Top 20 MORE Scenes Where Actors Couldn't Keep a Straight Face

“My Cousin Vinny” (1992)
“My Cousin Vinny” is perfectly cast across the board, a standout being Austin Pendleton as a stuttering public defender named John Gibbons. Possessing a real stutter, Pendleton was a friend of director Jonathan Lynn. Although Lynn knew the role was tailor-made for Pendleton, he underestimated just how funny the scene would be. Lynn usually sat by the camera. For Pendleton’s big scene, Lynn had to hide behind the camera to conceal his laughter. The actors obviously couldn’t do the same. Although hidden in the background, Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, and Mitchell Whitfield can be spotted covering their giggling faces. Whitfield confessed in an interview, “When he’s stuttering, and my shoulders are going up and down like I’m crying, I was laughing. I couldn’t help it.”

“The Proposal” (2009)
“The Proposal” reminded audiences what an invaluable comedic talent Sandra Bullock is. The rom-com was also a showcase for Oscar Nunez, who practically steals the show as Ramone. If the blooper reel is any indication, Bullock probably broke the most throughout shooting. One of her breaks even made it into the finished film with Nunez on the receiving end. Ramone won’t take no for an answer while trying to serve Bullock’s Margaret an appetizer, shoving it into her mouth. Margaret chews the fishy hors d’oeuvre for several uncomfortable seconds before spitting it on Ramone. Covering her mouth with a napkin, Margaret appears to be holding in her disgust. Based on Bullock’s smile, though, she was clearly holding in her laughter as Nunez improvised this line: “It’s wash-and-wear.”

“Will & Grace” (1998-2006; 2017-20)
The Season 8 premiere of “Will & Grace” kicked off with a live episode, which the cast performed twice for both coasts. Although much of the cast had done stage protections before, preserving a straight face on live television wasn’t any less challenging. Debra Messing and Sean Hayes snicker the most throughout a conversation about cheating. The two go in and out of character leading up to the film’s big reveal: one of Jack’s eyebrows was burnt off. Messing tries to put on a horrified face while Hayes attempts to stay solemn. However, a chuckle fest is erupting within both of them. The laughter inevitably breaks free, although Messing is at least able to cover her mouth in hysterical horror.

“Life” (1999)
There’s nothing funny about being wrongfully incarcerated, but when Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are among the prisoners, there are bound to be more laughs than anticipated. This scene demonstrates the commitment of both actors, as they not only have to wear heavy makeup, but they have to do so while standing barefoot on boxes of bottles. Both stay reserved until Lawrence’s toe accidentally slips into a bottle, causing him to crack. Lawrence’s laughter proves infectious, getting to Murphy. Yet, both still carry on with the scene, which is made all the more impressive given their uncomfortable circumstances. This slipup works well within the context of the movie, bringing levity to Ray and Claude’s reconciliation after not speaking to each other for several years.

“The Big Bang Theory” (2007-19)
Simon Helberg is best known for playing Howard Wolowitz, but he possesses great range as an actor. His talents are reflected through this “Big Bang Theory” episode where he impersonates several household names, including Al Pacino. In a blooper, Helberg gets about halfway through his “...And Justice For All” parody before losing it. Helberg would get through the scene for the finished take, although his co-stars showed no restraint. You can tell that the cast is genuinely cracking up over Helberg’s spot-on impression. Kaley Cuoco most notably is seen turning her head to the side, seemingly addressing the crew off-camera as she laughs. For a moment, this is essentially Helberg’s one-man show and the rest of the cast are part of the audience.

“Blazing Saddles” (1974)
For all of its over-the-top moments, “Blazing Saddles” does delve into the harsh reality of racism. For Mel Brooks, the most effective way to combat prejudice has always been to make ‘em laugh. After Sheriff Bart is discriminated against, Jim attempts to cheer his friend up by epitomizing the townsfolk in one word. Actor Cleavon Little wasn’t prepared for Gene Wilder’s “morons” punchline, resulting in a sincere reaction. Having just heard one of the ugliest words in the English language, Bart and the audience needed something to raise morale. Wilder’s line does the trick, but it’s Little’s smile that brings a much-needed human element to the scene. It goes to show that even at his lowest point, Bart’s spirit is still blazing.

“The Golden Girls” (1985-92)
As the girls contemplate whether to continue living together, Rose unintentionally unites them with her nonsensical tall tale of the Great Herring War. It’s been rumored that Betty White improvised Rose’s story, although script supervisor Isabel Omero would debunk this. Everything about the scene was scripted, including Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan’s laughter. Although the script called for them to crack up at certain lines, many fans still argue just how much of the laughter was genuine. As Arthur and McClanahan hide their faces, it feels less like scripted laughter and more like the real deal. Maybe Arthur and McClanahan were just that convincing, or maybe this shows the lighthearted side of method acting. Either way, White is the only one with a straight face.

