William (Bud) Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo) performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s, as well as a top ten box office draw for a full decade (1942—1952). Their iconic and influential patter routine "Who's on First?"—with its rapid-fire word play and comprehension confusion—set the framework for many of their best-known comedy bits. As a result of its enduring popularity, a video loop of the team performing "Who's on First?" is on permanent exhibit in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
After working as Allen's summer replacement, Abbott and Costello joined Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1941, while two of their films (Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost) were adapted for Lux Radio Theater. They launched their own weekly show October 8, 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes.
The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (by vocalists such as Connie Haines, Ashley Eustis, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbach ("Mr. Kitzel"), Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott and Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello routinely insulted his on-air wife). Niles was succeeded by Michael Roy, with announcing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle. The show went through several orchestras during its radio life, including those of Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Matty Malneck, Jack Meakin, Will Osborne, Fred Rich, Leith Stevens, and Peter van Steeden. The show's writers included Howard Harris, Hal Fimberg, Parke Levy, Don Prindle, Eddie Cherkose (later known as Eddie Maxwell), Leonard B. Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan, and Eddie Forman, as well as producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were handled primarily by Floyd Caton.
In 1947 Abbott and Costello moved the show to ABC (the former NBC Blue Network). During their time on ABC, the duo also hosted a 30-minute children's radio program (The Abbott and Costello Children's Show), which aired Saturday mornings, featuring child vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and child announcer Johnny McGovern.
Abbott and Costello 400320 Who's On First & Lion Hunting
Abbott and Costello 421015 Marlene Dietrich Bank Robbery
Abbott and Costello 4210xx Cousin Yugo Gets Married
Abbott and Costello 421119 Kinghts In Shinning Armor
Abbott and Costello 430114 Hunting Guide w Claire Trevor
Abbott and Costello 431118 Guests Bugs Bunny & Lucille Ball
Abbott and Costello 431125 Thanksgiving Dinner
Abbott and Costello 431202 Trip To Palm Springs w Veronica Lake
Abbott and Costello 431209 English Butler w Arthur Treacher
Abbott and Costello 431216 Wild West w Lynn Bari
Abbott and Costello 431230 The Lawyer w Bert Gordon
Abbott and Costello 440106 Lou's Engaged to Judy Canova
Abbott and Costello 440113a longer Sanatarium , Cold w Peter Lorre
Abbott and Costello 440113b better Sanatarium, Cold w Peter Lorre
Abbott and Costello 440120 Football Game w Harold Peary
Abbott and Costello 440210 Robinson Caruso w Charles Laughton
Abbott and Costello 440217 Making a Movie w Dorothy Lamour
Abbott and Costello 440224 w Blondie & Dagwood
Abbott and Costello 440302 Running A Newspaper w Hedda Hopper
Abbott and Costello 440309 Missing Snow White Script w Blondie & Dagwood
Abbott and Costello 440316 At the Circus w Alan Hale
Abbott and Costello 440618 Costello Buys Gifts For Cast
Abbott and Costello 440911 At The Races
Abbott and Costello 441026 Matrimonial Agency
Abbott and Costello 441102 Lou's Dog Hector
Abbott and Costello 441116 Grade School
Abbott and Costello 441207 Visit to Tin Pan Alley
Abbott and Costello 441214 Christmas Shopping
Abbott and Costello 441221 CHRISTMAS SHOW ST
Abbott and Costello 450111 Lou Buys A Ranch
Abbott and Costello 450118 Impressing A Girlfriend
Abbott and Costello 450125 Merchant Marines
Abbott and Costello 450201 Stolen Oranges, Lou Shoots Orange Picker
Abbott and Costello 450215 Rudy Vallee
Abbott and Costello 450301 w Frank Sinatra
Abbott and Costello 450308 New Press Agent
Abbott and Costello 450322 Costello the Cowboy
Abbott and Costello 450405 Hiring Andrew Sisters
Abbott and Costello 450419 Charm School
