History Film / TheSunshineBoys

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Film/ForTheBoys''.

* TheCameo: Creator/SteveAllen and Phyllis Diller are among the stars appearing in the same TV special as Lewis and Clark.

Willy Clark (Matthau) and Al Lewis (Burns) were once a famous Vaudeville comedy DoubleAct, "Lewis and Clark, the Sunshine Boys". Eleven years after the two parted ways on unfriendly terms, Willy's nephew Ben (Creator/RichardBenjamin) is a talent agent who's been trying to find his uncle work. One day, Creator/{{ABC}} inquires about having the Sunshine Boys appear in an upcoming TV special on the history of comedy. Now it's up to Ben to persuade the long-estranged duo to patch up their differences and get back together.

-->'''Willy:''' You know what's wrong with you? You've been sitting on a New Jersey porch for too long. You're out of touch. From my window here, I see everything that's going on in the world. Here, I see old people, young people, nice people, bad people. I see holdups, I see drug addicts, ambulances, car crashes, jumpers from buildings, I see everything. You see a lawnmower and the milkman. [...] Did you ever hear the expression "That's where it's at"? Well, this is where it's at, and that's where I am!

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_sunshine_boys12.jpg]]

Originally a 1972 play by Creator/NeilSimon, ''The Sunshine Boys'' is best remembered for its 1975 film version directed by Herbert Ross and starring Creator/WalterMatthau and Creator/GeorgeBurns, the latter in a [[CareerResurrection career-reviving]], UsefulNotes/AcademyAward winning performance.

Willy Clark (Matthau) and Al Lewis (Burns) were once a famous Vaudeville comedy DoubleAct, "Lewis and Clark, the Sunshine Boys". The two parted ways eleven years earlier on unfriendly terms. Willy's nephew, Ben (Creator/RichardBenjamin), is a talent agent who's been trying to find his uncle work. One day, a major television network announces an upcoming special on the history of comedy. They want the Sunshine Boys to appear, so it's up to Ben to persuade the estranged duo to patch up their differences and get back together.

Remade as a 1996 MadeForTVMovie starring Creator/WoodyAllen as Al, Creator/PeterFalk as Willy, and Creator/SarahJessicaParker as Willy's niece Nancy.

* LargeHam: Willy, to the constant irritation of Al, who hates the fact he's distorting the bit with it.

* HospitalHottie: One of the supporting characters in the Sunshine Boys' "Doctor Sketch" is a buxom blonde nurse in a [[NaughtyNurseOutfit tight-fitting uniform with a low-cut neckline and short hemline]], and the routine features many jokes about the doctor (and, eventually, the patient played by Al) getting not-so-subtle looks down one end of her uniform and up the other.

* HospitalHottie: One of the supporting characters in the Sunshine Boys' "Doctor Sketch" is a buxom nurse in a low-cut shirt and short skirt, and the routine features many jokes about the doctor (and, eventually, the patient played by Al) getting not-so-subtle looks down one end of her uniform and up the other.

Willy Clark (Matthau) and Al Lewis (Burns) were once a famous Vaudeville comedy DoubleAct, "Lewis and Clark, the Sunshine Boys". The two parted ways eleven years earlier on unfriendly terms. Willy's nephew, Ben (Creator/RichardBenjamin), is a talent agent who's been trying to find his uncle work. One day, a major network announces an upcoming television special on the history of comedy. They want the Sunshine Boys to appear, so it's up to Ben to persuade the two to get back together.

* Big Applesauce: Willy invokes a bit of this while arguing with Al.

* RealSongThemeTune: The film opens and closes with instrumental versions of "Make 'em Laugh", from ''Film/SinginInTheRain''.

* ForgetfulJones: Willy and Al both display this at times for comedic effect.

* InherentlyFunnyWords: Discussed by Willy with Ben.
* JewishComplaining / JewsLoveToArgue: Willy and Al partake in much of it.

