EARLY DAYS PRODUCTIONS
Bud Abbott was a veteran burlesque entertainer from a show business family. He had worked at Coney Island and ran his own burlesque touring companies. When he met his future partner in comedy, Abbott was performing in Minsky's burlesque shows.
Lou Costello had been a burlesque comic since 1930, after failing to break into movie acting and working as a stunt double and film extra . As a teenager, Costello had been an amateur boxer in his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.
Lou Costello had been a burlesque comic since 1930, after failing to break into movie acting and working as a stunt double and film extra . As a teenager, Costello had been an amateur boxer in his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.
1935 - 1957
Stats:
Birth Name:
Louis Francis Cristillo
Height: 5' 5"
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Quote: "Comics are a dime a dozen - good straight men are hard to find!"
Birth Name:
Louis Francis Cristillo
Height: 5' 5"
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Quote: "Comics are a dime a dozen - good straight men are hard to find!"
The two first worked together in 1935 at the Eltinge Burlesque Theater on 42nd Street now the lobby of the AMC movie complex in New York.The duo built an act by refining and reworking numerous burlesque sketches into the long-familiar presence of Abbott as the devious straight man, and Costello as the stumbling, dimwitted laugh-getter.
The team's first known radio appearance was on The Kate Smith Hour in February, 1938. "Who's on First?" was first performed for a national radio audience the following month.Abbott and Costello stayed on the program as regulars for two years, but the similarities between their New Jersey-accented voices made it difficult for listeners (as opposed to stage audiences) to tell them apart due to their rapid-fire repartee. The problem was solved by having Costello affect a high-pitched childish voice,
For more information about Abbott and Costello please visit: Wikipedia
Abbott and Costello's Selected Filmography
One Night in the Tropics (1940)
Buck Privates (1941)
In The Navy (1941)
Hold That Ghost (1941)
Keep 'Em Flying (1941)
Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942)
Rio Rita (1942)
Pardon My Sarong (1942)
Who Done It? (1942)
It Aint Hay (1943)
Hit The Ice (1943)
In Society (1944)
Lost In A Harem (1944)
Here Come The Co-eds (1945)
The Naughty Nineties (1945)
Abbott & Costello In Hollywood (1945)
Little Giant (1946)
The Time Of Their Lives (1946)
Buck Privates Come Home (1947)
The Wistful Widow Of Wagon Gap (1947)
The Noose Hangs High (1948)
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Mexican Hayride (1948)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Killer: Boris Karloff (1949)
Africa Screams (1949)
Abbott & Costello In The Foreign Legion (1950)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951)
Comin' Round The Mountain (1951)
Jack And The Beanstalk (1952)
Abbott & Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)
Lost In Alaska (1952)
Abbott & Costello Go To Mars (1953)
Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1954)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Keystone Kops (1955)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Mummy (1955)
Dance With Me Henry (1956)
The 30 Foot Bride Of Candy Rock (Lou Costello) (1958)
The World Of Abbott & Costello (1965)
Buck Privates (1941)
In The Navy (1941)
Hold That Ghost (1941)
Keep 'Em Flying (1941)
Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942)
Rio Rita (1942)
Pardon My Sarong (1942)
Who Done It? (1942)
It Aint Hay (1943)
Hit The Ice (1943)
In Society (1944)
Lost In A Harem (1944)
Here Come The Co-eds (1945)
The Naughty Nineties (1945)
Abbott & Costello In Hollywood (1945)
Little Giant (1946)
The Time Of Their Lives (1946)
Buck Privates Come Home (1947)
The Wistful Widow Of Wagon Gap (1947)
The Noose Hangs High (1948)
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Mexican Hayride (1948)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Killer: Boris Karloff (1949)
Africa Screams (1949)
Abbott & Costello In The Foreign Legion (1950)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951)
Comin' Round The Mountain (1951)
Jack And The Beanstalk (1952)
Abbott & Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)
Lost In Alaska (1952)
Abbott & Costello Go To Mars (1953)
Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1954)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Keystone Kops (1955)
Abbott & Costello Meet The Mummy (1955)
Dance With Me Henry (1956)
The 30 Foot Bride Of Candy Rock (Lou Costello) (1958)
The World Of Abbott & Costello (1965)
Full Movie: Africa Screams (1949)
Abbott & Costello search for diamonds in Africa, along the way meeting a visually-impaired gunner, a hungry lion, and a tribe of cannibals... - Taken from IMDB
In 1940 they were signed by Universal Studios for the film One Night in the Tropics. Cast in supporting roles, they stole the show with several classic routines, including "Who's on First?" Universal signed them to a long-term contract, and their second film, Buck Privates , (1941) made them box-office stars. In most of their films, the plot was a framework for the two comics to reintroduce comedy routines they first performed on stage.
They made 36 films together between 1940 and 1956. Abbott and Costello were among the most popular and highest-paid entertainers in the world during World War II. Other film successes included Hold That Ghost , Who Done It? , Pardon My Sarong , The Time of Their Lives , Buck Privates Come Home , Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, and Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man. In 1942, Abbott and Costello were the top box office draw with a reported take of $10 million. They would remain a top ten box office attraction until 1952.
In the 1950s Abbott and Costello's popularity waned as their place as filmdom's hottest comedy team was taken by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, who, legend has it, were discovered by Abbott and Costello. Universal dropped the comedy team in 1955, and after one more independent film, Bud Abbott retired from performing. Lou Costello made about ten solo appearances on The Steve Allen Show and headlined in Las Vegas. He appeared in episodes of GE Theater and Wagon Train. On March 3, 1959, shortly after making his lone solo film, The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock, Lou Costello died of a heart attack just short of his 53rd birthday.
A depressed Bud Abbott attempted a comeback in 1960, teaming with Candy Candido. Although the new act received good reviews, Bud quit, saying, "No one could ever live up to Lou." Bud Abbott died of cancer on April 24, 1974.
A depressed Bud Abbott attempted a comeback in 1960, teaming with Candy Candido. Although the new act received good reviews, Bud quit, saying, "No one could ever live up to Lou." Bud Abbott died of cancer on April 24, 1974.
Stats:
Birth Name:
William Alexander Abbott
Height: 5' 8"
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Quote: "I never understood Lou."
Birth Name:
William Alexander Abbott
Height: 5' 8"
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Quote: "I never understood Lou."
Early Days Productions: Abbot and Costello 03/24/2012
