Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello were a famous American comedian duo, consisting of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.
Cooperation
Abbott Costello met in 1931, when he worked in New York theater as a cashier in Brooklyn. Abbott Costello asked, as his real partner was ill, to start working as stooges. During the 1930 Abbott and Costello began her career in burlesque, variety shows, music shows and movie theaters.
Costello insisted split the profits from the shows 60:40 in favor of Abbott. He was of the opinion: " comedian there is a dime a dozen. Good Stooges are hard to find. "
Film projects
In 1938 she had her first national appearance on the Kate Smith Radio Hour show and the following year she signed a contract with Universal Studios. In 1940, she turned with One Night in the Tropics her first film. Although Abbott and Costello were only supporting roles in this film, he was the famous number Who's on First? , Which is difficult to transfer from German to her film. As a result of this production they were kept by Universal Pictures under contract and turned as the lead 27 other films for the studio. In contrast, other studios emerged only eight films of the duo. Among these 36, 1940-1956 resulting films, 1954 joined another cameo in Fireman Save My Child, which was due to a disease of Costello but largely prevented (the two are only seen in long shots ) and a few mainly incurred for advertising purposes short films in which the two had guest appearances.
1948 Abbott and Costello turned the horror-comedy Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein ) in which they on the side then the largest genre Stars Bela Lugosi Jr. ( as Count Dracula ), Lon Chaney. (as a werewolf ) and Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein's Monster) were seen; vocally one of the party was also Vincent Price as the Invisible. This film was an international success and the beginning of a series of films, in which the comedian confronted with familiar characters from the horror and thriller movies. Following the success of Frankenstein spoof Abbott and Costello, however, could not come close.
In German-speaking countries are the two rather unknown. Only a part of her films was synchronized at all and the majority of these German versions is no longer available now and possibly even lost. There three films were released on DVD that were produced only for small studios. These, however, are also the only two Abbott & Costello color film Jack and the Beanstalk Abbott & Costello Meet and Captain Kidd. The third film Africa Screams is also in a color version, which is, however, is a later colorized version. In April 2011, the DVD box was " Abbott & Costello Meet the Hollywood Monster" with the black / white film " Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein ," " Abbott and Costello in Sherlock Holmes ' footsteps ", " Abbott and Costello against Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde "and" Abbott and Costello as a mummy bandit "was published.
TV
After a few years, the duo also got his own TV series (The Abbott and Costello Show), which was first broadcast in 1952 and 1953, as well as several radio shows. In addition, she acted in several episodes of the live television show The Colgate Comedy Hour as moderators, who always intervened actively into the action. Not least, they were with their programming on stage active.
After the death of Costello, in 1959, Abbott initiated nor a 1967 broadcast animated series with the two main characters as in the ways in which he also took over the synchronization of his part itself. Without Costello as an actor before the camera, he entered only once, in an episode of General Electric Theater series from 1961 on. Also Costello had in this series make an appearance without Abbott, turned shortly before his death, also the comedy The 30 Foot Bride of Candy rock from which was published posthumously. Furthermore, he had, also without Abbott, several appearances on the Steve Allen Show was consequently much effort brisk to a solo career. A year before his death he succeeded not least a change of image, when he played in an episode of Wagon Train an alcoholic.
In November 1978, on U.S. television, a biopic about the two, under the title of Bud and Lou, aired in which Bud Abbott and Lou Costello of Harvey Korman of Buddy Hackett, of him already at the cameo in Fireman Save My Child had represented, was played. The film is content, however, very controversial.
Separation
Abbott and Costello split up in 1957 after problems with the tax authorities, both drove into ruin. Costello had also lost confidence in its partner Abbott, as appearances at the alcohol consumption, with which he - according to accounts - should be tried to control his epilepsy, failed and can save to another success, the two would have financially, unless more was thinking. Shortly before the premiere of their last joint film, Abbott had tried in November 1956 to surprise Costello with him devoted episode of the TV show This Is Your Life. Instead of the two zusammenzuraufen again, the mission but got rather a drab character, since, among other things the death of Costello's only son was made the subject in front of the camera and you also convulsively a beautiful picture of the Costello family tried to draw.
The duo broke up while in discord and Abbott is the death of Costello's have even experienced only from a newspaper, as his time was called in the media, yet the families were good friends, which ultimately had enduring character, and possibly became an official "reconciliation " the two only prevented by the sudden death of Lou Costello. Their popularity continues unabated. In the U.S., all of her films were released on DVD. Their TV series and a number of their Colgate Comedy Hour episodes are available on DVD. Groucho Marx called Bud Abbott once as the best Stooges, the ever was in the comedy specialist. Costello contrast can be seen as one of the truly most talented comedians in film history who enjoyed his childlike and playful nature, some of which almost comic-like character had great popularity and still pleased.