The Comic
1 hour 35 minutes1969-11-19
5.9
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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
Dick Van Dyke
Billy Bright
Michele Lee
Mary Gibson
Mickey Rooney
Cockeye
Cornel Wilde
Frank Powers
Nina Wayne
Sybil Atlas
Pert Kelton
Mama Bell
Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Barbara Heller
Ginger
Ed Peck
Edwin G. Englehardt
Jeannine Riley
Lorraine Bell
Gavin MacLeod
1st Director
Jay Novello
Miguel
Craig Huebing
Doctor
Paulene Myers
Phoebe
Fritz Feld
Armand
Jerome Cowan
Lawrence
Isabel Sanford
Woman
Jeff Donnell
Nurse
Carl Reiner
Al Schilling
Howard Dayton
Ketchup Man
Maurice Dallimore
Lord Faversham
Mantan Moreland
Passerby at Billy's Funeral (unbilled)
Frank Adamo
Minor Role (uncredited)
Lillian Adams
Old Lady (uncredited)
Priscilla Ann
Consuela (uncredited)
Robert Ball
Mike Fields (uncredited)
Rex Benson
Minor Role (uncredited)
Mel Berger
Fatso / Dental Patient (uncredited)
Jack Berle
Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank Biro
Fred - Director (uncredited)
Nick Borgani
Premiere Guest (uncredited)
William Boyce
Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Peter Brocco
Minister (uncredited)
Linda Burton
Minor Role (uncredited)
Patrick Campbell
Funeral Director (uncredited)
Calvin Coolidge
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Suzanne Covington
Minor Role (uncredited)
Billy Curtis
Lifeguard in Film (uncredited)
Luis Delgado
Minor Role (uncredited)
Peter Eastman
Screening Room Executive (uncredited)
Joyce Easton
French Maid (uncredited)
Geoff Edwards
Late Night Movie Host (uncredited)
Lynn Fields
Mailbox Gag (uncredited)
Harry Fleer
Cop (uncredited)
Paul Frees
Newsreel Narrator / Commerical Announcer / Man in Restaurant (voice)
Leonard Frey
Talk Show Guest (uncredited)
Sig Frohlich
Minor Role (uncredited)
Ben Frommer
Mexican Barfly (uncredited)
Dee Gardner
Minor Role (uncredited)
Eddie Garrett
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Bobby Gilbert
Minor Role (uncredited)
The Great John L.
Burly Man (uncredited)
Clive Halliday
Butler (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer
Cameraman (uncredited)
Carter Harbaugh
Tommy (uncredited)
Andre Hemmers
Minor Role (uncredited)
Brick Huston
Still Photographer (uncredited)
Scott James
Billy Jr. (uncredited)
Stardedt Kaava
Minor Role (uncredited)
Lou Kane
Storekeeper (uncredited)
Suzie Kaye
Amanda Lou Phipps (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
Theatre Doorman (uncredited)
Walter Kightly
Minor Role (uncredited)
Joseph La Cava
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Marilyn Malloy
Nurse (uncredited)
Alan Marston
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Frank Mathias
Hearse Driver (uncredited)
Kres Mersky
Bathing Beauty (uncredited)
Celeste Michaels
Girl in Miniskirt (uncredited)
Howard Morris
Pedestrian Gag Man in 'Love Honor and Oh Boy' (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith
Housekeeper (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Angel Pine
Minor Role (uncredited)
Murray Pollack
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Ward Ramsey
Officer (uncredited)
Bob Rhodes
Cameraman (uncredited)
Christopher Ross
Musician (uncredited)
Mark Russell
Minor Role (uncredited)
Paul Russell
Funeral Guest (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
Joe Sawyers
Driver (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Pallbearer at Funeral (uncredited)
Johnny Silver
Little Man (uncredited)
Ralph Smiley
Hot Dog Man (uncredited)
Irene Tedrow
Billy's Mother in 'Forget Me Not' (uncredited)
Viki Vigen
Little Girl (uncredited)
Johnny Weissmüller
Jungle Jim (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jean Willes
Denise in Film Clip (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dick Winslow
Organist (uncredited)
