Editing Lou Costello (section)

==Career==
Costello was a great admirer of silent-film comedian [[Charlie Chaplin]]. In 1927, Costello hitchhiked to Hollywood to become an actor, but could only find work as a laborer or extra at [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] and [[Hal Roach Studios]]. His athletic skill brought him occasional work as a [[Stunt performer|stunt man]], notably in ''[[The Trail of '98]]'' (1928). He can also be spotted sitting ringside in the [[Laurel and Hardy]] film ''[[The Battle of the Century]]'' (1927).<ref name="laurelandhardyfilms">{{cite web|url=http://laurelandhardyfilms.com/films/the-battle-of-the-century/associated/stills/all#/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205092854/http://laurelandhardyfilms.com/films/the-battle-of-the-century/associated/stills/all#/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2012|title=Laurel & Hardy Films &#124; Stills|publisher=laurelandhardyfilms.com|access-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref> He said that he took his professional name from actress [[Helene Costello]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Athletes Once: 100 Famous People Who Were Once Notable Athletes|author=Smith, EW Jr.|date=2009|publisher=Cortero|isbn=9781611790689|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LyBN758OMhMC&pg=PA135}}</ref> although by this time his brother [[Pat Costello (actor)|Anthony]] (Pat) had used the name in his career as a professional musician.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

===Burlesque and Bud Abbott===
In 1928, with the advent of [[talking pictures]], Costello headed back east intending to acquire theatrical experience. Stranded in [[St. Joseph, Missouri]], he persuaded a local [[American burlesque|burlesque]] producer to hire him as a "Dutch" comic, a corruption of ''Deutsch,''[[Theodiscus#Semantic development within English| meaning "German"]] in this context. (See also [[Joe Weber (vaudevillian)|Joe Weber and Lew Fields.]]) By the end of 1928, Costello was back in New Jersey. He began working in burlesque on the [[Mutual Burlesque Association|Mutual Burlesque]] wheel in 1929.<ref name="Furmanek 1991">Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). ''Abbott and Costello in Hollywood''. New York: Perigee Books. {{ISBN|0-399-51605-0}}</ref>

After the Mutual Wheel collapsed during the [[Great Depression]], Costello worked for several stock burlesque impresarios, including the [[Minsky's Burlesque|Minskys]], where he crossed paths with talented producer and [[Double act|straight man]] [[Bud Abbott]].<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/> They did not work together until 1935 at the [[Empire Theatre (42nd Street)|Eltinge Theatre]] on 42nd Street in New York City after Costello's straight man fell ill. They formally teamed in 1936.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

===Radio and Hollywood===
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2017}}
Abbott and Costello were signed by the [[William Morris Agency|William Morris]] talent agency, which landed them featured roles and national exposure on ''The [[Kate Smith]] Hour'', a popular radio variety show, in 1938.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/> The team's signature routine, "[[Who's on First?]]", made its radio debut on Smith's show early that year. Many of the team's sketches were further polished by [[John Grant (screenwriter)|John Grant]], who was hired soon after the team joined the program.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/> Their success on the Smith show led to their appearance in a Broadway musical in 1939, ''The Streets of Paris''.

Abbott and Costello were hosting a summer replacement series for ''[[The Fred Allen Show]]'' in 1940 when they were signed by [[Universal Pictures]] for supporting roles in ''[[One Night in the Tropics]]'' (1940). They stole the film with their classic routines, including a shortened version of "Who's On First?" (the complete version was performed in ''[[The Naughty Nineties]]'', released in 1945). The team's breakthrough picture was ''[[Buck Privates]]'', released early in 1941. Three more films followed in 1941, and they were voted the No. 3 box-office stars that year.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

That year they became regulars on Edgar Bergen's ''[[The Chase and Sanborn Hour|The Chase and Sanborn Program]]'', and in October 1942 launched their own series, ''[[The Abbott and Costello Show (radio program)|The Abbott and Costello Show]]'' on NBC. The show ran on NBC through the spring of 1947, then ABC through the spring of 1949.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/><ref>Sies, Luther F. (2014). ''Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960'', 2nd ed. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-5149-4}}. p. 10.</ref><ref name="dunningota">{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=John |title=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |section=The Abbott and Costello Show |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fi5wPDBiGfMC&dq=%22The+Abbott+and+Costello+Show,+comedy%22&pg=PA2 | publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York City |edition=revised |date=1998 |pages=2–3 |access-date=2024-12-27 |isbn=978-0-19-507678-3}}</ref>

===Fame and tragedy===
As their careers grew more successful, serious cracks began to appear in Abbott and Costello's relationship. Reportedly their first disagreement occurred in 1936 over a booking in a minstrel show at the [[Steel Pier]] in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Costello wanted to accept the gig, which was outside their usual burlesque venues, but Abbott was hesitant. Costello offered Abbott a larger split of their salary, and Abbott agreed. At the end of 1941, Costello insisted that the team split their income 60/40 in Costello's favor, and Abbott agreed.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

Abbott and Costello appeared in 36 films from 1940 to 1956 and were among the most popular and highest-paid entertainers in the world during World War II. Among their most popular films are ''[[Buck Privates]]'', ''[[Hold That Ghost]]'', ''[[Who Done It? (1942 film)|Who Done It?]]'', ''[[Pardon My Sarong]]'', ''[[The Time of Their Lives]]'', ''[[Buck Privates Come Home]]'', ''[[Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein]]'' and ''[[Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}

