The Comic (1969)

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.

Comedy Drama

The Comic

Videos

The Comic The Comic

Watch Providers

Can't find providers

Casting arrow_drop_down

Dick Van Dyke
Dick Van Dyke
as Billy Bright
Michele Lee
Michele Lee
as Mary Gibson
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
as Cockeye
Cornel Wilde
Cornel Wilde
as Frank Powers
Nina Wayne
Nina Wayne
as Sybil Atlas
Pert Kelton
Pert Kelton
as Mama Bell
Steve Allen
Steve Allen
as Steve Allen
Barbara Heller
Barbara Heller
as Ginger
Ed Peck
Ed Peck
as Edwin G. Englehardt
Jeannine Riley
Jeannine Riley
as Lorraine Bell
Gavin MacLeod
Gavin MacLeod
as 1st Director
Jay Novello
Jay Novello
as Miguel
Craig Huebing
Craig Huebing
as Doctor
Paulene Myers
Paulene Myers
as Phoebe
Fritz Feld
Fritz Feld
as Armand
Jerome Cowan
Jerome Cowan
as Lawrence
Isabel Sanford
Isabel Sanford
as Woman
Jeff Donnell
Jeff Donnell
as Nurse
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner
as Al Schilling
Howard Dayton
Howard Dayton
as Ketchup Man
Maurice Dallimore
Maurice Dallimore
as Lord Faversham
Mantan Moreland
Mantan Moreland
as Passerby at Billy's Funeral (unbilled)
Frank Adamo
Frank Adamo
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Lillian Adams
Lillian Adams
as Old Lady (uncredited)
Priscilla Ann
Priscilla Ann
as Consuela (uncredited)
Robert Ball
Robert Ball
as Mike Fields (uncredited)
Rex Benson
Rex Benson
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Mel Berger
Mel Berger
as Fatso / Dental Patient (uncredited)
Jack Berle
Jack Berle
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank Biro
Frank Biro
as Fred - Director (uncredited)
Nick Borgani
Nick Borgani
as Premiere Guest (uncredited)
William Boyce
William Boyce
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
Paul Bradley
as Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Peter Brocco
Peter Brocco
as Minister (uncredited)
Linda Burton
Linda Burton
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Patrick Campbell
Patrick Campbell
as Funeral Director (uncredited)
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Suzanne Covington
Suzanne Covington
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Billy Curtis
Billy Curtis
as Lifeguard in Film (uncredited)
Luis Delgado
Luis Delgado
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Peter Eastman
Peter Eastman
as Screening Room Executive (uncredited)
Joyce Easton
Joyce Easton
as French Maid (uncredited)
Geoff Edwards
Geoff Edwards
as Late Night Movie Host (uncredited)
Lynn Fields
Lynn Fields
as Mailbox Gag (uncredited)
Harry Fleer
Harry Fleer
as Cop (uncredited)
Paul Frees
Paul Frees
as Newsreel Narrator / Commerical Announcer / Man in Restaurant (voice)
Leonard Frey
Leonard Frey
as Talk Show Guest (uncredited)
Sig Frohlich
Sig Frohlich
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Ben Frommer
Ben Frommer
as Mexican Barfly (uncredited)
Dee Gardner
Dee Gardner
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Eddie Garrett
Eddie Garrett
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Bobby Gilbert
Bobby Gilbert
as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Great John L.
The Great John L.
as Burly Man (uncredited)
Clive Halliday
Clive Halliday
as Butler (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer
Alvin Hammer
as Cameraman (uncredited)
Carter Harbaugh
Carter Harbaugh
as Tommy (uncredited)
Andre Hemmers
Andre Hemmers
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Brick Huston
Brick Huston
as Still Photographer (uncredited)
Scott James
Scott James
as Billy Jr. (uncredited)
Stardedt Kaava
Stardedt Kaava
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Lou Kane
Lou Kane
as Storekeeper (uncredited)
Suzie Kaye
Suzie Kaye
as Amanda Lou Phipps (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
Kenner G. Kemp
as Theatre Doorman (uncredited)
Walter Kightly
Walter Kightly
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Joseph La Cava
Joseph La Cava
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold
Ethelreda Leopold
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Marilyn Malloy
Marilyn Malloy
as Nurse (uncredited)
Alan Marston
Alan Marston
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Frank Mathias
Frank Mathias
as Hearse Driver (uncredited)
Kres Mersky
Kres Mersky
as Bathing Beauty (uncredited)
Celeste Michaels
Celeste Michaels
as Girl in Miniskirt (uncredited)
Howard Morris
Howard Morris
as Pedestrian Gag Man in 'Love Honor and Oh Boy' (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith
Ottola Nesmith
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
William H. O'Brien
as Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Angel Pine
Angel Pine
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Murray Pollack
Murray Pollack
as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Ward Ramsey
Ward Ramsey
as Officer (uncredited)
Bob Rhodes
Bob Rhodes
as Cameraman (uncredited)
Christopher Ross
Christopher Ross
as Musician (uncredited)
Mark Russell
Mark Russell
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Russell
Paul Russell
as Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
Cosmo Sardo
as Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
Joe Sawyers
Joe Sawyers
as Driver (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Jeffrey Sayre
as Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
Johnny Silver
Johnny Silver
as Little Man (uncredited)
Ralph Smiley
Ralph Smiley
as Hot Dog Man (uncredited)
Irene Tedrow
Irene Tedrow
as Billy's Mother in 'Forget Me Not' (uncredited)
Viki Vigen
Viki Vigen
as Little Girl (uncredited)
Johnny Weissmüller
Johnny Weissmüller
as Jungle Jim (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jean Willes
Jean Willes
as Denise in Film Clip (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dick Winslow
Dick Winslow
as Organist (uncredited)
Bill Zuckert
Bill Zuckert
as Prison Warden in Film (uncredited)
arrow_drop_down

Crew arrow_drop_down

Recomendation Films

  • Marooned
  • Murder on the Orient Express
  • Thor: Ragnarok
  • Thor: Love and Thunder
  • Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
  • The Revenant
  • Green Book
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Wonder Woman
  • Avengers: Infinity War
  • Get Out
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
  • Venom
  • Me Before You
  • Deadpool 2
  • The Great Wall
  • Annihilation
  • Passengers
  • Doctor Strange
  • ゴジラ-1.0

Similar Films

  • Singin' in the Rain
  • Babylon
  • You're My Everything
  • Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
  • Dreamboat
  • The Artist
  • The Great Buster: A Celebration
  • The Perils of Pauline
  • The Camera Speaks
  • Character Studies
  • 대배우
  • Sunset Boulevard
  • Kuster Beaton
  • Louise Brooks
  • Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius
  • This Is Francis X. Bushman
  • Baby Peggy: The Elephant in the Room
  • THE PUMPKIN-MAN AWAKENS

NextFilm 2025