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:

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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.

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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:

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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!

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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.

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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:

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Not many people know this, but in 1945, Abbott and Costello experienced a rift in their relationship.  The brouhaha concerned the hiring of a domestic servant by Abbott who had previously been fired by Costello.  Looking back, this may seem silly and maybe even petty, but Costello, hurt by his partner’s action, refused to speak to Abbott except when performing.  The films released in 1946 reflect this divide:  The comedians appear separately in character roles.  One of the films of that year, The Times of Their Lives, just happens to be one of my favorite Abbott and Costello movies (the other film released that year was Little Giant). 

Here is the trailer for The Times of Their Lives:

Eventually the rift was resolved in 1947 when Abbott volunteered to help with Costello’s favorite charity, a foundation for needy children.

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Did you know?…

Abbott and Costello’s film, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, is often cited as the funniest of the 36 movies these two made together.  The film was released in June 1948 and re-released in 1956.

In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed this film “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and chose it for preservation in the National Film Registry, and in September 2007, Readers Digest selected the film as one of the top 100 funniest movie of all time.

Here is the original 1948 trailer for Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein:

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Did you know?…

Abbott and Costello’s Who’s On First? routine has been translated into nearly thirty languages.  Believe it or not, some of these translations were done by Abbott and Costello themselves.

The set up has Costello playing a peanut vendor named Sebastion Dinwiddle who is considering becoming a baseball player, talking to Abbott who playing Dexter Broadhurt, the manager of the fictional St. Louis Wolves. Before Costello can get in the game, however, Abbott wants to make sure he knows the names of the ball players…

As promised here is the script, as it was performed in their 1945 movie, The Naughty Nineties:

—————————————————————

Abbott: Well, Costello, I’m going to New York with you. You know, Bucky Harris, the Yanks’ manager gave me a job as coach for as long as you’re on the team.

Costello: Look, Abbott. If you’re the coach, you must know all the players.

Abbott: I certainly do.

Costello: Well, you know I’ve never met the guys. So you’ll have to tell me their names, and then I’ll know who’s playing on the team.

Abbott: Oh, I’ll tell you their names, but you know as strange as it may seem, they give these ballplayers nowadays very peculiar names.

Costello: You mean funny names?

Abbott: Strange names, pet names… like Dizzy Dean and…

Costello: His brother Daffy.

Abbott: Daffy Dean.

Costello: And their French cousin.

Abbott: French?

Costello: Goofe’.

Abbott: Goofe’ Dean. Oh, I see. Well, let’s see, we have on the bags, we have Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know is on third…

Costello: That’s what I want to find out.

Abbott: I say Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know’s on third.

Costello: Are you the manager?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: You gonna be the coach, too?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Do you know the fellows’ names?

Abbott: Well, I should.

Costello: Well, then who’s on first?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: I mean the fellow’s name.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy on first.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The first baseman.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy playing first.

Abbott: Who is on first!

Costello: I’m asking YOU who’s on first.

Abbott: That’s the man’s name.

Costello: That’s whose name?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Well, go ahead and tell me.

Abbott: That’s it.

Costello: That’s who?

Abbott: Yes.

{ PAUSE }

Costello: Look. You got a first baseman?

Abbott: Certainly.

Costello: Who’s playing first?

Abbott: That’s right.

Costello: When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?

Abbott: Every dollar of it.

Costello: All I’m trying to find out is the fellow’s name on first base.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy that gets the money.

Abbott: That’s it.

Costello: Who gets the money on first base?

Abbott: He does. Every dollar. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.

Costello: Whose wife?

Abbott: Yes.

{ PAUSE }

Abbott: What’s wrong with that?

Costello: Look, all I wanna know is when you sign up the first baseman, how does he sign his name to the contract?

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: How does he sign his name?

Abbott: That’s how he signs it.

Costello: Who?

Abbott: Yes.

{ PAUSE }

Costello: All I’m trying to find out is what’s the guy’s name on first base.

Abbott: No. What is on second base.

Costello: I’m not asking you who’s on second.

Abbott: Who’s on first.

Costello: One base at a time!

Abbott: Well, don’t change the players around.

Costello: I’m not changing nobody!

Abbott: Take it easy, buddy.

Costello: I’m only asking you. Who’s the guy on first base?

Abbott: That’s right.

Costello: Okay.

Abbott: Alright. 

{ PAUSE }

Costello: What’s the guy’s name on first base?

Abbott: No. What is on second.

Costello: I’m not asking you who’s on second.

