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Lou Costello destroying the phone book in the Alexander 4444 routine

Alexander 4444

The payphone sketch – Alexander 4444

The payphone sketch, aka Alexander 4444, an old burlesque comedy sketch. From The Abbott and Costello Show episode, Hungry. Bud Abbott wants Lou Costell to call the Fields Employment Agency, to find a job. After Lou clownishly damages the phone book, he calls the operator. And she immediately hangs up on him!

Alexander 4444
A Loan in the bank

A Loan in the bank

From the Abbott and Costello Show episode, Alaska, we get the classic “a loan in the bank” routine, where Bud Abbot wants Lou Costello to get “a loan”, but Lou misinterprets it as “alone”. And then, since the point of the loan is to get money to go to Alaska and get some sled dogs, there’s a second misunderstanding about “mush”.

A Loan in the bank
I've Got Twenty Too

I’ve got twenty, too

I’ve got twenty, two – math clown skit

This is a classic Abbott and Costello skit, relying on Lou Costello mistaking the phrase “twenty, too” for the number “twenty-two” — taken from the Abbott and Costello film, Rio Rita, where Bud and Lou are trying to divide forty pieces of fruit evenly among themselves …

I’ve got twenty, too
Milking a Cow - Lou Costello, Bud Abbott

Herd of Cows

Herd of Cows – classic Abbott and Costello routine

Herd of Cows is a classic example of Abbott and Costello’s word play, where Lou mistakes the word “herd” for “heard” – enjoy! This version comes from the Abbott and Costello Show, The Western Story

Herd of Cows