Comedians (sometimes comediennes) or comics are people who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy. Comedians who address an audience directly are called a stand-up comics.

List of notable comedians

• Woody Allen, American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright
• Lucille Ball, best known for the I Love Lucy television show
• Matt Besser, American actor and comedian; best-known as one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade
• Mel Brooks, American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer
• Charlie Chaplin, English comic actor, film director and composer
• Billy Crystal, American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director
• Andy Kaufman, American actor and comedian; best-known for his role as Latka Gravas on Taxi
• Don Knotts, American comedic actor; best-known for his role as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show
• Steve Martin, American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer
• Harpo Marx, American comedian and film star; second-born Marx Brothers
• Groucho Marx, American comedian and film star; third-born Marx Brothers
• Gummo Marx, American actor and theatrical agent; forth-born Marx Brothers
• Jackie Mason, American stand-up comedian
• Bette Midler, American singer, actress, and comedian
• Jerry Seinfeld, American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer; best-known for his role on Seinfeld

Also see

• Saturday Night Live
• American television actors
• American film actors