Abbott & Costello – The Christmas Show – from the Colgate Comedy Hour, a very entertaining Christmas speciala featuring Bud and Lou
Abbott & Costello – The Christmas Show – originally the Colgate Comedy Hour – Abbott and Costello, aired December 14, 1952
First off, Abbott & Costello – The Christmas Show – originally the Colgate Comedy Hour is a very funny, very entertaining one-hour Christmas special. After a song and dance routine — Shoppin’ — Bud and Lou come on. Bud wants to borrow money from Lou, the got any money? routine. But since Lou only has 1 dollar, Bud’s inner con man comes out with a plan to get some money for last-minute shopping. He’ll have Lou get hit by a car! Then they’ll threaten to sue the driver. Lou, understandably, doesn’t want to!
So, Bud’s next scheme is to have Lou insult someone, get punched in the nose, and they’ll then threaten to sue. First, Lou insults a woman with an insanely ugly hat — but the husband agrees with Lou! Next, Lou’s to tell a couple that he saw the man kiss another woman. He does so — “That must have been his wife! Please don’t tell her!” So, following the Rule of Three, they try one more time — accuse someone of stealing a package!
But the man Lou picks did steal it! And he’s so sad, and frightened of going to jail, that poor Lou’s sobbing along with him! Then, the actual owner of the package comes by, and threatens Bud! Who tries to blame Lou, but it doesn’t work, and Bud gets punched through a glass window! And when Bud staggers away afterward, he accidentally knocks over a man carrying packages, and gets punched through another window!
Specialty acts
After a dance routine by Buster Shaver and Olive, it’s very energetic, very entertaining acrobat routine by Tom and Jerry. Not the animated characters, but two excellent acrobats who are animated in a different way.
Scalp treatment
At their apartment, Bud tells Lou that they now have jobs. At the department stores with the broken windows, to pay for the damage! But first, Bud wants a scape treatment. Lou, of course, knows nothing about how to do it, so he listens to a voice on the radio (Sid Fields) describing how to do it. Of course, a commercial comes on, and Lou’s unintentionally following the instructions for noodle stuffing for a Christmas turkey. Yes, this is the same routine performed in the final episode of their TV series,Barber Lou. The ending’s hilarious, as Lou puts Bud into the oven head first, and he comes out bald! He chases a stunt man who’s supposed to be Lou, as Lou walks out!
Delivery Men
Bud and Lou are working off their debt to the department stores, by delivering furniture. Actually, Lou’s doing the heavy lifting while Bud “supervises”. The problem is, the husband (Sid Fields) can’t afford everything his wife ordered. So, he orders it to all go back! But when his wife (Dorothy Granger) starts crying, he relents. Only after a fight, to order it to go back again! A variation on their packing/unpacking routine. Eventually, Bud makes an offhand remark that the couple should divorce – and they agree! Each gets melancholy, saying goodbye to the memories and the old fireplace. Then Bud divorces Lou! And Lou says goodbye to the old fireplace — that shakes hands with him!
Nicholas Brothers
The incredibly energetic, and entertaining, Nicholas Brothers do a very high-energy dance routine.
White Christmas
In the final routine, Al Goodman and his orchestra are going to perform White Christmas. But Lou comes on stage, asking if he could conduct! This leads to a scuffle, with Al taking Lou offstage. And after the sound of a large fight — Lou comes on stage, dressed in Al’s tuxedo!
He sings White Christmas, with The Four Pipers as backup. But then, he “accidentally” breaks a prop violin over the head of one member of the orchestra! Who fights back, hits another member, and soon it’s a madcap free for all! Which only ends when Al Goodman comes back on stage with a shotgun, and shoots the chandelier, dropping it on Lou!
In conclusion, Bud and Lou come on stage, thanking everyone, with a reminder that Ray Bolger will host the Colgate Comedy Hour, and wishing Red Skelton a quick recovery.
Cast of characters
- Bud Abbott (Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein) … Self – Host (as Abbott)
- Lou Costello (The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock) … Self – Host (as Costello)
- Margaret Whiting (Those Whiting Girls) … Self
- Fayard Nicholas … Self (as The Nicholas Brothers)
- Harold Nicholas Harold Nicholas … Self (as The Nicholas Brothers)
- Buster Shaver … Self (as Buster Shaver and Olive)
- Olive Brasno … Self (as Buster Shaver and Olive)
- Tom and Jerry … Themselves – Acrobats
- The Four Pipers … Themselves – Singers
- Sid Fields (Mexican Hayride) … Comic Actor
- Dorothy Granger (Punch Drunks; One Body Too Many) … Actress
- The Hollywood Stunt Group … Themselves
- Gordon Jones (The Green Hornet Serial; McLintock!) … Actor
- Jack Lomas (April in Paris) … Actor
- Bobby Barber (The Abbott and Costello Show season 1) … Comic Actor
- Al Goodman … Self – Orchestra Leader
- Hal Sawyer … Self – Announcer
Songs
- Shoppin’
- Performed by The Four Pipers
- Hello Young Lovers
- from “The King and I”
- Music by Richard Rodgers
- Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
- Danced by Buster Shaver and Olive Brasno
- It’s a Good Day
- Written by Dave Barbour and Peggy Lee
- Acrobatic Routine by Tom and Jerry
- It’s Just the Gypsy in My Soul
- Sung by Margaret Whiting and The Four Pipers
- Why Don’t You Believe Me
- Written by Lew Douglas, King Laney, and Roy Rodde
- Sung by Margaret Whiting
- White Christmas
- Written by Irving Berlin
- Sung by Lou Costello and The Four Pipers
- Danced by Lou Costello