Making the jump from cracking jokes to on-screen stardom, a select few funnymen and women have turned punchlines into major acting success. These quick-witted performers first won over audiences in clubs or sketch shows before trading their microphones for movie sets and sitcom scripts, building A-list-level fame and serious fortunes in the process.

Laughing all the way to the bank, read on to discover the world's richest comedians-turned-actors, based on personal wealth estimates by Celebrity Net Worth. All dollar amounts in US dollars

Centimillionaire Dave Chappelle began as a straight-up stand-up, honing his craft on New York stages long before Hollywood came calling. His fearless, sharply observed style made him a favourite on the circuit, opening doors to acting roles in 1990s films like Robin Hood: Men in Tights, The Nutty Professor, and Half Baked, which he co-wrote.

Chappelle went on to star in his very own sketch show during the noughties. He has since appeared in movies including 2018's A Star is Born, while continuing to pack out comedy venues.

Another comedian-turned-actor now worth nine figures, Kevin James scored his first stand-up gig in 1989 at a Long Island club. His clean, everyman humour quickly earned him late-night TV spots, as well as a recurring role on his friend Ray Romano’s hit series.

This led to his own long-running sitcom The King of Queens, which aired from 1998 to 2007. Positively raking it in, James reportedly earned up to $400,000 (£302k) per episode and has collected more than $50 million (£37.8m) from syndication. Alongside the show, he made his movie debut in 2004 in 50 First Dates and has gone on to forge a busy film career while continuing to work steadily in TV.

Larry the Cable Guy amassed his sizeable fortune after rising through the US stand-up scene and radio in the 1980s and 1990s, eventually creating the loud redneck persona that made him a crowd favourite. His national breakthrough came in 2000 when he joined the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.

Hollywood soon beckoned: armed with his “git-r-done” catchphrase, the comic fronted a run of broad comedies throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, and voiced a character in the 2006 animated smash Cars, as well as its two sequels. At the peak of his career, he's said to have pulled in an astonishing $70 million (£52.9m) a year from movies, touring, and endorsements.

The most venerable name in this round-up, Mel Brooks turns 100 next year, fitting for a man with a matching $100 million (£75.6m) fortune. He began in stand-up in the Catskills before moving into 1950s TV comedy, writing for Your Show of Shows and famously performing the 2000 Year-Old Man routine with Carl Reiner.

Brooks made his film breakthrough in 1967 with The Producers, then starred in and directed hits like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Spaceballs. The musical version of The Producers later became a Broadway hit and helped secure Brooks elite EGOT status.

After joining Chicago's Second City improv troupe in 1991, Steve Carell never looked back. That same year, he bagged his first movie role in Curly Sue, and he made his TV debut in 1996 on The Dana Carvey Show. His profile rose further as a deadpan correspondent on The Daily Show.

Carell's screen career began taking off in 2004 with a major role in Anchorman, but his real breakthrough came the following year when he stepped into the role of Michael Scott in the US version of The Office. At the show's height, the funnyman earned a reported $300,000 (£227k) per episode. He has since become a major movie star, earning praise for both his dramatic and comedic parts.

Tim Allen first made his mark on the stand-up circuit in the 1980s, working the gruff, DIY-obsessed humour that would become his go-to. His career shifted gears in 1991 when ABC cast him as Tim 'The Tool Man' Taylor in Home Improvement, a runaway hit that eventually paid him $1.25 million (£945k) per episode.

The show opened the door to a thriving film career, from The Santa Clause to Allen's long-running voice role as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, as well as family favourites like Galaxy Quest and Wild Hogs.

Martin Lawrence first found an audience in Washington DC comedy clubs. He broke through on Star Search, which led to his debut TV role on What's Happening Now! and early film parts in 1989's Do the Right Thing and House Party the following year. Lawrence's career exploded in 1992 with his hit Fox sitcom Martin and hosting gig on Def Comedy Jam.

He then became a major box-office draw, headlining smash comedies and co-leading the Bad Boys franchise. At his peak, Lawrence was one of Hollywood's highest-paid stars, earning up to $20 million (£15.1m) per movie.

One of the most brilliant comic minds of his generation, Steve Martin emerged in the late 1960s as a TV writer before blowing up as a stand-up in the 1970s, selling out arenas with his offbeat, high-energy act.

Tinseltown followed, and a leading role in 1979 comedy The Jerk put him on the Hollywood map. He went on to star in beloved classics like Roxanne, Planes Trains and Automobiles, and Parenthood. At the height of his career, Martin secured huge paydays, banking a reported $28 million (£21.2m) for 2006's The Pink Panther. He continues to deliver memorable screen performances, recently winning new fans with Only Murders in the Building.

