Abbott and Costello were the most popular comedy team in American motion pictures during the 1940’s and early 1950’s. Abbott was the tall, bullying straight man, and Costello was his short, chubby partner.
Loading the player...Abbott and Costello formed a vaudeville comedy team in 1936 and became one of the top vaudeville acts of the day. They first performed on radio in 1938 and appeared in the Broadway revue Streets of Paris in 1939. The team made their film debut as supporting players in One Night in the Tropics (1940) but became stars in their next film, Buck Privates (1941). They made more than 30 movies together until they separated in 1957. During most of the team’s movie career, they were among the top box-office performers in Hollywood.
The comedy of Abbott and Costello relied heavily on slapstick. Many of their films included comic material they developed in vaudeville. They are best known for the baseball routine called “Who’s on First.” The team first performed the routine in the film The Naughty Nineties (1945). Their other major comedies include Hold That Ghost (1941), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), and Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953).
Bud Abbott (1895-1974) was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. His full name was William Alexander Abbott. Lou Costello (1906-1959) was born in Paterson, New Jersey. His real name was Louis Francis Cristillo.
