Top 50 Scenes Where Actors Couldn't Keep a Straight Face
These actors couldn't hold it together! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down scenes from movies and TV shows where actors couldn’t help but grin, making it onto the screen if only for a fleeting second.
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00:00Don't hit the dresser!
00:01Shut up!
00:02That used to be yours as a baby!
00:03That's my dresser!
00:05Trevor, pack your deodorant.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down scenes from movies and TV shows where
00:13actors couldn't help but grin, making it onto the screen if only for a fleeting second.
00:19I don't want you to get too excited.
00:20It's only a loan.
00:21Number 50.
00:34Breaking Bateman.
00:35Arrested Development.
00:36No problem.
00:37Just call up some of my friends.
00:41What?
00:42What friends?
00:43In a family full of dysfunctional members, Michael Bluth is the son who had no choice
00:48but to keep them all together.
00:49As the resident straight man, Jason Bateman had to keep himself together in the presence
00:54of such colorful characters.
00:55In Tobias' case, the color is blue.
00:58Hey, Tobias, I was wondering if you are available tomorrow to go down to Mexico.
01:02I need two drivers.
01:03Alas, I have two shows tomorrow, where I'm on standby for the Blue Man Group.
01:07You don't need to be a therapist to see why Tobias' marriage to Lindsay is a failure.
01:12I know you're the big marriage expert.
01:14Oh, I'm sorry.
01:15I forgot.
01:16Your wife is dead.
01:17Tobias doesn't think Michael is one to judge, however.
01:20After all, his wife isn't even alive.
01:23It's one of the most insensitive things Tobias has ever said, which is saying a lot.
01:28Bateman does what he can to maintain a blank stare, but the line and delivery prove so
01:32jarring that a grin begins to crack.
01:34I know you're the big marriage expert.
01:37Oh, I'm sorry.
01:38I forgot.
01:39Your wife is dead.
01:40Number 49.
01:42Sean used to be cool.
01:43The good place.
01:44I'm gonna go write an evil speech for when this is all over.
01:47It is gonna be so long.
01:50Nobody plays a stick in the mud better than Mark Evan Jackson, and Sean may be the afterlife's
01:56muddiest stick.
01:57From the get-go, Sean is hell-bent on keeping our heroes in the bad place for an eternity
02:01of torture.
02:02Sean remains a roadblock well into the final season, making it all the more baffling when
02:07Manny Jacinto's Jason claims he used to be cool.
02:10Sean, you used to be cool, but you've changed, man.
02:14Jameela Jamil's Tahani seemingly makes a face-palm gesture, but in reality, this was
02:19likely to restrain another burst of laughter.
02:22This line required multiple takes as it repeatedly broke the cast.
02:26According to creator Michael Schur, they spent three and a half minutes getting the giggles
02:30out.
02:30During one take, Ted Danson broke before even hearing the line, anticipating Jacinto's
02:35delivery.
02:35None of this would have happened if you hadn't mucked...
02:38What?
02:39The anticipation.
02:42Number 48.
02:44Elevator!
02:44The Umbrella Academy
02:46An elevator is among both the worst and funniest places to let one rip.
02:50This is reflected in The Umbrella Academy as the siblings cram into an elevator to meet
02:54their father.
02:55Tom Hopper's Luther is so nervous that he unleashes a silent yet potent fart.
03:01Luther's siblings react in a relatively grossed-out manner, except one.
03:05David Castañeda's Diego lowers his head, making little attempt to hide his childish
03:09grin.
03:10While most of the cast singled this scene out as the funniest to shoot, Castañeda
03:14is the only actor who couldn't get through it without laughing.
03:17The take in the final episode was apparently the best.
03:20Considering that Diego's alias is number two, it makes sense he'd be the most vulnerable
03:25to flatulence humor.
03:27Number 47.
03:29Driving Instructor
03:30The Jamie Foxx Show
03:31Good afternoon, you maggots!
03:34My name is Sergeant Easy, and this is my house!
03:37You will speak only when spoken to!
03:40You will answer me, ma'am, sir!
03:41Yes, sir!
03:42Traffic school would surely be a lot more fun if Mr. Cooper were the instructor.
03:47Unfortunately for Jamie, he gets stuck with Sergeant Easy, another Mark Curry character.
03:52Sergeant Easy is anything but easygoing, running his class with the intensity and
03:57uniform of a drill sergeant.
03:58Every student in the room, especially Jamie Foxx, noticeably hides their internal chuckles
04:04behind expressions of terror.
04:05Uh, I got a question.
04:07Over here.
04:07Who said that?
04:09Who said that?
04:09Boy, stand up, boy, when I'm talking to you.
04:12What is your name, boy?
04:13My name is Jamie, bro.
04:15Jamie!
04:15A particular moment pushes everybody in Curry's vicinity over the edge.
04:20Charging to the front of the class to confront a student, Curry slips before pulling himself
04:24up on the desk.
