Classic Comedy Movies Box Office Hits: 10 Films That Made the Most Money

Americans sure love to laugh. Need proof? Check out the list of the top-grossing movies in America of all-time and you’ll see 10 comedy films in the top 96, according to Box Office Mojo. While two of the “The Hangover” movies are in the top 10, there is no one specific style of comedy that dominates the list.

The following are the 10 classic comedy films from the list that made the highest gross domestic profits:

1. “Forrest Gump”: $330,252,182

This 1994 all-time classic qualifies as a comedy and a drama. The film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Hanks), according to IMDB.

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2. “Home Alone”: $285,761,243

This family comedy is ranked 63rd out of 96. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie received an average rating of 5.1 out of 10 from critics, but a 3.3 out of five from the audience. A young Macaulay Culkin was the lead actor in the 1990 film.

3. “Meet the Fockers”: $279,261,160

The 2004 sequel to “Meet the Parents” raked in much more money than the first installment of the series. According to Roger Ebert, it didn’t quite live up to “Meet the Parents,” however. He said, “The movie is pleasant enough, but never quite reaches critical mass as a comedy… Yet even if you loved ‘Meet the Parents,’ you will only sorta kinda like ‘Meet the Fockers.’” It is ranked 66th on the list.

4. “The Hangover”: $277,322,503

This 2009 film, which is about a wild bachelor party weekend in Las Vegas, ranks 67th. According to IMDB, it won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

5. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”: $260,044,825

Ron Howard directed this family comedy that came out in 2000, and ranked 74th on the list. Jim Carrey lent star appeal and Anthony Hopkins was the narrator for this Christmas classic.

6. “The Hangover Part II”: $254,464,305

This 2011 film is ranked 83rd on the list, riding the coattails of the first “Hangover” movie. This one, unlike the original, takes place in Thailand. Also unlike the original, this one didn’t receive any acclaim at the Academy Awards.

7. “Men in Black”: $250,690,539

A 1997 sci-fi comedy, “Men in Black” featured Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as the lead actors. Critics loved it, giving it an average rating of 7.5 out of 10. Audiences were less enthusiastic, and gave it a 3.5 out of five. It ranks 87th on the list.

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8. “Bruce Almighty”: $242,829,261

The second Jim Carrey movie on this list, this 2003 family comedy features Carrey gaining the powers of God, according to Metacritic. Ranked 93rd on the list, users on Metacritic gave the film a 7.3 out of 10.

9. “Ghostbusters”: $242,212,467

The 94th spot on the list belongs to “Ghostbusters,” which came out in 1984, and is still popular today. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Rick Moranis, and Sigourney Weaver starred in the movie.

10. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”: $241,438,208

This romantic comedy, which was produced by Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, came out in 2002. According to Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences alike enjoyed the movie. It ranks 96th on the list.

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