15 FORGOTTEN TV Comedians Who Were Bigger Than Movies

Imagine turning on your TV on a Saturday night and realizing that 30 million other Americans were watching the exact same comedian at the exact same moment. That was television during America’s three-network era. Before cable, streaming, and hundreds of channels, comedians could become some of the most famous people in the country almost overnight. Their jokes were repeated at work the next morning, their characters became part of American culture, and millions of families invited them into their living rooms every week. But today, many of their names have almost disappeared. In this video, we uncover 15 forgotten TV comedians who were once bigger than many movie stars — including Paul Lynde, Jonathan Winters, Flip Wilson, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and more. Some changed comedy forever. Some influenced the stars who came after them. And one comedian had a legendary writers’ room filled with future giants of American entertainment. 📺 Which of these comedians do YOU remember watching? Tell us in the comments who made you laugh the most — and which forgotten comedian deserves to be remembered today. If you love classic television, forgotten celebrities, old-school comedy and stories from the golden age of American TV, subscribe and join us as we bring television’s forgotten history back to life. 👍 Like if this brought back a memory. 💬 Share your favorite comedian in the comments. 🔔 Subscribe for more forgotten television stories.