“The Return of the Pink Panther” (1975)
Peter Sellers, like Jacques Clouseau, was an unpredictable screen presence. Even if you knew that an over-the-top antic was coming, that didn’t make the execution any less hilarious. For Catherine Schell, it was hard getting through the fourth “Pink Panther” film without snickering at Sellers’ hijinks. Even before Jacques introduces himself to Lady Claudine, Schell can’t suppress her natural instinct to laugh. At times, Schell’s constant smiling works well enough given the scene’s flirtatious nature. On multiple occasions, though, Schell hides her laughter behind her hand or a glass. Other times, the filmmakers make no attempt to cover the laughter, just letting it slide. Perhaps they could’ve done more takes, but then the scene would’ve been robbed of its spontaneity.

“Ocean’s Twelve” (2004)
“Ocean’s Twelve” is nobody’s favorite entry in the heist series, but we do get a memorable line here and there. A highlight comes when Elliott Gould’s Reuben is banging on Frank’s bathroom door. Scott Caan’s Turk points out how rude Reuben is being given Frank’s awkward position. Reuben responds by painting Turk a disgusting portrait of what’s going to happen to his feet if he doesn’t get to the toilet soon. Before Gould is even done delivering the line, Caan turns away with a grin on his face. Rather than try to conceal this, the camera follows Caan as he walks off to the side with his head turned. While the line itself is gold, Caan’s reaction was seemingly too priceless to tiptoe around.

“Parks and Recreation” (2009-15)
Sometimes, it’s what you love most that results in one’s undoing. Such is the case with Ben Wyatt and calzones. The Italian delicacy gives Ben, Ron, and Chris food poisoning to the point that they can barely move around the room. As Ben struggles to dial the phone on the floor, Chris leans into the shot with his face taking up much of the frame. Despite being on full display, the expression on Chris’ face is often mistaken for agony. Upon further expression, though, it’s evident that actor Rob Lowe has a massive grin that he’s trying to pass off as pain. Perhaps Lowe was in pain during this scene, but it likely had more to do with his funny bone than a stomach bug.

“This Is 40” (2012)
As well-written as Judd Apatow’s comedies are, the funniest moments are often the ones delivered on the spot. The most rewatchable scene in “This Is 40” finds Melissa McCarthy’s Catherine ripping into Pete, Debbie, and Principal Jill. As McCarthy ad-lips insult after insult, Leslie Mann barely wrangles the smile stretching across her face. Only a few reaction shots made it into the finished scene, as Mann and Paul Rudd both broke down during McCarthy’s stone-faced tirade. A longer version of the scene would be featured during the end credits where Mann and Rudd show no restraint. Even as the actors break down in tears, McCarthy just keeps going until she’s out of creative profanities. Only then does somebody say, “cut.”

“That '70s Show” (1998-2006)
Here’s another scene where the cameras just kept rolling, despite practically everyone on set going to pieces. Escorting Donna and Jackie to a strip club, Kitty gets a little too freaky with the talent. Actress Debra Jo Rupp hadn’t fully rehearsed her enthusiastic dance, catching Mila Kunis off guard. Kunis was broken to the point that she threw herself to the side. Although only Kunis’ break made it into the episode, Laura Prepon, Luke Wilson, and the male stripper were all crumbling with the sillies. Rupp was the only one staying in character, waiting for someone off-stage to finally put the scene to rest. The question is who brings more energy to this scene: Kitty or the dedicated stripper doing one-armed pushups?

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
When the Cowardly Lion roars onto the screen, Dorothy and her friends are initially startled. It doesn’t take long for them to realize that the beast is about as ferocious as a domesticated kitten. Judy Garland is so unintimidated that she begins to break as the Lion trembles in tears. After Dorothy assures the Lion that he’s not bleeding, Garland takes a brief pause with a grin creeping up on her face. Garland does her best to mask the smile by lifting Toto up to her mouth. From there, Garland manages to shift back into character. Considering that an adult man in a lion suit was crying in front of her, it’s amazing that Garland got through this scene with only a minor hiccup.

