Funny Ladies: 100 Years of Great Comediennes

by Stephen M. Silverman

Jam packed with jokes, funny stories, and stand-up routines, this reference guide to the funniest women in America covers more than seventy-five famous comediennes, including Mae West, Gracie Allen, Carole Lombard, Judy Holliday, Whoopi Goldberg, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Tracey Ullman, Cameron Diaz, and others.

Genres: Humor

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

Reviews

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thumbnail sketches of women comediennes. He missed a few but the ones he chose were fascinating. Once started I could not put it down.

[Mandy Weinman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

If you are looking for a VERY brief history of ladies in comedy, this is the book for you. I found myself having to look up a large number of them so don’t expect all big names. I can’t imagine how else one would do a book detailing the histories of so many women, but I felt that some of the bios were too brief - more like “mentions.” Not a great read but certainly a surface level dose of information.

[Melissa Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wouldn't recommend.

Cheaply produced. Not a lot of information about newer comediennes, lots of focus on older women, for example, Carol Lombard, who was famous in the 1930s. I wouldn't recommend.

[Carolynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite storyline was about Tallulah Bankhead. Sooo funny. Interesting tidbits about very funny ladies.

[Rachelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I thought it was. More of a chronological telling of female comedians through the ages. Not in their voices.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too little on too many but with some great photographs. I would have liked a little more substance rather than a brief synopsis of each performer which read more like a historical record than anything else. Still, I enjoyed the trip through time and the review of the funny ladies that have helped shape comedy over the past century. It just took me a little longer to read because it wasn't terribly engaging.

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flipped through the second half of ladies I recognized; might flip through the earlier comediennes later. Short bios & lots of pics.

[Mare · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great book full of amazing, funny women.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

My research takes me to the best places - who'd have thought that working on Kay Thompson's Eloise would lead me to Funny Ladies?
So glad it did - a wonderful book full of stories and smiles.