The Comic
5.9
95 minutes
11/19/1969
Overview
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.
Cast List
Dick Van Dyke
as Billy Bright
Michele Lee
as Mary Gibson
Mickey Rooney
as Cockeye
Cornel Wilde
as Frank Powers
Nina Wayne
as Sybil Atlas
Pert Kelton
as Mama Bell
Steve Allen
as Steve Allen
Barbara Heller
as Ginger
Ed Peck
as Edwin G. Englehardt
Jeannine Riley
as Lorraine Bell
Gavin MacLeod
as 1st Director
Jay Novello
as Miguel
Craig Huebing
as Doctor
Paulene Myers
as Phoebe
Fritz Feld
as Armand
Jerome Cowan
as Lawrence
Isabel Sanford
as Woman
Jeff Donnell
as Nurse
Carl Reiner
as Al Schilling
Howard Dayton
as Ketchup Man
Maurice Dallimore
as Lord Faversham
Mantan Moreland
as Passerby at Billy's Funeral (unbilled)
Frank Adamo
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Lillian Adams
as Old Lady (uncredited)
Priscilla Ann
as Consuela (uncredited)
Robert Ball
as Mike Fields (uncredited)
Rex Benson
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Mel Berger
as Fatso / Dental Patient (uncredited)
Jack Berle
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank Biro
as Fred - Director (uncredited)
Nick Borgani
as Premiere Guest (uncredited)
William Boyce
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
as Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Peter Brocco
as Minister (uncredited)
Linda Burton
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Patrick Campbell
as Funeral Director (uncredited)
Calvin Coolidge
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Suzanne Covington
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Billy Curtis
as Lifeguard in Film (uncredited)
Luis Delgado
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Peter Eastman
as Screening Room Executive (uncredited)
Joyce Easton
as French Maid (uncredited)
Geoff Edwards
as Late Night Movie Host (uncredited)
Lynn Fields
as Mailbox Gag (uncredited)
Harry Fleer
as Cop (uncredited)
Paul Frees
as Newsreel Narrator / Commerical Announcer / Man in Restaurant (voice)
Leonard Frey
as Talk Show Guest (uncredited)
Sig Frohlich
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Ben Frommer
as Mexican Barfly (uncredited)
Dee Gardner
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Eddie Garrett
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Bobby Gilbert
as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Great John L.
as Burly Man (uncredited)
Clive Halliday
as Butler (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer
as Cameraman (uncredited)
Carter Harbaugh
as Tommy (uncredited)
Andre Hemmers
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Brick Huston
as Still Photographer (uncredited)
Scott James
as Billy Jr. (uncredited)
Stardedt Kaava
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Lou Kane
as Storekeeper (uncredited)
Suzie Kaye
as Amanda Lou Phipps (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
as Theatre Doorman (uncredited)
Walter Kightly
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Joseph La Cava
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Marilyn Malloy
as Nurse (uncredited)
Alan Marston
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Frank Mathias
as Hearse Driver (uncredited)
Kres Mersky
as Bathing Beauty (uncredited)
Celeste Michaels
as Girl in Miniskirt (uncredited)
Howard Morris
as Pedestrian Gag Man in 'Love Honor and Oh Boy' (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
as Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Angel Pine
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Murray Pollack
as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Ward Ramsey
as Officer (uncredited)
Bob Rhodes
as Cameraman (uncredited)
Christopher Ross
as Musician (uncredited)
Mark Russell
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Russell
as Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
as Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
Joe Sawyers
as Driver (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
as Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
Johnny Silver
as Little Man (uncredited)
Ralph Smiley
as Hot Dog Man (uncredited)
Irene Tedrow
as Billy's Mother in 'Forget Me Not' (uncredited)
Viki Vigen
as Little Girl (uncredited)
Johnny Weissmüller
as Jungle Jim (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jean Willes
as Denise in Film Clip (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dick Winslow
as Organist (uncredited)
Bill Zuckert
as Prison Warden in Film (uncredited)