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'Annie Hall' Tops WGA's List of 101 Funniest Screenplays Ever

United Artists/Courtesy Neal Peters Collection
'Annie Hall'

The 1977 Woody Allen film was followed on the list by Billy Wilder's 'Some Like It Hot.'

Annie Hall was good enough for the Academy voters, and now it passes muster with the Writers Guild as well.

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) released a list Wednesday of the 101 funniest screenplays ever.

The list was topped by the 1977 Woody Allen classic, which previously took home the Oscar for best picture.

In second place on the list of comedy scripts was director Billy Wilder's classic Some Like It Hot (1959), which was named the funniest comedy of all time by the American Film Institute in 2000. Groundhog Day (1993), Airplane! (1980) and Tootsie (1985) rounded out the WGA's top five.

The remainder of the top 10 are as follows, in order: Young Frankenstein (1974), Dr. Strangelove (1964), Blazing Saddles (1974), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).

The full list is below, as provided by the WGA, including each film's rank, credited screenwriter(s), year of release and studio.


1. Annie Hall

Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. 1977, UA

2. Some Like It Hot

Screenplay by Billy Wilder & I.A. L. Diamond, Based on the German film Fanfare of Love by Robert Thoeren and M. Logan. 1959, UA

3. Groundhog Day

Screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, Story by Danny Rubin. 1993, Columbia

4. Airplane!

Written by James Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker. 1980, Paramount

5. Tootsie

Screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, Story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart. 1982, Columbia

6. Young Frankenstein

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. 1974, 20th Century Fox

7. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick and Peter George and Terry Southern. 1964, Columbia

8. Blazing Saddles

Screenplay by Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Alan Uger, Story by Andrew Bergman. 1974, Warner Bros.

9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. 1975, Cinema 5

10. National Lampoon's Animal House

Written by Harold Ramis & Douglas Kenney & Chris Miller. 1978, Universal

11. This Is Spinal Tap

Written by Christopher Guest & Michael McKean & Rob Reiner & Harry Shearer. 1984, Embassy

12. The Producers

Written by Mel Brooks. 1967, AVCO Embassy

13. The Big Lebowski

Written by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen. 1998, Gramercy

14. Ghostbusters

Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. 1984, Columbia

15. When Harry Met Sally…

Written by Nora Ephron. 1989, Columbia

16. Bridesmaids

Written by Annie Mumolo  & Kristen Wiig. 2011, Universal

17. Duck Soup

Story by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, Additional Dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin. 1933, Paramount

18. There's Something About Mary

Screenplay by John J. Strauss & Ed Decter and Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly, Story by Ed Decter & John J. Strauss. 1998, 20th Century Fox

19. The Jerk

Screenplay by Steve Martin, Carl Gottlieb, Michael Elias, Story by Steve Martin & Carl Gottlieb. 1979, Universal.

20. A Fish Called Wanda

Screenplay by John Cleese, Story by John Cleese & Charles Crichton. 1988, MGM

21. His Girl Friday

Screenplay by Charles Lederer, Based on the Play "The Front Page" by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur. 1940, Columbia

22. The Princess Bride

Screenplay by William Goldman, Based on Goldman's Novel of the Same Name. 1987, 20th Century Fox

23. Raising Arizona

Written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. 1987, 20th Century Fox

24. Bringing Up Baby

Screenplay by Hagar Wilde and Dudley Nichols, Story by Hagar Wilde. 1938, RKO

25. Caddyshack

Written by Brian Doyle-Murray & Harold Ramis & Douglas Kenney. 1980, Orion

26. Monty Python's Life Of Brian

Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. 1979, Orion

27. The Graduate

Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, Based on the Novel by Charles Webb. 1967, Embassy

28. The Apartment

Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond. 1960, UA

29. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

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. 2006, 20th Century Fox

30. The Hangover

Written by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore. 2009, Warner Bros.

31. The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Written by Judd Apatow & Steve Carell. 2005, Universal

32. The Lady Eve

Screenplay by Preston Sturges, Story by Monckton Hoffe. 1941, Paramount

33. Ferris Bueller's Day Off *TIE

Written by John Hughes. 1986, Paramount

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Trading Places *TIE

Written by Timothy Harris & Herschel Weingrod. 1983, Paramount

35. Sullivan's Travels

Written by Preston Sturges. 1941, Paramount

36. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Written by John Hughes. 1987, Paramount

37. The Philadelphia Story

Screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart, Based on the Play by Philip Barry. 1940, MGM

38. A Night at the Opera

Screen Play by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, From a Story by James Kevin McGuinness. 1935, MGM

39. Rushmore

Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson. 1998, Touchstone/BV

40. Waiting for Guffman

Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy. 1996, Sony Pics Classics

41. The Odd Couple

Screenplay by Neil Simon, From the Play by Neil Simon as Produced on the Stage by Saint-Subber. 1968, Paramount

42. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

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. 1988, Paramount

43. Office Space

Written for the Screen by Mike Judge, Based on the "Milton" Animated Shorts by Mike Judge. 1999, 20th Century Fox

44. Big

Written by Anne Spielberg & Gary Ross. 1988, 20th Century Fox

45. National Lampoon's Vacation

Screenplay by John Hughes. 1983, Warner Bros.

