Good stand-ups to good actors

[Stinky Lomax]

Are there many people who are (or who have been) stand-ups and actors, and are genuinely good at both (as in, not just 'a good stand-up for an actor' or vice versa)?
And within that group: Are there any who don't just play themselves or their stand-up persona when acting? Are there any examples who went from actor to stand-up?

Eddie Murphy is probably the strongest example I can think of. His stand-up was problematic as hell, but he was very good and successful at it, and he's also a good actor who doesn't just play Eddie Murphy over and over (though he does that a lot, he's also convincing as Prince Akeem or Sherman Klump etc).

[extraordinary walnuts]

I watched an episode of Law & Order: SVU with Robin Williams in it last night. He was good! I like him a lot as an actor in things like World According To Garp or One Hour Photo, not so much the moist-eyed Patch Adams type shit

[Tiggles]

Victoria Wood. Absolutely tons to refer to, but I thought she was particularly excellent as Eric's mum in Eric and Ernie.

[Brundle-Fly]

Dave Johns from I,Daniel Blake (2016)

[chip]

Nick Mullen came across as fairly capable and natural in that film Jungleland.

[Twilkes]

Have seen Aisling Bea in a couple of things and she does pretty well, particularly as a nurse in that Jamie Dornan/Gillian Anderson thing, think she trained as an actor before doing standup though which may be cheating.

Does Steve Coogan count?

Lolly Adefope? Again was possibly an actor before a standup.

[dead-ced-dead]

I'd agree with Williams when he does darker material. I was thinking about World's Greatest Dad the other day and he's VERY good in that.

Loved Murphy recently in Dolemite is My Name.

[dead-ced-dead]

Have seen Aisling Bea in a couple of things and she does pretty well, particularly as a nurse in that Jamie Dornan/Gillian Anderson thing, think she trained as an actor before doing standup though which may be cheating.

Does Steve Coogan count?

Lolly Adefope? Again was possibly an actor before a standup.

I have wondered how many comedians out there are trained actors. It being a tough gig to break into, trying out stand-up must be a good way to perform for audiences while waiting to hear back from that audition or whatever. Sometimes while they're waiting for their big acting break to come, the big stand-up break comes first and they can then use that to get into acting.

[Brundle-Fly]

I have wondered how many comedians out there are trained actors. It being a tough gig to break into, trying out stand-up must be a good way to perform for audiences while waiting to hear back from that audition or whatever. Sometimes while they're waiting for their big acting break to come, the big stand-up break comes first and they can then use that to get into acting.

Suzy Izzard wanted to be an actor before being a comedian. For her, street performing/ stand up was the path of least resistance before she achieved her goal.

It's very hard for performers starting out to marry a stage acting and stand up comedy career. It takes real tenacity to book yourself spots in comedy clubs over the year. Then, after all that grovelling, you land a six month job in rep in Bristol and have to ring each and every grumpy promotor again to cancel all those precious gigs.

[Twilkes]

I have wondered how many comedians out there are trained actors. It being a tough gig to break into, trying out stand-up must be a good way to perform for audiences while waiting to hear back from that audition or whatever. Sometimes while they're waiting for their big acting break to come, the big stand-up break comes first and they can then use that to get into acting.

Coogan actually fits that bill too, serious drama school, started doing impressions on variety bills around Manchester then was voicing on Spitting Image within 18 months. Probably didn't come back to serious acting until the movies some years later.

Greg Davies is a great actor although possibly limited in range to 'plus/minus Greg Davies'.

[The Culture Bunker]

I've only seen a few bits of Albert Brooks' stand up, but I gather he's very highly regarded in the States - and he won a nomination of Best Supporting Actor (for 'Broadcast News') and he's been great in other stuff too. Very menacing in 'Drive', for instance.

[mrapollo]

Adam Sandler is ridiculously good when he wants to be. Uncut Gems is outstanding as is Punch Drunk Love. Word is he's great in Spaceman too.

[Gurke and Hare]

Greg Davies is a great actor although possibly limited in range to 'plus/minus Greg Davies'.

Of all the comedians who essentially just play themselves in stuff, he's the best.

[There Be Rumblings]

Don Rickles put in a great turn in Casino, playing it straight as Billy Sherbert, the floor manager to De Niro's Ace Rothstein at the Tangiers.

[frajer]

Of all the comedians who essentially just play themselves in stuff, he's the best.

Yeah, he's a tremendous addition to scripted comedies and always delivers top 'Davies' with relish.

He popped up recently in that tepid Dick Turpin show and was great. Made me miss Man Down over all over again.