Abbott: Who’s on first.

Costello: I don’t know.

Abbott: Oh, he’s on third. We’re not talking about him.

Costello: Now, how did I get on third base?

Abbott: Why you mentioned his name.

Costello: If I mentioned the third baseman’s name, who did I say is playing third?

Abbott: No. Who’s playing first.

Costello: What’s on first?

Abbott: What’s on second.

Costello: I don’t know.

Abbott: He’s on third.

Costello: There I go, back on third again!

{ PAUSE }

Costello: Look. Would you just stay on third base and don’t go off it.

Abbott: Alright, now what do you want to know?

Costello: Now who’s playing third base?

Abbott: Why do you insist on putting Who on third base?

Costello: What am I putting on third?

Abbott: No. What is on second.

Costello: You don’t want who on second?

Abbott: Who is on first.

Costello: I don’t know.

Together: Third base!

{ PAUSE }

Costello: Look. You got a outfield?

Abbott: Sure.

Costello: The left fielder’s name?

Abbott: Why.

Costello: I just thought I’d ask you.

Abbott: Well, I just thought I’d tell you.

Costello: Then tell me who’s playing left field.

Abbott: Who is playing first.

Costello: I’m not… Stay out of the infield! I want to know what’s the guy’s name in left field?

Abbott: No. What is on second.

Costello: I’m not asking you who’s on second.

Abbott: Who’s on first!

Costello: I don’t know.

Together: Third base!

{ PAUSE }

Costello: And the left fielder’s name?

Abbott: Why.

Costello: Because!

Abbott: Oh, he’s center field.

Costello: (fumbles words)

{ PAUSE }

Costello: Look, look, look. You got a pitcher on the team?

Abbott: Sure.

Costello: The pitcher’s name?

Abbott: Tomorrow.

Costello: You don’t want to tell me today?

Abbott: I’m telling you then.

Costello: Then go ahead.

Abbott: Tomorrow!

Costello: What time?

Abbott: What time what?

Costello: What time tomorrow are you gonna tell me who’s pitching?

Abbott: Now listen. Who is not pitching. Who is…

Costello: I’ll break your arm you say who’s on first!!! I want to know, what’s the pitcher’s name?

Abbott: What’s on second.

Costello: I don’t know.

Together: Third base!

{ PAUSE }

Costello: Got a catcher?

Abbott: Certainly.

Costello: The catcher’s name?

Abbott: Today.

Costello: Today. And tomorrow’s pitching.

Abbott: Now you’ve got it.

Costello: All we got is a couple of days on the team.

{ PAUSE }

Costello: You know I’m a catcher, too.

Abbott: So they tell me.

Costello: I get behind the plate to do some fancy catching, Tomorrow’s pitching on my team, and a heavy hitter gets up.

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Now the heavy hitter bunts the ball. When he bunts the ball, me being a good catcher, I’m gonna throw the guy out at first base. So I pick up the ball and throw it to who?

Abbott: Now that’s the first thing you’ve said right.

Costello: I don’t even know what I’m talking about!!!

{ PAUSE }

Abbott: That’s all you have to do.

Costello: Is to throw the ball to first base.

Abbott: Yes!

Costello: Now who’s got it?

Abbott: Naturally.

{ PAUSE }

Costello: Look. If I throw the ball to first base, somebody’s gotta get it. Now who has it?

Abbott: Naturally.

Costello: Who?

Abbott: Naturally.

Costello: Naturally?

Abbott: Naturally.

Costello: So I pick up the ball, and I throw it to Naturally.

Abbott: No you don’t! You throw the ball to Who.

Costello: Naturally.

Abbott: That’s different.

Costello: That’s what I said.

Abbott: You’re not saying that.

Costello: I throw the ball to Naturally.

Abbott: You throw it to Who.

Costello: Naturally.

Abbott: That’s it.

Costello: That’s what I said!

Abbott: Listen. You ask me.

Costello: I throw the ball to who?

Abbott: Naturally.

Costello: Now you ask me.

Abbott: You throw the ball to Who?

Costello: Naturally.

Abbott: That’s it.

Costello: Same as you! Same as YOU!!! I throw the ball to who. Whoever it is drops the ball, and the guy runs to second.

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don’t Know. I Don’t Know throws it back to Tomorrow. Triple play.

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Another guy gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don’t know! He’s on third, and I don’t give a darn!

Abbott: What?

Costello: I said I don’t give a darn!

Abbott: Oh, that’s our shortstop.

Costello: (fumbles words)

 The End

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