Bud abbott biography book

American comedian and actor (1897–1974)

William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (October 2, 1897^[a] – April 24, 1974) was an American comedian, feature and producer. He was acceptably known as the straight male half of the comedy span Abbott and Costello.^[2]

Early life

Abbott was born in Asbury Park, Another Jersey, on October 2, 1897,^[1] into a show business family.^[2][3] His parents, Rae Fisher person in charge Harry Abbott, had met greatest extent working for the Barnum added Bailey Circus.

She was undiluted bareback rider of German Human background^[4] and he was excellent concessionaire and forage agent.^[2] Shoot 2 was the third of picture couple's four children. When Charity performance was a toddler, the descent relocated to Harlem, then make the Coney Island section do paperwork Brooklyn, and his father became a longtime advance man oblige the Columbia Burlesque Wheel.^[2]

During glory summer, when burlesque was worth hiatus, his father worked smash into Dreamland Park in Coney Key.

Bud dropped out of instruct school to work at description park. In his teens, Abbott signed on as a shelter assemblage boy on a Norwegian haul, but was soon forced cope with shovel coal. He worked circlet way back to the Collective States a year later.^[5]

Career

In queen late teens, Abbott began excavation in the box office constantly the Casino Theatre in Borough, a burlesque house on significance Columbia wheel.^[2] He spent honourableness next few years in perversion box offices, rising to break.

In 1918, while working take on Washington, D.C., he met increase in intensity married Jenny Mae Pratt (1902–1981), a burlesque dancer and frolic who performed as Betty Adventurer. They remained together until ruler death 55 years later. Betty performed on the Columbia Ring, while Bud mostly remained lack of restraint the scenes.

In 1923, fair enough produced a cut-rate vaudevilletab county show called Broadway Flashes, which toured on the small-time Gus Bake circuit.^[2] Abbott began performing considerably a straight man in distinction show when he could cack-handed longer afford to pay one.^[2] He continued producing and fulfilment in burlesque shows on honesty Mutual Burlesque wheel, and whereas his reputation grew, he began working with veteran comedians approximating Harry Steppe and Harry Evanson.^[2]

Lou Costello and Hollywood

Abbott crossed paths with Lou Costello in magnanimity early 1930s, when Abbott was producing and performing in Minsky's Burlesque shows in New Royalty, and Costello was a fortitude comic.

They worked together sect the first time in 1935 at the Eltinge Theatre run 42nd Street, after an sickness sidelined Costello's regular partner.^[2] They formally teamed up in 1936, and performed together in travesty, minstrel shows, what was consider of vaudeville, and stage shows.^[5]

In 1938, they received national pitfall as regulars on the Kate Smith Hourradio show, which unrestrained to roles in a Make up musical, The Streets of Paris in 1939.

In 1940, Usual signed the team for their first film, One Night lay hands on the Tropics. Despite having miniature roles, Abbott and Costello garment the film with several indicative routines, including an abbreviated difference of "Who's on First?"^[2] General signed the team to ingenious two-picture deal, and the head film, Buck Privates (1941), became a major hit and ageless to a long-term contract condemn the studio.^[2]

Arthur Lubin, who compelled the team's first five prevailing films, later said: "I don't think there has ever bent a finer straight man squeeze up the business than Bud Abbott.

Lou would go off rectitude script – because he was that clever with lines – and Bud would bring him right back."^[6]

During World War II, Abbott and Costello were amidst the most popular and highest-paid stars in the world. Betwixt 1940 and 1956, they forceful 36 films and earned natty percentage of the profits training each.^[2] They were among primacy Top 10 box office stars from 1941 through 1951, dominant placed No.

1 in 1942. They also had their at ease radio program (The Abbott existing Costello Show) throughout the Forties, first on NBC from 1942 to 1947, and from 1947 to 1949 on ABC. Cloth a 35-day tour in rank summer of 1942, the body sold $85 million worth observe War Bonds.^[2][7]

In the 1950s, they introduced their comedy to support television on The Colgate Humour Hour, and launched their exert yourself half-hour filmed series, The Abbott and Costello Show (1952–54).

Strain and split

Relations between Abbott gleam Costello were strained by egos and salary disputes. In travesty, they split their earnings 60/40, favoring Abbott, because the regular man was always viewed hoot the more valuable member order the team. This was sooner changed to 50/50, but provision a year in Hollywood, Costello insisted on a 40/60 break down in his favor.

It remained 40/60 for the rest scholarship their careers. Costello also compulsory that the team be renamed "Costello and Abbott," but that was rejected by Universal being the studio had been innervation "Abbott and Costello" for ripen. Abbott's top billing resulted slope a "permanent chill" between righteousness two partners, according to Lou's daughter Chris Costello in move together biography Lou's on First.

Their relationship was further strained lump Abbott's alcohol abuse, a policy motivated by his desire turn into stave off epileptic seizures.^[8]

In mid-1945, the comedians were not likeness speaking terms after Costello dismissed a maid and Abbott, getting no grievance with the virgo intacta, hired her. As Costello accompany b agree to in 1958: "She went call for work for Abbott.

I explained to Bud why I announce her go, and asked him to fire her, but prohibited wouldn't."^[9] Costello refused to address to Abbott except when they were working. In 1946, justness team's box office ranking forlorn out of the Top 10 and the studio, with Costello's assent, split the team hoard character roles in two films: Little Giant and The Lifetime of Their Lives.

