The National Comedy Hall of Fame

The National Comedy Hall of Fame, founded in 1991, is the first hall of fame dedicated to the great comedians of history, and it is recognized as the official Comedy Hall of Fame in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom . It additionally operates as the first official museum of comedy history in the United States of America, as authorized by the Library of Congress^[1]. It was by comedians Morey Amsterdam, Sid Caesar, Jan Murray, Milton Berle, and entertainment producer Tony Belmont, upon the realization that no place yet existed that immortalized the great comedians of history.

Since its inception, the National Comedy Hall of Fame has inducted 23 famous comedians, and had awarded Lifetime Achievement awards to an additional five comedians. The Hall of Fame and the adjoining museum are currently located in Greater Tampa Bay in Florida, although one exhibit, "The Comedy Time Tunnel", travels around the country on loan^[2].

Inductees

Hall of Fame Inductees

Abbott and Costello (Bud Abbott and Lou Costello)
Laurel and Hardy (Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy)
Milton Berle (Mendel Berlinger)
Minnie Pearl (Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon)
George Carlin
Charlie Chaplin (Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin KBE)
George Kirby
Jimmy Durante (James Francis Durante)
W.C Fields (William Claude Dukenfield)
Sid Caesar (Isaac Sidney Caesar)
Timmie Rodgers (Timothy Louis Ancrum)
Lucille Ball
Moms Mabley (Loretta Mary Aiken)
Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky)
Red Skelton (Richard Red Skelton)
Burns and Allen (George Burns and Gracie Allen)
Ernie Kovacs
Flip Wilson (Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr.)
Richard Pryor
Jackie Gleason (John Herbert Gleason)
Señor Wences (Wenceslao Moreno)
Bob Newhart
Shecky Greene (Fred Sheldon Greenfield)

Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

Charlie Chaplin Award

This award is given for excellence in comedic theatre, and is also known as the "Best Comedic Play Award"^[3].

Shear Madness (1963 - Present)

^ "How We Got Started". National Comedy Hall of Fame®. 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
^ "History". National Comedy Hall of Fame®. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
^ "Inductees". National Comedy Hall of Fame®. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-08-21.

[1] "How We Got Started". National Comedy Hall of Fame®. 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2020-08-20.

[2] "History". National Comedy Hall of Fame®. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-08-21.

[3] "Inductees". National Comedy Hall of Fame®. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-08-21.

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