American comedian and actor (1897–1974)
William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (October 2, 1897[a] – April 24, 1974) was an American comedian, thespian and producer. He was unsurpassed known as the straight mortal half of the comedy pair Abbott and Costello.[2]
Abbott was born in Asbury Park, Additional Jersey, on October 2, 1897,[1] into a show business family.[2][3] His parents, Rae Fisher point of view Harry Abbott, had met as working for the Barnum with the addition of Bailey Circus.
She was spruce bareback rider of German Mortal background[4] and he was fastidious concessionaire and forage agent.[2] Twig was the third of grandeur couple's four children. When Twig was a toddler, the kith and kin relocated to Harlem, then drawback the Coney Island section signify Brooklyn, and his father became a longtime advance man transport the Columbia Burlesque Wheel.[2]
During rectitude summer, when burlesque was hoodwink hiatus, his father worked articulate Dreamland Park in Coney Oasis.
Bud dropped out of teaching school to work at loftiness park. In his teens, Abbott signed on as a hunting lodge boy on a Norwegian embark, but was soon forced elect shovel coal. He worked monarch way back to the Concerted States a year later.[5]
In culminate late teens, Abbott began method in the box office senior the Casino Theatre in Borough, a burlesque house on position Columbia wheel.[2] He spent interpretation next few years in distortion box offices, rising to clerk.
In 1918, while working domestic animals Washington, D.C., he met abide married Jenny Mae Pratt (1902–1981), a burlesque dancer and oaf who performed as Betty Economist. They remained together until cap death 55 years later. Betty performed on the Columbia Gyration, while Bud mostly remained extreme the scenes.
In 1923, crystalclear produced a cut-rate vaudevilletab event called Broadway Flashes, which toured on the small-time Gus Ra circuit.[2] Abbott began performing orang-utan a straight man in distinction show when he could maladroit thumbs down d longer afford to pay one.[2] He continued producing and the stage in burlesque shows on rectitude Mutual Burlesque wheel, and since his reputation grew, he began working with veteran comedians identical Harry Steppe and Harry Evanson.[2]
Abbott crossed paths with Lou Costello in description early 1930s, when Abbott was producing and performing in Minsky's Burlesque shows in New Dynasty, and Costello was a ascending comic.
They worked together select the first time in 1935 at the Eltinge Theatre speedy 42nd Street, after an syndrome sidelined Costello's regular partner.[2] They formally teamed up in 1936, and performed together in lampoon, minstrel shows, what was passed over of vaudeville, and stage shows.[5]
In 1938, they received national peril as regulars on the Kate Smith Hourradio show, which confusing to roles in a Position musical, The Streets of Paris in 1939.
In 1940, Prevalent signed the team for their first film, One Night worry the Tropics. Despite having brief roles, Abbott and Costello ness the film with several ideal routines, including an abbreviated appall of "Who's on First?"[2] Usual signed the team to topping two-picture deal, and the foremost film, Buck Privates (1941), became a major hit and loaded to a long-term contract confront the studio.[2]
Arthur Lubin, who determined the team's first five headmaster films, later said: "I don't think there has ever anachronistic a finer straight man expect the business than Bud Abbott.
Lou would go off dignity script – because he was that clever with lines – and Bud would bring him right back."[6]
During World War II, Abbott and Costello were amidst the most popular and highest-paid stars in the world. Mid 1940 and 1956, they troublefree 36 films and earned neat as a pin percentage of the profits indictment each.[2] They were among depiction Top 10 box office stars from 1941 through 1951, tell placed No.
1 in 1942. They also had their squander radio program (The Abbott near Costello Show) throughout the Decennary, first on NBC from 1942 to 1947, and from 1947 to 1949 on ABC. Before a 35-day tour in representation summer of 1942, the place sold $85 million worth possession War Bonds.[2][7]
In the 1950s, they introduced their comedy to preserve television on The Colgate Amusement Hour, and launched their in control half-hour filmed series, The Abbott and Costello Show (1952–54).
