It was on this day in 1948 that the film Mexican Hayride, an adaptation of a 1944 Cole Porter Broadway Musical, was released.  Mexican Hayride takes Abbott and Costello to Mexico City, where they get caught up in a silver mine scam.  Of course, this produces the classic routine “Silver Ore”:

Here’s some interesting Mexican Hayride trivia:  Lou’s brother, Pat Costello, plays detective Ted Williams.  Because of the brothers’ similar appearance and physique, Pat often stepped in as Lou’s stunt double.  Not only that, Lou would also often send his brother for his own costume/wardrobe fittings.

If you’ve seen Mexican Hayride, then you know that Lou breaks into a dance whenever he hears the Samba.  This running gag was not part of the original script, but was added during production by Lou.

It was on this day, 71 years ago in 1941, that Abbott and Costello’s Keep ‘Em Flying was released.  This was their third service comedy and fifth film overall.  Keep ‘Em Flying was also in theaters when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

The film also stars Martha Raye in the dual role of twin sisters as USO hostesses and love interests of the boys.  One of the funniest scenes includes the hilarious Raye in the classic “Go ahead and Order Something” routine  (See below).

As 1941 came to an end, Abbott and Costello attained one of the many “firsts” in their career:  The first comedy team to make the list of Top 10 Box Office Stars, placing third.

It was on this day, 71 years ago in 1940, that Abbott and Costello’s One Night in the Tropics was released.  This is the film that launched the comedy duo into the top tier of Hollywood stars.

It’s interesting to note that, while this film is best known for being the first of 36 movies the comedy team would make together, the two were actually only cast in supportive roles.  Nevertheless, the two went on to “steal the show,” so to speak, and the rest is movie history.

As perhaps a tribute to their radio days and their entry into movies, Abbott and Costello are heard before they are actually seen on screen.

Several of the comedy team’s routines were included in One Night in the Tropics, the most famous of which was their “Who’s on First?”  skit.  In fact, this was the first scene the two shot for the film.

Here’s some additional trivia you might not know:  The two were each paid $35,000 for One Night in the Tropics, or over half a million in today’s dollars.  Not too bad for a movie premier.  Of course, after the success of this film, their asking price would go up considerably.

Lastly, the film premiered in Lou Costello’s home town of Paterson, New Jersey.

It was on this day, 69 years ago in 1942, that Abbott and Costello’s Who Done It?  was released.  Although relatively early in the comedy duo’s film career, they were the #1 box office attraction of 1942.  They were even more popular than Clark Gable and Gary Cooper.

Who Done It?  is the eighth film Abbott and Costello made together and remains a fan favorite. The classic routine “Watts & Volts,” much of which was improvised during filming, continues to crack up fans to this day.

Here’s some Who Done It? trivia you might find interesting:  The microphone that Abbott and Costello used for their 1938 radio debut on the Kate Smith Show was used for the “Wheel of Fortune” segment in the film. (Was the late Merv Griffin an Abbott and Costello fan? )

Soon after filming for Who Done It? wrapped, Abbott and Costello went on a 34 day tour and sold $85 million in War Bonds.  Today this would be equal to about $1.1 billion and remains a stark reminder of the times in which the comedy team was able to make millions laugh during one of the country’s most trying times.

Here’s the “Volts & Watts” routine from Who Done It?

It was on this day, 68 years ago, that Abbott and Costello’s Rio Rita was released.  This comedy film is a remake of the Ziegfeld Broadway operetta and the 1929 RKO movie starring Wheeler & Woolsey, both of the same name.

Rio Rita, along with  Lost in a Harem (1944) and Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945), were made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while the comedy team was under contract to Universal.  Abbott and Costello had become so popular by 1942 that MGM made a deal to “borrow” them for these three films.

It’s interesting to note two connections that Rito Rita has with MGM’s The Wizard of Oz.  The first is that the songs for Rio Rita were written and composed by many of the same individuals who put together the songs for MGM’s The Wizard of Oz (1939).  Second, Mitchell Lewis, who plays Julio in this Abbott and Costello film also played the Wicked Witch’s lead soldier in The Wizard of Oz.

Here is the funny “Laundry Room” clip from Rio Rita:

It was on this day, 64 years ago, that the Abbott and Costello film, Little Giant, was released.  Originally titled, On the Carpet, Little Giant was filmed from November 1 through December 17, 1945.  Regardless, it’s questionable whether any other title would have helped this particular Abbott and Costello movie.

Indeed, Little Giant is not considered one of the comedy team’s best films, perhaps owing to the fact that this was the first time the team attempted to work separately within the same film.   In this film, as well as the next Abbott and Costello film, The Time of Their Lives, the team play separate roles as opposed to partners.  This is due to a falling out between the two men that actually led them to splitting up the team for a short period in 1945.