04:25While Curry stays in character, Foxx and several extras turn their heads.
04:30Consumed by laughter, Sergeant Easy breaks his students, just not in the way he intended.
04:35Where you from, boy?
04:36I'm from Tell, Texas.
04:37Tell, Texas, huh?
04:38Only two things come from Tell, Texas.
04:40Little sissies and big sissies.
04:41Now, which one are you?
04:44Hey, man.
04:45Are you on Prozac?
04:47Number 46.
04:48Dog Interrogation, Martin.
04:50Now, you're all probably wondering why I called you here.
04:54Hell yeah, you dragged us out in the middle of a stormy night.
04:56What's wrong with you, fool?
04:58And why did you want us all in black?
05:02I'm setting my scene.
05:03Few sitcom ensembles are more infamous for breaking than the cast of Martin.
05:07A standout example finds Martin interrogating his friends,
05:10New Jack City-style, believing one of them stole his CD Walkman.
05:14Did we mention this aired in 1994?
05:16I know who stole my CD player.
05:21And the person's in this room right now.
05:23Looking to make the guilty party talk, Martin sics his watchdog on them.
05:27Since Martin doesn't have an actual dog, though, he resorts to hurling around a stuffed one.
05:32Martin's friends are more annoyed than they are intimidated.
05:34Although at least one of them finds this amusing.
05:38Are you, are you, I'm tellin' ya!
05:41Sick, sick!
05:43Damn!
05:44Thomas Michael Ford isn't prepared as Martin strolls around the table with the dog,
05:47spontaneously barking.
05:49The most Ford can do to contain himself is not make eye contact with Martin.
05:53Even then, there's no use in hiding.
05:56Number 45.
05:58ESPN.
05:59Mean Girls.
06:00I'm kind of psychic.
06:02I have a bit sense.
06:03Whether you've seen Mean Girls countless times or just once back in 2004,
06:08Amanda Seyfried's ESPN line has taken on a life of its own in pop culture.
06:13As quotable as this moment is, people tend to miss a swift yet
06:16significant break on Lindsay Lohan's behalf.
06:19After Karen mistakes ESPN for ESP, she tells Katie about her fifth sense.
06:24As Seyfried talks about her prognostic breasts, a grin takes over Lohan's elated face.
06:30It's like I have ESPN or something. My breasts can always tell when it's gonna rain.
06:37Really? That's amazing.
06:40Cutting to the next shot, Katie suddenly goes from smiling to looking at Karen in confusion.
06:45Maybe it's because the audience is more focused on Seyfried, but you'd think more people would
06:50pick up on this inconsistency considering how many times they've rewatched the film.
06:54Well, they can tell when it's raining.
06:5744. Frozen grandparents. Weird science.
07:14Chet is one of those jerky older brothers who we want to hate, but simply can't.
07:18The actors seem to share that sentiment,
07:20as Bill Paxton is among the few who doesn't break in this scene.
07:27I'm not a moron, you know. I...
07:34Was that my grandparents?
07:36Chet returns home to find a snowstorm in his room,
07:39a Pershing missile, and his grandparents' catatonic in the closet.
07:42Grandma and Grandpa might not flinch, although pretty much every teenager in the room does,
07:48most notably Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith. In the story's context,
07:53you could argue that they're laughing about how obliviously stupid Chet is,
07:57but we all know their reactions are legit. Even when Chet gives his younger brother a
08:02painful wedgie, Paxton is only hurting Mitchell-Smith with laughter.
08:0643. R.I.P. Livia, The Sopranos.
08:17Livia Soprano wasn't the most pleasant person in life. As Livia's family gathers following her
08:22funeral, the emotions in the air are mixed at best. Janice attempts to honor her mother's
08:27death by giving her a kiss on the cheek, but it doesn't work. Livia's father,
08:31Michael Imperioli, recalled the cast dying with laughter when the show tune played.
08:35In the final take, some actors stay uncomfortably composed,
08:39but not everyone gets through the scene laugh-free.
09:01Drea DiMatteo is the most prominent offender, although to be fair, Adriana got high with
09:07Christopher before the wake, so maybe that's why she's covering up a smile. In a way,
09:11Imperioli found laughter to be a fitting tribute to Livia and actress Nancy Marchand,
09:16because it showed, quote, she was so beloved.
09:20Mrs. Soprano may have passed, but who's to say there isn't another Mrs. Soprano just like her,
09:24or will be? Maybe not with the same fears and paranoia, but the same.
09:32Number 42. The Necklace, Pretty Woman
09:35Don't look okay?
09:38Something's missing.
09:39Pretty Woman has been cited as the film that turned Julia Roberts into America's sweetheart.
09:43If we had to pinpoint a specific moment that Roberts earned this title,
09:47it would be when Edward snaps a jury box on Vivian's hand, resulting in an infectious laugh.
09:53I don't want you to get too excited. It's only a loan.
10:04It's the sort of reaction that can't be bought or pre-planned.
