101 Funniest Screenplays
of All Time

by the Writer's Guild of America


The Writer's Guild of America (WGA) released their list of the 101 Funniest Screenplays of All-Time, voted upon by guild members (available as pdf document - 101 Funniest Screenplays and online). Films were eligible if they were exhibited theatrically; live-action, animation, silent, and documentary features were all eligible; and films had to 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.

It was a subset of their 2005 listing of the 101 Greatest Film Screenplays of All-Time. The new list spanned 86 years of great comedy screenwriting, from The Gold Rush (1925) to Bridesmaids (2011).

See also AFI's 100 Funniest Movies and 500 nominees, Premiere Magazine's 50 Greatest Comedies of All Time, and Filmsite's Comedy Films genre, Funniest Scenes and Moments, and Funniest Movie Quotes.


101 Funniest Screenplays of All Time

by the Writer's Guild of America

Rank, Film Title (Year and Scriptwriter(s)), Studio
Rank, Film Title (Year and Scriptwriter(s)), Studio
  1. Annie Hall (1977)
    Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. UA
  2. Some Like It Hot (1959)
    Screenplay by Billy Wilder & I.A. L. Diamond, Based on the German film Fanfare of Love by Robert Thoeren and M. Logan. UA
  3. Groundhog Day (1993)
    Screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, Story by Danny Rubin. Columbia
  4. Airplane! (1980)
    Written by James Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker. Paramount
  5. Tootsie (1982)
    Screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, Story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart. Columbia
  6. Young Frankenstein (1974)
    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. 20th Century Fox
  7. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick and Peter George and Terry Southern. Columbia
  8. Blazing Saddles (1974)
    Screenplay by Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Alan Uger, Story by Andrew Bergman. Warner Bros.
  9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
    Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. Cinema 5
  10. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
    Written by Harold Ramis & Douglas Kenney & Chris Miller. Universal
  11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Written by Christopher Guest & Michael McKean & Rob Reiner & Harry Shearer. Embassy
  12. The Producers (1968)
    Written by Mel Brooks. AVCO Embassy
  13. The Big Lebowski (1998)
    Written by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen. Gramercy
  14. Ghostbusters (1984)
    Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Columbia
  15. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
    Written by Nora Ephron. Columbia
  16. Bridesmaids (2011)
    Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig. Universal
  17. Duck Soup (1933)
    Story by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, Additional Dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin. Paramount
  18. There's Something About Mary (1998)
    Screenplay by John J. Strauss & Ed Decter and Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly, Story by Ed Decter & John J. Strauss. 20th Century Fox
  19. The Jerk (1979)
    Screenplay by Steve Martin, Carl Gottlieb, Michael Elias, Story by Steve Martin & Carl Gottlieb. Universal.
  20. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
    Screenplay by John Cleese, Story by John Cleese & Charles Crichton. MGM
  21. His Girl Friday (1940)
    Screenplay by Charles Lederer, Based on the Play "The Front Page" by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur. Columbia
  22. The Princess Bride (1987)
    Screenplay by William Goldman, Based on Goldman's Novel of the Same Name. 20th Century Fox
  23. Raising Arizona (1987)
    Written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. 20th Century Fox
  24. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
    Screenplay by Hagar Wilde and Dudley Nichols, Story by Hagar Wilde. RKO
  25. Caddyshack (1980)
    Written by Brian Doyle-Murray & Harold Ramis & Douglas Kenney. Orion
  26. Monty Python's Life Of Brian (1979)
    Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. Orion
  27. The Graduate (1967)
    Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, Based on the Novel by Charles Webb. Embassy
  28. The Apartment (1960)
    Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond. UA
  29. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
    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. 20th Century Fox
  30. The Hangover (2009)
    Written by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore. Warner Bros.
  31. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
    Written by Judd Apatow & Steve Carell. Universal
  32. The Lady Eve (1941)
    Screenplay by Preston Sturges, Story by Monckton Hoffe. Paramount
  33. (TIE)
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
    Written by John Hughes. Paramount
    and
  34. (TIE)
    Trading Places (1983)
    Written by Timothy Harris & Herschel Weingrod. Paramount
  35. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
    Written by Preston Sturges. Paramount
  36. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
    Written by John Hughes. Paramount
  37. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart, Based on the Play by Philip Barry. MGM
  38. A Night at the Opera (1935)
    Screen Play by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, From a Story by James Kevin McGuinness. MGM
  39. Rushmore (1998)
    Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson. Touchstone/BV
  40. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy. Sony Pics Classics
  41. The Odd Couple (1968)
    Screenplay by Neil Simon, From the Play by Neil Simon as Produced on the Stage by Saint-Subber. Paramount
  42. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
    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. Paramount
  43. Office Space (1999)
    Written for the Screen by Mike Judge, Based on the "Milton" Animated Shorts by Mike Judge. 20th Century Fox
  44. Big (1988)
    Written by Anne Spielberg & Gary Ross. 20th Century Fox
