Sometimes stand-up comics are the best characters to lead films.
While many comedians have stand-up specials, a number of comics have taken inspiration from their stand-up pasts and have portrayed big-screen characters pursuing a career telling jokes. For instance, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Jenny Slate are among those that have played fictional comedians in movies.
From the 1983 movie The King of Comedy to the 2019 biographical film Dolemite Is My Name, there are a number of pics that tell the stories of characters that work in the stand-up comedy industry.
While some of the films are specifically about a character's career as a stand-up comic, such as 1992's Mr. Saturday Night and 2009's Funny People, others pay more subtle tribute to the world of stand-up and simply feature characters who take the stage to tell jokes.
In addition to the many movies that feature stand-up comedian characters, TV shows like Seinfeld, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Crashing and Lady Dynamite explore the world of stand-up comedy through the experiences of the main characters.
To mark Dolemite Is My Name's Netflix debut on Oct. 25, The Hollywood Reporter has compiled a list of memorable movies about stand-up comics.
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