Famous Jewish Comedians Of All Time

Jerry Seinfeld was responsible for creating one of the most popular and acclaimed American sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld. Apart from being a comedian and actor, Jerry Seinfeld is also an automobile enthusiast and collector; he owns about 150 cars. Also a coffee and espresso machine lover, he owns several espresso machines. Jerry is also known for his charity work.

From hosting her comedy show The Sarah Silverman Program, to winning an Emmy and writing a best-selling autobiography, Sarah Silverman has done it all. The NYU drop-out started off as a writer for SNL. She has been an ardent Democratic supporter and often discusses controversial topics on her show.

Comedian, writer, actor, director, and television producer Larry David is best known as the co-creator of the television series Seinfeld. He discovered his talent for comedy as a college student and began his career as a stand-up performer. After a few years of struggle, he achieved success and went on to become an accomplished actor, director, and producer.

Don Rickles was an American actor, author, and stand-up comedian. Nicknamed The Merchant of Venom, Don Rickles specialized in insult comedy. Apart from appearing in several talk and variety shows as a guest, Rickles had his own sitcom titled The Don Rickles Show. After his death, many celebrities including Tom Hanks, Martin Scorsese, and Robert De Niro paid their tributes.

A multifaceted personality, Rob Schneider is an actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. Beginning his career with the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, he proceeded to act in films, first appearing in supporting roles and then graduating to starring roles. He is an outspoken critic of childhood vaccinations. His daughter, Elle King, is a popular musician.

A multi-talented personality, Maya Rudolph is known for her acting, singing, and comedic skills. Apart from playing supporting roles in popular films, such as 50 First Dates and Grown Ups, Maya played a crucial role in Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007, during which she impersonated personalities like Kamala Harris, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award.

One half of the popular American comedy duo Martin & Lewis, Jerry Lewis was nicknamed The King of Comedy for his comedic skills. Also a filmmaker, Jerry Lewis helped develop video assist and went on to popularize the system, which is widely used today. Also a humanitarian, Lewis worked closely with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, raising awareness about muscular dystrophy.

Fran Drescher is an American actress and comedian. Characterized by her thick New York accent and nasal voice, Fran Drescher serves as an inspiration to many cancer patients as she successfully fought off the disease after suffering from uterine cancer. She is also an outspoken LGBT rights activist and healthcare advocate.

American actor and stand-up comedian Amy Schumer is best known for the comedy series Inside Amy Schumer, which ran from 2013 to 2016. She was the creator and co-writer of the television show and also starred in it. She has also acted in films and has worked on the Broadway. She is known to address various social issues through comedy.

Jon Stewart is an American actor, writer, political commentator, television host, and filmmaker. He is credited with popularizing Comedy Central's satirical news program The Daily Show. Also a prominent comedian, Jon Stewart has influenced and inspired several other comedians like Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, John Oliver, Larry Wilmore, Hasan Minhaj, Jordan Klepper, Samantha Bee, and Bassem Youssef.

Howie Mandel is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known for hosting popular TV shows, such as Deal or No Deal. In 2008, Comedy Central named him on its 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all-time list. Mandel serves as an inspiration to those suffering from ADHD and OCD as he himself suffers from these conditions.

Famous for her controversial comedic persona, Joan Rivers was a television host and comedian. She broke stereotypes by hosting a late-night television talk show titled The Late Show with Joan Rivers, becoming the first woman to do so. Also an author, Rivers wrote 12 best-selling books. In 2017, she was posthumously inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. 

Garry Shandling was initially a sitcom writer and then performed as a stand-up comedian on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He later soared to fame with his own shows, It's Garry Shandling's Show and the Emmy-winning The Larry Sanders Show. He has also hosted the Grammy and Emmy Awards.

Born Jerome Lester Horwitz and nick named Curly by his brothers, Curly Howard is an American vaudevillian actor who was known for his comic skills, childlike mannerism and exaggerated walk. His performance as a member of The Three Stooges was particularly popular among children in 1930s and early 1940s. He was forced to retire early from his career because of stroke.

Albert Brooks is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. Best known for his portrayal of a Jewish mobster in the action drama film Drive, Brooks has also played important roles in films like Broadcast News and Taxi Driver. Over the years, he has been honored with awards, such as the American Comedy Award and Boston Society of Film Critics Award.

George Burns was an American actor, comedian, singer, and writer. Characterized by his cigar-smoke punctuation and arched eyebrow, which remained relevant for more than 75 years, Burns was one of the few entertainers to have achieved an equal amount of success in film, television, vaudeville, and radio. He has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Harvey Korman gained recognition with his acts on The Danny Kaye Show. He then soared to fame with the sketch comedy series The Carol Burnett Show, partnering with Tim Conway and winning four Emmys. He has also been part of The Flintstones franchise and several Mel Brooks comedies.

Milton Berle was part of the initial Golden Age of Television, and his significant TV roles earned him the nicknames Uncle Miltie and Mr. Television. The multiple Emmy-winning artist began as a child actor on stage and in silent films and later gained fame on Texaco Star Theatre.

Richard Lewis is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Well-known for his self-deprecating humor, Lewis was named in Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Standups of All Time list. He has also written comic articles for popular publications like Playboy. As an actor, Richard Lewis is best known for playing Marty Gold in the popular sitcom, Anything But Love.

While he grew up to be a Harvard math professor, that didn’t stop Tom Lehrer from pursuing his childhood love for music. He gained fame as a satirical composer, with songs such as So Long, Mom, I’m Off to Drop the Bomb and That Was The Year That Was.

Rachel Dratch is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She established herself as a comedian after appearing on Saturday Night Live (SNL), where she played several recurring characters from 1999 to 2006. A multi-talented individual, Rachel Dratch released her autobiographical audiobook titled Girl Walks Into a Bar in 2012.

Jack Albertson was an eminent American actor having presence in films and plays alike, as evident from his successful performances in The Subject Was Roses both on the stage and on the big screen. The winner of Tony, Oscar and Emmy awards had such a passion for his career that he continued his acting despite being diagnosed for colorectal cancer.

Gad Elmaleh is a Moroccan-Canadian stand-up comedian and actor. He studied drama at Cours Florent under the tutelage of prominent coach Isabelle Nanty. He began his career with one-man shows and eventually ventured into TV and cinema as well. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.