Bud Abbott

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy

by Tom Raymond
November 19, 2013October 12, 2023

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marie Windsor, Richard Deacon

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy is both a very funny comedy. It’s also a respectful Universal Monsters entry in the Mummy series. The Mummy is is following the same typical formula. A former high priest Kharis (renamed to Klaris here for no reason) has been cursed to never-ending life for his forbidden love for an Egyptian princess. In this entry, the Mummy can be controlled by a mystical amulet. Which accidentally falls into the possession of Abbott and Costello.

Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff

by Tom Raymond
November 18, 2013April 6, 2022

Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff

Actually, despite the title of Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, Boris Karloff isn’t the killer — but, he is quite funny in this movie. In a nutshell, Lou Costello plays a bellhop who is falsely accused of murder; His pal Bud Abbott tries to help, but only succeeds in getting Lou into more trouble.

Ride 'Em Cowboy movie poster - Bud Abbott, Lou Costello

Ride ’em Cowboy [Abbott and Costello]

by Tom Raymond
April 26, 2013February 9, 2022

Abbott and Costello’s Ride ’em Cowboy (1942) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick Foran, Ella Fitzgerald

Lou Costello and Bud Abbott in Ride 'Em Cowboy

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello star as two peanut vendors at a rodeo show. Soon, they get in trouble with their boss and hide out on a railroad train. Which unexpectedly heads west with them still on it. Upon arriving, they get jobs on a dude ranch despite the fact that neither of them knows anything about cowboys, horses, or much else. The scene with Lou Costello attempting to milk a cow is a gem of comedy. Abbott and Costello follow the same formula here as in their previous films, with a romantic subplot and music, provided here by Ella Fitzgerald.

In the Navy

by Tom Raymond
March 24, 2012August 8, 2023

In the Navy (1941) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick Powell, the Andrews Sisters, Claire Dodd

In the Navy - Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, police officer

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello‘s follow up after the amazing success of Buck Privates was In the Navy. Which actually did better than Buck Privates. Like their previous film, Shemp Howard and the Andrews Sisters provide a comic foil and musical interludes, respectively. In a nutshell, Abbott and Costello join the Navy. Then, they get involved in a romantic subplot with Dick Powell. Along the way, they do do some of their most famous routines. These include a version of the con artist shell game using lemons, and Lou demonstrating his clownish math skills by trying to prove that 28 divided by 7 equals 13 — this bit alone is worth the price of admission.

Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection

by Tom Raymond
March 22, 2012October 7, 2023

Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection – 15-DVD set

The good news is that is a compilation of all of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello‘s movies made at Universal Pictures, including the newly-released It Ain’t Hay, available for the first time on DVD. Also, unlike the previous collection, each DVD is single-sided, as opposed to having different films recorded on both sides of the DVD. The major ‘if’ with the collection, however, is: if you already own the previous collection, is it worth (at the time of this writing) $90 (U.S. dollars)? Probably not; however, if you don’t already own it, then it’s definitely worth the price — at least if you’re a fan of Abbott and Costello; and I am!

Buck Privates

by Tom Raymond
March 15, 2012February 25, 2024

Abbott and Costello in Buck Privates(1941), starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, the Andrews Sisters, Shemp Howard

Buck Privates, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, is the first movie that starred the comedy duo. In many ways, it is their funniest. In a nutshell, Abbott and Costello are small-time con men who try to escape a police officer …. Only to enlist in the Army by mistake. Who turns out to be their drill instructor? None other than the police officer that they were trying to escape. The film contains some of their funniest moments. Including Lou Costello becoming hopelessly confused during a drill – it must be seen to be appreciated.

Publicity photo from Buck Privates, with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello peeling potatoes under Shemp Howard's supervision

Other characters include Shemp Howard (in a pre-Three Stooges role) and the Andrews Sisters, singing “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” among others. A very patriotic film, based in America shortly before the U.S.A. entered World War II (1941). Some of their best routines are found here, such as the classic you’re 40, she’s 10, and Lou Costello explaining to Bud Abbott that 28 divided by 7 is 13 — a hilarious routine, that’s worth its’ weight in gold.

Lou Costello and Bud Abbott in Newsweek 1940

Loan me 50 dollars

by Tom Raymond
March 15, 2012

Abbott and Costello skit – Loan me 50 dollars

One of the classic Abbott and Costello routines, where Bud Abbott takes advantage of a common math mistake that we all make to fleece his pal, Lou Costello, out of all of his money. The skit ends with a simple ‘read my mind’ routine that takes Lou’s last remaining bill. This routine was done many times, both in the movies and their radio show.

Bud Abbott: Do me a favor, loan me $50.
Lou Costello: Bud, I can’t. I can’t loan you $50.
Bud Abbott: Oh, yes, ya can.
Lou Costello: No, I can’t. All I got is $40.
Bud Abbott: All right, give me the $40 and you’ll owe me 10 Read More »Loan me 50 dollars

Two Tens for a Five

by Tom Raymond
March 15, 2012August 12, 2022

Two Tens for a five routine, made famous by Bud Abbott and Lou Costello

A classic Abbott and Costello routine, from their first movie, One Night in the Tropics, where Bud Abbott shows that he’s not above running a quick scam on his friend, Lou Costello, in order to make a few dollars.

Bud Abbott: Have you got two tens for a five?

I bet you that you’re not here

by Tom Raymond
March 14, 2012June 9, 2022

I bet you that you’re not here – Abbott and Costello routine

In the movie The Noose Hangs High, there’s a very funny routine, where Abbott and Costello are being guarded by a gangster — and Bud Abbott decides to bet their warden that Bud can prove that the gangster isn’t there! It’s a classic piece of clown logic, that gets even better when the gangster decides to win his money back by making the same bet with Lou Costello — only for Lou to turn the tables on him!

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd

by Tom Raymond
March 11, 2012April 4, 2023

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Charles Laughton, Hillary Brooke

In Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd two waiters, Oliver “Puddin’ Head” Johnson (Lou Costello) and Rocky Stonebridge (Bud Abbott) are on their way to work at Death’s Head Tavern on the pirate hangout on the island of Tortuga. There they encounter Lady Jane (Fran Warren). She asks them to bring a love note to the singer at the tavern, Bruce Martingale (Bill Shirley).

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