Carry On line 'funniest ever'

The Carry On Cleo line ‘infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it infamy’ has been named the funniest movie one-liner of all time.

The line, as uttered by Kenneth Williams, was won a poll of more than 1,000 comic writers, comedians and comedy club owners, as well as members of the public.

The top ten in full is:

1. “Infamy! Infamy! They’ve all got it in for me!” – Kenneth Williams (Julius Caesar) Carry On Cleo (1964)

2. “He’s not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy.” – Terry Jones (Brian’s Mum) Life Of Brian (1979)

3. Robert Hays (Ted Striker): "Surely you can't be serious. Leslie Nielsen (Rumack): I am serious….and don't call me Shirley. - Airplane (1980)

4. “Remember you’re fighting for this woman’s honour, which is probably more than she ever did” – Groucho Marx (Rufus T. Firefly) Duck Soup (1933)

5. “Don’t knock masturbation, it’s sex with someone I love” – Woody Allen, (Alvy Singer) Annie Hall (1977)

6. Peter Sellers (Inspector Clouseau): "Do you have a licence for your minkey"? - The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

7. "Mary, Is that... is that hair gel?" – Cameron Diaz (Mary Jensen) There's Something About Mary (1998)

8. “Gentlemen you can't fight in here. This is the War Room” – Peter Sellers (President Merkin) – Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learnt To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1963)

9. (Leslie Nielsen) Frank: “Nice beaver!” (Priscilla Presley) Jane: [producing a stuffed beaver] “Thank you. I just had it stuffed.” - The Naked Gun(1988)

10. When I met Mary I got that old fashioned romantic feeling where I'd do anything to bone her" - Jim Carrey (Lloyd Christmas) Dumb and Dumber (1994)

The poll was conducted to promote the launch of Sky Movies Comedy today.

Ian Lewis, director of Sky Movies, said: ‘We were surprised just how many of the top ten were about sex.’

Film critic Bob McCabe added: ‘It is great to see two British movies are in the top three and well established classics with great lasting power. I thought that Kenneth Williams would win as it is a great stand-alone joke, the joke is simple and no build-up to the line is needed. Kenneth Williams’ delivery of the line is extremely dramatic, ending in a camp style.’

Published: 3 Apr 2007