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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
Alaska - Bud and Lou come across a bank robbery

Alaska

Alaska – The Abbott and Costello Show, season 1 – originally aired January 9, 1953

Alaska – Lou receives word that his uncle has struck gold in Alaska, and the boys plan to join him. But they are delayed by a bank robbery, and then literally get stuck when Lou accidentally adds quick-drying cement to Bud’s foot bath. (Bud sports a mustache for the first time in this episode.)

Alaska
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
Lou Costello says goodbye to Hillary Brooke in "The Vacation" - The Abbott and Costello Show

The Vacation

The Vacation – The Abbott and Costello Show, season 1, originally aired December 26, 1952

The Vacation – Bud and Lou plan to vacation at the Biltmore Hotel near Phoenix, and stock up at Sporty Fields’ sporting goods store. But as Lou packs, Bud worries that Mr. Fields will rent their apartment out from under them while they’re gone.

The Vacation