Writers Choose 101 Funniest Screenplays
Annie Hall Tops List – Followed by Some Like It Hot, Groundhog Day, Airplane!, and Tootsie
New York and Los Angeles (November 11, 2015) –The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) tonight released the list of the 101 Funniest Screenplays. From the classics – The Gold Rush (#94, Written by Charles Chaplin) – to the contemporary – Bridesmaids (#16, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig) the list spans 86 years of outstanding comedy screenwriting.
| Rank | Film | Screenwriting Credits | Release Date | Studio |
| 1 | Annie Hall | Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman | 1977 | UA |
| 2 | Some Like It Hot | Screenplay by Billy Wilder & I.A. L. Diamond, Based on the German film Fanfare of Love by Robert Thoeren and M. Logan | 1959 | UA |
| 3 | Groundhog Day | Screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, Story by Danny Rubin | 1993 | Columbia |
| 4 | Airplane! | Written by James Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker | 1980 | Paramount |
| 5 | Tootsie | Screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, Story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart | 1982 | Columbia |
| 6 | Young Frankenstein | Screenplay by Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, Screen Story by Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, Based on Characters in the Novel Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley | 1974 | 20th Century Fox |
| 7 | Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb | Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick and Peter George and Terry Southern | 1964 | Columbia |
| 8 | Blazing Saddles | Screenplay by Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Alan Uger, Story by Andrew Bergman | 1974 | Warner Bros. |
| 9 | Monty Python and the Holy Grail | Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin | 1975 | Cinema 5 |
| 10 | National Lampoon’s Animal House | Written by Harold Ramis & Douglas Kenney & Chris Miller | 1978 | Universal |
| 11 | This Is Spinal Tap | Written by Christopher Guest & Michael McKean & Rob Reiner & Harry Shearer | 1984 | Embassy |
| 12 | The Producers | Written by Mel Brooks | 1967 | AVCO Embassy |
| 13 | The Big Lebowski | Written by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen | 1998 | Gramercy |
| 14 | Ghostbusters | Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis | 1984 | Columbia |
| 15 | When Harry Met Sally… | Written by Nora Ephron | 1989 | Columbia |
| 16 | Bridesmaids | Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig | 2011 | Universal |
| 17 | Duck Soup | Story by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, Additional Dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin | 1933 | Paramount |
| 18 | There’s Something About Mary | Screenplay by John J. Strauss & Ed Decter and Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly, Story by Ed Decter & John J. Strauss | 1998 | 20th Century Fox |
| 19 | The Jerk | Screenplay by Steve Martin, Carl Gottlieb, Michael Elias, Story by Steve Martin & Carl Gottlieb | 1979 | Universal |
| 20 | A Fish Called Wanda | Screenplay by John Cleese, Story by John Cleese & Charles Crichton | 1988 | MGM |
| 21 | His Girl Friday | Screenplay by Charles Lederer, Based on the Play “The Front Page” by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur | 1940 | Columbia |
| 22 | The Princess Bride | Screenplay by William Goldman, Based on Goldman’s Novel of the Same Name | 1987 | 20th Century Fox |
| 23 | Raising Arizona | Written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen | 1987 | 20th Century Fox |
| 24 | Bringing Up Baby | Screenplay by Hagar Wilde and Dudley Nichols, Story by Hagar Wilde | 1938 | RKO |
| 25 | Caddyshack | Written by Brian Doyle-Murray & Harold Ramis & Douglas Kenney | 1980 | Orion |
| 26 | Monty Python’s Life Of Brian | Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin | 1979 | Orion |
| 27 | The Graduate | Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, Based on the Novel by Charles Webb | 1967 | Embassy |
| 28 | The Apartment | Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond | 1960 | UA |
| 29 | Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan | Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan Mazer, Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips, Based on a Character Created by Sacha Baron Cohen | 2006 | 20th Century Fox |
| 30 | The Hangover | Written by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore | 2009 | Warner Bros. |
| 31 | The 40-Year-Old Virgin | Written by Judd Apatow & Steve Carell | 2005 | Universal |
| 32 | The Lady Eve | Screenplay by Preston Sturges, Story by Monckton Hoffe | 1941 | Paramount |
| 33 | Ferris Bueller’s Day Off *TIE | Written by John Hughes | 1986 | Paramount |
| ### | Trading Places *TIE | Written by Timothy Harris & Herschel Weingrod | 1983 | Paramount |
| 35 | Sullivan’s Travels | Written by Preston Sturges | 1941 | Paramount |
| 36 | Planes, Trains and Automobiles | Written by John Hughes | 1987 | Paramount |
| 37 | The Philadelphia Story | Screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart, Based on the Play by Philip Barry | 1940 | MGM |
| 38 | A Night at the Opera | Screen Play by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, From a Story by James Kevin McGuinness | 1935 | MGM |
| 39 | Rushmore | Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson | 1998 | Touchstone/BV |
| 40 | Waiting for Guffman | Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy | 1996 | Sony Pics Classics |
| 41 | The Odd Couple | Screenplay by Neil Simon, From the Play by Neil Simon as Produced on the Stage by Saint-Subber | 1968 | Paramount |
| 42 | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | Written by Jerry Zucker & Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Pat Proft, Based on the Television Series Police Squad! Created by Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker | 1988 | Paramount |
| 43 | Office Space | Written for the Screen by Mike Judge, Based on the “Milton” Animated Shorts by Mike Judge | 1999 | 20th Century Fox |
| 44 | Big | Written by Anne Spielberg & Gary Ross | 1988 | 20th Century Fox |
| 45 | National Lampoon’s Vacation | Screenplay by John Hughes | 1983 | Warner Bros. |
| 46 | Midnight Run | Written by George Gallo | 1988 | Universal |
| 47 | It Happened One Night | Screenplay by Robert Riskin, Based on the Short Story by Samuel Hopkins Adams | 1934 | Columbia |
| 48 | M*A*S*H | Screenplay by Ring Lardner, Jr., From the Novel by Richard Hooker | 1970 | 20th Century Fox |
| 49 | Harold and Maude | Written by Colin Higgins | 1971 | Paramount |
| 50 | Shaun of the Dead | Written by Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright | 2004 | Focus (Universal) |
| 51 | Broadcast News | Written by James L. Brooks | 1987 | 20th Century Fox |
| 52 | Arthur | Written by Steven Gordon | 1981 | Orion |
| 53 | Four Weddings and a Funeral | Written by Richard Curtis | 1994 | Gramercy |
| 54 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy *TIE | Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay | 2004 | Dreamworks |
| ### | Dumb and Dumber *TIE | Written by Peter Farrelly & Bennett Yellin & Bob Farrelly | 1994 | New Line |
| 56 | Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | Written by Mike Myers | 1997 | New Line |
| 57 | The General | Written by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, Adapted by Al Boasberg and Charles Smith | 1926 | United Artists |
| 58 | What’s Up, Doc? | Screenplay by Buck Henry and David Newman & Robert Benton, Story by Peter Bogdanovich | 1972 | Warner Bros. |
| 59 | Wedding Crashers | Written by Steve Faber & Bob Fisher | 2005 | New Line |
| 60 | Sleeper | Written by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman | 1973 | United Artists |
| 61 | Galaxy Quest | Screenplay by David Howard and Robert Gordon, Story by David Howard | 1999 | Dreamworks |
| 62 | It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World | Screenplay by William and Tania Rose, Story by William and Tania Rose | 1963 | United Artists |
| 63 | Best in Show | Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy | 2000 | Warner Bros. |
| 64 | Little Miss Sunshine | Written by Michael D. Arndt | 2006 | Fox Searchlight |
| 65 | South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut | Written by Trey Parker & Matt Stone & Pam Brady | 1999 | Paramount |
| 66 | Being There | Screenplay by Jerzy Kosinski, Inspired by the Novel by Jerzy Kosinski | 1979 | United Artists |
| 67 | Back to the Future | Written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale | 1985 | Universal |
| 68 | Superbad | Written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg | 2007 | Columbia |
| 69 | Bananas | Written by Woody Allen, Mickey Rose | 1971 | United Artists |
| 70 | Moonstruck | Written by John Patrick Shanley | 1987 | MGM |
| 71 | Clueless | Written by Amy Heckerling | 1995 | Paramount |
| 72 | The Palm Beach Story | Written by Preston Sturges | 1942 | Paramount |
| 73 | The Pink Panther | Written by Maurice Richlin & Blake Edwards | 1963 | United Artists |
| 74 | The Blues Brothers | Written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis | 1980 | Universal |
| 75 | Coming to America | Screenplay by David Sheffield & Barry W. Blaustein, Story by Eddie Murphy | 1988 | Paramount |
| 76 | Take the Money and Run | Screenplay by Woody Allen and Mickey Rose, Story by Jackson Beck | 1969 | Cinerama |
| 77 | Election | Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Based on the Novel by Tom Perrotta | 1999 | Paramount |
| 78 | Love and Death | Written by Woody Allen | 1975 | United Artists |
| 79 | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels *TIE | Written by Dale Launer and Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning | 1988 | Orion |
| ### | Lost in America *TIE | Written by Albert Brooks & Monica Johnson | 1985 | Warner Bros. |
| 81 | Manhattan | Written by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman | 1979 | United Artists |
| 82 | Modern Times | Written by Charles Chaplin | 1936 | United Artists |
| 83 | My Cousin Vinny | Written by Dale Launer | 1992 | 20th Century Fox |
| 84 | Mean Girls | Screenplay by Tina Fey, Based on the Book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman | 2004 | Paramount |
| 85 | Meet the Parents | Screenplay by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg, Story by Greg Glienna & Mary Ruth Clarke | 2000 | Universal |
| 86 | Fargo | Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen | 1996 | Gramercy |
| 87 | My Favorite Year | Screenplay by Dennis Palumbo and Norman Steinberg, Story by Dennis Palumbo | 1982 | MGM |
| 88 | Stripes | Written by Len Blum & Dan Goldberg and Harold Ramis | 1981 | Columbia |
