OSCAR IS AN UPHILL CLIMB FOR COMIC CONTENDERS.(PREVIEW)

Byline: ELAINE DUTKA Los Angeles Times

Two of the biggest hits of the year, ``Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' and ``Elf,'' were powered by knockout comic acting -- Johnny Depp as a grunge pirate and Will Ferrell as the oversized elf.

Their performances, like Bill Murray's in ``Lost in Translation,'' Jack Black's in ``School of Rock'' and Ellen DeGeneres' voice work in the animated ``Finding Nemo,'' excited critics and fans. Whether their work can translate into Oscars, however, is another matter. For when it comes to comedies, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, it seems, just hasn't gotten the joke.

Comic legends such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Danny Kaye and Stan Laurel never won an acting Oscar, and current comedy heavyweights such as Mike Myers, Jim Carrey and Eddie Murphy have been shut out. Still, in a year when laughter ruled at the box office -- six of the 10 top-grossing films so far this year are comedies -- the studios are mounting campaigns for these performances for either the Academy Awards or, at least, the Golden Globes. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are full of ads promoting comic performances and films along with more serious fare. …