The Best Comebacks In Showbiz History

By Michael Musto Thu., Jan. 12 2012 at 10:30 AM

They were washed up, kaput, as ovah as the macarena!

And then they rose up from the ashes of disdain and said, "Ha!'

And we applauded like madmen.

The best comebacks ever are:

In 2004, Teri Hatcher moved into Shady Pines, I mean Wisteria Lane, and everything bloomed again. After all, Lois & Clark had stopped flying a whole seven years earlier.

Ingrid Bergman in Anastasia, 1956. Hollywood not only forgave her for being a tramp and a hussy, they gave her an Oscar!

In 1984, Tina Turner truly came into her own with her Private Dancer album, the work of a sizzling survivor. Her growl, her strut, and the dead Pomeranian on her head were all all magical.

Frank Sinatra as Maggio in From Here to Eternity, 1953. Before this, he was so passé he could have sung "My Way" already, but his performance got him an Oscar, more quality film roles, a renewed musical career, and a chance to botch the lyrics of "New York, New York."

Joan Collins was a faded B-movie siren who suddenly became a superstar in 1981 on Dynasty. Bitchy hauteur was rarely so glamly gorgeous. As she swiveled her pads, it seemed as if Joan had been with us forever.

Nobody nailed the art of the comeback like this guy. Hallelujah.

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mjm

Judy Garland.... the Palace in '51, A Star Is Born, Carnegie Hall (she joked "I take a comeback every time I take a shit")

Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria (the movie, not the BWay musical)

Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun (after two back to back hits with DuBarry Was a Lady and Panama Hattie, Merm had a big flop with Something for the Boys and was replaced by June Havoc in Sadie Thompson. yep this was a major win)

Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (after being labeled box office poison and flopping in a touring version of Jane Eyre)

Mary Martin in The Sound of Music (after Peter Pan [both the play and the TV special], Mary flopped in the comedy Kind Sir and in a revival of The Skin of Our Teeth [playing a role originated by Tallulah Bankhead!!]. like Merman in Annie Get Your Gun, this was a major win)

Carol Channing in Hello Dolly (poor Carol hadn't had a hit since Gentlemen Prefer Blondes!)

Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (she had placed a gag ad in Variety's classifieds sections before she got the part. yes, she was that desperate!)

Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce (a big middle finger to MGM)

MarkyMark

Abercrombie & Fitch

Norma Desmond

I AM BIG!!! Its the pictures that got small!

CMG

Jackie Earle Haley- Pretty much doing nothing until Little Children and gets an Oscar nomination and sealed at least another 10 years of getting solid work playing your character actor creepy guy for movies and TV.

I want to call Mickey Rourke between Sin City and The Wrestler a comeback but I feel like he squandered a good thing. I don't really think a lot of people around Hollywood have any idea what to do with him.