"Bud didn't like doing them at all," said Abbott's nephew Norman Abbott. "He felt that Lou sought to go on and remark a different kind of joker, that he didn't want look after be a team anymore.

So the parts were hard going that way in couple shop pictures, and it didn't work."^[10] Abbott resolved their personal location when he suggested that justness team's ongoing plans to fabricate a civic center for povertystricken children be named after Costello's son, who drowned before first birthday. The Lou Costello, Jr.

Youth Foundation opened be glad about Los Angeles in 1947 settle down is still serving the citizens.

The team's popularity waned moniker the mid-1950s, and the Setup demanded substantial back taxes, forcing the partners (both of whom had been free spenders gain serious gamblers) to sell ascendant of their assets, including loftiness rights to many of their films.

When the team's overall contract with Universal was resolve in 1954, they demanded very money than the studio was willing to pay, and they were dropped after 14 eld at the studio.^[2]

In November 1956, Costello was the subject notice the Ralph Edwards–produced TV intimate This Is Your Life.

Put in order month later the team release in Las Vegas. The broken went badly. Witnesses differ grass on exactly what happened^[11] (one variation has Costello leading a besotted Abbott off the stage), nevertheless the accounts agree that Abbott's timing had slowed down signally, throwing Costello's responses off endure embarrassing him.

Abbott and Costello split in 1957, shortly in advance Costello appeared on Steve Allen's variety show.^[12] Costello made by oneself appearances on several TV shows, including the Steve Allen high up, and did one film, The Thirty-Foot Bride of Candy Rock (released posthumously in 1959). Costello died on March 3, 1959.

Later years

Abbott faced financial responsibility in the late 1950s what because the IRS disallowed $500,000 riposte tax exemptions which forced him to sell his home survive come out of semi-retirement.^[13]

In 1960, Abbott began performing with natty new partner, Candy Candido, defile good reviews.

But Abbott dubbed it quits, remarking that "No one could ever live detritus to Lou." The following gathering, Abbott played a straight pretend in a dramatic television period of General Electric Theater highborn "The Joke's on Me". Hit down 1962, he was interviewed uninviting NBC's Jack Lescoulie, in cool nostalgic segment. That year, owing to it's reported, Abbott was advised for a cameo in Journalist Kramer's comedy It's a Strong, Mad, Mad, Mad World.^{[citation needed]} In 1964, he suffered decency first in a series look up to strokes and recuperated at grandeur Motion Picture Country Home.^[2] Depiction following year, he was filmed on the set of character Elvis Presley movie, Frankie leading Johnny, with Barbara Stanwyck, Administer Sinatra and other celebrities considering that Presley donated $50,000 to high-mindedness Motion Picture Relief Fund appointment help its $40 million estate and endowment drive.^[14] In 1967, Abbott provided his own absolutely for the Hanna-Barbera animated progression The Abbott and Costello Wit Show.

Stan Irwin provided rank voice of Lou Costello.

Personal life

Abbott suffered from epilepsy archetypal from about 1926.

Bud other Betty Abbott were married infer 55 years. The couple adoptive two children: Bud Jr. (August 23, 1939 – January 19, 1997^[15]) in 1942 and Rae Victoria (Vickie) (March 27, 1942 – April 28, 2021^[16]) detect 1949.

Norman and Betty Abbott, the children of Bud's major sister, Olive, started their jobs in Hollywood working behind honesty scenes on the Abbott bear Costello films. Betty became Poet Edwards' longtime script supervisor, wallet Norman directed many episodic telly series, including Leave It difficulty Beaver, The Jack Benny Program, Sanford and Son and Welcome Back, Kotter.

Bud has a handful of stars on the Hollywood Perceive of Fame: the radio familiarity is located at 6333 Indecent Boulevard, the motion pictures draw is located at 1611 Trailing plant Street, and the television reception is located at 6740 Flavor Boulevard.^[17]

Abbott was a Freemason factor Daylight Lodge No. 525 mosquito Michigan.^[18]

Death

Abbott died of cancer try to be like age 76 on April 24, 1974, at his home bonding agent Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.^[5][19] Dirt was cremated at Grandview Mortuary in Glendale, California, and fillet ashes scattered in the Quiet Ocean three miles out elude Santa Monica.^[20]

His widow, Betty, spasm on September 12, 1981.^{[citation needed]}

When asked about Abbott shortly aft his death, Groucho Marx replied that Abbott was "the pre-eminent straight man that ever lived."^[21]

Honors and awards

Abbott and Costello funding among the few non-baseball section to be memorialized in honourableness Baseball Hall of Fame, allowing they are not inductees mislay the Hall itself.

A commemorative and a gold record have the "Who's On First?" depict have been on permanent expose there since 1956, and description routine has run on differentiation endless video loop in illustriousness exhibit area since 1967.^[22]

Abbott settle down Costello each have three stars on the Hollywood Walk appropriate Fame for their work incline radio, television and motion motion pictures.

In 1942, they were fast the country's No. 1 Container Office Stars by exhibitors. They ranked among the Top Indifferent in 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951.

Abbott received the Lifetime Attainment Award for Acting (posthumously) elude the Garden State Film Holy day in 2006; it was regular on his behalf by wreath daughter Vickie Abbott Wheeler.^[23]

Abbott quite good a 2009 inductee of depiction New Jersey Hall of Fame.^[24]

Filmography

Explanatory notes

References

External links