Audiences love a good laugh, and the directors of popular classic comedy movies are skilled at seeing the humor in sometimes even the most dire life situations.
Here are eight directors who are good at the guffaw:
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Mel Brooks
Brooks has been producing classic comedies since his directorial debut, “The Producers.” He’s directed 12 films over his career including “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” “History of the World: Part One,” “Spaceballs,” and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.” The classic comedy director has been nominated for three Academy Awards and won once for writing “The Producers.”
Charlie Chaplin
A comedy pioneer, Chaplin wrote and performed in more than 80 short and feature films until his death in 1977. He directed classics like “The Great Dictator,” “City Lights,” “Modern Times,” “The Circus,” and “The Gold Rush.” A man of many talents,
CNN said of him, “He was a one man show – not only was he the director, he was the writer, he was the producer. When music came in, he was a composer too.”
Billy Wilder
Wilder was a writer and classic comedy director whose work included side-splitting masterpieces such as “The Apartment,” “The Seven Year Itch,” “The Fortune Cookie,” and “Some Like it Hot,” which many critics consider one of the greatest comedies of all time.
The Guardian called it “the perfect American comedy.”
Woody Allen
Allen, a true comedic genius, directed classics like “Annie Hall,” “Take the Money and Run,” “Small Time Crooks,” “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” “Bananas,” and countless more.
Mubi.com surmised his lengthy career, “Woody Allen is one of the best directors of comedy ever.”
Ivan Reitman
Reitman’s hits include “Meatballs,” “Stripes,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Ghostbusters 2.” The classic comedy director and his work, specifically “Ghostbusters,” are still held in high regard today with a cult following.
Unscenecomedy.com argues, “Ghostbusters is the Greatest Movie Ever Made, Ever. Seriously.”
Harold Ramis
With “Caddyshack,” Ramis began his career with one of the greatest comedies of all time. He directed several more classics, including “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Analyze This.” Of course, he was also an accomplished writer, penning the screenplays for hits like “Ghostbusters,” “Back to School,” “Stripes,” and “Animal House.”
John Landis
Landis defined the quintessential college experience with “Animal House.” He cemented his status as one of the classic comedy directors with hits like “The Kentucky Fried Movie,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Trading Places,” “An American Werewolf in London,” “Three Amigos,” and “Coming to America.”
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Judd Apatow
Apatow is a modern-day master who has directed and produced over 50 titles, including “The 40 Year-Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up,” “Superbad,” “Funny People,” “Bridesmaids,” and “This is 40.”
“Writer-director Judd Apatow has been establishing himself lately as king of the dirty-minded-but-sweet relationship comedy,” NPR said.
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