Lion Hunting – The Abbott and Costello Radio Program – Bud and Lou have to go hunting for a lion in the mountains …
Lion Hunting – The Abbott and Costello Radio Program
Broadcast:
Starring: Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Skinnay Ennis, Marilyn Maxwell
Lion Hunting – the radio show begins with a rendition of their classic “Who’s on First?” routine. Then, it segues into a series of hunting jokes:
Bud Abbott: Did you go hunting with your uncle Artie Stebbins last Saturday?
Lou Costello: Yeah and a terrible thing happened. A great big bear sneaked up behind us, grabbed Uncle Artie’s gun out of his hands and stuck it in his back.
Bud Abbott: What did Uncle Artie do?
Lou Costello: What could he do? He married the bear’s daughter.
[laughter]
Bud Abbott: Never mind that. Did you see any — did you see any big game?
Lou Costello: I saw a giraffe but I didn’t shoot him. He had a sore throat.
Bud Abbott: Well, there’s nothing worse than a giraffe with a sore throat.
Lou Costello: Oh, yes there is.
Bud Abbott: What?
Lou Costello: A centipede with corns.
[laughter]
Bud Abbott: You dummy. I didn’t think you’d ever — I didn’t think you ever went hunting in your life and I don’t believe you did. I bet you haven’t even got a hunting license.
Lou Costello: I have, too. Here it is.
Bud Abbott: Wait a minute, wait a minute. This is no hunting license. This is a picture of Hedy Lamarr.
Lou Costello: You hunt what you like and I’ll hunt what I like.
Afterward, Skinnay Ellis sings “For Sentimental Reasons“, and there’s a Camel cigarette commercial.
Off to the hunting lodge
After some more jokes, including a riff with Costello misunderstanding ‘ticks’, they go off to Abbott’s hunting lodge, where Skinnay Ellis and Marilyn Maxwell are waiting for them. After Lou and Skinnay verbally joust with each other, Lou turns his attention to Marilyn:
Marilyn Maxwell: Aw, Louis, it’s gonna be fun hunting with you. What’s your favorite wild game?
Lou Costello: Post Office.
[laughter]
Marilyn Maxwell: Louis! Louis, Post Office isn’t a wild game.
Lou Costello: It is the way I play it.
[laughter]
Marilyn Maxwell: Aw, Louis, my little snow man. Come melt in my arms.
Lou Costello: Gee, Marilyn, when I’m close to you like this I just can’t seem to break away.
Marilyn Maxwell: Why not?
Lou Costello: My nose is caught in the trigger of your shotgun.
Then, after some more jokes, first a Camel commercial, Marilyn sings “Blue Skies”, and then …
The Lion Hunt is on
Lou’s coerced to hunt down & kill a mountain lion by the game warden! While Bud stays behind, of course. And Lou manages to overcome his fright — with encouragement from Marilyn:
Marilyn Maxwell: Oh, there you are, Louis, honey. Oh, I’m so proud of you. I know you’re going in that cave and kill that lion just for me.
Lou Costello: I am?
Marilyn Maxwell: Yes. And, Louis, honey, I’d do anything for you. Why, I’d climb the highest mountain. I’d swim the deepest river.
Lou Costello: How do you like that? Here I am facing death and this dame is gonna go out climbing and swimming.
So, Lou “bravely” goes up the mountain, to confront the mountain lion, all alone. And the mountain lion speaks! It turns out that it’s a hermit, who simply wanted to be alone, and scare everyone else away. So, the hermit and Lou come to an understanding: he gives the lion costume to Lou, who then pretends that he’s killed the lion! And, nobody will be hunting for the lion anymore, so the hermit will have his peace and quiet.
The group starts singing “Bring ‘Em Back Alive Costello” — but Bud Abbott actually sees through the ruse, and lets Lou Costello know that he knows, ending the episode.
Routines:
Songs:
- “For Sentimental Reasons” sung by Skinnay Ennis
- “Blue Skies” sung by Marilyn Maxwell
- “After You’ve Gone” sung by Marilyn Maxwell