Top 10 Famous Comedians: Legends of Comedy and Rising Stars

Who made you laugh the most? Laughter is a powerful and uplifting emotion that can alter our mood, bring joy, and unite people from all walks of life. Comedy is frequently sought out in times of distress or boredom, and the people who create it are undeniably talented in their ability to brighten our days.

Join us as we discover the top 10 famous comedians of all time. These comedians have pushed the envelope, made us laugh, and displayed exceptional comedic timing, innovative content, and an irresistible stage presence.

List of Famous Comedians

1: Richard Pryor

Date of Birth: December 1, 1940, PeoriaIllinois, U.S

Date of Death: December 10, 2005, California, U.S

Best Works:

• Stir Crazy
• The Toy
• Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling
• Silver Streak
• Brewster’s Millions

Accolades:

• Primetime Emmy Award
• 5 Grammy Awards
• Writers Guild of America Award
• 2 American Academy of Humor Awards
• Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
• Ranked first on Comedy Central’s list of greatest stand-up comedians
• Became the 19th inductee into the official National Comedy Hall of Fame.

Richard Pryor, an American stand-up comedian and actor, has cemented his name among the famous comedians. Known for his relatable urban characters and eloquent emotional honesty, Pryor has given some outstanding works during the 1970s and 1980s.

Pryor relocated to New York City in 1963 and started performing as an opening act for artists such as Bob Dylan and Woody Allen. He debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965, winning over the studio audience by talking about life in New York. His successes in films such as Lady Sings the Blues (1972) and Silver Streak (1976) made him a box-office sensation.

Pryor was struggling with drug issues and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986. He made few appearances after the early 1990s. Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor “the Picasso of our profession” and Chris Rock as comedy’s Rosa Parks.

2: George Carlin

Date of Birth: May 12, 1937, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: June 22, 2008, California, U.S

Best Works:

• Jammin’ in New York
• Brain Droppings
• Napalm & Silly Putty
• It’s Bad for Ya

Accolades:

• 5 Grammy Awards
• 2 American Comedy Awards
• 2 Cable Ace Awards
• American Comedy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
• Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
• Ranked second on Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time” list

George Carlin, known for his dark humor and incisive political commentary, was an influential American comedian and a trailblazer in the world of stand-up. His insightful commentary on various topics not only entertained but also challenged societal norms, making him one of the most influential stand-up comedians of all time. His impact on the comedy world is something to be appreciated.

In the late 1950s, he started working as a radio disc jockey, known for his whimsical routines like “Wonderful Wino” and “Hippy Dippy Weatherman.” He released over 20 albums and appeared in 14 HBO television specials. He frequently played his comic persona— a brief appearance as the amiable narrator in children’s shows like Thomas and Friends and Shining Time Station.

3: Lenny Bruce

Date of Birth: October 13, 1925, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: August 3, 1966, California, U.S.

Best Works:

• Dream Follies
• Dance Hall Racket
• The Sick Humor of Lenny Bruce
• The Lenny Bruce Performance Film

Accolades:

• Ranked as the third greatest stand-up of all time on the list of the top 100 comedians by Comedy Central.
• Nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards

Lenny Bruce, an American stand-up comedian, social critic, and satirist, was known for his critical and open-wheeling style. He showcased his satirical approach during the 1950s and early 1960s. He was often hailed as the John the Baptist and the Jesus Christ of modern comedy.

He began his career after World War II and gained popularity after his appearance on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts in 1948. In 1959, he appeared on the Steve Allen Show, a popular variety show, where his controversial and boundary-pushing style earned him the title of “the most-shocking comedian of our time.” His 1961 performance at Carnegie Hall marked a significant turning point in his career.

The biographical drama Lenny with Bruce as the subject, directed by Bob Fosse and starring Dustin Hoffman, was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. The documentary film Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth, released in 1998, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

4: Louis C.K.

Date of Birth: September 12, 1967, Washington, D.C, U.S

Best Works:

• Live at the Beacon Theater
• Oh My God
• Hilarious
• Shameless
• Chewed Up
• Sincerely Louis CK

Accolades:

• 6 Primetime Emmy Awards
• 3 Grammy Awards
• 3 Peabody Awards
• 3 Critics Choice Award
• 1 Screen Actors Guild Award

Louis C.K., an American comedian, writer, director, and producer, is best known for his satirical stand-up comedy and the television show Louie. He worked as an auto mechanic after graduating from high school and directed his first comedic short film, Trash Day (1984), at the age of 17.

In 1993, he joined Conan O’Brien’s Late Night as a writing staff and focused on television shows with famous comedians like David Letterman and Chris Rock. His stage shows focussed on the darker side of human nature, gaining popularity among the audience.

In 2006, he co-wrote and starred in Lucky Louie, an HBO television series that evoked working-class sitcoms. He appeared at a New York City comedy club in 2018 and released the stand-up comedy film Sincerely Louis CK in 2020, which won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album.

5: Chris Rock

Date of Birth: February 7, 1965, South Carolina, U.S.

Best Works:

• Nurse Betty
• New Jack City
• Down to Earth
• Madagascar
• Grown Ups

Accolades:

• 3 Grammy Awards
• 4 Primetime Emmy Awards
• 3 Cable Ace Awards
• 1 American Comedy Award
• 1 AFI Award

Chris Rock, an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker, gained popularity in the 1980s for his stand-up routines. He began his career at the age of 19 and made his screen debut in Eddie Murphy’s 1977 film “Beverly Hills Cop II.”

Rock made his Broadway debut in 2011, released five comedy albums, and created music videos for a variety of artists. Furthermore, he was the chronicler and executive producer of the comedy series “Everybody Hates Chris” which depicted his traumatic school years.The series garnered numerous nominations, including Emmy Awards, People’s Choice Awards, and Golden Globes.

