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Contestant #5 shamelessly flirts with Lou - and it works!

Beauty Contest

Beauty Contest – The Abbott and Costello Show, Season 2, episode 24

Synopsis of Beauty Contest

In lieu of rent, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello agree to judge a beauty contest.  A contest that quickly becomes rigged …

Beauty Contest
Hillary Brooke wants a milk shake at the Drug Store

The Drug Store

The Drug Store – Abbott and Costello TV Show – season 1, 1954

Lou Costello and Bud Abbott do the You're 40, she's 10 routine
Lou Costello and Bud Abbott do the You’re 40, she’s 10 routine

The very first episode of The Abbott and Costello Show is The Drug Store. It begins with the classic Jonah and the Whale routine in front of the audience, very well done. Next comes a flurry of Abbott and Costello routines. Walking into their boarding house, Lou is assaulted by a woman. “How dare you remind me of someone I despise?”  And they try to sneak into their room, only to fail. And Lou gets assaulted by the landlord, leading to the “I’d like to see you do that again!” routine.

The Drug Store
Lou Costello, the duck, and Sid Fields in Pots and Pans

Pots and Pans

Pots and Pans – The Abbott and Costello Show, season 1, episode 9

Lou Costello has a new job, selling aluminum pots and pans — and he plans to cook dinner at Mr. Fields’ apartment with them to demonstrate them.

Bud and Lou con the poor food vendor, Mr. Bacciagalupe
Bud and Lou con the poor food vendor, Mr. Bacciagalupe

Soon afterward, Bud and Lou con the poor food vendor, Mr. Bacciagalupe (Joe Kirk), out of some tomatoes, and start a running gag with throwing tomatoes at Officer Mike  (Gordon Jones)– first by Lou, then Bud, then Officer Mike does it to Mr. Bacciagalupe. At the apartment, Bud has gotten a live duck for the roast dinner, for Lou to “dress” it … only for Bud informing him that the duck has to be killed, and to keep the feathers, since they’re “down” leading into their “down off a duck” routine.

Pots and Pans
Lou Costello and Bud Abbott getting soaked in The Buzzing Bee, aka. Busy Bee

The Charity Bazaar

The Charity Bazaar – The Abbott and Costello Show, season 1, episode 10

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello help Hillary Brooke sell tickets to a charity bazaar. While Lou tells Hillary the “sad” story of his life, Sid Fields “initiates” Bud Abbott into the “buzzing bee” club — and Bud decides to play the trick on Lou. spitting the water on Lou. To make Lou’s hurt feelings better, Bud offers to be the “queen bee” — only to secretly have a mouthful of water, and turn the table on him each time Lou circles around him. This turns into an extended, very funny bit, as they start to crack up at the thought, and are having trouble keeping their mouths shut.

The Charity Bazaar
Abbott and Costello skit, Gold Ore

Gold Ore

Abbott and Costello skit,  Gold Ore

Taken from  Abbott and Costello‘s radio show, although they also did the same basic routine in  Lost in Alaska, and in their  TV show  as well.   The basic premise is that Lou Costello’s Uncle has struck gold in Alaska, and Lou and Mr. Fields discuss mining for gold ..

Gold Ore