46. Midnight Run

Written by George Gallo. 1988, Universal

47. It Happened One Night

Screenplay by Robert Riskin, Based on the Short Story by Samuel Hopkins Adams. 1934, Columbia

48. M*A*S*H

Screenplay by Ring Lardner, Jr., From the Novel by Richard Hooker. 1970, 20th Century Fox

49. Harold and Maude

Written by Colin Higgins. 1971, Paramount

50. Shaun of the Dead

Written by Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright. 2004, Focus (Universal)

51. Broadcast News

Written  by James L. Brooks. 1987, 20th Century Fox

52. Arthur

Written by Steven Gordon. 1981,Orion

53. Four Weddings and a Funeral

Written by Richard Curtis. 1994,Gramercy

54. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy *TIE

Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. 2004, Dreamworks

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Dumb and Dumber *TIE

Written by Peter Farrelly & Bennett Yellin & Bob Farrelly. 1994,New Line

56. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Written by Mike Myers. 1997, New Line

57. The General

Written by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, Adapted by Al Boasberg and Charles Smith. 1926, United Artists

58. What's Up, Doc?

Screenplay by Buck Henry and David Newman & Robert Benton, Story by Peter Bogdanovich. 1972, Warner Bros.

59. Wedding Crashers

Written by Steve Faber & Bob Fisher. 2005, New Line

60. Sleeper

Written by Woody Allen  & Marshall Brickman. 1973, United Artists

61. Galaxy Quest

Screenplay by David Howard and Robert Gordon, Story by David Howard.1999, Dreamworks

62. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Screenplay by William and Tania Rose, Story by William and Tania Rose. 1963, United Artists

63. Best in Show

Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy. 2000, Warner Bros.

64. Little Miss Sunshine

Written by Michael D. Arndt. 2006, Fox Searchlight

65. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

Written by Trey Parker & Matt Stone & Pam Brady. 1999, Paramount

66. Being There

Screenplay by Jerzy Kosinski, Inspired by the Novel by Jerzy Kosinski. 1979, United Artists

67. Back to the Future

Written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale. 1985, Universal

68. Superbad

Written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg. 2007, Columbia

69. Bananas

Written by Woody Allen, Mickey Rose. 1971,United Artists

70. Moonstruck

Written by John Patrick Shanley. 1987, MGM

71. Clueless

Written by Amy Heckerling. 1995, Paramount

72. The Palm Beach Story

Written by Preston Sturges. 1942, Paramount

73. The Pink Panther

Written by Maurice Richlin & Blake Edwards.1963, United Artists

74. The Blues Brothers

Written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis. 1980, Universal

75. Coming to America

Screenplay by David Sheffield & Barry W. Blaustein, Story by Eddie Murphy. 1988, Paramount

76. Take the Money and Run

Screenplay by Woody Allen and Mickey Rose, Story by Jackson Beck. 1969, Cinerama

77. Election

Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Based on the Novel by Tom Perrotta. 1999, Paramount

78. Love and Death

Written by Woody Allen. 1975, United Artists

79. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels *TIE

Written by Dale Launer and Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning. 1988, Orion

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Lost in America *TIE

Written by Albert Brooks & Monica Johnson. 1985, Warner Bros.

81. Manhattan

Written by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman. 1979, United Artists

82. Modern Times

Written by Charles Chaplin. 1936, United Artists

83. My Cousin Vinny

Written by Dale Launer. 1992, 20th Century Fox

84. Mean Girls

Screenplay by Tina Fey, Based on the Book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. 2004, Paramount

85. Meet the Parents

Screenplay by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg, Story by Greg Glienna  & Mary Ruth Clarke. 2000, Universal

86. Fargo

Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. 1996, Gramercy

87. My Favorite Year

Screenplay by Dennis Palumbo and Norman Steinberg, Story by Dennis Palumbo. 1982, MGM

88. Stripes

Written by Len Blum & Dan Goldberg and Harold Ramis. 1981, Columbia

89. Beverly Hills Cop

Screenplay by Daniel Petrie, Jr., Story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie, Jr. 1984, Paramount

90. City Lights

Written by Charles Chaplin. 1931, United Artists

91. Sideways

Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Based on the Novel by Rex Pickett. 2004, Fox Searchlight

92. Broadway Danny Rose

Written by Woody Allen. 1984, Orion

93. Swingers

Written by Jon Favreau. 1996, Miramax

94. The Gold Rush

Written by Charles Chaplin. 1925, United Artists

95. The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek

Written by Preston Sturges. 1944, Paramount

96. All About Eve

Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Based on the Short Story and Radio Program "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr. 1950, 20th Century Fox

97. Arsenic and Old Lace

Screenplay by Julius Epstein & Philip G. Epstein, Based on the Play by Joseph Kesselring. 1944, Warner Bros.

98. The Royal Tenenbaums

Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson. 2001, Touchstone/BV

99. Mrs. Doubtfire

Screenplay by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, Based on Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. 1993, 20th Century Fox

100. Flirting with Disaster

Written by David O. Russell. 1996,Miramax

101. Shakespeare in Love

Written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard. 1998, Miramax

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