History Main / ThePratfall

* In the automat scene from ''Film/EasyLiving'' there are so many pratfalls that it's hard to count them all. Being a Preston Sturges script gives you an idea why this is the case.

* In the automat scene from ''Film/EasyLiving'' there are so many pratfalls that it's hard to count them all.

* Plenty from the toons in ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' [[spoiler:and when Judge Doom has one, it's a clue that he's a toon]]. The previously humorless Eddie Valliant does a bunch during his dance to make the weasels DieLaughing.

* An episode of ''{{Bones}}'' features a disturbing but still funny version. Agent Booth is anxious to find a corpse's missing head, because he has another appointment. In his hurry, he slips on a muddy riverbank, and slides into the water, then triumphantly holds up the head.

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', resident klutz Amy Wong is prone to this.
* ''TheSimpsons'': Bart awakens after falling, to find himself staring into the eyes of an attractive young girl.

Subtrope of AmusingInjury. Compare FacePlant, which is a similar way of going from upright to sprawled very quickly for humor, and the closely related FaceFault.

The Pratfall (named for an archaic word for buttocks) is a staple of {{Slapstick}} humor and one of the most [[{{Pun}} fundamental]] forms of {{Schadenfreude}}. Many comedians have built entire careers around variations on this theme. A stock gag for the circus clown, the pratfall is OlderThanRadio and dates back at least to the days of vaudeville and music hall theater, and it was very popular in early silent films. It may well be as old as comedy itself. One suspects our primitive ape-like ancestors may have enjoyed watching the goofy ape hop around and then deliberately fall down on his sitter.

The humor often comes from the exaggerated nature of the fall, and many physical comedians practice their pratfalls carefully to make sure they are funny enough. (Online lessons are available.) The humor may also be associated with what the character lands in or on.

* In ''BringingUpBaby'', David slips on an olive Susan dropped and falls really hard on his butt.

* Silent film stars Creator/LaurelAndHardy were also fond of this trope.

* In the first season of ''SaturdayNightLive'' Chevy Chase did this a lot when doing his "impression" of GeraldFord.
* Chevy Chase's character Pierce does this almost once an episode in ''Series/{{Community}}''. Occasionally other characters will also do prattfalls. Notably Annie in an alternate timeline that results in the death of [[spoiler: Pierce]].
* Manuel on ''FawltyTowers'' would sometimes perform these when Mr. Fawlty got mad and started pushing him around.

* Plenty from the toons in ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', and human PI Eddie Valliant does a bunch during the final battle to make the weasels DieLaughing.

* The classic (and classically hard) track and field Flash game ''{{QWOP}}'' is so difficult that pratfalls are virtually inevitable.

* In ''DragonQuestIX'', the Minstrel class can unlock the Pratfall Ability, staging a slapstick fall for the amusement of the local Slimes, hopefully depriving the enemy team of a turn as a result of side-splitting hilarity.

* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Zecora]] suffers this when Twilight Sparkle disturbs her meditation in ''Swarm of the Century''.

** In ''SuperSmashBrosMelee'' there's a score bonus called "Pratfaller" for always landing on your back after being knocked down in a match. Alternatively, always landing face down gives you the "Face Planter" bonus.

** In ''SuperSmashBrosMelee'' there's a score bonus called "Pratfaller" for always landing on your back after being knocked down. Alternatively, always landing face down gives you the "Face Planter" bonus.

* BusterKeaton perfected the pratfall and even made a variation of it called the backward roll, where he would fall on his ass and continue the momentum, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V86ODBSXtZs flipping backward over his head and back up to his feet]]
* Silent film stars LaurelAndHardy were also fond of this trope.

* Lou Costello of AbbottAndCostello was a master of the technique.
* Curly Howard of TheThreeStooges also made regular use of it.

* In ''FTroop'', Captain Parmenter frequently showed us how it's done.