Will Ferrell's comedy career kicked off in 1991 on the LA improv circuit with The Groundlings, where he developed the zaniness that would define his style. After a few minor TV roles, he joined SNL in 1995 and quickly became one of its standout stars, setting him up for big-screen hits like Old School, Elf, and Anchorman.

By the mid-2000s, Ferrell was one of Hollywood's highest-paid comic leads, routinely pulling in $20 million (£15.1m) per movie and even turning down $29 million (£21.9m) for an Elf sequel. Today, he remains a prolific actor and producer and has even branched out into sports team ownership.

After serving in the US Marine Corps, Drew Carey tried his hand at stand-up and won a Cleveland open-mic contest in 1985. Within a few years he was wowing national audiences on Star Search. Appearances on The Tonight Show and a Showtime special followed, and Carey landed his eponymous sitcom in 1995.

The Drew Carey Show, which ran until 2004, saw him scoop up the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $1 million (£726k) per episode at its peak. He then broadened his reach with Whose Line Is It Anyway? and later took over The Price Is Right, earning $12.5 million (£9.4m) a year. Off-screen, Carey owns a minority stake in the Seattle Sounders MLS team, which is now worth over $50 million (£37.8m).

Jamie Foxx began performing stand-up in the late 1980s, drawing attention for his celebrity impressions and magnetic stage presence. That early buzz led to his casting in sketch show In Living Color in 1991, followed by his own hit sitcom The Jamie Foxx Show, which ran for five seasons from 1995 to 2001.

Foxx's film career gathered pace in the 1990s and flourished in the 2000s, with award-winning roles in 2004's Collateral and Ray, which won him the Best Actor Oscar. At his height, Foxx pulled in mammoth paydays, including a reported $10 million (£7.6m) for the 2006 Miami Vice movie. One of Hollywood's most versatile entertainers, he continues to juggle acting, music, producing, and TV hosting.

Pre-fame, Ricky Gervais had a crack at being a 1980s pop star, briefly managed indie band Suede, and bounced between stand-up, radio, and small TV gigs. His career ignited in 2001 with The Office, the groundbreaking sitcom he co-created and starred in, with his cringeworthy David Brent becoming a modern classic. The show’s global success, especially the lucrative US remake, has earned him well over $100 million (£75.5m) in syndication.

Gervais has since delivered the TV hits Extras, Derek, and After Life and starred in films like Night at the Museum and Ghost Town. He's also hosted the Golden Globes multiple times with his signature barbed bite, and commands a cool $20 million (£15.1m) per Netflix stand-up special.

Bill Murray broke through in the mid-1970s with the National Lampoon Radio Hour before becoming an early SNL favourite, earning an Emmy and setting up a transition to cinema. The 1980s cemented his comic-legend status with movies including Caddyshack, Stripes, and Ghostbusters, reportedly earning around $125 million (£94.4m) across the first two films of the franchise.

Murray later won plaudits for Groundhog Day, Rushmore, and Lost in Translation, while becoming a long-time Wes Anderson regular.

The Toronto stand-up circuit was Jim Carrey's launchpad, where his elastic physical comedy and rapid-fire impressions caught the attention of Rodney Dangerfield, who took him on tour and opened doors in the US. In 1990, Carrey was cast in sketch show In Living Color. The series made him a household name and set him up for a spectacular 1994 when he starred in three hit Hollywood movies: Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber.

Carrey went on to command up to $35 million (£26.5m) per film and proved his acting chops in movies like 1998's The Truman Show and 2004's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Most recently, he's starred in the Sonic the Hedgehog films.

Born to comedy legends Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Ben Stiller grew up steeped in showbiz. He began making satirical shorts before launching his eponymous sketch show in 1992, which earned him an Emmy despite its short run.

Stiller directed and appeared in hip indie flick Reality Bites in 1994, a key early breakthrough. But his star didn't truly soar until 1998's There’s Something About Mary. Major hits like Meet the Parents, Zoolander, and Night at the Museum followed. Now a comedy legend in his own right, Stiller continues to split his time between acting, directing, and producing.

A teenage Eddie Murphy was electrifying New York comedy clubs by the late 1970s. In 1980, at just 19, he joined the ranks of SNL, becoming the breakout talent who helped pull the show back from the brink. Hollywood took serious notice, and Murphy shot to superstardom with 1980s classics like 48 Hrs., Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America.

His biggest payday came in 2000 with Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, which netted him over $60 million (£45.4m). More recently, the veteran star has enjoyed a career resurgence with 2021's Coming 2 America and 2024's Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. He's poised to return as Donkey in the upcoming Shrek 5.

Also forged in New York's stand-up clubs, Ray Romano built his reputation in the late 1980s with wry, self-deprecating comedy that caught David Letterman's eye and led to Everybody Loves Raymond in 1996. The smash sitcom made him TV's highest-paid actor, with his pay reportedly topping out at $1.75 million (£1.32m) an episode.

