Many people consider him . . . . . . . . greatest comic actor of silent cinema. A. a B. an C. the D. no article

The correct answer is: D. no article

The reason is that the word “greatest” is a superlative, which means that it is the highest possible degree of something. In this case, it is being used to describe the actor as the best possible comic actor of silent cinema. Superlatives are always used without articles.

Here are some examples of other superlatives that are always used without articles:

• The most beautiful woman in the world.
• The fastest car in the world.
• The tallest building in the world.

In contrast, ordinary adjectives are used with articles. For example:

• A beautiful woman.
• A fast car.
• A tall building.

The difference between superlatives and ordinary adjectives is that superlatives are used to compare things, while ordinary adjectives are used to describe things. In the examples above, “the most beautiful woman in the world” is being compared to other women, while “a beautiful woman” is simply being described.

I hope this explanation is helpful!