Long before their classic television show, the Abbott and Costello Radio Show introduced the nation to the comedy duo. This led to their movie and television careers. But, all by itself, it’s literally a comedy goldmine! The basic premise has Bud and Lou playing their typical characters, as radio stars. Each week, they’re typically trying to put on a radio broadcast. Connie Haynes appears as a southern belle, gifted singer, and Lou’s occasional girlfriend. Ken Niles is the announcer, and Alvia Allman as his wife — who has a running feud with Costello.
1940
Lion Hunting
Broadcast: March 20, 1940
Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marilyn Maxwell, Skinny Ennis
Madame La Zonga
Broadcast: July 31, 1940.
Bud Abbott, as the manager of Madame La Zonga’s School of Dance, tries to make an easy mark of Lou Costello by persuading him to take conga lessons.
1942
Lou Substitutes For Joe DiMaggio
Broadcast: 11th May 1942
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Marilyn Maxwell
Bank Robbery
Broadcast: 15th October 1942
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Marlene Dietrich
Cousin Yugo Gets Married
Broadcast: October 29, 1942
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Buddy Rich
Knights In Shining Armor
Broadcast: 19th November 1942
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
1943
Hunting Guide
Broadcast: 14th January 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Claire Trevor
Nylon Stockings with Lucille Ball and Bugs Bunny
Broadcast: 18th November 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Lucille Ball, Connie Haines, Bugs Bunny (Mel Blanc)
Costello’s Pet Turkey
Broadcast: November 25, 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Jane Wyman
Trip To Palm Springs
Broadcast: 2nd December 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Veronica Lake, Connie Haines
English Butler
Broadcast: December 9, 1943
Lou wants to throw a fancy party for Lynn Bari — if her English butler, Arthur Treacher, will permit it!
Starring: Mel Blanc, Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, John Brown, Connie Haines, Arthur Treacher, Elvia Allman, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Freddie Rich, Cliff Nazarro
The Wild West
Broadcast: 16th December 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Lynn Bari
Christmas Show
Broadcast: December 20, 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines
The Lawyer (The Mad Russian)
Broadcast: 30th December 1943
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Bert Gordon
1944
Lou’s Engaged To Judy Canova
Broadcast: January 6, 1944
After tipping his hat to her, Lou finds himself engaged to the country comedienne, Judy Canova! And it’ll be a shotgun wedding!
Starring: Judy Canova, Mel Blanc, Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, John Brown, Connie Haines, Elvia Allman, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Freddie Rich
Flee The Flu
Broadcast: January 13, 1944
Starring: Peter Lorre, Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines, Elvia Allman, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Freddie Rich
Great Gildersleeve
Broadcast: January 20, 1944
Starring: Harold Peary, Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines, Elvia Allman, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Freddie Rich, Arthur Q Bryan
Playing the Piano with Janet Blair
Broadcast: January 27, 1944
Starring: Bud Abbottl, Lou Costello, Janet Blair, Connie Haines, Cliff Nazarro, Freddie Rich and his Orchestra, Ken Niles, Elvia Allman
Charles Laughton
Broadcast: 10th February 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Charles Laughton
Dorothy Lamour
Broadcast: 17th February 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Dorothy Lamour
Sydney Greenstreet
Broadcast: 24 February 1944
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Sydney Greenstreet, Mel Blanc
What will Sydney Greenstreet do with the real Maltese Falcon in Mayor Abbott’s town?
Running a Newspaper with Hedda Hopper
Broadcast: 2nd March 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Hedda Hopper, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Freddie Rich
Snow White With Blondie And Dagwood
Broadcast: 9th March 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake
At The Circus
Bud and Lou agree to help out at a charity circus. The manager tries to get Costello to use his head as a baseball target, Lou refuses. but agrees to a wrestling match with Abbott.
Linda Darnell
Broadcast: 23rd March 1944
Linda Darnell – Lou Costello’s been acting strangely, so it’s off to rest home, led by nurse Linda Darnell
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines, Linda Darnell, Elvia Allman, Ken Niles, Camel Cigarettes, Freddie Rich
Guest Cary Grant
Broadcast: 6th April 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Cary Grant
Who’s On First
Broadcast: June 6, 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Costello Buys Gifts For Cast
Broadcast: 18th June 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Back Home Again
Broadcast: 5th October 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Matrimonial Agency
Broadcast: 26th October 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Mortimers Pet Shop
Broadcast: 2nd November 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Costello Buys A Race Horse
Broadcast: 9th November 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Return To PS 15
Lou is being “honored” by his old elementary school
Broadcast: 16th November 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Thanksgiving Dinner
Broadcast: November 23, 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Artie Auerbach
Christmas Shopping For Lou
Broadcast: December 14, 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Christmas Party
Broadcast: December 21, 1944
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines
Costello plans a Christmas party for his little brother Sebastian. Costello falls asleep while singing Sebastian a lullaby and dreams of his own childhood at Christmas.
