I don't think I could limit an entire "body of work" to just 4 comedians. You have to break it down into categories. Too many good ones.
Standup: Pryor, Carlin, Chappelle, Steve Martin (hon mentions: Rickles, Dangerfield, Norm, Bernie Mac, Billy Crystal)
Classic/vaudeville: Laurel & Hardy, Martin and Lewis, Abbott & Costello, Chaplin (Three Stooges)
TV: Seinfeld, Bob Newhart, Steve Carell, Bill Cosby (Martin Lawrence, Dick Van Dyke, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, Letterman, Carson, Jackie Gleason)
Movies: John Candy, Bill Murray, Will Ferrell, Gene Wilder (Chris Farley, Peter Sellers, Chevy Chase, Jim Carrey, Jack Black, Sandler, Belushi, all of Monty Python, Seth Rogen, Akroyd, Jonah Hill(?))
Creatives: Mel F'ing Brooks, Coen Brothers, Harold Ramis, Mike Judge, (Judd Apatow, Zucker Brothers, Rob Reiner, Bill Lawrence)
Females: Carol Burnett, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mary Tyler Moore, Lucille Ball (Tina Fey, Amy Poehler)