10:08Since Roberts was showing up to the set in the mornings looking sleepy,
10:11director Gary Marshall suggested that Richard Gere slam the box shut to provide a jolt of energy.
10:16The box was soft and wouldn't hurt. Although it was merely intended as a practical joke,
10:21Roberts' moment of shock and the ensuing unscripted laugh
10:24proved too irresistible to leave on the cutting room floor.
10:27They really let you borrow this from the jewelry store?
10:29I'm a very good customer.
10:32If you were going to buy this, how much would it cost?
10:35Quarter of a million.
10:36Number 41. Close Encounter, Saturday Night Live
10:39And how did the aliens return you all to Earth?
10:43I was carried down gently.
10:46I was crying. I was carried down gently in a cradle of light,
10:52placed into a soft bed of wildflowers.
10:55If there's one SNL host we love to watch break, it's Ryan Gosling.
10:59Breaking has been a staple of Gosling-centric sketches since his first Close Encounter.
11:04Gosling, Cicely Strong, and Kate McKinnon play a trio who make contact with aliens.
11:08Where Gosling and Strong are both in awe,
11:10McKinnon's Miss Rafferty makes her abduction sound like an intergalactic dumpster fire.
11:15Meanwhile, I'm starting phase two, which is me sitting on a stool
11:20while 40 gray aliens take turns gently batting my knockers.
11:25Bobby Moynihan and Aidy Bryant have a hard time staying in character as NSA agents,
11:31but Gosling is overcome with the most severe case of the sillies.
11:34Every time Gosling has returned for a Close Encounter sketch,
11:37McKinnon has seemingly gone out of her way to break him.
11:40At this point, it's about as planned as unplanned laughter can get on live TV.
11:4540. Stuttering Lawyer – My Cousin Vinny
11:59My Cousin Vinny is perfectly cast across the board, a standout being Austin Pendleton
12:04as a stuttering public defender named John Gibbons. Possessing a real stutter,
12:10Pendleton was a friend of director Jonathan Lin. Although Lin knew the role was tailor-made for
12:15Pendleton, he underestimated just how funny the scene would be. Lin usually sat by the camera.
12:21For Pendleton's big scene, Lin had to hide behind the camera to conceal his laughter.
12:26The actors obviously couldn't do the same.
12:34Although hidden in the background, Joe Pesci,
12:37Raph Macchio, and Mitchell Whitfield can be spotted covering their giggling faces.
12:42Whitfield confessed in an interview,
12:44When he's stuttering and my shoulders are going up and down like I'm crying,
12:49I was laughing. I couldn't help it.
12:5539. Wash & Wear – The Proposal
12:59The Proposal reminded audience what an invaluable comedic talent Sandra Bullock is.
13:04The rom-com was also a showcase for Oscar Nunes, who practically steals the show as Ramon.
13:10If the blooper reel is any indication, Bullock probably broke the most throughout shooting.
13:16One of her breaks even made it into the finished film with Nunes on the receiving end.
13:26Ramon won't take no for an answer while trying to serve Bullock's Margaret an appetizer,
13:32shoving it into her mouth. Margaret chews the fishy hors d'oeuvres for
13:35several uncomfortable seconds before spitting it on Ramon.
13:39Covering her mouth with the napkin, Margaret appears to be holding in her disgust.
13:43Based on Bullock's smile though,
13:45she was clearly holding in her laughter as Nunes improvised this line.
13:57The season 8 premiere of Will & Grace kicked off with a live episode,
14:01which the cast performed twice for both coasts. Although much of the cast had done stage
14:06protections before, preserving a straight face on live television wasn't any less challenging.
14:12Debra Messing and Sean Hayes sniggered the most throughout a conversation about cheating.
14:23The two go in and out of character leading up to the film's big reveal.
14:28One of Jack's eyebrows was burnt off. Messing tries to put on a horrified face while Hayes
14:34attempts to stay solid. However, a chuckle fest is erupting within both of them.
14:49The laughter inevitably breaks free, although
14:53Messing is at least able to cover her mouth in hysterical horror.
14:58There's nothing funny about being wrongfully incarcerated, but when Eddie Murphy and Martin
15:06Lawrence are among the prisoners, there are bound to be more laughs than anticipated.
15:10This scene demonstrates the commitment of both actors as they not only have to wear heavy makeup,
15:16but they have to do so while standing barefoot on boxes of bottles. Both stay reserved until
15:22Lawrence's toe accidentally slips into a bottle, causing him to crack.
15:27Lawrence's laughter proves infectious, getting to Murphy, yet both still carry on with the scene,
15:37which is made all the more impressive given their uncomfortable circumstances.
15:42This slip-up works well within the context of the movie, bringing levity to Ray and
15:46Claude's reconciliation after not speaking to each other for several years.
15:57Simon Helberg is best known for playing Howard Wolowitz,
16:06but he possesses great range as an actor. His talents are reflected through this Big
16:11Bang Theory episode where he impersonates several household names, including Al Pacino.