1945
Lou Wan
Broadcast: 25th January 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Stolen Oranges
Broadcast: 1st February 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Rudy Vallee
Broadcast: 15th February 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Rudy Vallee
Frank Sinatra
Broadcast: 1st March 1945
Starring: Frank Sinatra, Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
New Press Agent
Broadcast: 8th March 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines
Hiring the Andrew Sisters, aka At the Ranch
Broadcast: April 5, 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Andrews Sisters, Connie Haines, Ken Niles, Will Osborne, Camel Cigarettes, Sid Fields, Joe Besser
After crashing Ken Niles’ car – on top on Ken, Mrs. Niles, and a police officer — Bud and Lou have to rent a car to drive out to the “8 to the Bar” ranch to try & hire the Andrews Sisters for their radio show.
Charm School
Broadcast: 19th April 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines
Andrews Sisters Star
Broadcast: 26th April 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Andrews Sisters
Spanish Acting School
Broadcast: 3rd May 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Costello Gets A Tattoo
Broadcast: 7th June 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Fathers Day
Broadcast: June 21, 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Return To Patterson
Broadcast: 28th June 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Lou Promises His Girlfriend a Job
Lou promises “Tessie Turnstile” a job on the radio show …
Broadcast: 4th October 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Lou Hides From His Girlfriend
Broadcast: 15th November 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Opening A Gas Station
Broadcast: 29th November 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Lou The Fireman
Broadcast: 6th December 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Melonheads Department Store
Broadcast: December 13, 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines, Iris Adrian, Elvia Allman, Ken Niles, Will Osborne, Camel Cigarettes, Virginia Gordon, Prince Albert Tobacco, Sidney Fields
Costellos Beauty Shop
Broadcast: 27th December 1945
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Connie Haines, Irvin Lee
1946
Income Tax
Broadcast: March 14, 1946
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
The Sheriff of North Hollywood
Broadcast: 25th April 1946
Starring: Al Hodge
1947
Lou Goes To Racetrack To Lose
Broadcast: 13th March 1947
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Nuts And Bolts
Broadcast: 10th April 1947
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Costello
Broadcast: 17th April 1947
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Lou Builds A House
Broadcast: 24th April 1947
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Baseball Show
Broadcast: 18th June 1947
Starring: Al Hodge
Lou Joins The New York Yankees
Broadcast: 19th June 1947
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Christmas Program
Broadcast: December 24, 1947
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
1948
Lou inherits 800,000 dollars
Broadcast: January 21, 1948
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Susan Miller, Sid Fields (Lawyer Melonhead)
Costello Pays Income Tax
Broadcast: March 10, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Babysitting Job
Broadcast: April 28, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Bela Lugosi – Guest
Broadcast: 5th May 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Bela Lugosi
Sam Shovel Private Detective
“Sam Shovel” is a very funny spoof of Sam Diamond, with Lou as Sam Shovel, and Bud as a police detective
Broadcast: October 28, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel Russian Diplomat
Broadcast: November 18, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel Curb Stone Murder
Broadcast: December 2, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel – Case Of Two Gun Gertie
Broadcast: December 9, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel – It Was Time For A Change
Broadcast: December 16, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel – I’m All Yours In Buttons & Bows
Broadcast: December 23, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel – The Murder At The Radio Quiz Show
Broadcast: December 30, 1948
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
1949
Spies Try To Kill Sam Shovel
Broadcast: January 27, 1949
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Sam Shovel Meets The Moonshine
Broadcast: March 3, 1949
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
The Story of Sam Shovel
Broadcast: April 28, 1949
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, George Fenneman, Paul Conlan, Ed Forman, Charles Vanda, Matty Malneck, Pat Costello
Sam Shovel
Broadcast: May 19, 1949
Unknown Dates
Lou Invents A Cellophane Mattress
Broadcast: Not known
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
At The Races
Broadcast: Unknown
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott