Abbott and Costello Books

For years.The fans of Abbott & Costello wanted to find out how their most famous film parody of horror movies"Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein!"came about.A few books have come to light in recent years:"Movie Comedy Teams"by Leonard Maltin,"The Abbott & Costello Book"By Jim Mullholland and:"Abbott & Costello In Hollywood!"by Ron Palumbo & Bob Furnemack.Now..As a companion to These three manuscripts is the paperback edition of the film's script.Film historian Phil Riley has found an early draft of the script that shows us all scenes and dialogue that never appeared in the final release print:"Oh Oh! And Up Pops The Devil","You're not going to leave me with all of this work"."You're not suppose to throw away all of that fat wasite".etc in terms of the film's dialogue.There is one scene that was never used in the film and sadly.It prohibieted Poor Lou from using his improvational skills as a true movie clown.The scene has "Dracula"(Bela Lugosi)using his hyponotic powers to lure poor"Wilber Brown"(Costello)back into the castle for the brain transplaint.Lou keeps trying to run away.But the power of the evil vampire's spell is so strong that he is constantly being pulled back into the castle via the cave entrance.He finds a rock and sits there."Dracula"(Bela) by now is getting madder than hell! And he says to "Wilber"(Lou)"I Said Come Back!"."Wilber Brown"sits on the rock and says"'No! I'm sitting right here and I'm not going back!".Until both Lou and the rock are zipped back into the cave and into the evil clutches of "Dracula"(Bele Lugosi) and "Dr.Sandra Morney"(Lenore Aubert).The book also shows some photos from the film and some wonderful behind the scenes candid pictures from the cast members,the film's director(Charlie Barton),The film's producer(Bob Arthur)and Dialogue Director(Norman Abbott..Bud's newphew)and the members of the Abbott & Costello families.There are also some thoughts about the making of the film from the team's family members and the true story of how this classic parody was conceived and filmed by the book's author:Mr.Riley.For fans of horror movies and for fans of classic comedy movies.This is one book to have in your collection.Bravo Phil! Kevin S.Butler.

This is a great treasure for Abbott and Costello fans as well as Chaney, Lugosi, or Universal fans. The pictures alone are worth the price of the book. The script is still titled "The Brain of Frankenstein" and includes deleted scenes which further add to the story. As someone who has seen the film many times the added info gives new insights as to the characters performances.

Classic horror film stars meet legendery comic duo make for great film and great book. behind the scenes info with rare photographs and insight into the relationships with all protagonist's. Also critic's reviews and posters and billboards from the orginal time of film's release.

If there is a comedy bit funnier than the Abbot & Costello routine "Who's On First?", I have yet to see or hear it. I am not a prude by any means, and as a former construction worker, have uttered my share of expletives. Nevertheless, I have grown tired of "comedians" whose idea of humor is to swear a lot. This tape took me back to the days when humor was situational, based on timing, delivery and intonation.
In listening to the "Who's on First?" routine, you cannot help but be impressed by the crispness of the delivery, the inflection on the words and the genuine laughter of the live audience. I found myself laughing at it, even though I have heard it so many times. The other routines are also funny, again based on quality dialog and the delivery skills of two master comedians. I listened to it twice, enjoying it even more the second time.

this book is for all abbott and costello fans out there that love thier routines. With classic routins such as "sesquahana hat company' and "who's on first". The routines along with pictures are taken right from thier movies such as "Buck privates" "Hit the ice" "Keep 'em flyin" and many many more. The pictures bring just as much laughs as the routines.This book really captures thier personality in thier movies. I gladly give this book 5 stars

Abbott and Costello fans be warned: this book shamelessly recylces and abridges material from earlier books, including Jim Mulholland's "Abbott and Costello Book" (1975) and Furmanek and Palumbo's "Abbott and Costello in Hollywood" (1991) in an offhand attempt to cover all of Bud and Lou's work. As a result, it covers nothing well. Other detriments: no index; numerous errors; the corny "theme of baseball" approach; a gushy, juvenile writing style suitable for nine-year-olds. Pick up either of the other books, which are vastly superior.

I've read a lot of (good, medium and bad) books on Abbottt and Costello -- and this is the BEST e-v-e-r.

If you're just discovering Abbott and Costello (and a major movie is reportedly in the works so you will hear more about them) you'll discover in these lively, profusely illustrated pages why the team greatly inspired Jerry Seinfeld and others. If you're into comedy and want to learn about their techniques and routines, you'll get plenty of helpful analysis plus some superb transcripts of some of their most famous, classic routines. If you're a Baby Boomer and want to read THE ULTIMATE book to take you down a nostalgic path to your beloved childhood stars, this is all you need. Why? A few reasons:

1. It's filled with tons of bio material about their careers, long lively quotes, a complete listing of their movies, tv and other appearances.

2. It is not a fanzine book. It looks at the two, warts and all, dispells a few of the myths that grew up due to bad reporting and, in one case, apparently, a highly inaccurate Hollywood movie about them done nearly 30 years ago.

3. It traces their whole careers, their triumphs, the sad loss of Costello's drowned son (how he went on the radio nonetheless with his show), their split up, Costello going solo, his tragic untimetly death, Abbott's attempt to stay in show biz, Abbott's tax problems and final years.

4. It has the BEST interviews from people who worked with them and knew them.

5. It has the BEST photos, illustrations - even a full color section that is not available in any other book on them. We don't usually think about this team in color, even though they made two color flicks.

6. Its the BEST COLLECTION of info and the most UP TO DATE. This is basically a comprehensive rewrite (LOTS of new stuff) and expansion of an earlier book on them under a different title. I have both books now and will not part with either.

The biggest compliment of a show biz bio book is that you read it and you immediately want to re-examine the artists' work. You truly won't want to put this book down if you're a comedy fan, just discovering this team, or remember them. Save your money on the other books -- get, read and/or gift this. I'm an entertainer and I collect show biz bios...NO OTHER BOOK ON THIS COMEDY TEAM COMES CLOSE.

First published in 1990 as THE OFFICIAL ABBOTT & COSTELLO SCRAPBOOK, this 1997 release of THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO STORY by Stephen Cox and John Lofflin is an affectionate and nostalgic journey through the career of these two comedians. It's everything the Abbott and Costello fan would want to know, and then some.

A majority of the book's thirteen chapters comprise a narrative history of the team's progression through burlesque, radio, film, television, and animation. Additionally, there's one chapter summarizing each of their 36 films (production facts, cast members, plot, and sidelights), plus the one film that Costello did solo, from 1940 to 1959, and one chapter summarizing each of the 52 installments (cast and plot) of their TV show , which aired in 1952-53. Finally, and perhaps over the top for the reader satisfied with less rather than more, there's a chapter of one-paragraph program synopses for the 156 Abbott & Costello cartoons produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in the late 60s, by which time Lou was dead, though Bud, by then in declining health, managed to provide the voice for his character.

THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO STORY includes lots of sidebar stories, the most significant of which is perhaps daughter Chris Costello's defense of her father as he was depicted in the 1978 NBC-TV docudrama "Bud and Lou", a production she loathes to this day.

Cox and Lofflin manage not to be too slavish in their admiration of the pair. The authors don't hesitate to remind the reader of A&C's addiction to gambling, in which they lost vast sums at cards, Bud's alcoholism and cavalier attention to U.S. tax law, and Lou's borderline sadistic sense of humor when it came to playing on-set pranks on an old pal, Bobby Barber, whom Costello apparently hired for just that purpose. The most amusing negative aside is one noted as coming from character actress Mary Wickes, who appeared in two A&C films ("Who Done It?" and "Dance with Me, Henry"), and who said:

"I didn't care for them. But that's alright. They just had no taste. They were coarse."

THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO STORY is loaded with photos, which might make it a coffee-table book except that, in its paperback format, it wouldn't likely serve as such in a Martha Stewart home. On the other hand, because of its awkward size - 10" x 8" x 3/4" - it doesn't fit easily on a bookshelf nor is it amenable for inclusion in carry-on luggage for reading on a plane. Perhaps the best way to approach it is to leave it at the bedside, enjoy it immensely at your leisure, then pass it on to a friend when finished.

Any true fan of Bud and Lou will be delight and even overwhelmed by the amount of great things found within these pages. There is no other book on the market which features such great pictures, interviews, and rare tidbits on Abbott and Costello. This is the difinitive book about the comedy team and the only book you'll have to search for if you enjoy old comedy teams from the vintage era. The FULL COLOR photography inside the book is worth the price of the book itself, not to mention the superb photo reproduction and page quality. The design is bright and easy to access, although I wish it had an index. A few typos in the book. The coauthors did a marvelous job putting Bud and Lou's career into perspective and paying tribute to their unique blend of comedy which traveled the spectrum of stage, film, radio, tv, cartoons, you name it. This is THE book to have. Don't pass it up!

The Abbott and Costello Story is a must for Abbott and Costello fans. It is not only entertaining and informative, but it is also moving and emotion provoking. For Baby Boomers, it takes us back to to our innocent youth, and gives us a chance to relive those days of deriving pure joy from watching the Boys on TV. This book is a perfect compadium for those of us who have the TV shows [all 52 of them!] and movies of Abbott and Costello on videotape. Let us bring some of that innonence and wholesome family value with us as we head into the 21st Century. Thank You God for Abbott and Costello. This book helps us feel good about their comedy, ourselves, and our country.

I truly liked this book. There is much information on each of their movies including behind the scenes events. Several photos throughout. For each movie, you get the cast, a summary, photos, and background information.

I didn't feel there was too much information. When reading about older movies, I like having as much information as possible. I enjoy the history, and this book does a good job of providing that.

I was sorely disappointed with this book. The quality of the paper is bad. The pages are like Pringles chips. The photographs, while rare indeed, are printed the size of postage stamps, and the book is simply a dry read. There is a lot of research in here, suitable if you were going to catalog every move Abbott and Costello made, and every bowel movement they ever took. But it's too much. The writing style is uninteresting and catalog-like. As an avid collector and fan of Bud and Lou, I was expecting so much more from the authors. It looks like a ripoff of a much better book by Cox/Lofflin: "The Abbott & Costello Story." You'd be better off buying that book. At least it has better pictures and a more well-rounded approach.

Abbott & Costello in Hollywood is a carefully researched compendium of the making of each of A & C's 36 films. Included are casts, script info, synopsis, and period reviews of each film. There are dozens of anecdotes from the people who were there and lots of info about deleted and added scenes that would only be of interest to the hard-core fan. If you really love A & C movies then this book is a treasure. If you're not a big fan, then you probably wouldn't be reading this anyway.

If only all film books could be as thorough and well-written as this one! There are so many behind-the-scenes details and photographs of the making of each of the team's classic films ("Buck Privates," "Hold That Ghost," "Time of Their Lives" and "A&C Meet Frankenstein" etc.) that you actually feel like a visitor on the set. Interviews with dozens of people who were there--including Hillary Brooke and the Andrews Sisters--make it all come alive. Fascinating chapters on the boys before and after Hollywood put their movie years in perspective. Also includes an index (thanks!) and a transcription of what is (I think) the best version of "Who's On First?" (from "Naughty Nineties"). An absolute must for A&C fans and classic Hollywood movie buffs.

For years..The fans of Abbott & Costello wanted to know how their classic film comedies were created.But very few books gave any real insight into how the movies evolved(The exception being..Leonard Maltin's"Movie Comedy Teams"and Jim Mullholland's"Abbott & Costello Book").But Finally those questions are answered in "Abbott & Costello In Hollywood!".This book written by the former president and founder of The Abbott & Costello Fan Club:Ron Palumbo and A&C & Jerry Lewis Archivist:Bob Furnemack uses indepth research,a large collections of rare photos and interviews from the many collegues,family members and friends of the team to show the creation,the evolution and the success of the team's films and tv series.The book also reveals that Bud And Lou were going to work on other projects that never came to fruition:A stage musical..In which they would clash with Universal Pictures most infamous monsters:"Dracula","The Wolfman"and "Frankenstein's Monster",A kids tv game show"Penny For Your Thoughts", another comedy/variety tv series and Lou producing some movies during his convelesence from Reumatic fever.The book also shows us some scenes from their films that were edited from the final release prints of the movies and more insight into what lead to the team's second and final breakup.For fans of A&C or for fans of comedy history..Who want to see the creation and evolution of classic comedy films and tv shows? This is one book worth having.Bravo Ron & Bob! Kevin S.Butler.

I guess it's pretty ironic that a comedy team that did over 30 films together over 16 years is most remembered for their horror spoofs that continue to be enormously popular to this day. In "The Horror Spoofs of Abbott & Costello" author Jeffrey Miller takes a look at the horror comedies the team did, with a particular focus on horror spoofs involving classic monsters. Miller provides a complete cast and credit list along with a very lengthy and detailed synopsis of each film including many of the notable lines, gags, and scenes. It also includes comments taken from cast and crew of the day and recent comments from the likes of Sara Karloff, Bela Lugosi Jr., and Paddy Costello, who were on the set of these films as children. Miller also includes information on critical reviews of the day, box office results, as well as adding his own insightful analysis of the films.

Without a doubt the most popular A & C spoof (in fact their most popular film period) was "Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein". Boris Karloff refused to appear in the film feeling it made a mockery of the monster. Lon Chaney Jr. felt the film would forever ruin the classic Universal Monsters. But time has proven them both wrong as the film works as both a comedy and a horror. It's at least as scary as Chaney's role as Count Alucard in "Son of Dracula". The fact that the film has legions of fans, including many famous filmmakers such as Quentin Tarrantino, is also a tribute to its staying power. For his part, Lugosi enjoyed himself on the set. One would guess he was probably just happy to be in a Universal production again as opposed to the poverty row films he had been doing in the 1940's. There was a lot of pranks pulled on the set...some of these outtakes are even captured on the A&C Meet Frankenstein special edition DVD. As has been pointed out on many occasions, this film would be Universal biggest moneymaker in years and virtually saved the studio from bankruptcy.

While Karloff refused to do that film, he did sign on for two others including "Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Karloff would play this famous role for the first an only time but as Miller notes, the studio originally wanted Basil Rathbone for the part. Both he and the boys were surprised at how well the film did at the box office. The other films that Miller highlights in the spoof section are "Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man" and the final spoof, "Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy". `Mummy' was their last film for Universal and by this time they were past their prime and not getting along well on the set. Universal knew it was the end of the road and did little to support the film and it's become regarded as one of their worst (although it isn't really all that bad).

Miller also looks as the teams other horror-comedies including "Hold that Ghost", "The Time of their Lives", and "Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff". "Hold that Ghost" is a particular favorite as its their version of and `old dark house' style film that was so popular in the 1930's and similar in style to the very good Bob Hope film "Ghost Breakers" "Hold that Ghost" would even have Evelyn Ankers in the cast who would go on to become one of the great scream queens of the 1940's.

Miller's research into these films is outstanding and while I'm a big fan, there were a lot of new things I learned. While very detailed it's never dry and Miller does a wonderful job at conveying the great routines of Abbott & Costello. Just beware if you have somehow never seen these films as the plot is fully described from beginning to end. By all means see the films and then pickup this book. Another fantastic book by the people at McFarland Publishing who put out some of the best books on genre film and film studies around.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

This book proclaims to be a "critical assessment," though what the author ends up with is little more than detailed descriptions of seven of A & C's films, personal asides and a desire to make odd homosexual allusions to scenes and characters. The vast majority of anecdotes on the making of the films are taken (though footnoted) from a number of previously published books and articles and the author provides little new information except for his own outlandish and baseless claims.

His "critical assessment" might more accurately be described as "judgmental musings." The author often repeatedly makes the same comments about various sight gags being "more suited to The Three Stooges," or gives his opinion on whether certain jokes work, or not. Critical, perhaps. "Bitchy," certainly and more accurately. What is never clearly established is his credibility or expertise to make such comments on the merits of A & C's material. Another annoying habit the author has is to make assumptions on the part of "most viewers." He proudly points out a bit of business, background action or technical flaw that he has discovered upon countless viewings of the films and makes the claim that "most viewers miss this." How does he know? Is it possible that the rest of the audience caught it on the first viewing and he is just now catching up?

