Abbott and Costello

Abbott and Costello was a classic duet of American comedians who, starting with inspections and radio shows, emerged as excellent cinema actors in WWII. and after. They were named Bad Abbott and Louis Costello. Their real names were, first, William Abbott (1895-1974), and the second Louis Cristilo (1906-1959). Both were born in New Jersey, USA. Costello met Abbott in 1931, when he worked as a cashier at the Brooklyn Theater in New York. Costello asked Abbott to step in as a cue staler because his actual partner was ill. During the 1930s, Abbott and Costello began their careers in burlesque, variety shows, music shows and movie theatres.
Costello insisted on dividing the profits from the shows 60:40 in favour of Abbotts. He was of the opinion: “comedians are like sand by the sea. Good stooges are hard to find.Abbott and Costello split in 1957 after problems with the tax authority, which drove both into ruin. Costello had also lost confidence in his partner Abbott, as appearances in his alcohol consumption, with which he – according to accounts – had tried to control his epilepsy, failed, and to another success, which could save the two financially, so far not was more to think about. Shortly before the premiere of their last collaborative film, Abbott had in November 1956 still trying to surprise Costello with a dedicated episode of the television show This Is Your Life. Instead of the two together again, but the program was rather a drab character, as u. a. the death of Costello’s only son on camera was made the subject and you also convincingly tried to draw a beautiful picture of the Costello family.

Although the duo broke up in the dispute, and Abbott is said to have learned of the death Costello only from a newspaper, as it was called in the media at the time, but the families were well friends, which ultimately had enduring character, and possibly an official ” Reconciliation “prevented the two only by the sudden death Lou Costello. Their popularity is unbroken. In the US, all of her films were released on DVD. Her TV series and many of her Colgate Comedy Hour episodes are also available on DVD. Groucho Marx once referred to Bud Abbott as the best stooges that have ever existed in the comedy field. Costello, on the other hand, can be considered one of the most talented comedians in film history, enjoying and still enjoying great popularity with his playful, almost comic-like nature.

Films

In 1938 they had their first nationwide appearance on the Kate Smith Radio Hour Show, and the following year they signed a contract with Universal Studios. In 1940, they shot their first film, One Night in the Tropics. Although Abbott and Costello had only supporting roles in this film, he was by the famous number Who’s on First ?, Which is difficult to translate into German, to her film. As a result of this production they were kept by Universal Pictures under contract and turned as the main actor 27 more films for the studio. In contrast, only eight films of the duo were produced in other studios. Among these 36 films made between 1940 and 1956 came a 1954 Cameo in Fireman Save My Child, which was largely prevented due to an illness by Costello (the two are only in long shots to see), and a few primarily for promotional purposes resulting short films in which the two had guest appearances.

In 1948, Abbott and Costello shot the horror comedy (Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein), in which they side with the then greatest Genrestars Bela Lugosi (as Count Dracula), Lon Chaney junior. (as a werewolf) and Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster) were seen; vocally involved was also Vincent Price as the Invisible. This film was an international success and the beginning of a series of movies in which the comedians are confronted with famous characters from the horror and crime movies. However, Abbott and Costello were no longer able to match the success of Frankenstein’s persiflage.
TV
After a few years, the duo also got its own television series (The Abbott and Costello Show), which was first broadcast in 1952 and 1953, as well as several radio shows. In addition, they acted in several episodes of the television live show The Colgate Comedy Hour as presenters, who always actively intervened in the action. Last but not least, they continued to be active on stage with their programs.
After the death of Costello, in 1959, Abbott led a 1967 broadcast animated series with the two as main characters in the way in which he also took over the synchronization of his own parts. Without Costello as an actor in front of the camera, he appeared only once, in a series of the series General Electric Theater from 1961 on. Costello also had an appearance in this series without Abbott, also turned off shortly before his death, the comedy The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock, which was first published posthumously. Furthermore, he also had several appearances in the Steve Allen show, also without Abbott, was therefore much more active for a solo career. A year before his death, he also managed a change of image, as he played in an episode of the series Wagon Train an alcoholic.