Abbott and Costello
American comedy duo, most popular team of the 1940s–1950s.
Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Their work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in the world during the Second World War. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one of the most famous comedy routines of all time, a version of which appears in their 1945 film *The Naughty Nineties*.
The pair first worked together in 1935 at a burlesque theater in New York City, after Costello’s regular partner fell ill and Abbott substituted. Encouraged by other performers, including Abbott’s wife, they formed a permanent act by refining classic burlesque sketches, with Abbott playing the devious straight man and Costello the dimwitted comic. Their first known radio appearance was on *The Kate Smith Hour* in 1938. Initially, their similar voices confused listeners, so Costello adopted a high-pitched, childish voice to distinguish himself. They performed "Who's on First?" for a national radio audience the following month and became regulars on the program for two years, also appearing in a Broadway revue in 1939. After debuting their own show as a summer replacement in 1940, they joined *The Chase and Sanborn Hour* in 1941. Their own weekly program returned in 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes, mixing comedy with musical interludes. It featured regular performers including Costello’s brother-in-law as an excitable Sicilian immigrant, and guest stars such as Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. The show moved to ABC in 1947, where they also hosted a Saturday morning children’s program, finishing its run in 1949.
In 1940, Universal Studios signed them for a musical, *One Night in the Tropics*, where they stole the picture with routines including "Who's on First?". Their second film, *Buck Privates* (1941), was a massive hit, launching them as stars. They followed with armed service comedies and a haunted house comedy, *Hold That Ghost*. Over the next decade, they appeared in numerous horror comedies, including *Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein* (1948) and *Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy* (1955), as well as other films such as *Pardon My Sarong*, *Who Done It?* (both 1942), and *Abbott and Costello Go to Mars* (1953).
- field
- Comedy
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Comedy duo; 'Who's on First?' routine
Lore & Background
Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo whose partnership began in 1935 at the Eltinge Burlesque Theatre in New York City, after Costello’s regular partner fell ill and Abbott substituted. Encouraged by other performers, including Abbott’s wife, they formed a permanent team. Their act refined classic burlesque sketches, with Abbott playing the devious straight man and Costello the dimwitted comic. On radio, their similar voices initially confused listeners, so Costello adopted a high-pitched, childish voice to distinguish himself. Their most famous routine, “Who’s on First?”, was first performed for a national radio audience in 1938 and later appeared in their 1945 film *The Naughty Nineties*. The duo became the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s and the highest-paid entertainers during World War II. They made their film debut in 1940’s *One Night in the Tropics* and starred in numerous armed service comedies, including *Buck Privates*, *In the Navy*, and *Keep ’Em Flying*. They also appeared in a series of horror comedies, such as *Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein*, *Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff*, and *Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy*. Their radio show, which began as a summer replacement in 1940, mixed comedy with musical interludes and featured regular performers like Joe Kirk and Artie Auerbach. Decades after their burlesque beginnings, when the original theater was moved 168 feet west on 42nd Street, giant balloons of the duo were rigged to appear to pull it.
Reader's Guide
Abbott and Costello’s act was rooted in burlesque, where they first performed together in 1935 after Costello’s regular partner fell ill. Encouraged by other performers, they refined classic burlesque sketches into a signature dynamic: Abbott as the devious straight man and Costello as the dimwitted comic. On radio, their similar voices initially confused listeners, so Costello adopted a high-pitched, childish voice to distinguish himself. Their most famous routine, “Who’s on First?”, was first performed nationally on radio in 1938 and later featured in their 1945 film *The Naughty Nineties*. The duo’s radio show, which began as a summer replacement in 1940, mixed comedy with musical performances by vocalists and orchestras, and featured a rotating cast of regular characters, including an excitable Sicilian immigrant and a long-suffering announcer. In film, they debuted in 1940’s *One Night in the Tropics*, but their breakthrough came with the 1941 service comedy *Buck Privates*, which earned $4 million. They followed with other service comedies and a series of horror comedies, including *Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein* and *Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy*. Their films also included mysteries, farces, and genre parodies. As the highest-paid entertainers during World War II, their popularity defined comedy in their era, and their routines remain iconic in American popular culture.
Did You Know?
- Their radio show 'The Abbott and Costello Show' mixed comedy with musical interludes by vocalists such as Connie Haines and the Andrews Sisters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Abbott and Costello?
Abbott and Costello is the name given to the American comedy duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, who performed together across radio, film, and television. They became the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s.
What is Abbott and Costello's most famous routine?
Their signature bit, "Who's on First?", is a rapid-fire baseball patter in which the first baseman's name is "Who," the second baseman's is "What," and the third baseman's is "I Don't Know." The routine is widely regarded as one of the most iconic comedy bits ever performed.
How much were Abbott and Costello paid during World War II?
During the Second World War, the duo held the title of the highest-paid entertainers in the world. Their wartime earnings and public popularity far outpaced those of other performers of the era.
What media did Abbott and Costello perform in?
The pair worked across radio, film, and television, giving them a multi-platform presence that kept them in the public eye throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Their film appearances in particular turned them into household names.
Why is Abbott and Costello important in comedy history?
They perfected the straight-man/funny-man dynamic and showed how a comedy duo could simultaneously dominate multiple entertainment platforms. Their structural influence on comic partnerships remains visible in later duos and teams.
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