He appeared in Fargo, an FX crime anthology series in 2020, and Spiral, a horror film reboot of the Saw franchise in 2021. Notably, Netflix’s first live event was Rock’s 2023 stand-up special “Selective Outrage.”

6: Joan Rivers

Date of Birth: June 8, 1933, New York City, U.S.

Date of Death: September 4, 2014, New York City, U.S.

Best Works:

• Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?
• The Late Show with Joan Rivers
• The Swimmer
• Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
• Rabbit Test

Accolades:

• Daytime Emmy Award
• Grammy Award
• Alliance of Women Film Journalists
• Ranked Sixth on the 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time by Rolling Stone.

Joan Rivers, an American comedian, actress, producer, writer, and television host, is regarded as a pioneer when it comes to female comedians dominated by her self-deprecating and controversial persona.

In 1961, Rivers joined Second City in Chicago and began performing in nightclubs. However, it was her appearance as a guest on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show (1965) that truly catapulted her career. This breakthrough led to numerous guest appearances between 1983 and 1986, and she later expanded her talent to a TV talk show, The Joan Rivers Show, and became a host on E! Entertainment.

Rivers gained fame for her voiceover roles in movies like Spaceballs and Shrek 2 and for writing books like Enter Talking and Still Talking. She was the first woman to break through the male-hosted late-night television glass ceiling.

7: Jerry Seinfeld

Date of Birth: April 29, 1954, New York, U.S.

Best Works:

• Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
• Bee Movie
• Unfrosted
• Stand-Up Confidential
• I’m Telling You for the Last Time

Accolades:

• 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards
• 3 American Comedy Awards
• 3 Webby Awards
• 1 Primetime Emmy Award
• 1 Golden Globe Award

Jerry Seinfeld, an American stand-up comedian plus actor, created the iconic television show Seinfeld, known for its observational humor. It had a significant impact on late twentieth-century American popular culture.

Being on the road of all times, Seinfeld made his stand-up debut in 1976 and gained national attention with an appearance on The Tonight Show in 1981, making him one of the most famous comedians in the late 1980s.

Seinfeld’s career is not limited to stand-up and television. He has also ventured into other forms of entertainment. He appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Marriage Ref, and in 2012, he created and starred in Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, a web series where comedians share funny stories. He has also authored two books: SeinLanguage (1993), a humorous book, and Halloween (2002), a children’s book.

8: Bill Cosby

Date of Birth: July 12, 1937, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Best Works:

• Uptown Saturday Night
• Let’s Do It Again
• A Piece of the Action
• Mother, Jugs & Speed
• California Suite

Accolades:

• 8 Grammy Awards
• 5 Primetime Emmy Awards
• 2 Daytime Emmy Awards
• 2 Golden Globe Awards

Bill Cosby, an American comedian, actor, and producer, made a significant contribution to the positive portrayal of black people on television.

Cosby developed a comedic style characterized by a friendly stage presence and a relaxed delivery. During the 1960s, he toured major cities and charged high performance fees. In 1965, he first appeared on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show.

Cosby is the first Black actor to star in a leading role on network television, a feat that left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. He garnered three Emmy Awards for his portrayal of a Black secret agent in the espionage series I Spy. He also appeared in children’s shows and made several feature films with limited success and solidified his presence among famous comedians.

9: Dave Chappelle

Date of Birth: August 24, 1973, Washington, D.C, U.S.

Best Works:

• Killin’ Them Softly
• Chappelle’s Show
• For What It’s Worth
• Sticks And Stones
• Dave Chappelle: Equanimity

Accolades:

• 5 Grammy Awards
• 5 Primetime Emmy Awards
• 3 NAMIC Vision Awards
• Black Reel Award
• Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Dave Chappelle, an American comedian and actor, co-created and starred in the groundbreaking television sketch comedy series Chappelle’s Show. He started performing in nightclubs when he was 14, moved to New York City, and debuted in film in 1993 with “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.”

His contribution to the cultural landscape with his candid views on race and society is pivotal. He became a prominent figure in the early 21st century when his first one-hour special, Killin’ Them Softly, aired on HBO in 2000.

He made his Broadway debut with Live on Broadway in 2019. The same year, he received the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. In 2021, he returned to Netflix with The Closer, which earned him his fourth Grammy for Best Comedy Album.

10: Mort Sahl

Date of Birth: May 11, 1927, Quebec, Canada

Date of Death: October 26, 2021, California, U.S.

Best Works:

• Johnny Cool
• Don’t Make Waves
• Doctor, You’ve Got to Be Kidding!
• Mort Sahl: The Loyal Opposition
• Max Rose

Accolades:

• In 2003, Alan King Award for American Jewish Humor (by the National Foundation for Jewish Culture)
• Ranked #40 on Comedy Central’s list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time.
• At Sunset (Sahl’s recording) was placed on the National Recording Registry (by the Library of Congress).

Mort Sahl, a Canadian-born Jewish-American comedian, social satirist, and actor, was Crowned as leading the new breed of modern comedians by Time magazine in 1960 and became the first entertainer to appear on its cover.

In the 1950s, he began performing at the “Hungry I” music club in San Francisco. His social satire performances revolutionized live entertainment by discussing the real world of politics. His work inspired famous comedians, including Lenny Bruce, Jonathan Winters, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Lewis Black.

Mort Sahl was a pioneer in the world of comedy. He was one of the first satirical comedians to create and sell LP records, with his album ‘At Sunset’ hitting the shelves in 1955. His influence was so profound that Time magazine dubbed him ‘Will Rogers with fangs.’ He even extended his talent to screenwriting and acting in movies like Johnny Cool and Inside the Third Reich.