'Abbott' Was the Tall One, 'Lou' the Short One
The comedy team Abbott and Costello were a comic force during the 1940’s-50’s, capturing big audiences on every available form of media: radio, the movies, and television.
They are regarded as the archetypal team of burlesque comedy, the entertainment that preceded all three of those ‘modern’ media formats. In fact, the team is credited with historically preserving a large swath of the early routines performed in burlesque, which itself dates to the late 19th Century.
Modern audiences may have vague ideas about burlesque since its popularity essentially ended with the advent of television in the mid-1950’s. In brief, it was comedy, singing, and dancing with the extra touch of something a little ‘dirty’.
Burlesque was not strictly striptease, but it had chorus girls and women dancers who gave the illusion of being naked. The ‘dirty’ factor in the early parts of the 20th Century ensured that the main audience was men.
The early burlesque comedy routines were not associated with a particular named star. Notably, Bud and Lou performed with various partners in the early, early days before teaming up for good in 1936.
The tall, serious one was Bud Abbott. He was born William Alexander Abbott in 1895. The short, funny one was Lou Costello. He was born Louis Francis Cristillo in 1906.
Of the two, Abbott had the early success. He was a manager for various burlesque houses before he was an entertainer. He produced his own show, Broadway Flashes, in 1923, and, to save money, he performed in it. He always played the straightman.
Costello was 11 years younger and, as a young man, entered the movie business as a set carpenter. He later performed as a movie stuntman before switching to comedy around 1927. Together, Lou and Bud perfected a classic burlesque combination: the fast-talking skeptic and his comedically simple partner. And the gags just kept a comin’.
On radio in the late 1930’s, the team gained popularity on the Kate Smith radio show. Soon, the movies beckoned, first as supporting role players (One Night in the Tropics, 1940), then as the main stars. The starring roles began with Buck Privates in 1941, a huge hit for Universal Studios. This success would ensure at least one Abbott and Costello movie per year – often more – until 1956. They would release 38 films in all. These films are ranked best to worst at the American Film Institute (AFI) website.
The general consensus is that among the best is Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, released in 1948. It features not only the Frankenstein monster but also Dracula, played by the original ‘Count Drac’ Bela Lugosi, and the Wolfman, played by the original Lon Chaney Jr. “The Monster” was played by Glenn Strange, who would go on to later fame as the bartender ‘Sam’ in the long running TV show “Gunsmoke.” What is the ‘worst’ A&C outing? Consideration should be given to Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953).
The comedy team’s movie popularity began to wane in the mid-1950’s, but the new medium of television would introduce them to a new, younger audience. They were among the hosts for the Colgate Comedy Hour from 1950-55, and starred in The Abbott and Costello Show from 1952-54. By this time, Costello, the short one, had moved up to executive producer status – his company owned the TV show – and Abbott, the tall one, agreed to work for salary. Abbott died in 1974 at age 79, and Lou Costello died in 1959, age 53.
The following is a chronolocial list of all Abbott and Costello movies: