Favorite comedian in a dramatic role

[RainyDay]

I'm not sure what it is about the Baldwin family that you stateside guys don't like but I remember that bit on the South Park movie where their houses got bombed by the Canadians.

I don't have anything against the Baldwins, although Steven is my least favorite as an actor. I haven't seen the movie but the idea of them getting bombed by Canadians was enough to make me laugh out loud. Gotta love South Park.

[Aggie87]

Usual Suspects is a great movie (better if minus Baldwin) and Avalon has always been one of my favorites.

If you don't mind me asking, what is it about Stephen Baldwin you didn't like?

Was it his character in the movie or the guy as an actor? I'm not sure what it is about the Baldwin family that you stateside guys don't like but I remember that bit on the South Park movie where their houses got bombed by the Canadians. Not sure if this was intended as an irreverent aside though.

You noticed that Baldwin abuse by Stone/Parker? Check out what they do to Alec in Team America!!

Edited November 3, 2004 by Aggie87

[Quincy]

As it tends to filed as a dramady rather than as a pure comedy, I'll nominate Peter Sellers in Being There. It holds up very nicely too. Not a big step over to something very heavy, but a bit of a switch from the Pink Panther movies. Shucks I miss the guy.

[BruceH]

Richard Belzer in the TV series Homicide:  Life on the Street

"De-TEC-tive Munch!" Yeah.

How about Joe Flaherty in Freaks and Geeks. Yes, I know F&G is supposed to be a comedy, BUT I think Flaherty plays the father pretty straight. Check out the episode where Lindsey smashes up the family car... Flaherty is rock solid.

...I just remembered! Much as I hate to admit this, Robin Williams had a guest role in an early episode of Homicide, and he was good. He played a tourist whose wife gets shot.

Edited November 3, 2004 by BruceH

[DTMX]

...I just remembered!  Much as I hate to admit this, Robin Williams had a guest role in an early episode of Homicide, and he was good.  He played a tourist whose wife gets shot.

That was the episode "Bop Gun". And the line that made me a Homicide fan for life was when they told Robin Williams character that they wanted him to view a line-up and he said something like "Tell me who did it and I'll pick him out."

[BruceH]

...I just remembered!  Much as I hate to admit this, Robin Williams had a guest role in an early episode of Homicide, and he was good.  He played a tourist whose wife gets shot.

That was the episode "Bop Gun". And the line that made me a Homicide fan for life was when they told Robin Williams character that they wanted him to view a line-up and he said something like "Tell me who did it and I'll pick him out."

Do you watch The Wire? It's a lot like Homicide.

[Bright Moments]

As it tends to filed as a dramady rather than as a pure comedy, I'll nominate Peter Sellers in Being There. It holds up very nicely too. Not a big step over to something very heavy, but a bit of a switch from the Pink Panther movies. Shucks I miss the guy.

you beat me to the punch and expressed my sentiments exactly. B-)

[RainyDay]

...I just remembered!  Much as I hate to admit this, Robin Williams had a guest role in an early episode of Homicide, and he was good.  He played a tourist whose wife gets shot.

That was the episode "Bop Gun". And the line that made me a Homicide fan for life was when they told Robin Williams character that they wanted him to view a line-up and he said something like "Tell me who did it and I'll pick him out."

For more almsot 30 years, Route 66 was my favorite TV drama. Even in the reruns on Nick at Night in the 1980's, it held up very well. Then Homicide came along and it was love at first sight. I don't own a DVD player and the only reason I'm going to buy one is so that I can buy the DVD of the first two seasons of Homicide. I was so depressed when it was cancelled. It never really found a substantial audience. Can't get into the Wire at all.

[Rooster_Ties]

Steve Martin in David Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner.

Amen to that!!! One of the best things he's ever done.

And another one I just thought of. Bob Newhart was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series, for his work on a three or four show run on "ER", where he played a retired architect who suffered from Macular Degeneration.

Edited November 4, 2004 by Rooster_Ties

[BruceH]

Steve Martin in David Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner.

Amen to that!!! One of the best things he's ever done.

Yes indeed! I second that.

And Bob Newhart was very good on ER. I thought I heard he was on 5 episodes...anyway, I only saw three, but he was good!

[Shrdlu]

Jerry Lewis in King of Comedy, that's another good one.

Yep!

Not a movie, but did you see him on Wiseguy TV show years ago???

He was outstanding on that series of Wiseguy. I have it on tape.

:smug:

[Jazzmoose]

Some people have suggested the movie plays a lot better on the big screen (where I saw it) than on tv. Any comments? I've yet to watch it all again on DVD.

I sure hope so; I thought it stunk. Couldn't finish the thing. (Lost in Translation, for those who don't want to scroll back...)

[BruceH]

Some people have suggested the movie plays a lot better on the big screen (where I saw it) than on tv.  Any comments?  I've yet to watch it all again on DVD.

I sure hope so; I thought it stunk. Couldn't finish the thing. (Lost in Translation, for those who don't want to scroll back...)

Really? I liked it, though I have to admit that Lost In Translation was overpraised at the time. That was probably the result of there being a drought of decent films then, even by modern standards.