Matinee Classics - Lou Costello Biography & Filmography

Lou Costello of Abbott and Costello Fame

Lou Costello ACTOR

PHOTOS

LOU COSTELLO BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Louis Francis 'Lou' Costello, born March 3, 1906, was an American comedian and actor best known for his part in the comedy duo Abbott and Costello with Bud Abbott. He is famous for his chubby and cheery image that appealed to many over the decades. Growing up, Costello (born Cristillo) was a gifted athlete, but aspired to be an actor. In 1927 he dropped out of school and moved to Hollywood to make that dream come true, but could only find work as a carpenter at Metro Goldwyn Meyers and Warner Brothers Pictures. The solitary acting jobs he could find were extras and stuntmen in films like “Bardelys the Magnificent” (1926), “The Fair Co-Ed” (1927), “Rose-Marie” (1928), and “The Cossacks” (1928). Tired of no success in Hollywood, he tried his hand in the vaudeville circuit. Costello moved to Missouri and took a job as a comic, then moved to New York and worked in burlesque theaters. While working in vaudeville in the 1930s, Costello crossed paths with straight man Bud Abbott numerous times. After periodically working together for awhile, they officially teamed up in 1936, performing in minstrel, vaudeville, and burlesque shows.

The duo, which they simply name Abbott and Costello, got their big break when they received national exposure on the “Kate Smith Hour”, a popular radio variety show. Their performance, which included the famous “Who’s on First?” sketch, landed them a stint on Broadway, and then a contract with Universal Pictures. Costello’s dream came true and the team’s debut film was “One Night in the Tropics” (1940). Their first starring role came next, in “Buck Privates” (1941), which launched them into a hugely successful motion picture career. For the next ten years, the duo was Hollywood’s top earning entertainers. They continued on, performing in over thirty movies from 1940 to 1956, their most notable being “Hold That Ghost” (1941), “Who Done It?” (1942), “Pardon My Sarong” (1942), “The Time of Their Lives” (1946), “Buck Privates Come Home (1947), “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), and “Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man” (1951).

From 1952 until 1954, the pair had their own show titled “The Abbott and Costello Show”, but continued appearing on radio and in films. Their last picture was “Dance with Me, Henry” (1956), and they decided to end their partnership the following year. Costello wanted to take on more dramatic roles, and after their split appeared on three different television shows, including “The Steve Allen Plymouth Show” (1957-58), “G.E. True Theater” (1958), and “Wagon Train” (1958). His only solo film was “The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock” (1959). Unfortunately, Costello passed away before his movie was released.

After a lifelong battle with his rheumatic heart, on March 3, 1959, Costello died from a heart attack. It happened three days prior to his fifty third birthday. His life is now over, but he is still remembered as one of comedy’s best. For his contributions to radio, television, and the motion picture industry, he was given three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Filmography

1959 The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock

1958 Wagon Train

1958 G.E. True Theater

1957 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show

1956 Dance with Me, Henry

1955 Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops

1954 Fireman Save My Child

1953 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

1953 Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

1952 The Abbott and Costello Show

1952 Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd

1952 Lost in Alaska