"This betty white scene from golden girls still never fails to make me happy, 30+ years later."

[halfulglas]

16. Yes, the timing is usually a sense. It's sometimes taught but the gifted "understand" it.

My Dad, who was active in community theater from his high school through much of our childhood, explained the importance of timing. He would often comment on a really (unexpected to us kids) dramatic performance of a comedic actor, whereas often an otherwise good dramatic actor fell flat in a comedic role. Comedy needs perfect timing to pull it off. Every time I have seen The Lost Valentine on TV - that scene where she meets the casket containing the body of her dead husband home after all those years, the tears just stream down my face. It feels so real to me. When she plays Rose she is Rose so she plays it straight. She is so sincere and real while everyone around her is breaking up.