Cosby, Kaufman, Caplin, Ball, Allen and Reiner have all had exceptional comedy careers so to pick one is very subjective.

So, I think that this match has to go to the person who has been the most influential.

I believe this narrows the choice down to either Chaplin or Ball. While Cosby, Kaufman, Allen and Reiner have all been very influential (and funny), Chaplin and Ball have both influenced comedy as we know it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvoz7cpUaZ4

Lucial Ball narrows out Chaplin and the rest of the competition because to this day, she continues to define episodal comedy. Her revolutionairy style of comedy ushered in not only an era of sit-coms but also topical, relevant sidelines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wp3m1vg06Q

Not only was Lucial Ball funny, but she revolutionized one the ways that we consume comedy today. Episodal sit-coms changed television, refined advertising, and continue to inspire generations of comedians.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5956/ilovelucy114.jpg
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I'm going to have to go with Woody Allen too, though in defense of Chaplin, he really developed the idea of physical comedy. I already posted some great Allen sketches, but we can go for quotes.

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying."
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My vote goes to Mr. Kaufman.
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Come on guys! Where's the Bill Cosby love?! The Cosby Show was one of my favorite shows to watch reruns of! One thing I love about him is he's so physical and his facial expressions are just crazy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMktzmxGu5Y
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The Chicken Heart That Ate New York

When you hear a comedy skit that was only available on a record player when it came out - and you haven't heard it since then - and you listen to it now..........and you can remember it once again when it is playing just like it was yesterday, and it is STILL hilarious now with no moving pictures, and on youtube now it gets a perfect five star rating, and when you see the old album cover now you remember.......and it gets a perfect five star rating at amazon.com ..... and you must have been a kid back then..... now THAT is CLASSIC COMEDY!!!!!!! Bill Cosby takes the cake! That is true wonderfulness!

Wonderfulness (the original album)
http://www.amazon.com/Wonderfulness-Bill-Cosby/dp/B001O54NLW/
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61SQ8yaQxkL._SS500_.jpg

We still love you Bill!
Creative Commons by devriesm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26471135@N00/191898026

But then Bill Cosby just kept right on ticking by entertaining more and more
generations, in more and more media - his family tv show, his Fat Albert cartoons, the list goes on - just take a look at his imdb listing
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001070/ with enough work completed for FIVE professionals!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SxhxJK51_M
Source(s):
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.amazon.com

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Bill Cosby is a national treasure; this man has been reducing us to tears of laughter of over forty years with his signature story-telling style.
Bill Cosby knows people, and he knows how make them laugh; he is also one of the greatest storytellers in the world. Always family friendly and always hilarious, you need some of his best works to add smiles to your daily routine.

This Bill Cosby's Dentist sketch is easily one of the funniest things I have ever heard!
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