The King of Comedy
“It's no laughing matter.”
Synopsis
Aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin attempts to achieve success in show business by stalking his idol, a late night talk-show host who craves his own privacy.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
"The King of Comedy" (1982 - Martin Scorsese)
Type: Clip • Published 2019-10-04
Top Cast
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Robert De Niro
Rupert Pupkin
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Langford
Diahnne Abbott
Rita
Sandra Bernhard
Masha
Shelley Hack
Cathy Long
Frederick de Cordova
Bert Thomas
Ed Herlihy
Ed Herlihy
Lou Brown
Band Leader
Loretta Tupper
Stage Door Fan
Peter Potulski
Stage Door Fan
Vinnie Gonzales
Stage Door Fan
Whitey Ryan
Stage Door Guard
Doc Lawless
Chauffeur
Marta Heflin
Young Girl
Katherine Wallach
Autograph Seeker
Charles Kaleina
Autograph Seeker
Richard Baratz
Caricaturist
Catherine Scorsese
Rupert's Mom (voice)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
February 18, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 15, 2005
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$19M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.13x
-$16.5M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Screenplay & Story
- Paul D. Zimmerman
- Original Score
- Robbie Robertson
- Original Title
- The King of Comedy
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 49m
- Production Budget
- $19M
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.5M
- Production Studios
- Embassy International Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Martin Scorsese
Paul D. Zimmerman
Robbie Robertson
Fred Schuler
Thelma Schoonmaker
Arnon Milchan, Robert Greenhut
Department Leadership Roster
Robbie Robertson
Original Music Composer
Fred Schuler
Director of Photography
Arnon Milchan
Producer
Boris Leven
Production Design
Thelma Schoonmaker
Editor
Richard Bruno
Costume Design
Paul D. Zimmerman
Writer
Martin Scorsese
Director
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The King of Comedy.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The King of Comedy.
Movie Collection
Essential Comedy
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films. Ranks narrative feature films by average member rating (minimum 25,000 ratings). Excludes documentaries, shorts, and TV series. Letterboxd 官方 Top 500 电影榜单： 根据用户平均评分排名的剧情长片（最低2.5万评价门槛）。已排除纪录片、短片及剧集。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:35:27 UTC+8)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The King of Comedy
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The King of Comedy about?
Aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin attempts to achieve success in show business by stalking his idol, a late night talk-show host who craves his own privacy.
Who directed The King of Comedy?
The King of Comedy was directed by Martin Scorsese.
Who stars in The King of Comedy?
The principal cast of The King of Comedy includes Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Shelley Hack.
When was The King of Comedy released and how long is it?
The King of Comedy was released in 1982 with a total runtime of 1h 49m.
What was the box office and production budget of The King of Comedy?
The King of Comedy had a reported production budget of $19M and grossed $2.5M at the worldwide box office (0.13 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The King of Comedy?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The King of Comedy was composed by Robbie Robertson.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The King of Comedy?
The King of Comedy holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); CA: 14A; DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).