In this film, Abbott and Costello perform the 7×13=28 routine, where Costello attempts to prove to Abbott that 7 times 13 equals 28, 28 divided by 7 equals 13, and seven 13′s added together equals 28.  Here is a video clip of that routine:

I still crack up at the lines:

Bud:  Did you ever go to school stupid?

Lou:  Yes, sir.  And I come out the same way.

It was on this day, 68 years ago, that the Abbott and Costello movie Ride ‘Em Cowboy was released. 

Ride ‘Em Cowboy was filmed from June 30 thru August 9, 1941 and was originally intended to be the third Abbott and Costello film.  However, due to the success of the service film, Buck Privates, the production for Ride ‘Em Cowboy was delayed so that the comedy team could make In the Navy. 

In fact, Universal was having so much success with the Abbott and Costello service comedies that they decided to hold back release of Ride ‘Em Cowboy yet again so the team could make, and Universal could release, another service film – Keep ‘Em Flying. 

Ride ‘Em Cowboy was shot on location at two dude ranches – The B-Bar A and the Rancho Chihuahua. 

The legendary jazz singer, Ella Fitzgerald, made her screen debut in Ride ‘Em Cowboy, in which she performed “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” which she also co-wrote.  The song went on to become a huge hit for the singer. 

The routine, “Heard of Cows,” can be seen in this film.  Like so many of Abbott & Costello’s routines, the quick, clever word play is as entertaining today as it was 68 years ago.  Here’s the script for “Heard of Cows”:

Lou: Look at all those cows out there! Get that big bunch of cows!

Bud: Not bunch, herd.

Lou: Huh?

Bud: Cow herd.

Lou: I beg your pardon?

Bud: Cow herd!

Lou: Cow heard what?

Bud: Not heard what! Cow herd!

Lou: Cow heard what? I said look at that big bunch of cows out there!

Bud: Not bunch, herd! Herd of cows!

Lou: Certainly, I’ve heard of cows, you dope!

And here is the trailer for the movie:

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was one of Hollywood’s top money makers of 1948, and certainly the most successful film for the comedy duo since Buck Privates (1941).  It has also held up as one of the most popular of their thirty-six movies.

But what you may not know is that the movie contains three bloopers.  The first can be heard, if you listen closely, when a frightened Lou calls out to Bud at one point in the movie as “Abbott”, as opposed to Chick, the first name of Bud’s character.  If you’ve seen many of Abbott & Costello’s movies, then you know that this was not an uncommon occurrence.  Both men were known to often refer to each other on film by their real names, regardless of their character’s names.  Of course, movie goers in the ‘40’s and ’50 didn’t seem to mind, which is indeed a testament to their popularity.

The second blooper is when you can see Dracula’s (played by Bela Lugosi) reflection in a mirror.  As everyone knows, vampires do not cast reflections in mirrors.

The third blooper is, I think, the funniest of the three.  In the scene where a strapped down Frankenstein tries to lift  his head up off a gurney, you can see his neck bolt peel off. 

Here is a video clip that shows each of these bloopers.  Enjoy!

Poker games on the sets of Abbott & Costello movies were legendary. It was not unusual for tens of thousands of dollars (much of it in $100 bills) to be on the poker table. Bud and Lou were famous for inviting all kinds of players to the high-stakes games. If no one else was available, the duo would play against each other.

According to Norman Abbott, Bud’s nephew who worked on many of the Abbott & Costello movie sets, these poker games would go on for hours, sometimes even days. It was also not unusual for these marathon gambling sessions to interfere with the production of whatever film they were working on at the time. Indeed, there were times when production came to a temporary standstill because nobody could get them away from the poker table.

This was long before Texas Hold ‘Em so the games of choice were stud poker and five card draw, popular poker card games of that time.

During the 1940’s and early 1950’s – the height of Abbott & Costello’s popularity – the comedy duo was literally the biggest and highest earning stars in Hollywood. They made millions of dollars, but also spent millions of dollars. The high-stakes poker games were just one illustration of this fact.

One Night in the Tropics, released on November 15, 1040, is considered to be the first of the thirty-six movies that Abbott & Costello made together.  However, it is also the only movie that did not give the duo top-billing.

Presumably this is the reason why Bud and Lou hardly ever mentioned the film during interviews.  Instead, they both preferred to consider Buck Privates, their “second” movie released January 31, 1941, as their “first”.

Here, you can view the trailer for One Night in the Tropics. 

I also love this great bit from Buck Privates: