Your top 3 comedians

Jack Benny
Robin Williams/Jonathan Winters
Groucho Marx

Will Durst (SF Based political comedian)
Jon Stewart
Jonny Carson

Sam Kinison and no other, oh oh ooooooooooooooooooooooh!

John Candy
Mike Meyers
Dave Chappelle

Red Skelton
George Burns and Gracie Allen
Carol Burnett

Red because for all his comedy he never denigrated anyone or anything and his pantimime was superb
George and Gracie were a rare team that were similiar enough to people you might actually meet, unlike say lucy and desi.
Carol Burnett was sort of the follow up to Red Skelton in more modern times both good and gracious, nice qualities while making one laugh

Bill Hicks
Richard Pryor
Dennis Leary

Benny Hill
John Cleese
Sacha Baron Cohen

I guess you could say I'm partial to British humour.:)

Jim Norton
Bill Burr
Not Rich Vos

I assume, based upon your list, that you are asking for standup comedians, rather than groups of comedians.

In no particular order:

Bill Cosby (mostly for his standup work, although some of his TV work was good too.)

Bob Newhart (Again, mostly for his standup work, but again, his TV work was good too.)

Jerry Seinfeld (This time mostly for this TV work, but his standup was good too!)

If you were allowing comedy groups, my list would have:
The Marx Brothers
Monty Python Flying Circussssss
The Three Stooges

My three cents worth

Rodney Dangerfield
Richard Pryor
Groucho Marx

Jon Stewart
Bill Maher
George W. Bush

Stand up.
Jonathan Winters
George Carlin
Richard Prior

Duo...Laurel and Hardy

Movies...Peter Sellars and Steve Martin

Imo, Peter Sellars was in a class of his own. Absolutely brilliant.

How could I forget Rodney.....:-(

"My wife, she likes to talk while having sex. So the other night she called me from the hotel..."

Rodney is THE king without doubt. Thnx Trejla.

George Carlin
Jake Johannson
Nick DiPaolo

Ali G
Borat
Bruno

oh...wait...that's the same person...well...it looks like he's the new king now.

Charlie Chaplin, John Cleese, Steven Wright

Tim Conway, Harvey Korman on the Carol Burnett Show, and of course, Johnny Carson.

Rodney Dangerfield "My doctor wanted to do a thorough exam. He asked for a urine sample, a stool sample and a semen sample. So I left my underwear on the table and went home"
Joan Rivers (Esp. "What becomes a semi-legend most" I don't know what she's doing now)
Eddie Izzard - I saw his routine on the hotelTV during a business trip and laughed myself stupid all alone in the room.

Stephen Colbert
Jon Stewart
Jim Carrey

Did I take a wrong turn at Albequerque ?????? I thought this was Audiogon ?????

Charlie Chaplin is always #1.
Other two are Ed Murphy and Martin Lawrence...

"Take my wife, Please" the king of the one liners Henny Youngman.
Martin Lawrence,and of course Rodeny Dangerfield, Richard Pryor, Lucille Ball.

richard pryor, george carlin, bill hicks......back up...bob newhart, steve martin, martin mull

I'm going to stay away from the classics, as most kind of go without saying, and are probably nothing new to anyone (I like'em as much as anyone else - how could you not). I'd rather list some more contemporaries who consistently impress me when I can catch my breath from laughing so hard.

Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
Lewis Black
Stephen Wright (OK, he's timeless, classic in his right... so I'll add one more)
Amy Sedaris (doesn't do standup, but love her humor)

Marco

John Belushi
Phil Hartman
Jack Black

These guys aren't really stand up comedians... just guys who make me laugh every time I see them. I would have to put Richard Prior and Johnny Carson on the list of most beloved.

Modern:
Brian Regan
Jon Stewart

Classic:
Groucho Marx

Emo Phillips
Mitch Fatel
Kathleen Madigan

Peter Sellers
Harpo Marx
Spike Milligan

Thanks for that classic, Mattybumpkin! In my mind, there's Rodney, and every other comedian who ever lived is just playing for second place.

A hooker told me, "Not on the first date."

I told my doctor I wanted a vasectomy, he said, with a face like mine, I don't need one.

I told my kid, "Someday, you'll have children of your own." He said, "So will you..."

Last week, I noticed my gums were shrinking. Then I realized I was brushing my teeth with Preparation H.

My wife isn't too smart, you know. She has to reach into her bra to count to two.

The other night my wife woke me up saying sexy things. I looked over, and she was on the phone.

My dog watches me in the bedroom, he wants to learn how to beg. I told him to watch my wife so he can learn how to roll over, and play dead.

I told my doctor I swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills, he said, "Go home and have a few drinks, and get some rest."

I'll second Trelja's Rodney Dangefield (good call Joe).
I'll add:
Steven Wright:
"I just put skylights in my living room. My upstairs neighbors are really mad"

"I went into a diner. The sign said breakfast served any time. I said fine, I'll have eggs in the 17th Century"

"I put instant rice in the microwave and went back in time"

I also like Sam Kinison and Lewis Black

Joe, you just knocked one of my top three! Steven Wright is one of the funniest comedians ever. DEFINITELY moves into my Number 2.

For me, like Rodney, I laugh so hard at his standup, I can't even remember what the jokes were. That sampling of jokes you have graciously provided to us is incredible.

Joe, you just knocked one of my top three! Steven Wright is one of the funniest comedians ever. DEFINITELY moves into my Number 2.

He's brilliant. Here are some more Stephen Wright quotes.

Jim Gaffigan is one that would be right up there for me as well.

Marco

George Carlin - His Death & Dieing talk from On The Road, one of the best ever.

Steven Wright - "I was a Caesarian born child. They say it doesn't affect me, except that whenever I leave the house, I go through the window."

Richard Jeni - If you haven't seen the HBO special, "Platypus Man", do it! Cheers,

Spencer

jerry seinfeld for me.

The three stooges, Lewis Black, Lenny Bruce

Emo Philips, Oscar Wilde, and I'm not sure who would be #3 Steven Wright is funny, but he's at his best when he's telling stories, not rattling of one-liners...

i would throw sid caesar into the mix. he could do solo gigs on his show and was absolutley first rate/classic in his ensemble work with carl reiner, howie morris and imogene coca.

I've got a list of super ones from France:

Pierre Richard
Luis De Funnes
and
Gerrard Deparde'u

if I spelled them correctly...

Richard Jeni, Dennis Miller, and Bill Mahr, although I dont like his left wing Politics...but he is still brilliant.

I've got a list of super ones from France

What, no Coluche ? That guy was freakin' hilarious.

I've got a list of super ones from France

What, no Coluche ? That guy was freakin' hilarious.

...and don't forget Jaques Tati's M. Hulot!!!

Marco

Red Fox,3 Stooges

Jay Leno is by far my favorite.

OK, based on this thread, and some reflection, here is my current Top 3:
1) Rodney Dangerfield
2) Steven Wright
3) Dom Irrera. Yes, he IS less well-known than most on this list. But, he's also as funny a comedian as I've ever come across.

Special mention for Redd Foxx - nice one Raytheprinter!

Well it was Cosmo Kramer...until recently

Probably:
1. The Amazing Wid
2. Chris Roc
3. Etta Mae

Honorable mention: Steven Wright

Christopher Guest. Although not a comedian in the true sense of the word, he's a comic genius IMO.

Bill Hicks. There's Bill, then there's everybody else.
Robert Shimmel
Seth Green gets a nod simply for creating Family Guy.