Editing Abbott and Costello (section)

==Personal lives==
Abbott and Costello both married performers they met in burlesque. Abbott wed Betty Smith, a dancer and comedienne, in 1918, and Costello married a chorus girl, Anne Battler, in 1934. The Costellos had four children; the Abbotts adopted two. Abbott and Costello faced personal demons at times. Both were compulsive<ref>Thomas, Bob, Bud & Lou: The Abbott and Costello Story (1977) J.B. Lippincott Co. (Dual biography featuring a highly unflattering portrait of Lou Costello, contested by friends and family members)</ref> gamblers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Costello |first1=Lou |author1-link=Lou Costello |title=Document Signed 06/24/1952 |url=https://www.historyforsale.com/abbott-costello-lou-costello-document-signed-06-24-1952/dc226409 |website=HistoryForSale |access-date=12 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728140931/https://www.historyforsale.com/abbott-costello-lou-costello-document-signed-06-24-1952/dc226409 |archive-date=July 28, 2021 |language=en |quote=Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this document in 1952 to declare that his betting losses from 1946 exceeded his betting wins. This document is probably related to his tax problems with the IRS, which left him broke by the mid-1950s. Document signed "Lou Costello" and by notary public, both in blue ink. Blank ink notary stamp in lower left corner. 1 page, 8½x11, carbon copy. With embossed 1½-inch diameter embossed notary seal in bottom left corner. June 24, 1952. Costello signed this affidavit the county of Los Angeles, state of California, that his losses exceeded his winnings from wagering in 1946. He was probably rehashing this six year-old information because he was in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service for back taxes. Lou and his partner Bud Abbott wound up selling most of their assets, including their film rights, to satisfy the tax man.}}</ref><ref name="nytimes/abbott-dead">{{cite news |title=Bud Abbott, Straight Man To Lou Costello, Is Dead |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/04/25/archives/bud-abbott-straight-man-to-lou-costello-is-dead.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=25 April 1974}}</ref><ref name="nPBL/cC">{{cite news |last1=Barker |first1=Pamela |title=Chris Costello |url=https://www.northpalmbeachlife.com/chris-costello.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=North Palm Beach Life |date=February 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204034642/https://www.northpalmbeachlife.com/chris-costello.html |archive-date=February 4, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Costello attended horse races and raised horses at his ranch in Canoga Park.<ref name="Yahoo/152413833">{{cite web |title=Lou Costello's Daughter Says He 'Wasn't the Character' at Home: 'He Was Actually Very Quiet' |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/lou-costello-daughter-says-wasn-152413833.html |website=[[Yahoo]] Entertainment |access-date=12 March 2025 |date=12 October 2023}}</ref> Additionally both had serious health problems. Abbott suffered from [[epilepsy]] and turned to alcohol for seizure management. Costello had occasional, near-fatal bouts with [[rheumatic fever]].<ref name="Lou-First"/>