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