* SadClown: The heated arguments between Clark and Lewis maybe humorous, but also sad and hardest to watch at the same time as you think about it: these two elder actors were a successful comedy act and initially the best of friends, but then parted on negative terms and both became the grouchy shadows of their former selves, especially [[JerkassWoobie Willy]], who was the most cantankerous and stubborn, yet refuses to give up acting when it is already evident his career is all but dead due to his being difficult to work with, his delusions of non-existent acting success, and his own unlikable arrogance. It's quite heart-wrenching to realize that after all these years, the rancor remains.
* SpitefulSpit: One of Willy's big complaints about Al is that the latter has a tendency to spit onstage when he pronounces words beginning with "t" (something Willy is convinced Al does on purpose).

* HelloNurse: Features prominently in the "doctor" sketch, complete with NaughtyNurseOutfit.

* SadClown: The heated arguments between Clark and Lewis maybe humorous, but also sad and hardest to watch at the same time as you think about it: these two elder actors were a successful comedy act and initially the best of friends, but then parted on negative terms and both became the grouchy shadows of their former selves, especially [[JerkassWoobie Willy]], who was the most cantankerous and stubborn, yet refuses to give up acting when it is already evident his career is all but dead due to his being difficulty to work with, his delusions of non-existent acting success, and his own unlikable arrogance. It's quite heart-wrenching to realize that after all these years, the rancor remains.

Willy Clark (Matthau) and Al Lewis (Burns) were once a famous Vaudeville comedy DoubleAct, "Lewis and Clark, the Sunshine Boys". The two parted ways eleven years earlier on unfriendly terms. Willy's nephew, Ben (Richard Benjamin), is a talent agent who's been trying to find his uncle work. One day, a major network announces an upcoming television special on the history of comedy. They want the Sunshine Boys to appear, so it's up to Ben to persuade the two to get back together.

A 1972 play by Creator/NeilSimon, ''The Sunshine Boys'' is best remembered for its 1975 film version directed by Herbert Ross and starring Creator/WalterMatthau and Creator/GeorgeBurns, the latter in a [[CareerResurrection career-reviving]], UsefulNotes/AcademyAward winning performance.

A 1972 play by Neil Simon, ''The Sunshine Boys'' is best remembered for its 1975 film version directed by Herbert Ross and starring Creator/WalterMatthau and Creator/GeorgeBurns, the latter in a [[CareerResurrection career-reviving]], UsefulNotes/AcademyAward winning performance.

Remade as a 1996 MadeForTVMovie starring Creator/WoodyAllen as Al, Peter Falk as Willy, and Creator/SarahJessicaParker as Willy's niece Nancy.

* SadClown: The heated arguments between Clark and Lewis maybe humorous, but also sad and hardest to watch at the same time as you think about it before these two elder actors were a successful comedy act and initially the best of friends, but then parted on negative terms and both became the grouchy shadows of their former selves, especially [[JerkassWoobie Willy]], who was the most cantankerous and stubborn, yet refuses to give up acting when it is already evident his career is close to being at moot point due to him being difficult to work with almost anyone and his delusions of non-existent acting success and of his own unlikable arrogance. After parting for many decades, these actors still were on argumentative terms, is quite heart-wrenching to realize that after all these years, the comics in their seniors still are enemies to one another.

->''"As an actor, nobody could touch him. As a human being, nobody WANTED to touch him!"''

A 1972 play by Neil Simon, ''The Sunshine Boys'' is best remembered for its 1975 film version directed by Herbert Ross and starring Walter Matthau and Creator/GeorgeBurns, the latter in a [[CareerResurrection career-reviving]], UsefulNotes/AcademyAward winning performance.

A 1972 play by Neil Simon, ''The Sunshine Boy''' is best remembered for its 1975 film version directed by Herbert Ross and starring Walter Matthau and Creator/GeorgeBurns, the latter in a [[CareerResurrection career-reviving]], UsefulNotes/AcademyAward winning performance.

A 1972 play by Neil Simon, '''''The Sunshine Boys''''' is best remembered for its 1975 film version directed by Herbert Ross and starring Walter Matthau and Creator/GeorgeBurns, the latter in a [[CareerResurrection career-reviving]], UsefulNotes/AcademyAward winning performance.