Nickelodeon. Whether doing get-rich-quick schemes on Kenan & Kel or cooking up Good Burgers on All That, these two were the most memorable comedy duo for many 90s kids.
Mike Myers and Dana Carvey
Another classic SNL pairing, these two were particularly popular in their “Wayne’s World” sketch. This, naturally, spawned a popular feature-length film, also titled Wayne’s World. Their sing-along with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” remains one of the most iconic musical moments in any film to this day.
Pinky and The Brain
Gee, Brain, whadaya wanna do tonight? The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world! These animated lab rats are easily the most remembered characters from Steven Spielberg’s popular show, Animaniacs. Though poor Brain would always see his plans for global domination ruined by Pinky’s goofiness, we always wanted him to try again the next night.
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor
Probably the most famed and successful mixed-race comedy duo of all, Wilder and Pryor made a quartet of successful comedies together in the 70s and 80s. Their disagreements sadly pushed them apart in their personal lives, but they came together at the right time for some truly groundbreaking comedy.
And with that, it’s time for…
Number One – Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
Who’s on first? The roundabout journey to try and answer that question gave us the seminal comedic example of the Straight Man and Funny Man trope. During Laurel and Hardy’s reign over the comedy world in the 1930s, comedian Bud Abbott had the good fortune to substitute for Lou Costello’s sick performing partner one night. Their chemistry was immediate and they decided to officially make their act permanent. The pair worked their way up through vaudeville and eventually came to national acclaim from their numerous radio appearances. These guest slots soon allowed them their own radio program, and their careers were off. They then broke into the film industry, with their second film, Buck Privates, being a smash hit, thanks in part to them costarring with the Andrews Sisters. After that, their TV and film credits are almost too numerous to count, making them the undisputed kings of comedy duos. Many have come after and tried to emulate them, but nobody has ever risen to the heights of Abbott and Costello. Why? I don’t know. Third base!
And that’s going to do it for this ranking. Comedy is a tough thing to write, but I hope this look at some of the masters of the art will help in your own efforts. Of course, I’d love to know what you think. Did I get it right? What duos did I miss? Feel free to let me know in the comments or reach out directly, especially if you have any ideas or requests for future entries. I’ve got an active running list of ideas, but I’m always open to more. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a like and share this post on social media. And to stay up to date on future blog posts, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website. Until the next story!
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