They signed as summer replacements and proved to be a great success.
Following, they signed to appear in Mike Todd’s Broadway show, “Streets
of Paris” and which also featured another newcomer, Carmen Miranda.
Returning to radio, it was their performance of a new routine they had
written in collaboration with their comedy writer, John Grant, that
catapulted them to Hollywood and to stardom. Today, WHO’S ON FIRST has
become their classic signature skit and most well-remembered of the
Abbott &Costello routines.
Signed by Universal Pictures in 1939, their first film was a “test
run” to see how well Abbott & Costello would go over to theatre going
audiences. “One Night in the Tropics” was an Alan Jones, Nancy Kelly
film, however, the studio kept shooting more and more footage of Abbott
& Costello due to reports from the set that the crew could barely contain
themselves from laughing. It was the perfect springboard for the boys
and a giant success at the box office. Universal realized they had a
prime commodity with this comedic duo and immediately set the wheels
in motion for Abbott & Costello to star in their next film, “Buck Privates.”
Bud and Lou made a succession of box office hits for Universal and were
voted #1 box office stars in 1942 --- “In the Navy,” “Keep ‘Em Flying,”
“Hold That Ghost,” “ Who Done It?” and “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein,”
today a cult classic amongst Abbott &Costello fans, kept the gates of
Universal open at a time when Universal was considered a B studio. In
all, Bud and Lou made 36 films, their last being “Dance With Me Henry”
in 1957.
Returning to radio between films, “The Abbott & Costello Show” aired
on ABC from 1941-46 and on NBC from 1946-49.
The live stage was where Abbott & Costello thrived. In the early 1950’s,
NBC welcomed Bud and Lou to their new hour long live variety show, “The
Colgate Comedy Hour” as guest hosts. Debuting on January 7, 1951, Abbott
& Costello boosted the show’s ratings as they performed their staple
of routines, including the still popular and in demand, “Who’s On First.”
In 1956, one year before the release of their last film, “Dance
With Me Henry, “ and the dissolving of their partnership, Bud and Lou
were brought together on “Steve Allen Show” before a live audience and
nationwide broadcast. The emotion was heightened when unbeknownst to
both man, Steve Allen announced the induction of Abbott & Costello’s
Gold Record in Cooperstown, N.Y. Today, Bud and Lou are still the first
non-baseball playing celebrities to have such a work inducted.
Lou Costello passed away in March of 1959, followed by Bud Abbott
in 1974. Today, their comedy continues to generate a whole new legion
of fans from around the world. When “Abbott & Costello Meets Jerry Seinfeld”
aired on NBC in 1994, Seinfeld contributed this thought.
“If it weren’t for Bud Abbott & Lou Costello, many of the vaudeville
and burlesque routines would have been lost forever. It was through
Abbott & Costello’s films and television show appearances, as well as
on radio, that will forever preserve them for generations to come.”
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