16:16In a blooper, Helberg gets about halfway through his
16:20Justice for All parody before losing it.
16:31Helberg would get through the scene for the finished tape,
16:33although his co-stars show no restraint.
16:37You can tell that the cast is genuinely cracking up over Helberg's spot-on impression.
16:42Kaley Cuoco most notably is seen turning her head to the side,
16:46seemingly addressing the crew off-camera as she laughs.
16:49For a moment, this is essentially Helberg's one-man show,
17:02and the rest of the cast are part of the audience.
17:09For all of its over-the-top moments, Blazing Saddles does delve into the harsh reality of
17:14racism. For Mel Brooks, the most effective way to combat prejudice has always been to make him
17:21laugh. After Sheriff Bart is discriminated against, Jim attempts to cheer his friend
17:25up by epitomizing the town's folks in one word. Actor Cleavon Little wasn't prepared
17:40for Gene Wilder's Morons punchline, resulting in a sincere reaction. Having just heard one of the
17:47ugliest words in the English language, Bart and the audience needed something to raise morale.
17:52Wilder's line does the trick, but it's Little's smile that brings a much-needed
17:57human element to the scene. It goes to show that even at his lowest point,
18:09Bart's spirit is still blazing.
18:16As the girls contemplate whether to continue living together, Rose unintentionally unites
18:21them with her nonsensical tall tale of the Great Herring War. It's been rumored that
18:26Betty White improvised Rose's story. Although script supervisor Isabel O'Meara would debunk this,
18:33everything about the scene was scripted, including Bea Arthur and Rue McCannahan's laughter.
18:39Although the script called for them to crack up at certain lines,
18:50many fans still argue just how much of the laughter was genuine. As Arthur and
18:55McCannahan hide their faces, it feels less like scripted laughter and more like the real deal.
19:09Maybe Arthur and McCannahan were just that convincing, or maybe this shows the light-hearted
19:17side of method acting. Either way, White is the only one with a straight face.
19:28Peter Sellers, like Jacques Clouseau, was an unpredictable screen presence.
19:34Even if you knew that an over-the-top antic was coming, that didn't make the execution any less
19:39hilarious. For Catherine Schell, it was hard getting through the fourth Pink Panther film
19:44without snickering at Sellers' hygiene. Even before Jacques introduced himself to Lady Claudine,
19:50Schell can't suppress her natural instinct to laugh. At times, Schell's constant smiling works
20:01enough, given the scene's flirtatious nature. On multiple occasions, though, Schell hides her
20:06laughter behind her hand or a glass. Other times, the filmmakers make no attempt to cover the
20:12laughter, just letting it slide. Perhaps they could have done more takes, but then the scene
20:18would have been robbed of its spontaneity.
20:31Ocean's Twelve is nobody's favorite entry in the heist series.
20:37But we do get a memorable line here and there. A highlight comes when Elliot Gould's Reuben
20:43is banging on Frank's bathroom door. Scott Cahn's Tert points out how rude Reuben is being,
20:49given Frank's awkward position. Reuben responds by painting Tert a disgusting portrait of what's
20:54going to happen to his feet if he doesn't get to the toilet soon. Before Gould is even done
20:59delivering the line, Cahn turns away with a grin on his face. Rather than try to conceal this,
21:11the camera follows Cahn as he walks off to the side with his head turned. While the line itself
21:16is gold, Cahn's reaction was seemingly too priceless to tiptoe around.
21:22Number 31. Food Poisoning – Parks and Recreation
21:26Sometimes, it's what you love the most that results in one's undoing. Such is the case
21:32with Ben Wyatt and calzones. The Italian delicacy gives Ben, Ron, and Chris food poisoning to the
21:41point that they can barely move around the room. As Ben struggles to dial the phone on the floor,
21:47Chris leans into the shot with his face taking up much of the frame. Despite being on full
21:52display, the expression on Chris' face is often mistaken for agony. Upon further expression though,
21:59it's evident that actor Rob Lowe has a massive grin that he's trying to pass off as pain.
22:04Perhaps Lowe was in pain during this scene, but it likely had more to do with his funny bone
22:09than a stomach bug. Number 30. Principal's Office – This Is 40
22:22As well-written as Judd Apatow's comedies are, the funniest moments are often the ones
22:27delivered on the spot. The most rewatchable scene in This Is 40 finds Melissa McCarthy's Katherine
22:33ripping into Pete, Debbie, and Principal Jill. As McCarthy ad-libs insult after insult,
22:39Leslie Mann barely wrangles the smile stretching across her face.