“Seinfeld” (1989-98)
Jerry Seinfeld might be the most notorious breaker ever to headline a sitcom. On a good day, Seinfeld would get through a scene just grinning. In other cases, Seinfeld helplessly dissolved into giggles. According to Seinfeld, the hardest scene he ever had to shoot paired him with the late Philip Baker Hall as Lt. Bookman. Although Hall plays the character with the intensity of a “Law & Order” detective, Bookman is merely a library investigations officer. Bookman’s serious demeanor perfectly offsets Seinfeld’s silly persona. Seinfeld found the scenario so humorous that they had to do eight takes, stitching together any usable footage. Even in those clips, Seinfeld lets several smiles slip through as Bookman interrogates him with the conviction of a hardboiled Humphrey Bogart.

“The Office” (2005-13)
Like Seinfeld, John Krasinski was infamous for breaking on “The Office” with Steve Carell usually at the root of his chuckles. Whenever an episode paired Michael and Jim, you could expect Krasinski to become silly puddy in Carell’s hands. The episode “The Secret” is one example. Michael strives to bond with Jim at the soda machine, having learned about his crush on Pam. Krasinski seems to get through the scene fine, but that’s only because of the editor. According to Jenna Fischer, Krasinski “could not stop laughing” throughout the scene. The editor could only do so much to hide another Krasinski break at the office supply station. As Angela Kinsey put it, “When [Krasinski] loses it, his whole body collapses. He just becomes a noodle.”

“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)
“SNL” has given us no shortage of classic breaks across its nearly 50-year history. Matt Foley provided the ultimate endurance test whenever he stormed into Studio 8H. The legendary Chris Farley donned the thick glasses and undersized jacket for the first time in 1993. Comedy history was made, as evidenced by the cast doing everything in their power not to laugh at Farley’s intense delivery and over-the-top gestures. David Spade and Christina Applegate are seemingly the sketch’s most prominent breakers, although Julia Sweeney was cracking up so much that the camera had to work around her. Sweeney recalls, “It was like I had the best seat in the house for the funniest friggin' thing that was happening on the planet.”

“The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-68)
When you’re a seasoned comedy star like Don Knotts, how many times can it take to get a scene right? 5? 10 at most? Try about 20, specifically this scene from “Guest of Honor.” Barney Fife isn’t the most intimidating officer. He’s an even less threatening drill sergeant, but Barney isn’t messing around as he grills three new deputies. As authoritative as Barney comes off, Knotts was anything but disciplined on set. He couldn’t stop laughing thanks to Floyd Lawson, who continually got him with the line, “Nip it!” Knotts eventually eeked through the scene, but in the finished version, Griffith is seen covering his gaping grin. Maybe they could’ve done another take, but after a while, you’ve got to nip it in the bud.

“The Carol Burnett Show” (1967-78)
Harvey Korman might’ve racked up the most breaks on “The Carol Burnett Show” with Tim Conway typically to blame. Conway once said, “My object was to find places in the sketch where I knew I could break up Harvey. I don’t think I ever missed.” Nowhere was this more apparent than in “The Dentist” sketch where Korman played Conway’s unsuspecting patient. Korman does his darndest to pass off his stifled laughter as physical pain. The longer the sketch goes on, though, the more cracks begin to surface. Korman wasn’t prepared for the Novocain portion of the sketch, which is where the hysterics completely take over. Conway claims that Korman was laughing so hard that he wet himself. And this was all done without Nitrous oxide.

“Monty Python's Life of Brian” (1979)
Michael Palin graduated from Oxford, was knighted by Prince William, and served as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He also uttered what might be the most hilariously juvenile name in cinema. Reflecting on “Life of Brian,” Palin said that the Pontius Pilate scene was the hardest to shoot “because it had to be structured around continuous suppressed laughter.” As legend goes, the soldiers were told to keep a straight face, but they were supposedly unprepared for the laugh riot that Palin was about to trigger. Palin gets through most of the scene with unbelievable composure, but even he can’t help himself upon coming face-to-face with Chris Langham. Palin’s smile isn’t as big as Langham’s, but the name finally gets to him.

“Young Frankenstein” (1974)
Part of what makes Gene Wilder’s performance in “Young Frankenstein” so great is how seriously he approaches the role. As refined as Wilder can appear as Dr. Frankenstein, he broke so many times that it wasn’t uncommon for the crew to do around 15 takes before getting a scene right. The arrival of Madeline Kahn’s Elizabeth resulted in one of the funniest and most stressful shoots. The scene itself isn’t very long, but it would take up a good portion of the blooper reel. Wilder naturally broke the most frequently, which rubs off on Kahn, Teri Garr, and Marty Feldman. They eventually got a take that Mel Brooks was satisfied with. Even then, Wilder is visibly smiling as Igor bites and barks at Kahn.