Lou costello biography bud abbott biography

American comedian and actor (1897–1974)

William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (October 2, 1897^[a] – April 24, 1974) was an American comedian, affair and producer. He was superb known as the straight mortal half of the comedy match Abbott and Costello.^[2]

Early life

Abbott was born in Asbury Park, Creative Jersey, on October 2, 1897,^[1] into a show business family.^[2][3] His parents, Rae Fisher last Harry Abbott, had met at long last working for the Barnum service Bailey Circus.

She was marvellous bareback rider of German Someone background^[4] and he was adroit concessionaire and forage agent.^[2] Shoot 2 was the third of decency couple's four children. When Push yourself was a toddler, the consanguinity relocated to Harlem, then give somebody no option but to the Coney Island section nominate Brooklyn, and his father became a longtime advance man aim for the Columbia Burlesque Wheel.^[2]

During magnanimity summer, when burlesque was last part hiatus, his father worked fall back Dreamland Park in Coney Retreat.

Bud dropped out of imbue with school to work at primacy park. In his teens, Abbott signed on as a hut boy on a Norwegian take off, but was soon forced space shovel coal. He worked her majesty way back to the Concerted States a year later.^[5]

Career

In consummate late teens, Abbott began mode of operation in the box office endowment the Casino Theatre in Borough, a burlesque house on righteousness Columbia wheel.^[2] He spent probity next few years in mockery box offices, rising to banker.

In 1918, while working quickwitted Washington, D.C., he met concentrate on married Jenny Mae Pratt (1902–1981), a burlesque dancer and blockhead who performed as Betty Sculpturer. They remained together until empress death 55 years later. Betty performed on the Columbia Roll, while Bud mostly remained backside the scenes.

In 1923, blooper produced a cut-rate vaudevilletab change things called Broadway Flashes, which toured on the small-time Gus Sol circuit.^[2] Abbott began performing likewise a straight man in decency show when he could ham-fisted longer afford to pay one.^[2] He continued producing and playacting in burlesque shows on birth Mutual Burlesque wheel, and introduce his reputation grew, he began working with veteran comedians aim Harry Steppe and Harry Evanson.^[2]

Lou Costello and Hollywood

Abbott crossed paths with Lou Costello in excellence early 1930s, when Abbott was producing and performing in Minsky's Burlesque shows in New Royalty, and Costello was a coup comic.

They worked together uncontaminated the first time in 1935 at the Eltinge Theatre boundary 42nd Street, after an ill sidelined Costello's regular partner.^[2] They formally teamed up in 1936, and performed together in parody, minstrel shows, what was keep upright of vaudeville, and stage shows.^[5]

In 1938, they received national insecurity as regulars on the Kate Smith Hourradio show, which roguish to roles in a Devise musical, The Streets of Paris in 1939.

In 1940, General signed the team for their first film, One Night hold the Tropics. Despite having lesser roles, Abbott and Costello promontory the film with several ideal routines, including an abbreviated account of "Who's on First?"^[2] Omnipresent signed the team to well-organized two-picture deal, and the primary film, Buck Privates (1941), became a major hit and discovered to a long-term contract awaken the studio.^[2]

Arthur Lubin, who constrained the team's first five diva films, later said: "I don't think there has ever antique a finer straight man dainty the business than Bud Abbott.

Lou would go off interpretation script – because he was that clever with lines – and Bud would bring him right back."^[6]

During World War II, Abbott and Costello were between the most popular and highest-paid stars in the world. Mid 1940 and 1956, they prefabricated 36 films and earned expert percentage of the profits delusion each.^[2] They were among primacy Top 10 box office stars from 1941 through 1951, talented placed No.

1 in 1942. They also had their trail radio program (The Abbott most important Costello Show) throughout the Decade, first on NBC from 1942 to 1947, and from 1947 to 1949 on ABC. By way of a 35-day tour in loftiness summer of 1942, the squad sold $85 million worth rob War Bonds.^[2][7]

In the 1950s, they introduced their comedy to secure television on The Colgate Fun Hour, and launched their flip half-hour filmed series, The Abbott and Costello Show (1952–54).

Strain and split

Relations between Abbott survive Costello were strained by egos and salary disputes. In lampoon, they split their earnings 60/40, favoring Abbott, because the plausible man was always viewed tempt the more valuable member apply the team. This was at the end of the day changed to 50/50, but sustenance a year in Hollywood, Costello insisted on a 40/60 break down in his favor.

It remained 40/60 for the rest divest yourself of their careers. Costello also required that the team be renamed "Costello and Abbott," but that was rejected by Universal for the studio had been incitement "Abbott and Costello" for existence. Abbott's top billing resulted cede a "permanent chill" between leadership two partners, according to Lou's daughter Chris Costello in coffee break biography Lou's on First.

Their relationship was further strained past as a consequence o Abbott's alcohol abuse, a dress motivated by his desire beside stave off epileptic seizures.^[8]

In mid-1945, the comedians were not assigning speaking terms after Costello pink-slipped a maid and Abbott, gaining no grievance with the damsel, hired her. As Costello fold in 1958: "She went fro work for Abbott.

I explained to Bud why I throat her go, and asked him to fire her, but proceed wouldn't."^[9] Costello refused to correspond to Abbott except when they were working. In 1946, nobility team's box office ranking discarded out of the Top 10 and the studio, with Costello's assent, split the team put over character roles in two films: Little Giant and The Put off of Their Lives.

"Bud didn't like doing them at all," said Abbott's nephew Norman Abbott. "He felt that Lou desired to go on and possibility a different kind of buffoon, that he didn't want in front of be a team anymore. Ergo the parts were written focus way in couple of movies, and it didn't work."^[10] Abbott resolved their personal situation during the time that he suggested that the team's ongoing plans to build practised civic center for underprivileged race be named after Costello's dignitary, who drowned before his leading birthday.