22:44Only a few reaction shots made it into the finished scene, as Mann and Paul Rudd both
22:50broke down during McCarthy's stone-faced tirade. A longer version of the scene would be featured
22:55during the end credits where Mann and Rudd show no restraint. Even as the actors break down in tear,
23:08McCarthy just keeps going until she's out of creative profanity. Only then does someone say,
23:14cut. Number 29. Strip Club – That 70s Show
23:20Here's another scene where the cameras just kept rolling, despite practically everyone on
23:25set going to pieces. Escorting Donna and Jackie to a strip club, Kitty gets a little too freaky
23:31with the talent. Actress Debra Jo Rupp hadn't fully rehearsed her enthusiastic dance catching
23:36Mila Kunis off guard. Kunis was broken to the point that she threw herself to the side.
23:48Although only Kunis' break made it into the episode, Laura Prepon, Luke Wilson, and the male
23:54stripper were all crumbling with the sillies. Rupp was the only one staying in character,
23:59waiting for someone off stage to finally put the scene to rest. The question is,
24:03who brings more energy to this scene? Kitty or the dedicated stripper doing one-arm push-ups?
24:09Number 28. The Cowardly Lion – Oh My! The Wizard of Oz
24:18When the Cowardly Lion roars onto the screen, Dorothy and her friends are initially startled.
24:24It doesn't take long for them to realize that the beast is about as ferocious as a domesticated
24:29kitten. Judy Garland is so unintimidated that she begins to break as the lion trembles in tears.
24:34After Dorothy assures the lion that he's not bleeding,
24:37Garland takes a brief pause with a grin creeping upon her face.
24:45Garland does her best to mask the smile by lifting Toto up to her mouth.
24:49From there, Garland manages to shift back into character. Considering that an adult man in a
24:54lion suit was crying in front of her, it's amazing that Garland got through this scene
24:58with only a minor hiccup. Number 27. The Library Cop – Seinfeld
25:08Jerry Seinfeld might be the most notorious breaker ever to headline a sitcom. On a good day,
25:13Seinfeld would get through a scene just grinning. In other cases, Seinfeld helplessly dissolved
25:19into giggles. According to Seinfeld, the hardest scene he ever had to shoot paired
25:24in with the late Philip Baker Hall as Lt. Bookman. Although Hall plays the character
25:29with the intensity of a law and order detective, Bookman is merely a library investigations officer.
25:40Bookman's serious demeanor perfectly offsets Seinfeld's silly persona. Seinfeld found the
25:46scenario so humorous that they had to do eight takes, stitching together any usable footage.
25:53Even in those clips, Seinfeld let several smiles slip through as Bookman interrogates him
25:58with the conviction of a hard-boiled Humphrey Bogart. Number 26. Tight Lip Jim – The Office
26:16Like Seinfeld, John Krasinski was infamous for breaking on The Office,
26:20with Steve Carell usually at the root of his chuckles. Whenever an episode paired Michael
26:25and Jim, you can expect Krasinski to become silly putty in Carell's hand.
26:30The episode The Secret is one example. Michael strives to bond with Jim at the soda machine,
26:35having learned about his crush on Pam. Krasinski seems to get through the scene fine,
26:40but that's only because of the editor. According to Jenna Fischer, Krasinski could not stop laughing
26:49throughout the scene. The editor could only do so much to hide another Krasinski break
26:54at the office supply station. As Angela Kinsey puts it, when Krasinski loses it,
27:00his whole body collapses. He just becomes a noodle. Number 25. Matt Foley – Saturday Night Live
27:13SNL has given us no shortage of classic breaks across its nearly 50-year history.
27:18Matt Foley provided the ultimate endurance test whenever he stormed into Studio 8H.
27:24The legendary Chris Farley donned the thick glasses and undersized jacket for the first time
27:29in 1993. Comedy history was made, as evidenced by the cast doing everything in their power
27:43not to laugh at Farley's intense delivery and over-the-top gestures. David Spade and
27:48Christina Applegate are seemingly the sketch's most prominent breakers, although Julia Sweeney
27:53was cracking up so much that the camera had to work around her. Sweeney recalls,
27:58was like I had the best seat in the house for the funniest freaking thing that was happening
28:02on the planet. Number 24. Nip It – The Andy Griffith Show When you're a seasoned comedy star
28:16like Don Knotts, how many times can it take to get a scene right? 5? 10 at most? Try about 20.
28:23Specifically this scene from Guest of Honor. Barney Fife isn't the most intimidating officer.
28:35He's an even less threatening drill sergeant. But Barney isn't messing around as he grills
28:40three new deputies. As authoritative as Barney comes off, Knotts was anything but disciplined
28:46on set. He couldn't stop laughing thanks to Floyd Lawson, who continually got him with the line,
28:51Nip It. Knotts eventually eked through the scene, but in the finished version,
29:05Griffith is seen covering his gaping grin. Maybe they could have done another take,
29:10but after a while, you've got to nip it in the bud. Number 23. The Dentist – The Carol Burnett
29:18Harvey Corman might have racked up the most breaks on the Carol Burnett show,
29:22with Tim Conway typically to blame. Conway once said,
29:26My object was to find places in the sketch where I knew I could break up Harvey. I don't think I
29:31ever missed. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the Dentist sketch,
29:36where Corman plays Conway's unsuspecting patient.
