Last weekend I was performing at the new fantastic club, The Laugh Inn in Chester. In the hallway there is a collage of old and new comics. A comedian there asked me who some of the older comedians were, Arthur Askey, Naughton & Gold, Mick Ferry to name but a few. He then asked me about British comedies and what to buy. Good question, so I’ve had a think and this is my suggestions of the best from each decade. Enjoy, and if I’ve missed any, get in touch.
BRITISH COMEDY FILMS
1930s
Ask A Policeman (1938)
Boys Will Be Boys (1935)
The Ghost Goes West (1935)
Good Morning, Boys (1936)
Keep Fit (1937)
Oh, Mr. Porter! (1937)
Pygmalion (1938)
Trouble Brewing (1939)
Where's That Fire? (1939)
1940s
Blithe Spirit (1941)
Gasbags (1940)
The Ghost of St Michaels (1941)
The Goose Steps Out (1942)
Hue and Cry (1946)
ITMA (1943)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
Let George Do It (1941)
Major Barbara (1941)
My Learned Friend (1943)
On Approval (1943)
Passport to Pimlico (1949)
Whisky Galore! (1948
1950s
Blue Murder at St Tinian’s (1954)
The Belles of St. Trinians (1957)
Carry On Nurse (1959)
Carry On Sergeant (1958)
Carry On Teacher (1959))
Doctor at Large (1957)
Doctor at Sea (1955))
Genevieve (1953)
The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950)
Hobson's Choice (1953)
I'm All Right Jack (1959)
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
The Ladykillers (1955)
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
Lucky Jim (1957)
The Man in the White Suit (1951)
The Mouse That Roared (1959)
Our Man in Havana (1959)
Private's Progress (1956)
The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953)
Too Many Crooks (1958)
Trouble in Store (1953)
Up the Creek (1958
1960s
Alfie (1966)
The Assassination Bureau (1969)
Battle of the Sexes (1960)
Bedazzled (1967)
Billy Liar (1963)
Carry On Cleo (1965)
Carry On Up the Khyber (1968)
Casino Royale (1967)
Dentist on the Job (1961)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966)
The Italian Job (1969)
The Millionairess (1960)
The Plank (1967)
The Punch and Judy Man (1962)
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960)
The Rebel (1961)
School for Scoundrels (1960)
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965)
Two-Way Stretch (1960)
The Wrong Arm of the Law (1962)
You Must Be Joking! (1965)
1970s
Are You Being Served? (1972)
And Now For Something Completely Different (1971)
Bless This House (1972)
Confessions from a Holiday Camp (1977)
Dad's Army (1971)
Doctor in Trouble (1970)
Jabberwocky (1977)
The Likely Lads (1976)
Man About the House (1974)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
On the Buses (1972) (and two sequels)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
The Plank (1979)
Porridge (1979)
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975))
Steptoe and Son (1972) and sequel Steptoe and Son Ride Again
Up Pompeii! (1971)
1980s
Brazil (1985)
Comfort and Joy (1984)
Educating Rita (1983)
Erik the Viking (1989)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
George and Mildred (1980)
Gregory's Girl (1980)
High Hopes (1988
Local Hero (1983)
The Missionary (1983)
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
Morons from Outer Space (1985)
Personal Services (1987)
A Private Function (1984)
Privates on Parade (1982)
Restless Natives (1985)
Rising Damp (1980)
Shirley Valentine (1989)
The Tall Guy (1989)
Time Bandits (1981)
Victor/Victoria (1982)
Withnail and I (1987)
1990s
Brassed Off (1996)
The Commitments (1991)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
The Full Monty (1997)
Funny Bones (1995)
Life Is Sweet (1990)
Hear My Song (1991)
Leon the Pig Farmer (1992)
A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
Little Voice (1998)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Notting Hill (1999)
Nuns on the Run (1990)
Peter's Friends (1992)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Still Crazy (1998)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991)
Twin Town (1997)
2000s
About a Boy (2002)
Ali G Indahouse (2002)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Billy Elliot (2000)
The Boat That Rocked (2009)
Chicken Run (2000)
Confetti (2006)
Hot Fuzz (2007)
In the Loop (2009)
It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004)
Kinky Boots (2005)
Kevin and Perry Go Large (2000)
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)