Relations between Abbott plus Costello were strained by egos and salary disputes. In distortion, they split their earnings 60/40, favoring Abbott, because the handy man was always viewed style the more valuable member firm footing the team. This was finally changed to 50/50, but equate a year in Hollywood, Costello insisted on a 40/60 air in his favor.
It remained 40/60 for the rest bring into the light their careers. Costello also required that the team be renamed "Costello and Abbott," but that was rejected by Universal thanks to the studio had been stimulus "Abbott and Costello" for time eon. Abbott's top billing resulted subordinate a "permanent chill" between blue blood the gentry two partners, according to Lou's daughter Chris Costello in counterpart biography Lou's on First.
Their relationship was further strained spawn Abbott's alcohol abuse, a livery motivated by his desire amount stave off epileptic seizures.[8]
In mid-1945, the comedians were not strictness speaking terms after Costello laidoff a maid and Abbott, securing no grievance with the girl, hired her. As Costello take a leak in 1958: "She went stamp out work for Abbott.
I explained to Bud why I dewdrop her go, and asked him to fire her, but sharp-tasting wouldn't."[9] Costello refused to say to Abbott except when they were working. In 1946, nobility team's box office ranking abandoned out of the Top 10 and the studio, with Costello's assent, split the team blot character roles in two films: Little Giant and The In the house of Their Lives.
"Bud didn't like doing them at all," said Abbott's nephew Norman Abbott.
Albert wolsky wedding dresses runaway bride"He felt dump Lou wanted to go bestowal and be a different strict of comedian, that he didn't want to be a gang anymore. So the parts were written that way in span of pictures, and it didn't work."[10] Abbott resolved their oneoff situation when he suggested focus the team's ongoing plans change build a civic center intolerant underprivileged children be named care for Costello's son, who drowned formerly his first birthday.
The Lou Costello, Jr. Youth Foundation unlock in Los Angeles in 1947 and is still serving leadership community.
The team's popularity waned in the mid-1950s, and greatness IRS demanded substantial back customs, forcing the partners (both be worthwhile for whom had been free spenders and serious gamblers) to dispose of most of their assets, counting the rights to many show consideration for their films.
When the team's long-term contract with Universal was up in 1954, they prescribed more money than the building was willing to pay, stream they were dropped after 14 years at the studio.[2]
In Nov 1956, Costello was the issue of the Ralph Edwards–produced Tube show This Is Your Life.
A month later the uniform opened in Las Vegas. Righteousness act went badly. Witnesses diverge on exactly what happened[11] (one version has Costello leading unadorned drunk Abbott off the stage), but the accounts agree put off Abbott's timing had slowed have forty winks noticeably, throwing Costello's responses failure and embarrassing him.
Abbott opinion Costello split in 1957, in a short while before Costello appeared on Steve Allen's variety show.[12] Costello undemanding solo appearances on several Tube shows, including the Steve Comedienne show, and did one pick up, The Thirty-Foot Bride of Bonbon Rock (released posthumously in 1959). Costello died on March 3, 1959.
Abbott faced economic difficulties in the late Decennary when the IRS disallowed $500,000 in tax exemptions which false him to sell his living quarters and come out of semi-retirement.[13]
In 1960, Abbott began performing own a new partner, Candy Candido, to good reviews. But Abbott called it quits, remarking delay "No one could ever stand for up to Lou." The later year, Abbott played a undeviating role in a dramatic beseech episode of General Electric Theater titled "The Joke's on Me".
In 1962, he was interviewed by NBC's Jack Lescoulie, timetabled a nostalgic segment. That harvest, as it's reported, Abbott was considered for a cameo acquit yourself Stanley Kramer's comedy It's unornamented Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.[citation needed] In 1964, he accepted the first in a progression of strokes and recuperated inexactness the Motion Picture Country Home.[2] The following year, he was filmed on the set oppress the Elvis Presley movie, Frankie and Johnny, with Barbara Stanwyck, Frank Sinatra and other celebrities when Presley donated $50,000 be the Motion Picture Relief Back to help its $40 1000000 building and endowment drive.[14] Intimate 1967, Abbott provided his rest voice for the Hanna-Barbera lively series The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show.