29:40I'll be right with you.
29:45Corman does his darndest to pass off his stifled laughter as physical pain. The longer the sketch
29:51goes on, though, the more cracks begin to surface. Corman wasn't prepared for the
29:55novocaine portion of the sketch, which is where the hysterics completely take over.
30:01Conway claims that Corman was laughing so hard that he wet himself,
30:05and this was all done without nitrous oxide.
30:14Number 22. Biggest – Can we still say that on YouTube? – Monty Python's Life of Brian
30:20Michael Palin graduated from Oxford, was knighted by Prince William,
30:25and served as a commander of the Order of the British Empire.
30:28He's also uttered what might be the most hilarious juvenile name in cinema.
30:36Reflecting on Life of Brian, Palin said that the Pontius Pilate scene was the hardest to shoot
30:42because it had to be structured around continuous suppressed laughter.
30:46As legend goes, the soldiers were told to keep a straight face,
30:50but they were supposedly unprepared for the laugh riot that Palin was about to trigger.
30:55Palin gets through most of the scene with unbelievable composure,
30:59but even he can't help himself upon coming face-to-face with Chris Langel.
31:04Palin's smile isn't as big as Langel's, but the name finally gets to him.
31:16Number 21. Grabbin' the Bags – Young Frankenstein
31:20Part of what makes Gene Wilder's performance as Young Frankenstein so great
31:24is how seriously he approaches the role. As refined as Wilder can appear as Dr. Frankenstein,
31:30he broke so many times that it wasn't uncommon for the crew to do
31:34around 15 takes before getting a scene right.
31:37The arrival of Madeline Kahn's Elizabeth resulted in one of the funniest and most stressful shoots.
31:49The scene itself isn't very long, but it would take up a good portion of the blooper reel.
31:55Wilder naturally broke the most frequently,
31:57which rubs off on Kahn, Terry Garr, and Marty Feltman.
32:01They eventually got a take that Mel Brooks was satisfied with.
32:12Even then, Wilder is visibly smiling as Igor bites and barks at Kahn.
32:17Number 20. Son of a… Supernatural
32:27This may be a supernatural drama, but this series sometimes catches the audience off-guard with its
32:32sense of humor. Jared Padalecki was also caught off-guard when co-star Jensen Ackles delivered
32:37this inspired bit of improv. Just as Sam and Dean's luck starts to turn around, they find
32:43that their winning tickets have been stolen by Bella. According to Padalecki, the scene
32:47was supposed to simply end with the brothers watching Bella drive off. Ackles decided to
32:51add a little something extra, however, unleashing an unscripted outburst.
32:57Although Padalecki does his best to hide his reaction, you can still spot him licking
33:01his lips and cracking a grin before turning his head away from the camera.
33:05Number 19. The most annoying sound in the world. Dumb and Dumber
33:19Some of the best bits from Dumb and Dumber were improvised, and this scene is perhaps
33:23the most ingenious. Stuck in the middle of Harry and Lloyd's juvenile antics,
33:27henchman Mental tries to keep his hostile tendencies under control. Just as tensions
33:32begin to dwindle down, Jim Carrey randomly segues into making the most annoying sound in the world.
33:38The camera cuts to Mental's frustrated expression so quickly that most viewers miss Jeff Daniels
33:53biting his lips while trying to restrain his laughter. Clearly he had no idea what was coming.
33:58The film's trailer actually gives us a longer look at Daniel's reaction,
34:02as he slowly collects himself and gets in on the screaming match.
34:08Number 18. Ice Cream. The Ringer
34:19Arguably the funniest moment from this comedy was ad-libbed, which seems to be a recurring
34:23theme for this list. The film centers on a man who pretends to be mentally challenged
34:28in order to compete in the Special Olympics, and eventually befriends his fellow contenders.
34:33After the guys stay out past their curfew, the person responsible for them cooks up an
34:37excuse about getting ice cream. Glenn blows their cover, though, when he lets out this
34:41hilarious line. The delivery is also pitch perfect, as Glenn sounds genuinely confused
34:50and irritated over the lack of ice cream. It's so hysterical that star Johnny Knoxville visually
34:56breaks out in laughter before the camera cuts back to Catherine Heigl.
34:59Number 17. The Gang Loses It. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
35:11It's Always Sunny has a plethora of priceless outtakes, but sometimes you can catch the cast
35:16breaking character in the final product. While there are too many instances to single out just
35:21one, creator and star Rob McElhenney is perhaps the most susceptible to cracking up.
35:29Co-star Charlie Day has also struggled to maintain a straight face on occasion,
35:34although he usually tries to hide his giggles from the camera. We especially love this scene
35:39where the gang drowns their sorrows huffing a jug of gasoline. Don't try this at home.
