More contemporary examples of slapstick humor include The Three Stooges, The Naked Gun and Mr. The physical slap stick remains a key component of the plot in the traditional and popular Punch and Judy puppet show. The ' slap stick' consists of two thin slats of wood, which make a 'slap' when striking another actor, with little force needed to make a loud-and comical-sound. The term arises from a device developed for use in the broad, physical comedy style known as commedia dell'arte in 16th-century Italy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as saws and ladders. Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Chaplin started his film career as a physical comedian, and his later work continued to contain elements of slapstick. A slapstick scene from the 1915 Charlie Chaplin film His New Job. For other uses, see Slapstick (disambiguation).
This article is about the style of comedy.
