The Best Comedy Double Act

Yes, John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jaques were indeed married for a number of years, she was his second of three wives, and together they had two boys, Robin and Kim. One of the sons, Kim I think, became a rock star but dies from a drug overdose.

Once upon a time I’d have said Morecambe and Wise without hesitation. Their Christmas specials were just massive in their day. But now when I see them it somehow falls flat, and I feel almost like I’m being unfaithful in not finding it so funny. Still love Arthur Lowe & John Le Mesurier in Dad’s Army though, like when Sgt Wilson goes “I say, would you chaps mind awfully falling-in over there? Thank you so much. Awfully nice…” and Mainwaring takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes in despair. Incidentally, am I correct in thinking John Le Mesurier was married to Hattie Jacques? But for me the all-time enduring double act is Laurel & Hardy; seen it a million time, but I still smile when Stan starts crying and fiddling with his tie.

Wot about Harry Enfield & Pual Whitehouse??

True. After Adrian Edmonso & Rik Mayall, they were the best.

Tim McInnery

Cheers!!

Wot about Harry Enfield & Pual Whitehouse??

les denis and dustin gee pure class in thier prime.
but my all time favorite has to be pete and dud both comic genius and underrated.

…..whathsiface McHenry (Capt Darling)……..

Tim McInnery

Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, Stephen Fry, whathsiface McHenry (Capt Darling) and Hugh Laurie all for Blackadder.

I loved Morecombe & Wise

Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson

ps. don’t forget the Derek and Clive (the grubby alter egos of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore) … those characters were SO very funny.

Dave, I never heard of:
Abbott and Costello, Fry and Laurie, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis; Hale & Pace, Punt & Dennis, Richard Murdoch and Arthur Askey, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones.

I agree about Morecambe & Wise to an extent. They were mostly long-winded tales & jovial tales; the sort of thing one hears from one’s grandparents or parents.

Have you ever seen Bottom? The only one better than John Cleese & Manuel in Fawlty Towers.

Dave, I think you’ve got a point about the two Rons. Both were very decent comedy actors, esp Barker. Porridge was (and still is) a gem.

However, you have to realise that when M & W and the Two Ronnies were on TV, they could command an audience of up to 20 millions or more. Esp if it was a Christmas special. This was 3 channel Britain. Now with multi channel TV, if a prog in Britain gets 8 -10 Million, its doing well….

Which ones had you not heard of PilotDKH? mabe before your time?

Personally I have to say (and I was told off last time I said this here) but I find Morecambe and Wise rather unfunny to the point of tedium. Sure, Eric had some humour in him, but Ernie was dull as dishwater, and seeing them trot out the same tired old jokes every week I really cannot understand why the Brits revere them so much. I’ve found very few people who actually say they love them in this country.

The Two Ronnies were both hilarious, together and apart, and did their own musical numbers too to get the Variety budget, unlike most other artistes who relied on some second rate band to fill the slot.

Never heard of half the duos you mentioned.
Got to be the two Ronnies & Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmonson in Bottom. Bottom, a sadly overlooked & forgotten alltime classic. No-one did dirty jokes & mindless violence quite like them.

Wot about Tony Hancock and Sid James (before my time and not often repated).

Harry H. Corbett and Wilfred Bramble (Steptoe & Son, bloody funny)

The Goodies (ok, a threesome but had to mention)

Definitely Laurel and Hardy for me, just brilliant.

Hardy’s wailing is really hilarious!

Lowe and Le Mesurier – Dad’s Army 🙂

Blair and Bush 😉 Anna 😉

For me it’s got to be Morecambe and Wise – just thinking about Eric Morecambe looking at the camera in only the way he could makes me want to laugh! 😀

The Two Ronnies follow very closely – just loved the way they could use language, and like Duxfordhawk mentioned, they could use it without being offensive.

Appalling double acts – Cannon and Ball?!

Eric is another of those great writers and actors. A comedy genius

And,thankfully,still working.Last seen as the gardener in Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire 🙂

Good call Barry – Eric and Hattie did radio, TV, stage work and films togetehr and were consistently great. Eric is another of those great writers and actors. A comedy genius