Abbott and Costello

Abbott and Costello (William (Bud) Abbott, Louis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular and respected teams in comedy history. Their "Who's on First?" routine, developed during their years in burlesque, is widely considered to be one of the greatest comedy sketches of all time.

Early years

The two comedians first worked together in 1935 at the Eltinge burlesque theater on 42nd Street in New York. Costello became a burlesque comic in 1928 after failing to break into films as an actor and working as a stunt double and extra. In fact, Costello appeared momentarily in the 1927 Laurel and Hardy silent two-reeler, The Battle of the Century, seated at ringside during Stan's ill-fated boxing match.

Abbott had been in burlesque since about 1914, as a ticket seller, producer, and finally a performer. Abbott and Costello made their partnership formal in 1936, building an act by adapting and improving numerous old burlesque sketches into their own style. Abbott was the arch, often scheming straight man and Costello the confused, context-challenged naif.

They received their first national exposure in 1938 when they appeared on radio's The Kate Smith Hour. Their popularity on the program grew and, they stayed as regulars for two years. This led to roles in a Broadway musical, "The Streets of Paris," in 1939. In 1940 they were signed by Universal for the film One Night in the Tropics. Cast in a supporting capacity, 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) secured their place as movie stars. The duo made over 30 films between 1940 and 1956 (see below) and were among the most popular and highest-paid entertainers in the world during World War II. Among their popular films are 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.

Radio

The Abbott and Costello Show was heard on radio throughout the 1940s. They began by hosting a summer replacement series for Fred Allen on NBC in 1940, then joined Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1941. During the same period, two of their films, Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost, were adapted for radio and presented on Lux Radio Theater.

On October 8, 1942 they launched their weekly NBC show, sponsored by Camel cigarettes, moving five years later to ABC, the former NBC Blue Network,). The additional cast and crew on that series included Sid Fields as the Melonheads, Artie Auerbrook as Ketsel, regulars Elvira Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Lou Krogman, Pat McGeehan, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth and Benay Venuta. The featured vocalists were Amy Arnell, Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, Susan Miller, Marilyn Williams, the Delta Rhythm Boys and the Les Baxter Singers with the orchestras of Skinnay Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Jack Meakin, Will Osborne, Freddie Rich, Leith Stevens and Peter van Streeden. Frank Bingman, Jim Doyle, Ken Niles and Michael Roy did the announcing, Writers includedHoward Harris, Hal Fimberg, Don Prindle, Ed Cherokee, Len Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan and Ed Forman and producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were supplied by Floyd Caton. At ABC, they also hosted a 30-minute children's radio program, the The Abbott and Costello Children's Show), which aired Saturday mornings with vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and announcer Johnny McGovern.

Television

In 1951 they moved to television--first as one of the rotating hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour (Eddie Cantor and Bob Hope were among the others). Beginning in 1952, The Abbott and Costello Show. was a half-hour series loosely adapted from their radio show, casting the duo as unemployed wastrels. One of the show's running gags involved Abbott perpetually nagging Costello to get a job to pay their rent, while Abbott barely lifted a finger himself in that direction. The show featured Sidney Fields as their landlord and Hillary Brooke as a friendly neighbor who sometimes got involved in the pair's schemes. Another semi-regular was Joe Besser as Stinky, a 40-year-old sissy dressed in a Little Lord Fauntleroy suit. The Abbott and Costello Show ran from 1952 to 1954, but the show found a larger viewership via syndicated reruns from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s.

Later years

In the 1950s, however, Abbott and Costello's popularity waned. There were several reasons for this. Each year they released two new films, while the studio re-released some of their older hits. Add to that a weekly TV series and regular live appearances on the Colgate program, and the team's bag of tricks was overexposed. With the ascendancy of Martin and Lewis, Bud and Lou were looked upon as the old guard. Conflicts between the two began to divide them, and the tax man finished the job: Abbott and Costello split up in 1956 after the Internal Revenue Service hit them for back taxes enough that both were forced to sell many assets, including their rights in their films.

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. Radio historian Gerald Nachman has wrote that Costello decided to end Abbott & Costello as a working partnership not long after the drowning death of his baby son. On March 3, 1959, not long after making his lone solo film, Thirty Foot Bride of Candy Rock, Costello died of a heart attack.

Abbott attempted a comeback in 1960, teaming with Candy Candido. Although the new act received good reviews, Bud quit, remarking, "No one could ever live up to Lou."

Abbott made a solo appearance on an episode of GE Theater in 1961. A few years later, Bud voiced his character in a series of 156 five-minute Abbott and Costello cartoons made by Hanna-Barbera in 1966 and 1967. While he certainly could use the income, Bud was not badly off financially, since he had reached a settlement with the IRS. Lou's character was voiced by Stan Irwin. Abbott died of cancer on April 24, 1974.

Spin-offs

The cartoon series wasn't the first time Abbott and Costello were immortalized in animation. During the height of their popularity in the 1940s, Warner Bros.'s Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies animation unit produced several cartoons featuring the pair as cats or mice named "Babbit and Catstello." One of the cartoons, "A Tale of Two Kitties," introduced one of the most enduring characters in the history of animation--Tweety Pie.

But the team's influence has rarely abated since their breakup. In 1994, comedian Jerry Seinfeld hosted the television special Abbott and Costello meet Jerry Seinfeld (the title referenced their popular series of films in which the duo met some of Universal's famed horror picture characters). The show aired on NBC to over 20 million homes. Seinfeld himself has always stated that The Abbott and Costello Show was the inspiration for his own popular series.

Their famous comedy routine, "Who's on First?" is believed to be available in as many as 20 versions; Abbott and Costello performed subtle variations of the routine in film, on their radio show, and on television (in one of their Colgate Comedy Hour installments and their half-hour TV series). It became such an icon of American comedy that the duo and their writers seized on any opportunity to craft different routines based upon the same hook. Nachman wrote that the duo's radio contract may have included an agreement to perform "Who's on First?" at least once a month. Perhaps the most successful of the routines "Who's on First?" spawned was "U Drive," about renting a car. On one of the duo's radio broadcasts, they preceded yet another version of "Who's on First?" with a similar routine when the pair discussed Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller.

Cultural references

"The Abbott and Costello Show" is a catch phrase occasionally used when referring to the Australian government of John Howard due to the names of two prominent members of the ministry--federal health minister Tony Abbott and federal treasurer Peter Costello.

NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006), a drama about life backstage at a television comedy series, used "Who's on First?" as a plot device when the parents of comedic cast member Tom Jeter (Nate Corddry) visit from Ohio, and he gives them a tour the theater. However, they have little understanding of comedy and have never heard of "Who's on First?" In an attempt to relate to his parents just before they begin the drive back to Ohio, Tom gives them a recording of "Who's on First?"