Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work on radio and in film and
television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and
early 1950s and the highest-paid entertainers in the world during
World War II. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one
of the best-known comedy routines of all time. Their popularity waned
in the early 1950s due to overexposure and their film and television
contracts lapsed. The partnership ended soon afterwards.While they had
crossed paths a few times previously, the two comedians first worked
together in 1935 at the Eltinge Burlesque Theater on 42nd Street in
New York City, which is now the lobby of an AMC Theatres movie
complex. Their first performance resulted from Costello's regular
partner becoming ill. Decades later, when AMC moved the old theater
168 ft (51 m) further west on 42nd Street to its current location,
giant balloons of Abbott and Costello were rigged to appear to pull
it.Other performers in the show, including Abbott's wife, encouraged a
permanent pairing. The duo built an act by refining and reworking
numerous burlesque sketches with Abbott as the devious straight man
and Costello as the dimwitted comic.
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work on radio and in film and
television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and
early 1950s and the highest-paid entertainers in the world during
World War II. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one
of the best-known comedy routines of all time. Their popularity waned
in the early 1950s due to overexposure and their film and television
contracts lapsed. The partnership ended soon afterwards.While they had
crossed paths a few times previously, the two comedians first worked
together in 1935 at the Eltinge Burlesque Theater on 42nd Street in
New York City, which is now the lobby of an AMC Theatres movie
complex. Their first performance resulted from Costello's regular
partner becoming ill. Decades later, when AMC moved the old theater
168 ft (51 m) further west on 42nd Street to its current location,
giant balloons of Abbott and Costello were rigged to appear to pull
it.Other performers in the show, including Abbott's wife, encouraged a
permanent pairing. The duo built an act by refining and reworking
numerous burlesque sketches with Abbott as the devious straight man
and Costello as the dimwitted comic.
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