Abbott and Costello 450426 w Andrews Sisters
Abbott and Costello 450503 Spanish Acting School
Abbott and Costello 450607 Costello gets a tatoo
Abbott and Costello 450614 Father's day
Abbott and Costello 450628 Return to Patterson
Abbott and Costello 451004 Job for Girlfriend
Abbott and Costello 451115 Lou Hides From His Girl friend
Abbott and Costello 451129 Opening A Gas Station
Abbott and Costello 451206 Lou the Fireman
Abbott and Costello 451213 Salesman
Abbott and Costello 451220 Christmas Show
Abbott and Costello 451227 Costello's Beauty Shop
Abbott and Costello 460207 Lou Needs An Apartment
Abbott and Costello 460214 Working At The Apartment Hotel
Abbott and Costello 460307 The Boys Run A Drug Store
Abbott and Costello 460314 Income Tax
Abbott and Costello 460418 Pet Shop
Abbott and Costello 460425 The Sheriff of North Hollywood
Abbott and Costello 460502 Napolean & Josephine
Abbott and Costello 460509 Job In The Circus
Abbott and Costello 460516 Costello Runs for Mayor
Abbott and Costello 460530 late For The Show w Elsa Maxwell
Abbott and Costello 460626 Abbott's Big Date
Abbott and Costello 461003 Incorrigible
Abbott and Costello 461010 Big Game Hunting
Abbott and Costello 470213 Costello Buys a Boat
Abbott and Costello 470227 Driving Lessons
Abbott and Costello 470313 Lou Goes To Track To Lose Money
Abbott and Costello 470327 Stock Market
Abbott and Costello 470410 Nuts & Bolts Lou Sells Spot Remover
Abbott and Costello 470417 Lou Subs For Dimaggio
Abbott and Costello 470424 Lou Builds a House
Abbott and Costello 470618 Who's On First Original Live Show
Abbott and Costello 470619 Lou Joins The New York Yankees
Abbott and Costello 471210 Lou Visits Psychiatrist w Linda Darnell
Abbott and Costello 471225 Christmas Program
Abbott and Costello 480303 Going To Alaska
Abbott and Costello 480310 Costello Pays Income Tax
Abbott and Costello 480421 Marriage Bureau
Abbott and Costello 480428 Babysitting Job
Abbott and Costello 480505 w Bella Lugosi
Abbott and Costello 480811 Lou Is a Delegate To the UN
Abbott and Costello 481028 Sam Shovel Private Detective
Abbott and Costello 481118 Sam Shovel Russian Diplomat
Abbott and Costello 481202 Sam Shovel Curbstone Murder
Abbott and Costello 481209 Sam Shovel Two Gun Gertie
Abbott and Costello 490127 A Spy Tries To Kill Sam Shovel
Abbott and Costello 490303 Sam Shovel Meets The Moonshine
Abbott and Costello 490428 Private Detective
Abbott and Costello 490518 Lou Invents Cellophane Mattress
Abbott and Costello 490519 Sam Shovel Private Detective
Abbott and Costello xxxxxx Kids Program w Red Ryder
Listen to Abbott and Costello Online
After working as Allen's summer replacement, Abbott and Costello joined Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1941, while two of their films (Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost) were adapted for Lux Radio Theater. They launched their own weekly show October 8, 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes.
The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (by vocalists such as Connie Haines, Ashley Eustis, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbach ("Mr. Kitzel"), Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott and Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello routinely insulted his on-air wife). Niles was succeeded by Michael Roy, with announcing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle. The show went through several orchestras during its radio life, including those of Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Matty Malneck, Jack Meakin, Will Osborne, Fred Rich, Leith Stevens, and Peter van Steeden. The show's writers included Howard Harris, Hal Fimberg, Parke Levy, Don Prindle, Eddie Cherkose (later known as Eddie Maxwell), Leonard B. Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan, and Eddie Forman, as well as producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were handled primarily by Floyd Caton.
In 1947 Abbott and Costello moved the show to ABC (the former NBC Blue Network). During their time on ABC, the duo also hosted a 30-minute children's radio program (The Abbott and Costello Children's Show), which aired Saturday mornings, featuring child vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and child announcer Johnny McGovern.