In the summer of 1942, Abbott and Costello embarked on a 35-day cross-country tour to promote and sell war bonds. The [[United States Department of the Treasury|Treasury Department]] credited them with the sale of $85 million in bonds.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

In March 1943, after completing a winter tour of army bases, Costello suffered an attack of [[rheumatic fever]] and was unable to work for six months. On November 4 of that year, he returned to the team's popular radio show, but while rehearsing at their NBC studio, Costello received word that his infant son Lou Jr. had accidentally drowned in the family pool.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/> Unnoticed by the nanny, the baby had worked loose the slats in his playpen and fallen into the pool.<ref>Sherman, Eddie (Lou's manager) interviewed on the program ''This is Your Life'', NBC TV, presented by Ralph Edwards, 1956 (16:08), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWpEOXvnOmA, accessed January 20, 2014</ref>

The baby was just two days short of his first birthday. Costello had asked his wife to keep Lou Jr. up to hear his father on the radio for the first time. Rather than cancel the broadcast, Costello said, "Wherever he is tonight, I want him to hear me," and proceeded with the show. No one in the audience knew of the death until after the show, when Bud Abbott explained the sad events of the day and how Costello epitomized the phrase "the show must go on" that night. Maxene Andrews of [[the Andrews Sisters]] said that Costello's demeanor changed after the loss of his son: "He didn't seem as fun-loving and as warm... He seemed to anger easily... there was a difference in his attitude."<ref>Sforza, John: ''Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story''; University Press of Kentucky, 2000; 289 pages.</ref>

In 1945, when Costello fired a maid and Abbott hired her, Costello announced that he would no longer work with Abbott.<ref name="First, pp. 119-120">C. Costello (1961), pp. 119–120.</ref> They remained under contract to Universal and were required to complete two films in 1946, which became ''[[Little Giant]]'' and ''[[The Time of Their Lives]]''. The two men did not appear together much in either film and rarely spoke to one another off-camera.<ref name="First, p.120">C. Costello (1961), p. 120.</ref>{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} Abbott attempted to heal their relationship by suggesting that the foundation that they had founded for rheumatic fever sufferers be named the Lou Costello Jr. Youth Foundation, which touched Costello deeply. The youth foundation still exists in Los Angeles.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

Their radio program moved to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], the former NBC Blue Network, from 1947 to 1949 and was prerecorded.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}

In 1951, the duo began to appear on live television, joining the rotating hosts of ''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]].'' [[Eddie Cantor]], [[Martin and Lewis]] and [[Bob Hope]] were among the others. In 1952, their filmed situation comedy ''[[The Abbott and Costello Show]]'' began running in syndication nationwide. Costello owned the half-hour series, with Abbott working on salary. The show, which was loosely adapted from their radio program and films, ran for two seasons from 1952 to 1954 but found long life in syndicated reruns.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

[[File:Lou Costello This Is Your Life.jpg|thumb|Costello being surprised on ''[[This Is Your Life (American franchise)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1956]]

Abbott and Costello were forced to withdraw from ''[[Fireman Save My Child (1954 film)|Fireman Save My Child]]'' in 1954 after Costello suffered a relapse of rheumatic fever. They were replaced by studio contract players [[Hugh O'Brian]] and [[Buddy Hackett]].

Costello was surprised and honored by [[Ralph Edwards]] on [[NBC]]'s ''[[This Is Your Life (American franchise)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1956.<ref>http://www.encyclopedia.com/.../c8v0xBFJMOI-this-is-your-life-lou.aspx {{dead link|date=August 2017}}</ref>

===Abbott and Costello split===
By the mid-1950s, Abbott and Costello no longer ranked among the top box-office stars. They were undermined by overexposure in concurrent film and television appearances, and were eclipsed by [[Martin and Lewis|Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis]], who were as popular in the 1950s as Abbott and Costello had been a decade earlier. In 1955 the team could not reach a contract agreement with Universal and left the studio after 15 years.<ref name="Furmanek 1991"/>

In the early 1950s, troubles with the [[Internal Revenue Service]] forced both men to sell their large homes and the rights to some of their films. Abbott and Costello's final film together, ''[[Dance with Me, Henry]]'' (1956), was a [[box office bomb|box-office disappointment]] and received mixed critical reviews.{{according to whom|date=May 2017}}

Abbott and Costello dissolved their partnership amicably early in 1957.<ref>{{cite news |agency=[[United Press International]] |title=Abbott, Costello Split. Comedy Team Breaks Up to Let Abbott Raise Horses |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/07/15/archives/abbott-costello-split-comedy-team-breaks-up-to-let-abbott-raise.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 15, 1957}}</ref> Costello worked with other comedians, including Sidney Fields in [[Las Vegas Strip|Las Vegas]], and sought film and television projects. He appeared several times on [[Steve Allen]]'s ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', most often performing his old routines with [[Louis Nye]] or [[Tom Poston]] in the straight-man role. In 1958, he played a dramatic role in the episode "The Tobias Jones Story" of ''[[Wagon Train]]''.<ref name="washburninterview">{{cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Mike |title=Beverly Washburn Interview |url=http://www.westernclippings.com/interview/beverlywashburn_interview.shtml |website=Western Clippings.com |publisher=Mike Fitzgerald |access-date=April 26, 2018}}</ref>