  45. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
    Screenplay by John Hughes. Warner Bros.
  46. Midnight Run (1988)
    Written by George Gallo. Universal
  47. It Happened One Night (1934)
    Screenplay by Robert Riskin, Based on the Short Story by Samuel Hopkins Adams. Columbia
  1. M*A*S*H (1970)
    Screenplay by Ring Lardner, Jr., From the Novel by Richard Hooker. 20th Century Fox
  2. Harold and Maude (1971)
    Written by Colin Higgins. Paramount
  3. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
    Written by Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright. Focus (Universal)
  4. Broadcast News (1987)
    Written by James L. Brooks. 20th Century Fox
  5. Arthur (1981)
    Written by Steven Gordon. Orion
  6. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
    Written by Richard Curtis. Gramercy
  7. (TIE)
    Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. Dreamworks
    and
  8. (TIE)
    Dumb & Dumber (1994)
    Written by Peter Farrelly & Bennett Yellin & Bob Farrelly. New Line
  9. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
    Written by Mike Myers. New Line
  10. The General (1927)
    Written by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, Adapted by Al Boasberg and Charles Smith. United Artists
  11. What's Up, Doc? (1972)
    Screenplay by Buck Henry and David Newman & Robert Benton, Story by Peter Bogdanovich. Warner Bros.
  12. Wedding Crashers (2005)
    Written by Steve Faber & Bob Fisher. New Line
  13. Sleeper (1973)
    Written by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman. United Artists
  14. Galaxy Quest (1999)
    Screenplay by David Howard and Robert Gordon, Story by David Howard. Dreamworks
  15. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
    Screenplay by William and Tania Rose, Story by William and Tania Rose. United Artists
  16. Best in Show (2000)
    Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy. Warner Bros.
  17. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
    Written by Michael D. Arndt. Fox Searchlight
  18. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
    Written by Trey Parker & Matt Stone & Pam Brady. Paramount
  19. Being There (1979)
    Screenplay by Jerzy Kosinski, Inspired by the Novel by Jerzy Kosinski. United Artists
  20. Back to the Future (1985)
    Written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale. Universal
  21. Superbad (2007)
    Written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg. Columbia
  22. Bananas (1971)
    Written by Woody Allen, Mickey Rose. United Artists
  23. Moonstruck (1987)
    Written by John Patrick Shanley. MGM
  24. Clueless (1995)
    Written by Amy Heckerling. Paramount
  25. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
    Written by Preston Sturges. Paramount
  26. The Pink Panther (1963)
    Written by Maurice Richlin & Blake Edwards. United Artists
  27. The Blues Brothers (1980)
    Written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis. Universal
  28. Coming to America (1988)
    Screenplay by David Sheffield & Barry W. Blaustein, Story by Eddie Murphy. Paramount
  29. Take the Money and Run (1969)
    Screenplay by Woody Allen and Mickey Rose, Story by Jackson Beck. Cinerama
  30. Election (1999)
    Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Based on the Novel by Tom Perrotta. Paramount
  31. Love and Death (1975)
    Written by Woody Allen. 1975, United Artists
  32. (TIE)
    Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
    Written by Dale Launer and Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning. Orion
    and
  33. (TIE)
    Lost in America (1985)
    Written by Albert Brooks & Monica Johnson. Warner Bros.
  34. Manhattan (1979)
    Written by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman. United Artists
  35. Modern Times (1936)
    Written by Charles Chaplin. United Artists
  36. My Cousin Vinny (1992)
    Written by Dale Launer. 20th Century Fox
  37. Mean Girls (2004)
    Screenplay by Tina Fey, Based on the Book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. Paramount
  38. Meet the Parents (2000)
    Screenplay by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg, Story by Greg Glienna & Mary Ruth Clarke. Universal
  39. Fargo (1996)
    Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. Gramercy
  40. My Favorite Year (1982)
    Screenplay by Dennis Palumbo and Norman Steinberg, Story by Dennis Palumbo. MGM
  41. Stripes (1981)
    Written by Len Blum & Dan Goldberg and Harold Ramis. Columbia
  42. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
    Screenplay by Daniel Petrie, Jr., Story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie, Jr. Paramount
  43. City Lights (1931)
    Written by Charles Chaplin. United Artists
  44. Sideways (2004)
    Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Based on the Novel by Rex Pickett. Fox Searchlight
  45. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
    Written by Woody Allen. Orion
  46. Swingers (1996)
    Written by Jon Favreau. Miramax
  47. The Gold Rush (1925)
    Written by Charles Chaplin. United Artists
  48. The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek (1944)
    Written by Preston Sturges. Paramount
  49. All About Eve (1950)
    Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Based on the Short Story and Radio Program "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr. 20th Century Fox
  50. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
    Screenplay by Julius Epstein & Philip G. Epstein, Based on the Play by Joseph Kesselring. Warner Bros.
  51. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
    Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson. Touchstone/BV
  52. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
    Screenplay by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, Based on Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. 20th Century Fox
  53. Flirting with Disaster (1996)
    Written by David O. Russell. Miramax
  54. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
    Written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard. Miramax
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