[Twilkes]

I've never seen a full episode of The Cleaner but I was a bit disappointed in the slightly tepid character he plays in that. I think maybe I was also disappointed that he wasn't a crime scene cleaner like in Pulp Fiction.

[frajer]

I've never seen a full episode of The Cleaner but I was a bit disappointed in the slightly tepid character he plays in that. I think maybe I was also disappointed that he wasn't a crime scene cleaner like in Pulp Fiction.

Yeah I'm with you there, I watched both series and liked it but didn't love it. As you say Davies felt a bit restrained (deliberately so, as the character was more straight-laced) but I think it might be partly my own high expectations as I really missed the lunacy of Man Down.

I keep meaning to give it a rewatch and see if I like it more now I know what tone to expect.

[dissolute ocelot]

Steve Martin is very good in a lot of comedy-drama roles and has been nominated for acting Emmys, Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and won acting awards from the NY and LA Critics Circles (for All of Me and Roxanne).

Billy Connolly did some good acting work, playing Glaswegian hard-men in the likes of The Debt Collector, although he also did some very hammy performances. (He's ok in the X Files: I Want To Believe movie I seem to recall).

Somebody mentioned Dave Johns in I, Daniel Blake, but Ken Loach has made a thing of casting stand-up comedians, with Crissy Rock in Ladybird, Ladybird and John Bishop not terrible in Route Irish.

Jim Carrey started off as a stand-up and impressionist although not sure what his act was like. (A lot of American comic actors started in improv, but I'm assuming that doesn't count here.)

Then there are people like George Carlin who just stands around being cool even when he's acting.

[Better Midlands]

Ray Romano was good in Vinyl and Get Shorty.

[frajer]

Ray Romano was good in Vinyl and Get Shorty.

Great shout. Good in The Irishman too. If you'd told me Ray Barone was going to go on to provide a decent supporting turn in a Scorsese movie, I'd have dropped my blimming monocle.

[The Bumlord]

Adam Sandler is ridiculously good when he wants to be. Uncut Gems is outstanding as is Punch Drunk Love. Word is he's great in Spaceman too.

Yep, as long as he's not churning out one of his own shitty moneymakers he's really good.

There was a thread on here about his Netflix special being surprisingly good and him coming across well. I've not seen it so there's a chance that thread was ironic or a trick.

[notjosh]

Coogan actually fits that bill too, serious drama school, started doing impressions on variety bills around Manchester then was voicing on Spitting Image within 18 months. Probably didn't come back to serious acting until the movies some years later.

He talks in this interview about using the voices as a route into acting:

[notjosh]

Jim Carrey started off as a stand-up and impressionist although not sure what his act was like.

He's excellent:

[Armin Meiwes]

Yep, as long as he's not churning out one of his own shitty moneymakers he's really good.

There was a thread on here about his Netflix special being surprisingly good and him coming across well. I've not seen it so there's a chance that thread was ironic or a trick.

No it really was pretty enjoyable, it might be because my expectations were very low (had never seen any of his stand-up before) but I thought it was good.

[Armin Meiwes]

Probably the ultimate stand-up turned actor of course would be Todd Barry. Who can forget his landmark role as Mickey Rourkes loveable boss on The Wrestler.

[Aye Well Mmm]

Somebody mentioned Dave Johns in I, Daniel Blake, but Ken Loach has made a thing of casting stand-up comedians, with Crissy Rock in Ladybird, Ladybird and John Bishop not terrible in Route Irish.

Yup, Loach has a long tradition of casting from the northern club circuit right from the early days. Most of the casts in his films are stand ups or singers. Duggie Brown and Bobby Knutt are two good examples of club comics who went on to have very good acting careers after appearing in Loach movies. Likewise Lynne Perrie (Duggie's sister) was a club singer before Kes. After that came Leeds United, Queenie's Castle and Ivy in Corrie. Most remarkable of all, the guy who plays the loan shark in Raining Stones and is so terrifying he'd make Michael Myers shit his pants, was a regular stand up on the north of England and Benidorm club circuits.

Speaking of Benidorm, Johnny Vegas is a good comic actor, especially in Ideal

[Sebastian Cobb]

Bernie Mac.

[Matthew Dawkins Jub Jub]

I thought Kevin Nealon was very good in Weeds.

[madhair60]

There was a thread on here about his Netflix special being surprisingly good and him coming across well. I've not seen it so there's a chance that thread was ironic or a trick.

nah it was hilarious, I love it. So much silliness.

[Cold Meat Platter]

Is Bill Burr any good in Breaking Bad? Not that far into it yet.