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.

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!

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.

One Night In The Tropics marked Abbott and Costello’s film debut.  Released in 1940, the comedy duo essentially play themselves, right down to their character’s names, Abbott and Costello.

Cast in only supporting roles, the comedy team stole the show performing several of their routines from radio and vaudeville (including Who’s On First?) .

Universal Studios subsequently quickly signed Abbott & Costello to a long-term contract.  The following year, 1941, their second film Buck Privates, was released making them bonafide box office movie stars.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Here is a clip from One Night In The Tropics.  You actually hear the duo’s voices before you see them, with Costello giving his  famous high pitched line from his radio days -  “I’m A Baaad Boy”.

Quick aside:  Recognize the man playing “Boss”?  That’s William Frawley, of course, who enjoyed a successful film career before being cast in the wildly popular TV sitcoms, I Love Lucy and My Three Sons.

Did you know?…

Shemp Howard, of Three Stooges fame, appeared in several Abbott & Costello movies:   Buck Privates, In the Navy, Hold That Ghost, It Ain’t Hay, and Africa Screams.

Here is a clip from In The Navy, “13 X 7 is 28″, where Shemp Howard plays Dizzy, a fellow sailor.  I particularly like the lines:

Abbott:  You ever go to school, stupid?

Costello:  Yeah and I come out the same way.

One of the best known comedy routines of all time, Abbott & Costello’s Who’s On First, still cracks me up.  Here is the video clip from their 1945 movie, The Naughty Nineties.  This is also the version that is featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

It’s easy to see why this skit has enjoyed such popularity for decades.  Enjoy!