Editing Double act (section)

{{Short description|Pair of comedians whose act is based on their uneven relationship}}
{{About|comedy duos|the novel|Double Act (novel)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

[[File:Laurel and Hardy.png|thumb|[[Laurel and Hardy]]]]
A '''double act''' (also known as a '''comedy duo''') is a form of comedy originating in the British [[music hall]] tradition,<ref>{{cite web|title=A curious history of the comedy double act &#124; Charlie Higson|url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/double-act-charlie-higson/}}</ref> and American [[vaudeville]], in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters' personalities. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases for the artists' entire careers.<ref name="Roberts 2018 p. ">{{cite book | last=Roberts | first=Andrew | title=The double act : a history of the great British comedy duo | publisher=The History Press | publication-place=Stroud, Gloucestershire | year=2018 | isbn=978-0-7509-8432-4 | oclc=1065523122 }}</ref> Double acts perform on the stage, television and film.

The format is particularly popular in the UK where successful acts have included [[Peter Cook]] and [[Dudley Moore]] (Cook's deadpan delivery contrasted with Moore's buffoonery), [[Flanagan and Allen]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.turnipnet.com/crazygang/gang.html|title="Chesney and Allen" The Crazy Gang}}</ref> [[Morecambe and Wise]], ''[[The Two Ronnies]]'', and [[French and Saunders]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Peter Cook & Dudley Moore, The 25 best comedy duos|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/the-25-best-comedy-duos/peter-cook-and-dudley-moore/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/the-25-best-comedy-duos/peter-cook-and-dudley-moore/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=22 July 2021 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Who is your favourite UK TV comedy double act?|work=Radio Times|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2017-11-27/vote-best-uk-tv-comedy-double-act/}}</ref> The tradition is also present in the US with acts like [[Wheeler and Woolsey]], [[Abbott and Costello]], [[Gallagher and Shean]], [[Burns and Allen]], and [[Lyons and Yosco]]. The British-American comedy double act [[Laurel and Hardy]] has been described as the most popular in the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=Laurel and Hardy – the world's greatest comedy double act |work=Sunday Post|date=19 October 2013|url=https://www.sundaypost.com/in10/laurel-and-hardy-the-worlds-greatest-comedy-double-act/}}</ref>