Just for Laughs, Candid Camera, Buster Keaton and Woody Allen share this TV show common

Just for Laughs is the world's most popular comedy festival where young emerging comic talent come to get discovered.

 JFL also hosts the seasoned players as well and a star studded edition is already underway!  Just For Laughs has become a giant in syndicated television

with a show also called simply Just For Laughs where gags are played on unsuspecting passerbys who get tricked, duped or whatever you want to call it for the

sake of the show's theme.

JFL is Clearly inspired by Allen Funt's Candid Camera which initially began as a radio show in 1947 called Candid Microphone the  TV show would

have players and creators like Buster Keaton in a gag and Woody Allen as a scenario writer who also occasionally particiated part on screen and off.

Buster Keaton appeared on the show; clips of his stunts were included in Thames Television's tribute to the comic actor. 

 A then-unknown Woody Allen was one of the writers for the show in the 1960s and performed in some scenarios.

Article by Laurie Gordon

Photo credits: Laurie Gordon