| 89 | Beverly Hills Cop | Screenplay by Daniel Petrie, Jr., Story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie, Jr. | 1984 | Paramount |
| 90 | City Lights | Written by Charles Chaplin | 1931 | United Artists |
| 91 | Sideways | Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Based on the Novel by Rex Pickett | 2004 | Fox Searchlight |
| 92 | Broadway Danny Rose | Written by Woody Allen | 1984 | Orion |
| 93 | Swingers | Written by Jon Favreau | 1996 | Miramax |
| 94 | The Gold Rush | Written by Charles Chaplin | 1925 | United Artists |
| 95 | The Miracle Of Morgan’s Creek | Written by Preston Sturges | 1944 | Paramount |
| 96 | All About Eve | Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Based on the Short Story and Radio Program “The Wisdom of Eve” by Mary Orr | 1950 | 20th Century Fox |
| 97 | Arsenic and Old Lace | Screenplay by Julius Epstein & Philip G. Epstein, Based on the Play by Joseph Kesselring | 1944 | Warner Bros. |
| 98 | The Royal Tenenbaums | Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson | 2001 | Touchstone/BV |
| 99 | Mrs. Doubtfire | Screenplay by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, Based on Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine | 1993 | 20th Century Fox |
| 100 | Flirting with Disaster | Written by David O. Russell | 1996 | Miramax |
| 101 | Shakespeare in Love | Written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard | 1998 | Miramax |
Voted on by members of both Guilds, films were eligible if they were exhibited theatrically; live-action, animation, silent, and documentary features were all eligible; and films must have been written in English. Short films (under 60 minutes in length), films that initially premiered on television, and films that do not feature on-screen writing credits were not eligible for consideration.
To read more please visit: http://www.wga.org/101Funniest.html and https://www.wgaeast.org/101funniestscreenplays.
Events honoring the screenwriters took place in Los Angeles and New York. The WGAW, in sponsorship with ArcLight Hollywood, held its celebration at one of Hollywood’s landmarks, the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard. Writer-director-actor-producer Rob Reiner hosted the evening’s program, which included screenings of film clips and panel discussions on topics ranging from “Classic Comedy” and “Satire/Spoof” to “Buddy Movies & Rom-Coms” and “High Concept.” A panel titled “Not on the List” paid tribute to diverse comedy screenwriters and their notable works.
Panelists included Peter Bogdanovich (What’s Up, Doc?), Kay Cannon (Pitch Perfect), Jon Favreau (Swingers), Peter & Bobby Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber), Randi Mayem Singer (Mrs. Doubtfire), Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election), the “ZAZ” comedy team of Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker (Airplane!, The Naked Gun), Buck Henry (The Graduate, What’s Up, Doc?), Karen McCullah & Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith (Legally Blonde), Dale Launer (My Cousin Vinny, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Marc Norman (Shakespeare in Love), Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein), George Gallo (Midnight Run), Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle), Patricia Resnick (9 to 5), Carl Gottlieb and Michael Elias (The Jerk), Daniel Petrie, Jr. (Beverly Hills Cop), Bennett Yellin (Dumb & Dumber), Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex), and Josh Goldsmith & Cathy Yuspa (13 Going on 30). WGAW President Howard A. Rodman introduced the evening.
In New York, Wayne Federman (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) and Julie Klausner (Difficult People) hosted the WGAE’s celebration at The New School Auditorium in Greenwich Village. An official event of the 2015 New York Comedy Festival, the program featured Upright Citizens Brigade performers Brooke Van Poppelen (Hack My Life), Matt Klinman (Funny or Die News), Naomi Ekperigin (Difficult People) and Achilles Stamatelaky (Broad City) reading memorable scenes from the 101 Funniest Screenplays as the hosts paid tribute to honorees in attendance Norman Steinberg (My Favorite Year, Blazing Saddles), Andrew Bergman (Blazing Saddles), John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck) and Jim Taylor (Election, Sideways). The live reading was produced and directed by Wayne Federman and Christopher Rose (Late Night Basement).
The 101 Funniest Screenplays is a project of the WGAW’s Publicity & Marketing Committee, whose members include Aaron Mendelsohn (Chair); W. Bruce Cameron, Michael Conley, Diane Driscoll, Aaron Fullerton, Gary Goldstein, Katherine Fugate, Margaret Howell, Felischa Marye, Ken Pisani, Ari B. Rubin, Michael Walker, and Susan Walter.
The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) are labor unions representing writers in motion pictures, television, cable, new media, and broadcast news. The Guilds negotiate and administer contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of their members; conduct programs, seminars, and events on issues of interest to writers; and present writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, West, visit www.wga.org. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit www.wgaeast.org.
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