The Biggest Comedy Movies of the 1980s, Plus the Cult Classics

The 1980s were a golden age for movie comedy. Saturday Night Live stars jumped to the big screen, fish-out-of-water stories ruled the box office and catchphrases spread from theaters to schoolyards. Here's a look at the decade's biggest comedy moneymakers, plus the cult favorites that made more laughs than money.

The Box Office Giants

Ghostbusters (1984): Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson created a phenomenon. It earned about $242.6 million in the U.S. and about $295 million worldwide, according to box office trackers, and launched a franchise that's still going.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984): Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley turned a fish-out-of-water cop story into a smash. It earned about $234.8 million in the U.S. and $316 million worldwide. Its 1987 sequel, Beverly Hills Cop II, added another $153.7 million domestically.

Crocodile Dundee (1986): Paul Hogan's Australian outback hero charmed audiences around the world, earning about $174.8 million in the U.S. and $328 million worldwide, the most of any comedy on this list.

Tootsie (1982): Dustin Hoffman's out-of-work actor who disguises himself as a woman to land a soap opera role became one of the decade's most acclaimed comedies, earning about $177.2 million in the U.S.

3 Men and a Baby (1987): Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson as bachelors suddenly caring for an infant added up to about $167.8 million in the U.S.

The Cult Classics

Some of the decade's most quoted comedies weren't the biggest earners, but they've become home-video staples:

• The Blues Brothers (1980): Jake and Elwood's "mission from God," packed with car chases and legendary musical guests.
• Caddyshack (1980): Golf, gophers and Rodney Dangerfield at his most outrageous.
• National Lampoon's Vacation (1983): Chevy Chase's Clark Griswold and the family road trip from hell.
• Trading Places (1983): Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd swapping lives in a sharp Wall Street satire.
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986): John Hughes' ode to the ultimate skip day.
• Three Amigos! (1986): Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short as silent-film cowboys in way over their heads.
• The Naked Gun (1988): Leslie Nielsen's deadpan Frank Drebin and a joke every few seconds.

Why '80s Comedies Still Work

These movies were built on big personalities, quotable lines and the kind of practical gags that still land today. They also arrived just as VHS took off, so many fans watched them dozens of times at home, and they remain favorites on DVD and Blu-ray.

What's your all-time favorite '80s comedy, and what's your favorite line from it? Tell us in the comments below.