I'm old enough to remember sitting on Dad's lap and listening to A & C on the radio (pre-TV) -- it was genius comedy then and for many years after! I love that young people are rediscovering their routines with great appreciation for the humor and the masterful delivery of these two amazing comedians. Thanks for the replay!
Many Reactions comment on how they performed the routine so flawlessly. It was because they did it so many times they had it down pat! Never gets old! 😀😃😆
One of the best comedy skits! This is what you call good clean comedy that has lasted for decades. That was real talent! What a difference compared to the garbage that gets passed off today as comedy full of swearing & dirty jokes.
Abbott & Costello started out doing skits on stage in the 1930's. In the late 30's they started to appear on radio. In 1940 they made their first film appearance in the movie One Night in the Tropics. Their second film, Buck Privates, was a big success and they continued to make films throughout the 40's and 50's. In 1951 they started The Abbott & Costello Show on TV, what you watched is from that show. If you want to see more of their routines check out $35 to $1 (from their first film). Here are some good clips from their TV show. Abbott & Costello Courtroom scene. Mr. Fields Employment Agency. Jonah and the Whale.
Hey Justin D great reaction and great how you got the gist of the joke early on because I've watched other reactors who sometimes never get it at all. But yeah, I can see how you'd get lost just watching it for the first time. I've watched this bit a hundred times and I'm still laughing.
Nothing better than the difference between: Who's on first. And Who's on first? The craftsmanship and timing they display in this skit is what makes it so great!! That is a fast paced, loooong drawn out skit. To do that with no mistakes, and perfect timing is incredible!!! It is so good, it is considered the best comedy routine AND has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. There is no better!!!!
They did radio and later made movies. Check out them doing 7 times 13 equals 28. It's funny too. They had movies Abbott and Costello Meet the Wolfman. Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.. Abbott and Costello Meet Dracula. They were hilarious.
One of the great comedy scenes. Ranks up along with "The Chalice From The Palace", Danny Kaye from "The Court Jester" and "The Sanity Clause" , The Marx Brothers from I think "A Night At The Opera"
Vaudeville. They did Vaudeville. That's the word you're looking for. They probably did some raido too but live in front of an audience was what they did. Kind of like the stand up comic's tours of today but bigger, different kinds of 'improv', magic, puppets, singing and dance.
This is just super simple wordplay. It plays on the word Who or hoo. It’s classic comedy gold. A lot of names are spelled differently yet sound the same hence the confusion.
They did this completely improve. Every performance was a little bit different because of that. So every performance of this bit was unique. This is the most famous version though.
My 8th grade history teacher showed this to us before class end one time. And… i don’t know what happened, but the class was dead silent and i was cracking up nearly to tears😂😂😂. I guess i should have asked someone else why no one else was laughing, but my best guess is, since i was an immigrant, this was my very first time seeing the skit and it’s hilarious, while the rest of the class must have seen it a million times.
@4:13 and @6:36 when there is an apparent break in the back and forth, Lou didn't ask the appropriate line, but, Bud Abbott keeps it smooth to get Lou back where he needed to be.
I recently watch about 90% of their Universal movies dated form early 40's to late 50's. All are worth watching with ratings from C+ to A+. One of my favorites is "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man." 1951 It's got a hilarious Boxing segment. It's an A+.
During the 2007 baseball season, the Los Angeles Dodgers added an infielder named Chin-Lung Hu. After Hu singled in his third at-bat in a game on September 23, Dodgers announcer Vin Scully said, "Shades of Abbott and Costello, I can finally say, 'Hu is on first base.'"
The names: 1. Mr. Hu is on 1st base 2. Mr. Watt is on 2nd base 3. I. Donnaugh is on 3rd base 4. Mr Tumara is pitching I think, after that, they just tried to cram as many weird names in as possible, since the premise of using weird names had already been established with the audience/listener.
You were asking about radio stuff. Well, they also appeared in Classic monster movies including Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) Abbot and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951 Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955). These were Black and White movies
That was just one version of who is on first also each one is different the trick is knowing where each player is , Many people think that one is the very best routine ever.
They did this routine a thousand times live on the Burlesque stage and in movies and on radio long before this was filmed for TV. They knew this routine forwards, backwards & sideways. As funny as Costello's reactions are, watch Bud Abbott who was was often called the funniest straightman there was. Between live performances, radio & movies, they were the highest paid entertainers during WWII.
good times. back when people just wanted to get along. Now the media make more money through advertising if we DON"T get along. thats some bullshit right there.
Its still a joke us " old folks" use when things are all a hot mess and confusing. You just say this is a case of Who's on first, What"s on second, and " I Don't Know's on third.
One of the leaders of China had the name Hu. George W Bush asked what his name was abd got the reply ‘Hu’ . Bush then said ‘no, whats his name? True story.
In terms of remembering the bit, it’s simply a matter of memorizing the players’ names, and to feed the miscommunication. That way, the bit changes slightly between performances and there’s less to memorize. You just do the bit.
Really LOVE THE REACTION!!! Maybe check out NEIL PEART Buddy Rich HONOR????? Surprises awaits!! :) ♥AND, or... Victor Wooten bass music????????? :) “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” ~ Romans 15:13
Glad you enjoyed this, however… This version, from the duo’s 1950’s TV series, is full of literal errors, & all from Lou (Costello)! Bud does an amazing job of trying to keep up with his partner’s mistakes, & is constantly trying to get/keep him on track. If you want to see the bit done perfectly to script, then I suggest you watch the version from A&C’s flick, “The Naughty Nineties”! (Here’s a link.) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sYOUFGfK4bU.htmlsi=EAfo-tQBV_0C8sjJ Compare the two, & you will see the several occasions where Lou went wrong. Also… I suggest that you watch the entire flick, along with all of their funny flicks, sometime. Thanks, & enjoy! 😁
