Unletterboxd

The Comic

19695.9 / 1095 min

Comedy, Drama

Overview

A funny new motion picture that tells Hollywood like it was!

An account of the rise and fall of a silent film comic, Billy Bright. The movie begins with his funeral, as he speaks from beyond the grave in a bitter tone about his fate, and takes us through his fame, as he ruins it with womanizing and drink, and his fall, as a lonely, bitter old man unable to reconcile his life's disappointments. The movie is based loosely on the life of Buster Keaton.

Cast

Dick Van Dyke

Billy Bright

Michele Lee

Mary Gibson

Mickey Rooney

Cockeye

Cornel Wilde

Frank Powers

Nina Wayne

Sybil Atlas

Pert Kelton

Mama Bell

Steve Allen

Barbara Heller

Ginger

Ed Peck

Edwin G. Englehardt

Jeannine Riley

Lorraine Bell

Gavin MacLeod

1st Director

Jay Novello

Miguel

Craig Huebing

Doctor

Paulene Myers

Phoebe

Fritz Feld

Armand

Jerome Cowan

Lawrence

Isabel Sanford

Woman

Jeff Donnell

Nurse

Carl Reiner

Al Schilling

Howard Dayton

Ketchup Man

Maurice Dallimore

Lord Faversham

Mantan Moreland

Passerby at Billy's Funeral (unbilled)

Frank Adamo

Minor Role (uncredited)

Lillian Adams

Old Lady (uncredited)

Priscilla Ann

Consuela (uncredited)

Robert Ball

Mike Fields (uncredited)

Rex Benson

Minor Role (uncredited)

Mel Berger

Fatso / Dental Patient (uncredited)

Jack Berle

Minor Role (uncredited)

Frank Biro

Fred - Director (uncredited)

Nick Borgani

Premiere Guest (uncredited)

William Boyce

Minor Role (uncredited)

Paul Bradley

Funeral Guest (uncredited)

Peter Brocco

Minister (uncredited)

Linda Burton

Minor Role (uncredited)

Patrick Campbell

Funeral Director (uncredited)

Calvin Coolidge

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Suzanne Covington

Minor Role (uncredited)

Billy Curtis

Lifeguard in Film (uncredited)

Luis Delgado

Minor Role (uncredited)

Peter Eastman

Screening Room Executive (uncredited)

Joyce Easton

French Maid (uncredited)

Geoff Edwards

Late Night Movie Host (uncredited)

Lynn Fields

Mailbox Gag (uncredited)

Harry Fleer

Cop (uncredited)

Paul Frees

Newsreel Narrator / Commerical Announcer / Man in Restaurant (voice)

Leonard Frey

Talk Show Guest (uncredited)

Sig Frohlich

Minor Role (uncredited)

Ben Frommer

Mexican Barfly (uncredited)

Dee Gardner

Minor Role (uncredited)

Eddie Garrett

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Bobby Gilbert

Minor Role (uncredited)

The Great John L.

Burly Man (uncredited)

Clive Halliday

Butler (uncredited)

Alvin Hammer

Cameraman (uncredited)

Carter Harbaugh

Tommy (uncredited)

Andre Hemmers

Minor Role (uncredited)

Brick Huston

Still Photographer (uncredited)

Scott James

Billy Jr. (uncredited)

Stardedt Kaava

Minor Role (uncredited)

Lou Kane

Storekeeper (uncredited)

Suzie Kaye

Amanda Lou Phipps (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

Theatre Doorman (uncredited)

Walter Kightly

Minor Role (uncredited)

Joseph La Cava

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Ethelreda Leopold

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Marilyn Malloy

Nurse (uncredited)

Alan Marston

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Frank Mathias

Hearse Driver (uncredited)

Kres Mersky

Bathing Beauty (uncredited)

Celeste Michaels

Girl in Miniskirt (uncredited)

Howard Morris

Pedestrian Gag Man in 'Love Honor and Oh Boy' (uncredited)

Ottola Nesmith

Housekeeper (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

Funeral Guest (uncredited)

Angel Pine

Minor Role (uncredited)

Murray Pollack

Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Ward Ramsey

Officer (uncredited)

Bob Rhodes

Cameraman (uncredited)

Christopher Ross

Musician (uncredited)

Mark Russell

Minor Role (uncredited)

Paul Russell

Funeral Guest (uncredited)

Cosmo Sardo

Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)

Joe Sawyers

Driver (uncredited)

Jeffrey Sayre

Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)

Johnny Silver

Little Man (uncredited)

Ralph Smiley

Hot Dog Man (uncredited)

Irene Tedrow

Billy's Mother in 'Forget Me Not' (uncredited)

Viki Vigen

Little Girl (uncredited)

Johnny Weissmüller

Jungle Jim (archive footage) (uncredited)

Jean Willes

Denise in Film Clip (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dick Winslow

Organist (uncredited)

Bill Zuckert

Prison Warden in Film (uncredited)

Crew

Carl Reiner

Director

Carl Reiner

Screenplay

Carl Reiner

Producer

Jack Elliott

Original Music Composer

W. Wallace Kelley

Director of Photography

Adrienne Fazan

Editor

Walter M. Simonds

Production Design

Morris Hoffman

Set Decoration

Guy C. Verhille

Costume Design