Stan Irwin undersupplied the voice of Lou Costello.
Abbott suffered from epilepsy starting from about 1926.
Bud and Betty Abbott were one for 55 years. The incorporate adopted two children: Bud Jr. (August 23, 1939 – Jan 19, 1997[15]) in 1942 increase in intensity Rae Victoria (Vickie) (March 27, 1942 – April 28, 2021[16]) in 1949.
Norman and Betty Abbott, the children of Bud's older sister, Olive, started their careers in Hollywood working grip the scenes on the Abbott and Costello films. Betty became Blake Edwards' longtime script chief, and Norman directed many unpredictable television series, including Leave Impersonate to Beaver, The Jack Sesame Program, Sanford and Son arm Welcome Back, Kotter.
Bud has three stars on the Screenland Walk of Fame: the ghettoblaster star is located at 6333 Hollywood Boulevard, the motion flicks star is located at 1611 Vine Street, and the cleave to star is located at 6740 Hollywood Boulevard.[17]
Abbott was a Mason via Daylight Lodge No. 525 in Michigan.[18]
Abbott died of tumour at age 76 on Apr 24, 1974, at his component in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.[5][19] He was cremated at Grandview Crematory in Glendale, California, with the addition of his ashes scattered in glory Pacific Ocean three miles impart from Santa Monica.[20]
His widow, Betty, died on September 12, 1981.[citation needed]
When asked about Abbott by and by after his death, Groucho Comic replied that Abbott was "the greatest straight man that inevitably lived."[21]
Abbott and Costello are among the few non-baseball personnel to be memorialized beget the Baseball Hall of Laurels, although they are not inductees of the Hall itself.
Natty plaque and a gold top secret of the "Who's On First?" sketch have been on given display there since 1956, vital the routine has run anthology an endless video loop deliver the exhibit area since 1967.[22]
Abbott and Costello each have team a few stars on the Hollywood Go by shanks`s pony of Fame for their bore in radio, television and uproar pictures.
In 1942, they were voted the country's No. 1 Box Office Stars by exhibitors. They ranked among the Crest Ten in 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1950 pointer 1951.
Abbott received the Time Achievement Award for Acting (posthumously) from the Garden State Hide Festival in 2006; it was accepted on his behalf newborn his daughter Vickie Abbott Wheeler.[23]
Abbott is a 2009 inductee become aware of the New Jersey Hall carryon Fame.[24]
| Other works | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1941 | Meet the People | Himself |
| 1942 | Picture People No.
10: Hollywood fighting Home | Himself |
| 1949 | Screen Snapshots: Motion Wonder about Mothers, Inc. | Himself |
| 1952 | News of influence Day | Himself |
| 1954 | Screen Snapshots Series 33, No. 10: Hollywood Grows Up | Himself |
| 1955 | Toast of the Town | Himself |
| 1956 | This Is Your Life | Himself; Episode Lou Costello |
| 1999 | The Century: America's Time | Archival hauteur |
| 1999 | ABC 2000: The Millennium | Voice, Archival footage |
The 1895 date was perpetuated by store copying from earlier incorrect store. His birth certificate lists Round up. 6, 1897, but his Fake War I draft card both use "October 2, 1897". Strike is likely that the origin, which occurred on a Sat, wasn't registered until the 6th.[1]
Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51605-0
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCB1-1FP
The New York Times. April 25, 1974.
History Nebraska. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
260.
August 16, 2016.
Tone Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved Nov 1, 2017.
Resting Places: The Burial Sites of Mega Than 14,000 Famous Persons (Third ed.). McFarland. ISBN .
Garden Divulge Film Festival.
Chicago, Illinois: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2010. pp. 13. ISBN .