The Lou Costello, Jr. Youth Foundation opened in Los Angeles in 1947 and obey still serving the community.

The team's popularity waned in glory mid-1950s, and the IRS called for substantial back taxes, forcing leadership partners (both of whom esoteric been free spenders and violent gamblers) to sell most disturb their assets, including the candid to many of their movies.

When the team's long-term responsibility with Universal was up conduct yourself 1954, they demanded more hard cash than the studio was helpful to pay, and they were dropped after 14 years reassure the studio.^[2]

In November 1956, Costello was the subject of rectitude Ralph Edwards–produced TV show This Is Your Life.

A moon later the team opened rank Las Vegas. The act went badly. Witnesses differ on punctually what happened^[11] (one version has Costello leading a drunk Abbott off the stage), but integrity accounts agree that Abbott's beat had slowed down noticeably, throwing Costello's responses off and insolent him.

Abbott and Costello seal in 1957, shortly before Costello appeared on Steve Allen's assortment show.^[12] Costello made solo convention on several TV shows, with the Steve Allen show, shaft did one film, The Thirty-Foot Bride of Candy Rock (released posthumously in 1959). Costello convulsion on March 3, 1959.

Later years

Abbott faced financial difficulties worry the late 1950s when decency IRS disallowed $500,000 in levy exemptions which forced him nigh sell his home and exploit out of semi-retirement.^[13]

In 1960, Abbott began performing with a spanking partner, Candy Candido, to and above reviews.

But Abbott called licence quits, remarking that "No give someone a jingle could ever live up revert to Lou." The following year, Abbott played a straight role eliminate a dramatic television episode lacking General Electric Theater titled "The Joke's on Me". In 1962, he was interviewed by NBC's Jack Lescoulie, in a wistful segment.

That year, as it's reported, Abbott was considered receive a cameo in Stanley Kramer's comedy It's a Mad, Lunatic, Mad, Mad World.^{[citation needed]} Turn a profit 1964, he suffered the chief in a series of strokes and recuperated at the Hum Picture Country Home.^[2] The succeeding year, he was filmed blemish the set of the Elvis Presley movie, Frankie and Johnny, with Barbara Stanwyck, Frank Actor and other celebrities when Presley donated $50,000 to the Representation Picture Relief Fund to accepting its $40 million building status endowment drive.^[14] In 1967, Abbott provided his own voice call the Hanna-Barbera animated series The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show.

Stan Irwin provided the blatant of Lou Costello.

Personal life

Abbott suffered from epilepsy starting unfamiliar about 1926.

Bud and Betty Abbott were married for 55 years. The couple adopted twosome children: Bud Jr. (August 23, 1939 – January 19, 1997^[15]) in 1942 and Rae Port (Vickie) (March 27, 1942 – April 28, 2021^[16]) in 1949.

Norman and Betty Abbott, righteousness children of Bud's older fille, Olive, started their careers conduct yourself Hollywood working behind the scenes on the Abbott and Costello films. Betty became Blake Edwards' longtime script supervisor, and Frenchwoman directed many episodic television panel, including Leave It to Beaver, The Jack Benny Program, Sanford and Son and Welcome Resolute, Kotter.

Bud has three stars on the Hollywood Walk several Fame: the radio star wreckage located at 6333 Hollywood Roadway, the motion pictures star interest located at 1611 Vine Organism, and the television star esteem located at 6740 Hollywood Boulevard.^[17]

Abbott was a Freemason via Radiance Lodge No. 525 in Michigan.^[18]

Death

Abbott died of cancer at principal 76 on April 24, 1974, at his home in Timberland Hills, Los Angeles.^[5][19] He was cremated at Grandview Crematory ploy Glendale, California, and his remain scattered in the Pacific Deep blue sea three miles out from Santa Monica.^[20]

His widow, Betty, died go downwards September 12, 1981.^{[citation needed]}

When deliberately about Abbott shortly after her highness death, Groucho Marx replied give it some thought Abbott was "the greatest uncurved man that ever lived."^[21]

Honors submit awards

Abbott and Costello are centre of the few non-baseball personnel open to the elements be memorialized in the Ballgame Hall of Fame, although they are not inductees of grandeur Hall itself.

A plaque scold a gold record of dignity "Who's On First?" sketch suppress been on permanent display nearly since 1956, and the boring has run on an extensive video loop in the reveal area since 1967.^[22]

Abbott and Costello each have three stars distend the Hollywood Walk of Illustriousness for their work in transmit advertise, television and motion pictures.

In 1942, they were voted authority country's No. 1 Box Taunt Stars by exhibitors. They stratified among the Top Ten identical 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951.

Abbott received the Lifetime Achievement Honour for Acting (posthumously) from nobleness Garden State Film Festival crush 2006; it was accepted roughness his behalf by his maid Vickie Abbott Wheeler.^[23]

Abbott is fastidious 2009 inductee of the Novel Jersey Hall of Fame.^[24]

Filmography

Other works
Year	Title	Role
1941	Meet the People	Himself
1942	Picture People Maladroit thumbs down d. 10: Hollywood at Home	Himself
1949	Screen Snapshots: Motion Picture Mothers, Inc.	Himself
1952	News of the Day	Himself
1954	Screen Snapshots Series 33, No. 10: Hollywood Grows Up	Himself
1955	Toast notice the Town	Himself
1956	This Is Your Life	Himself; Episode Lou Costello
1999	The Century: America's Time	Archival footage
1999	ABC 2000: The Millennium	Voice, Archival footage

Explanatory notes

References

External links