The book is poorly written and, aside from the time it occasionally takes to figure out his point, is a quick read. One's time might be better spent watching the films and drawing one's own conclusions. Also, any of the sources cited in the author's bibliography provide all the behind-the-scenes information and more, making them a better value if they can be tracked down.

This is a great book that goes into the plot of their various A&C meet...(fill in the blank)films as well as "Hold That Ghost" and "The Time of Their Lives". There is even a brief section on their quasi sci-fi films. Each major "horror/comedy" film is detailed and behind the scenes info is given. Actor/actress backgrounds as well as changes in scripts and plots are also added for a totally enjoyable book. A section supplying background info on Abbott & Costello is given in the introductory chapter, and then it is on to my all time favorite "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein". A must for all A&C fans!

For years,the work of Abbott & Costello have been ignored or even unfairly criticized by many film and tv historians.Except for Leonard Maltin's "Movie Comedy Teams"and "Great Movie Comedians".The boys'efforts have recevied little or no reconition at all.Until now.Film and TV Comedy writer Jim Mullholland has finally written a book that gives us all some insight into the team's careers.Using reserch,interviews with the boys colleages,family members,performers and craftspersons from the films and tv work and from Maltin.Mr.Mullholland looks at the duo's humble beginnings in Burlesque,With The Steel Pier Mintrels,performing on "The Kate Smith Radio Hour"and in nightclubs.To their debut in The Broadcway Musical revue:"The Streets Of Paris!"with Carmen Miranda and Bobby Clark to hosting their own weekly radio series'on NBC and later on ABC Radio.The book goes on to look at their film careers and at their work on tv:First as semi-regular guest hosts/performers on NBC TV's:"Colgate Comedy Hour!"and then as the stars of "The Abbott & Costello Show".The book also has a filmography of their movies and a listing of their second tv series.Plus photos of the time(Many of these pictures are from private collections).While the book does not go into the problems that exsisted behind the scenes(Including the sorid details of the team's second and final breakup in December,1956)and there is only a small ammount of info about the creation of the films.It still gives us a look into the creation and successes of one of show business'most popular teams.This is one book that Abbott & Costello fans should have.Along with fans of comedy history.Bravo Jimmy! Kevin S.Butler.

Don't let the suspiciously low price steer you away from this. It's a good little CD. The two classic radio shows are funny (including the "Who's on First?" bit) and the sound quality is surprisingly outstanding. If you're a fan of Abbott and Costello, you could do worse than give this a try.

Abbott and Costello were a comedy team for their times but their brand of humor has not worn well over the ages. Much of what they did was based on wordplay and puns and modern comedy has a much harsher tone. Slapstick was also a fundamental component of their routines and that brand of humor has also gone out of favor.
Using still photos and captions from their movies, this book is designed to capture the essence of the unique humor of Abbott and Costello. It is hard to capture the complete experience in a sequence of stills, so it is a weak substitute. Their routines relied on timing, facial expressions, body movements and voice inflection, which obviously cannot be delivered in this manner. Nevertheless, if you are a fan of Abbott and Costello, you will enjoy the book as you can see some of the comedic personalities and genius of both men.

Abbott and Costello were a comedy team for their times but their brand of humor has not worn well over the ages. Much of what they did was based on wordplay and puns and modern comedy has a much harsher tone. Slapstick was also a fundamental component of their routines and that brand of humor has also gone out of favor.
Using still photos and captions from their movies, this book is designed to capture the essence of the unique humor of Abbott and Costello. It is hard to capture the complete experience in a sequence of stills, so it is a weak substitute. Their routines relied on timing, facial expressions, body movements and voice inflection, which obviously cannot be delivered in this manner. Nevertheless, if you are a fan of Abbott and Costello, you will enjoy the book as you can see some of the comedic personalities and genius of both men.