Romano went on to anchor the Ice Age franchise and has won over critics for more dramatic work in films such as 2017's The Big Sick and 2019's The Irishman.

Highlighting comedy's gender pay gap, Bette Midler is one of only two women to crack the top 25. In late-1960s New York she became a cult favourite at the Continental Baths, blending stand-up, cabaret, and musical parody with Barry Manilow at the piano.

That underground comedy buzz helped propel her into mainstream stardom with 1972’s The Divine Miss M, launching a career that spanned hit films like The Rose, Beaches, and The First Wives Club, plus multiple Grammys, Emmys, and a Tony. Six decades on, Midler is still among the entertainment world's most enduring and best-paid performers.

Dan Aykroyd first made his name in the early 1970s with the Second City improv troupe, a launching pad for future SNL stars. By 1975, the Canadian comic was part of the show's original cast, creating classics like the Coneheads and the Blues Brothers with John Belushi. Hollywood stardom ensued.

Aykroyd co-wrote and co-headlined 1980 cult classic The Blues Brothers and 1984 blockbuster Ghostbusters, the latter reportedly earning him more than $125 million (£94.4m) across its first two films. He later expanded into both comedy and drama with movies like Trading Places and Driving Miss Daisy, while also building money-spinning side hustles such as the House of Blues and Crystal Head Vodka.

Long before TV superstardom, Larry David spent the late 1970s hustling through New York comedy clubs, scraping by on odd jobs while shaping the dry, irritable persona that would later define him. Everything changed in 1989 with Seinfeld, whose syndication empire has reportedly paid David more than $800 million (£605m) across decades of deals.

He followed it in 2000 with Curb Your Enthusiasm, another long-running success built around his trademark awkward humour. And despite handing over roughly half his assets in a 2007 divorce, including a share of future Seinfeld revenue, David still ranks among the richest figures in TV.

Kevin Hart rose from Philadelphia open-mic nights in the early 2000s to become one of the most in-demand stand-ups in America. Hollywood deals then came flooding in, and Hart scored lead roles in hits like 2014's Ride Along, 2016's Central Intelligence, and the billion-dollar Jumanji franchise.

Though touring, movies, and other entertainment work still earn him tens of millions of dollars a year, the star's biggest cash cow is his media company HartBeat. It was valued at $650 million (£490m) in 2022, with Hart holding an 85% stake.

Seth MacFarlane began as a comedy-driven animator, creating witty shorts at college before writing for Hanna-Barbera in the mid-1990s. That groundwork led to Family Guy in 1999, with MacFarlane voicing Peter, Stewie, and Brian as the show became a syndication and merchandising juggernaut worth billions of dollars.

He then expanded his TV empire with American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, then broke into big-screen comedy with 2012's Ted, which he wrote, directed and starred in. Now also known for The Orville and a $200 million (£150m) NBCUniversal deal, MacFarlane stands among the most successful comedy creators of all time.

Getting his start on the Boston and New York comedy club circuits, Adam Sandler was hired by SNL in 1990, becoming a breakout name almost overnight. After leaving the show in 1995, he wasted no time reaching comedy movie superstar status with a string of hits, from 1995's Billy Madison to The Wedding Singer and Big Daddy.

Sandler's earnings soon skyrocketed: 2000's Little Nicky and 2002's Mr Deeds paid him $20 million (£15.1m) plus 20% of the gross, while 2003's Anger Management landed him $25 million (£18.9m) upfront and a quarter of the profits. A $250 million (£188m) Netflix deal later secured his place among the highest-paid entertainers in the world.

Ellen DeGeneres is one of the very few women to rank among comedy’s wealthiest stars. She began in early-1980s New Orleans stand-up, where her crisp, observational humour led to a breakthrough 1986 Tonight Show spot.

She moved into acting in the 1990s with hit sitcom Ellen and later became the queen of daytime TV with The Ellen DeGeneres Show, earning an estimated $90 million (£68m) a year at its height. Off-screen, DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have reportedly made $190 million (£143m) flipping ultra-luxury homes.

The world’s richest comedian-turned-actor, Jerry Seinfeld went from New York stand-up clubs to a game-changing 1981 Tonight Show spot that made him a national name. In 1989 he co-created Seinfeld and secured a coveted 15% backend stake, the reason he's nudging billionaire status today.

Seinfeld became TV's first million-dollar-per-episode actor and is said to have earned at least $800 million (£604m) from syndication and streaming, including a $75 million (£46.6m) payday from Netflix. Add up to $50 million (£37.8m) a year from touring and Netflix specials, plus a vast car and property portfolio, and Seinfeld remains the ultimate comedy mogul.

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