The Comic (1969): Cast & Plot
The Comic is a 1969 comedy drama starring Dick Van Dyke as Billy Bright, Cornel Wilde and Michele Lee. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 35m (95 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Acre Enterprises
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Comic About?
The premise of The Comic without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A comedic look at Hollywood’s golden age, chronicling the rise and fall of silent‑film star Billy Bright. The film opens at Bright’s funeral, where his spectral voice recounts early fame, self‑destructive womanizing and drinking, and his eventual loneliness as a bitter old man. It is loosely inspired by the life of Buster Keaton.
The Comic Themes & Keywords
· 43 tags- los angeles california
- silent movie star
- 1920s
- rise and fall
- comedian
- hollywood california
- filmmaking as subject
- nostalgia
- television production as subject
- clown
- wedding
- 1910s
+31 more Show fewer
- church
- pie in the face
- film within a film
- car over cliff
- narration from the grave
- hollywood walk of fame
- taxicab
- hospital
- talent agent
- restaurant
- showbiz drama
- showbiz comedy
- funeral
- ego
- family relationships
- vaudeville
- mexico
- fortune hunter
- divorce
- couturier
- actress
- actor
- price of fame
- reflection
- redemption
- melancholy
- gold digger
- filmmaking
- comeback
- behind the scenes
- alcoholism
The Comic Cast & Characters
Dick Van Dyke leads the cast as Billy Bright, with Cornel Wilde as Frank Powers and Michele Lee as Mary Gibson.
-
Dick Van Dyke as Billy Bright - Cornel Wilde as Frank Powers
- Michele Lee as Mary Gibson
-
Carl Reiner as Al Schilling
Also Starring in The Comic
· 88 more- Mickey Rooney Cockeye
- Steve Allen Steve Allen
- Scott James Billy Jr. (uncredited)
- Fritz Feld Armand
- Jean Willes Denise in Film Clip (archive footage) (uncredited)
- William H. O'Brien Funeral Guest (uncredited)
- Kenner G. Kemp Theatre Doorman (uncredited)
- Paul Frees Newsreel Narrator / Commerical Announcer / Man in Restaurant (voice)
- Jeffrey Sayre Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
- Cosmo Sardo Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
- Jerome Cowan Lawrence
- Paul Bradley Funeral Guest (uncredited)
- Peter Brocco Minister (uncredited)
- Mantan Moreland Passerby at Billy's Funeral (unbilled)
- Ethelreda Leopold Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
- Jay Novello Miguel
Show all 92 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Murray Pollack Wedding Guest (uncredited)
- Dick Winslow Organist (uncredited)
- Johnny Weissmüller Jungle Jim (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Jeff Donnell Nurse
- Howard Morris Pedestrian Gag Man in 'Love Honor and Oh Boy' (uncredited)
- Bill Zuckert Prison Warden in Film (uncredited)
- Joseph La Cava Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
- Billy Curtis Lifeguard in Film (uncredited)
- Ben Frommer Mexican Barfly (uncredited)
- Gavin MacLeod 1st Director
- Irene Tedrow Billy's Mother in 'Forget Me Not' (uncredited)
- Alvin Hammer Cameraman (uncredited)
- Ottola Nesmith Housekeeper (uncredited)
- Paul Russell Funeral Guest (uncredited)
- Pert Kelton Mama Bell
- Paulene Myers Phoebe
- Ed Peck Edwin G. Englehardt
- Bobby Gilbert Minor Role (uncredited)
- Lillian Adams Old Lady (uncredited)
- Isabel Sanford Woman
- Harry Fleer Cop (uncredited)
- Leonard Frey Talk Show Guest (uncredited)
- Mark Russell Minor Role (uncredited)
- Robert Ball Mike Fields (uncredited)
- Sig Frohlich Minor Role (uncredited)
- Johnny Silver Little Man (uncredited)
- Jack Berle Minor Role (uncredited)
- Howard Dayton Ketchup Man
- Maurice Dallimore Lord Faversham
- Nick Borgani Premiere Guest (uncredited)
- Calvin Coolidge Themselves
- Frank Biro Fred - Director (uncredited)
- Suzie Kaye Amanda Lou Phipps (uncredited)
- Eddie Garrett Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
- Joyce Easton French Maid (uncredited)
- Patrick Campbell Funeral Director (uncredited)
- Mel Berger Fatso / Dental Patient (uncredited)
- Ralph Smiley Hot Dog Man (uncredited)
- Geoff Edwards Late Night Movie Host (uncredited)
- Jeannine Riley Lorraine Bell
- Lynn Fields Mailbox Gag (uncredited)
- Clive Halliday Butler (uncredited)
- Peter Eastman Screening Room Executive (uncredited)
- Ward Ramsey Officer (uncredited)
- Luis Delgado Minor Role (uncredited)
- Rex Benson Minor Role (uncredited)
- Kres Mersky Bathing Beauty (uncredited)
- Brick Huston Still Photographer (uncredited)
- Dee Gardner Minor Role (uncredited)
- Nina Wayne Sybil Atlas
- Barbara Heller Ginger
- Alan Marston Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
- Frank Mathias Hearse Driver (uncredited)
- Christopher Ross Musician (uncredited)
- Marilyn Malloy Nurse (uncredited)
- The Great John L. Burly Man (uncredited)
- Craig Huebing Doctor
- William Boyce Minor Role (uncredited)
- Lou Kane Storekeeper (uncredited)
- Walter Kightly Minor Role (uncredited)
- Angel Pine Minor Role (uncredited)
- Frank Adamo Minor Role (uncredited)
- Priscilla Ann Consuela (uncredited)
- Linda Burton Minor Role (uncredited)
- Suzanne Covington Minor Role (uncredited)
- Carter Harbaugh Tommy (uncredited)
- Andre Hemmers Minor Role (uncredited)
- Stardedt Kaava Minor Role (uncredited)
- Celeste Michaels Girl in Miniskirt (uncredited)
- Bob Rhodes Cameraman (uncredited)
- Joe Sawyers Driver (uncredited)
- Viki Vigen Little Girl (uncredited)
The Comic Plot Summary
What happens in The Comic from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Dick Van Dyke stars as Billy Bright, a silent-era film comedian who narrates this reflective drama. The movie opens at his funeral in 1969 and then sweeps back through a lifetime told in vivid flashbacks, with Bright stubbornly unable to see his own faults and habitually blaming others for the troubles that befall him. The tone stays lucid and rueful as the past unfolds, offering a window into the arc of a man shaped by the routines of vaudeville and the evolving machinery of Hollywood.
Full summary
The whole story of The Comic, scene by scene
The Comic Videos
2 videos: 1 clip and 1 featurette.
- Featurette Mick Garris on THE COMIC
How Well Do You Know The Comic?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays the silent‑era comedian Billy Bright?
The Comic Also Known As
4 alternative titles, including “El cómico” and “Glória e Lágrimas de um Cômico”.
- Also known as
-
- El cómico
- Glória e Lágrimas de um Cômico
- Il comico
- Filmkomikern
Seen The Comic?
Movies Like The Comic
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Comic Strip, The Movies and The Comedy Man.
The Comic FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, cast and post-credit scenes of The Comic, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Comic?
The Comic runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).
When was The Comic released?
The Comic was released on November 19, 1969.
Who is in the cast of The Comic?
The Comic stars Dick Van Dyke as Billy Bright, Cornel Wilde as Frank Powers and Michele Lee as Mary Gibson, among 92 credited actors.
Does The Comic have a post-credit scene?
No. The Comic has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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