Run Fat Boy Run (2007)
The Actors (2003)
Saving Grace (2000)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Snatch (2000)
Son of Rambow (2007)
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
BRITISH COMEDY FILMS
1930s
Ask A Policeman (1938)
Boys Will Be Boys (1935)
The Ghost Goes West (1935)
Good Morning, Boys (1936)
Keep Fit (1937)
Oh, Mr. Porter! (1937)
Pygmalion (1938)
Trouble Brewing (1939)
Where's That Fire? (1939)
1940s
Blithe Spirit (1941)
Gasbags (1940)
The Ghost of St Michaels (1941)
The Goose Steps Out (1942)
Hue and Cry (1946)
ITMA (1943)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
Let George Do It (1941)
Major Barbara (1941)
My Learned Friend (1943)
On Approval (1943)
Passport to Pimlico (1949)
Whisky Galore! (1948
1950s
Blue Murder at St Tinian’s (1954)
The Belles of St. Trinians (1957)
Carry On Nurse (1959)
Carry On Sergeant (1958)
Carry On Teacher (1959))
Doctor at Large (1957)
Doctor at Sea (1955))
Genevieve (1953)
The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950)
Hobson's Choice (1953)
I'm All Right Jack (1959)
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
The Ladykillers (1955)
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
Lucky Jim (1957)
The Man in the White Suit (1951)
The Mouse That Roared (1959)
Our Man in Havana (1959)
Private's Progress (1956)
The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953)
Too Many Crooks (1958)
Trouble in Store (1953)
Up the Creek (1958
1960s
Alfie (1966)
The Assassination Bureau (1969)
Battle of the Sexes (1960)
Bedazzled (1967)
Billy Liar (1963)
Carry On Cleo (1965)
Carry On Up the Khyber (1968)
Casino Royale (1967)
Dentist on the Job (1961)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966)
The Italian Job (1969)
The Millionairess (1960)
The Plank (1967)
The Punch and Judy Man (1962)
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960)
The Rebel (1961)
School for Scoundrels (1960)
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965)
Two-Way Stretch (1960)
The Wrong Arm of the Law (1962)
You Must Be Joking! (1965)
1970s
Are You Being Served? (1972)
And Now For Something Completely Different (1971)
Bless This House (1972)
Confessions from a Holiday Camp (1977)
Dad's Army (1971)
Doctor in Trouble (1970)
Jabberwocky (1977)
The Likely Lads (1976)
Man About the House (1974)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
On the Buses (1972) (and two sequels)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
The Plank (1979)
Porridge (1979)
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975))
Steptoe and Son (1972) and sequel Steptoe and Son Ride Again
Up Pompeii! (1971)
1980s
Brazil (1985)
Comfort and Joy (1984)
Educating Rita (1983)
Erik the Viking (1989)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
George and Mildred (1980)
Gregory's Girl (1980)
High Hopes (1988
Local Hero (1983)
The Missionary (1983)
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
Morons from Outer Space (1985)
Personal Services (1987)
A Private Function (1984)
Privates on Parade (1982)
Restless Natives (1985)
Rising Damp (1980)
Shirley Valentine (1989)
The Tall Guy (1989)
Time Bandits (1981)
Victor/Victoria (1982)
Withnail and I (1987)
1990s
Brassed Off (1996)
The Commitments (1991)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
The Full Monty (1997)
Funny Bones (1995)
Life Is Sweet (1990)
Hear My Song (1991)
Leon the Pig Farmer (1992)
A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
Little Voice (1998)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Notting Hill (1999)
Nuns on the Run (1990)
Peter's Friends (1992)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Still Crazy (1998)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991)
Twin Town (1997)
2000s
About a Boy (2002)
Ali G Indahouse (2002)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Billy Elliot (2000)
The Boat That Rocked (2009)
Chicken Run (2000)
Confetti (2006)
Hot Fuzz (2007)
In the Loop (2009)
It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004)
Kinky Boots (2005)
Kevin and Perry Go Large (2000)
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)
Run Fat Boy Run (2007)
The Actors (2003)
Saving Grace (2000)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Snatch (2000)
Son of Rambow (2007)
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
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