35:44And Caitlin Olsen says the most childishly brilliant line imaginable.
35:52None of the actors are able to keep it together, and we don't blame them.
35:56Number 16. Hello Clarice! The Cable Guy
36:02Jim Carrey strikes again on our countdown with yet another improvised scene.
36:06Weirdly enough, this moment also involves a chicken. At a medieval restaurant,
36:11the cable guy sits down to a meal with his new best friend Steven.
36:17Since Steven isn't going to eat his chicken skin, the cable guy seizes the opportunity to play with
36:21his food. Co-star Matthew Broderick is completely unprepared as Carrey drapes his face with the
36:27skin and re-enacts a scene from The Silence of the Lambs. As is the case with much of the film,
36:35the audience isn't sure whether to laugh or be disturbed. It obviously tickled Broderick's
36:40funny bone, however, as he can't conceal his grin. Number 15. I Hated the Colonel,
36:46So I Married an Axe Murderer
36:48This black comedy isn't one of Mike Myers' more popular outings, but it does have a Scottish
36:53character who is basically a predecessor to Shrek and Fat Bastard. So whenever the film
37:00shifts focus to Stuart McKenzie, played by Myers in a dual role, the results are always comedic gold.
37:07Stuart is a loudmouth conspiracy nut who believes Colonel Sanders was part of an all-powerful
37:12secret organization that controls the world. He also insists that Colonel sneaks an addictive
37:17chemical into his chicken. As Stuart goes off on this insane tirade, actor Anthony LaPaglia does
37:32his best to sip his beer and nod along, but just can't hold back his ungovernable smirk.
37:37Number 14. Leather Pants, Third Rock from the Sun
37:52Having spent several seasons on SNL, Jane Curtin knows how to keep her cool under the funniest of
37:58circumstances. Even she couldn't stay composed in this priceless Third Rock from the Sun scene,
38:03though. To complete his gorgeous new look, Dick squeezes himself into a pair of leather pants.
38:08The squeaking of the trousers is already enough to push Curtin to the verge of giggling.
38:21When John Lithgow gets up and starts walking around, Curtin can no longer keep her snickers
38:26under wraps. The moment proves so humorous that the camera cuts away as Curtin struggles
38:36to deliver her next line. Then, as Lithgow exits the room, she totally gives in to the hilarity.
38:42Number 13. Roman's Forehead, Fast and Furious 6
39:02The Fast and Furious movies might not have the most complex characters, but nobody can deny
39:07that the chemistry between the cast is nothing short of phenomenal. It's always a blast watching
39:12these actors work off of each other, particularly in this scene. At a barbecue, Roman makes a crack
39:18about the macho Hobbs requiring baby oil. Dwayne Johnson retaliates with an unscripted comeback
39:23about Roman's large forehead. Where Tyrese Gibson manages to stay in character, Chris
39:34Ludacris Bridges is unable to keep his drink down. We honestly never expected to see Ludacris do a
39:40spit-take, but that's exactly why this moment is such a happy accident. Number 12. Super Cops,
39:47Beverly Hills Cop The success of this buddy cop comedy can largely be attributed to Eddie Murphy
39:56and his co-stars, who ad-libbed some of the film's funniest lines. Apparently, numerous
40:01takes were ruined because the cast and crew couldn't contain themselves. Murphy reportedly
40:06took his first sip of coffee ever before shooting this improvised scene. That would certainly explain
40:11why Axel Foley sounds so energized as he covers for detectives Rosewood and Taggart. Foley crafts
40:17a phony story that paints his fellow officers as super cops. Actor John Ashton begins to
40:29unravel after a while, pinching and lowering his face to keep his chuckles inside. Fortunately,
40:34he's able to control his emotions enough to scarcely get through the scene. Number 11. UFO
40:40Speech, Easy Rider While filming the campfire scene in Easy Rider, it was reported that actor
40:46Dennis Hopper had attempted to get co-star Jack Nicholson stoned. It becomes evident that Hopper
40:51most likely accomplished his goal when, during George Hansen's UFO speech, Nicholson suddenly
40:57bursts out into laughter. Although it looks as though they kept the cameras rolling,
41:14the scene actually continues on the next take. Considering the fact that Nicholson was reciting
41:18a seemingly absurd speech about aliens will give him a pass for not keeping a straight face.
41:24Number 10. Hotel Bellboy, Transylvania 65000
41:30Before his sitcom tenure, Michael Richards was playing the oddest oddballs you could imagine.
41:38In this Draculan Stein farce, Richard plays Fejos, a butler whose hijinks weird out hotel
41:44guests but crack up actors. Richards improvised parts of his role using puppets, banana peels,
41:52and other props of his own accord to get laughs out of his on-screen associates,
41:57especially Jeff Goldblum. Things aren't always as they seem in Transylvania,
42:01so who's really pulling whose leg?