Abbott and Costello 400320 Who's On First & Lion Hunting
Abbott and Costello 421015 Marlene Dietrich Bank Robbery
Abbott and Costello 4210xx Cousin Yugo Gets Married
Abbott and Costello 421119 Kinghts In Shinning Armor
Abbott and Costello 430114 Hunting Guide w Claire Trevor
Abbott and Costello 431118 Guests Bugs Bunny & Lucille Ball
Abbott and Costello 431125 Thanksgiving Dinner
Abbott and Costello 431202 Trip To Palm Springs w Veronica Lake
Abbott and Costello 431209 English Butler w Arthur Treacher
Abbott and Costello 431216 Wild West w Lynn Bari
Abbott and Costello 431230 The Lawyer w Bert Gordon
Abbott and Costello 440106 Lou's Engaged to Judy Canova
Abbott and Costello 440113a longer Sanatarium , Cold w Peter Lorre
Abbott and Costello 440113b better Sanatarium, Cold w Peter Lorre
Abbott and Costello 440120 Football Game w Harold Peary
Abbott and Costello 440210 Robinson Caruso w Charles Laughton
Abbott and Costello 440217 Making a Movie w Dorothy Lamour
Abbott and Costello 440224 w Blondie & Dagwood
Abbott and Costello 440302 Running A Newspaper w Hedda Hopper
Abbott and Costello 440309 Missing Snow White Script w Blondie & Dagwood
Abbott and Costello 440316 At the Circus w Alan Hale
Abbott and Costello 440618 Costello Buys Gifts For Cast
Abbott and Costello 440911 At The Races
Abbott and Costello 441026 Matrimonial Agency
Abbott and Costello 441102 Lou's Dog Hector
Abbott and Costello 441116 Grade School
Abbott and Costello 441207 Visit to Tin Pan Alley
Abbott and Costello 441214 Christmas Shopping
Abbott and Costello 441221 CHRISTMAS SHOW ST
Abbott and Costello 450111 Lou Buys A Ranch
Abbott and Costello 450118 Impressing A Girlfriend
Abbott and Costello 450125 Merchant Marines
Abbott and Costello 450201 Stolen Oranges, Lou Shoots Orange Picker
Abbott and Costello 450215 Rudy Vallee
Abbott and Costello 450301 w Frank Sinatra
Abbott and Costello 450308 New Press Agent
Abbott and Costello 450322 Costello the Cowboy
Abbott and Costello 450405 Hiring Andrew Sisters
Abbott and Costello 450419 Charm School
Abbott and Costello 450426 w Andrews Sisters
Abbott and Costello 450503 Spanish Acting School
Abbott and Costello 450607 Costello gets a tatoo
Abbott and Costello 450614 Father's day
Abbott and Costello 450628 Return to Patterson
Abbott and Costello 451004 Job for Girlfriend
Abbott and Costello 451115 Lou Hides From His Girl friend
Abbott and Costello 451129 Opening A Gas Station
Abbott and Costello 451206 Lou the Fireman
Abbott and Costello 451213 Salesman
Abbott and Costello 451220 Christmas Show
Abbott and Costello 451227 Costello's Beauty Shop
Abbott and Costello 460207 Lou Needs An Apartment
Abbott and Costello 460214 Working At The Apartment Hotel
Abbott and Costello 460307 The Boys Run A Drug Store
Abbott and Costello 460314 Income Tax
Abbott and Costello 460418 Pet Shop
Abbott and Costello 460425 The Sheriff of North Hollywood
Abbott and Costello 460502 Napolean & Josephine
Abbott and Costello 460509 Job In The Circus
Abbott and Costello 460516 Costello Runs for Mayor
Abbott and Costello 460530 late For The Show w Elsa Maxwell
Abbott and Costello 460626 Abbott's Big Date
Abbott and Costello 461003 Incorrigible
Abbott and Costello 461010 Big Game Hunting
Abbott and Costello 470213 Costello Buys a Boat
Abbott and Costello 470227 Driving Lessons
Abbott and Costello 470313 Lou Goes To Track To Lose Money
Abbott and Costello 470327 Stock Market
Abbott and Costello 470410 Nuts & Bolts Lou Sells Spot Remover
Abbott and Costello 470417 Lou Subs For Dimaggio
Abbott and Costello 470424 Lou Builds a House
Abbott and Costello 470618 Who's On First Original Live Show
Abbott and Costello 470619 Lou Joins The New York Yankees
Abbott and Costello 471210 Lou Visits Psychiatrist w Linda Darnell
Abbott and Costello 471225 Christmas Program
Abbott and Costello 480303 Going To Alaska
Abbott and Costello 480310 Costello Pays Income Tax
Abbott and Costello 480421 Marriage Bureau
Abbott and Costello 480428 Babysitting Job
Abbott and Costello 480505 w Bella Lugosi
Abbott and Costello 480811 Lou Is a Delegate To the UN
Abbott and Costello 481028 Sam Shovel Private Detective
Abbott and Costello 481118 Sam Shovel Russian Diplomat
Abbott and Costello 481202 Sam Shovel Curbstone Murder
Abbott and Costello 481209 Sam Shovel Two Gun Gertie
Abbott and Costello 490127 A Spy Tries To Kill Sam Shovel
Abbott and Costello 490303 Sam Shovel Meets The Moonshine
Abbott and Costello 490428 Private Detective
Abbott and Costello 490518 Lou Invents Cellophane Mattress
Abbott and Costello 490519 Sam Shovel Private Detective
Abbott and Costello xxxxxx Kids Program w Red Ryder
Listen to Abbott and Costello Online
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