The King of Comedy
Rupert Pupkin, a delusional aspiring comedian obsessed with becoming a star, becomes increasingly unhinged as his desperate attempts to impress the successful Jerry Langford spiral into dangerous obsession and fantasy.
“It's no laughing matter.”
Synopsis
Rupert Pupkin, an aspiring comic, seeks success in show business by obsessively following his idol, a late-night talk-show host who desires personal privacy.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 186+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Thelma SchoonmakerShot by Fred SchulerScored by Robbie RobertsonDesigned by Boris LevenSound by Frank E WarnerCostumes by Richard Bruno
Box Office
1982 · Box office
📉 Underperformed — grossed 0.1× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$2.5M
Full synopsis
Also known as
- King of Comedyde
- El rey de la comediaes
- La Valse des pantinsfr
- Re per una notteit
Release dates around the world5 countries · showhide
- IcelandDec 18, 1982
- BrazilFeb 18, 1983
- United StatesFeb 18, 1983
- GermanyMar 4, 1983
- CanadaMar 18, 1983
Production & Distribution
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Cast & Crew
186 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Robert De Niro
as Rupert Pupkin
Jerry Lewis
as Jerry Langford
Diahnne Abbott
as Rita Keane
Sandra Bernhard
as Masha
Ed Herlihy
as Ed Herlihy
Lou Brown
as Lou Brown - Band Leader
Loretta Tupper
as Stage Door Fan
Peter Potulski
as Stage Door Fan
Vinnie Gonzales
as Stage Door Fan
Whitey Ryan
as Stage Door Guard
Doc Lawless
as Chauffeur
Marta Heflin
as Young Girl
Supporting cast
70Katherine Wallach
as Autograph Seeker
Charles Kaleina
as Autograph Seeker
Richard Baratz
as Caricaturist
Catherine Scorsese
as Rupert's Mom
Cathy Scorsese
as Dolores
Chuck Low
as Man in Chinese Restaurant
Liza Minnelli
as Liza Minnelli
Leslie Levinson
as Roberta Posner
Alan Potashnick
as Man at Telephone
Michael Kolba
as Man at Telephone
Robert Colston
as Man at Telephone
Ramon Rodriguez
as Man at Telephone
Chuck Coop
as Man at Telephone
Sel Vitella
as Man at Telephone
Margo Winkler
as Receptionist
Tony Boschetti
as Mr. Gangemi
Shelley Hack
as Cathy Long
Mick Jones
as Street Scum
Joe Strummer
as Street Scum
Paul Simonon
as Street Scum
Kosmo Vinyl
as Street Scum
Ellen Foley
as Street Scum
Pearl Harbour
as Street Scum
Gaby Salter
as Street Scum
Jerry Baxter Worman
as Street Scum
Don Letts
as Street Scum
Matt Russo
as Cabbie
Thelma Lee
as Woman in Telephone Booth
Joyce Brothers
as Dr. Joyce Brothers
George Kapp
as Mystery Guest
Victor Borge
as Victor Borge
Ralph Monaco
as Raymond Wirtz
Rob Jamere Wess
as Security Guard
Kim Chan
as Jonno
Audrey Dummett
as Cook
June Prud Homme
as Audrey
Frederick De Cordova
as Bert Thomas
Edgar J Scherick
as Wilson Crockett
Thomas M Tolan
as Gerrity
Ray Dittrich
as Giardello
Richard Dioguardi
as Captain Burke
Jay Julien
as Langford's Lawyer
Harry J Ufland
as Langford's Agent
Scotty Bloch
as Crockett's Secretary
Jim Lyness
as Ticket Taker
Bill Minkin
as Clarence McCabe
Diane Rachell
as McCabe's Wife
Dennis Mulligan
as Plainclothesman
Tony Devon
as Plainclothesman
Peter Fain
as Plainclothesman
Michael F Stodden
as Plainclothesman
Gerard Murphy
as Plainclothesman
Jimmy Raitt
as Stage Manager
Martin Scorsese
as TV Director
Tony Randall
as Tony Randall
Charles Scorsese
as First Man at Bar
Mardik Martin
as Second Man at Bar
Bill Jorgensen
as Newsman
Marvin Scott
as Newsman
Chuck Stevens
as Newsman
William Litauer
as Newsman
Jeff David
as Announcer
Allan Baker
as Audience Member
Diane Baldessari
as Office Assistant
Margaret Mary Briggs
as Girlfriend at Bar
Curt Hayward
as Live Audience
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
as Extra in crowd scene
Joe Napoleone
as Waiter
William G Schilling
as Man on Street
Mike Tremont
as Talk Show Contestant
Directors
1Writers
1Producers
5Other crew
105Mary Hickey
apprentice editor
Susan Lazarus
apprentice editor
Edward Pisoni
Art Directors
Lawrence Miller
Art Directors
Mary Ellen Winston
assistant costume designer
Jay Cannistraci
assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Sarah Carson
assistant production office coordinator
Tom Razzano
assistant unit manager (as Thomas A. Razzano)
Alan Potashnick
assistant: Mr. De Niro
Shawn Slovo
assistant: Mr. De Niro
Helen Robin
assistant: Mr. Greenhut
Deborah Schindler
assistant: Mr. Scorsese
Parents Guide
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