Physical comedy

Comedy genre From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Physical comedy

Physical comedy is a form of comedy focused on manipulation of the body for a humorous effect. It can include slapstick, clowning, mime, physical stunts, or making funny faces.[1]

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An example of physical comedy as Charlie Chaplin wrestles with factory controls in his 1936 comedy Modern Times

Physical comedy originated as part of the Commedia dell'arte.[2] It is now sometimes incorporated into sitcoms; for example, in the sitcom Three's Company, actor John Ritter frequently performed pratfalls. Cartoons, particularly film shorts, also commonly depict an exaggerated form of physical comedy (incorporating cartoon physics), such as in Tom and Jerry and Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.[3]

Examples

Summarize
Perspective

Charlie Chaplin started his film career as a physical comedian; although he developed additional means of comic expression, Chaplin's mature works continued to contain elements of slapstick.

In the movies, physical comedy is used by, for example,

In television sitcoms, the use of physical comedy was seen in, for example,

See also

References

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