42:10Number 9. Meeting Frank the Pug, Men in Black
42:17In this classic sci-fi comedy, agents K and J, played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones
42:22respectively, meet Frank, an alien informant disguised as a pug. While interrogating Frank,
42:34who is in fact played by a real, trained, adorable dog named Mushu,
42:39Jones becomes self-aware and cracks a big one. It's a cinematic moment that proves even the
42:44most veteran actors can't hold themselves together when they're talking to a dog.
42:48Number 8. Warming Up, Anchorman 2 The Legend Continues
42:57In the first scene of Ron Burgundy's second big-screen feature, a newscaster husband and
43:01wife team, played by Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate, practice their diction and scales
43:06before delivering the night's top stories. Meanwhile, Ferrell takes comedy to the next
43:16level. And octave. While trying to warm up, Applegate gets helplessly distracted by Ferrell's
43:24uproarious preparation method and cracks a few smiles between her oohs and corningstones.
43:29Believe it or not, this was the most serious take they got.
43:40Number 7. The Waxing, The 40-Year-Old Virgin
43:44In an effort to be more attractive to the ladies, Steve Carell goes for a chest waxing at his
43:49friend's suggestion. For this scene, Carell volunteered to actually have his bare chest
43:54bare-waxed, ignorant of how insanely painful it would be. By his natural reaction to scream out
44:11whatever random thought entered his mind, we can tell it hurt a lot. His co-worker buddies,
44:16played by Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, and Romany Malco, as well as the waxing lady,
44:21forego their directions to pity him and instead laugh at his agony.
44:35Number 6. Toilet Humor, American Pie
44:42High school senior Finch, played by Eddie K. Thomas, has a crippling fear of going number
44:49two on school grounds. His rival, Stifler, pranks him by slipping an ungodly amount of
44:59laxatives into his mochaccino. You can see where this is going. In this paragon of toilet humor,
45:08Finch spends the next few minutes soiling his own reputation, as everyone can hear his moans
45:13and groans from outside. Towards the end, Thomas slips out of character, acknowledging the scene's
45:26absurdity, and gives us a small, knowing smirk. Number 5. The Younglings, Star Wars Episode 3,
45:33Revenge of the Sith In any given film, not every written line is perfect.
45:46That rule goes for Episode 3 of the Star Wars trilogy, in which Anakin Skywalker breaks bad
45:51and becomes Darth Vader. Ewan McGregor, who plays Anakin's once-mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi,
45:56gets the honor of delivering one such imperfect line, informing Padme of Anakin's descent into
46:02darkness. McGregor takes a moment to finish the awkward, melodramatic line, and covers his mouth
46:16as if to keep from smiling. Hey, whatever gets us to the next fight scene? Number 4. Doctor
46:26Strangelove's Out-of-Control Arm, Doctor Strangelove There are mad scientists who can't
46:36control their arms, and then there are actors who can't control their expressions. During one of the
46:41funniest scenes in Stanley Kubrick's Cold War satire, former Nazi scientist Doctor Strangelove,
46:47played by a brilliant Peter Sellers, struggles to manage a right arm that still compulsively
46:52hails his Führer. Standing right behind him is Peter Bull, who drops a nice big grin as Sellers'
46:58farcical performance might cause anyone to do. Number 3. Ross Plays the Bagpipes, Friends
47:08David Schwimmer is known for some hilarious antics as Ross on the sitcom Friends.
47:13In this classic bit, he whips out his bagpipe and plays his best rendition of Celebration.
47:37Schwimmer's novice playing is supposed to make his friends uncomfortable,
47:40but as Lisa Kudrow joins him with what she believes are the lyrics,
47:44Jennifer Aniston gives up and hides her amusement behind her hands.
47:55As shown by the outtakes, it was a miracle to get any of the friends to keep a straight face
47:59in this scene. Number 2. Line Up, The Usual Suspects
48:04In this classic crime mystery, the Usual Suspects are lined up and asked to read a line,
48:15then crack up at Stephen Baldwin and Benicio Del Toro's mocking interpretations,
48:20and especially Del Toro's uncontrollable bout of flatulence.
48:27Scripted as a serious scene, director Bryan Singer spent a whole day filming the lineup,
48:32becoming frustrated when the actors continually lost self-control. Eventually, he scrapped his
48:37original plan and used the funniest takes instead. We couldn't be happier that he did.
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49:04Number 1. She Used to Fart in Her Sleep, Good Will Hunting
49:14Even in dramatic roles, Robin Williams couldn't hold himself back from seizing
49:17an opportunity for hilarious improvisation. During a short respite in this scene between
49:24Williams, playing a therapist, and Matt Damon as his stubborn patient, Williams catches Damon
49:29completely off guard with an inventive anecdote about romance and flatulence.
49:43The scene is a standout of organic and revealing laughter by two actors in modern cinema that only
49:48an actor like Robin Williams could bring out. Yes, organic and revealing is referring to Damon's
49:57pig squeal. Are there any other breaks we missed? Let us know in the comments.
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