The Annotated Abbott and Costello: A Complete Viewer's Guide to the Comedy Team and Their 38 Films

by Matthew Coniam, Nick Santa Maria

Overview

Abbott and Costello were the most popular comedians of the 1940s, with burlesque-inspired routines that enthralled audiences on both radio and television. Oddly, their films have not received the same level of attention from critics and writers as those of other comedy teams.

This book is a scene-by-scene, film-by-film guide to their movies, making a compelling case for their inclusion at the very top of comic artists. Featuring new research and some surprising revelations, the book introduces newcomers to the delights of this uproarious team and provides confirmed fans with the ultimate companion to their work. Also included is a foreword by John Landis, the celebrated director and Abbott and Costello devotee.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476682440
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	01/02/2023
Pages:	490
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Matthew Coniam has authored or contributed to numerous books, magazines, journals and websites in Britain and America. He lives in Bath, England. Nick Santa Maria has appeared in every form of show business except ballet. A native New Yorker, he now lives on Hutchinson Island, Florida, where he teaches film history, and is proudly one half of the faux 1930's comedy team, Biffle and Shooster.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vi

Foreword John Landis 1

Introduction One: The Case for Abbott and Costello 3

Introduction Two: The Art of Abbott and Costello 17

1 One Night in the Tropics (1940) 25

2 Buck Privates (1941) 33

3 In the Navy (1941) 54

4 Hold That Ghost (1941) 62

5 Keep 'Em Flying (1941) 80

6 Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) 90

7 Rio Rita (1942) 97

8 Pardon My Sarong (1942) 106

9 Who Done It? (1942) 114

10 It Ain't Hay (1943) 129

11 Hit the Ice (1943) 139

12 In Society and A Wave, a WAC and a Marine (1944) 149

13 Lost in a Harem (1944) and Mail Call (1944) 168

14 Here Come the Co-Eds (1945) 178

15 The Naughty Nineties (1945) 190

16 Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945) 201

17 Little Giant (1946) 212

18 The Time of Their Lives (1946) 222

19 Buck Privates Come Home (1947) 234

20 The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947) 246

21 The Noose Hangs High (1948) 256

22 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) 265

23 Mexican Hayride (1948) 275

24 Africa Screams (1949) and 1,000 Kids and a Cop (1948) 283

25 Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer (1949) 296

26 Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) 305

27 Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) 316

28 Comin' Round the Mountain (1951) 327

29 Jack and the Beanstalk (1952) 336

30 Lost in Alaska (1952) 345

31 Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) 354

32 Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) 361

33 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) and Fireman Save My Child (1954) 369

34 Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955) 383

35 Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) 389

36 Dance with Me, Henry (1956) 402

37 The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959) 410

38 The World of Abbott and Costello (1965) 417

Appendix I Lou and Me 425

Appendix II The Trials and Tribulations of Tinybud 431

Appendix III The Ultimate Abbott and Costello Top Ten 436

Chapter Notes 457

Bibliography 473

Index 475

Editorial Reviews

Abbott and Costello are often considered afterthoughts of comedy history, but Coniam and Santa Maria believe the duo possessed an authenticity of character that their peers lacked. To that point, they’ve crafted a film-by-film guide to a career that can be divided into two periods: the 1940s war era of Buck Privates, and the monster era, encapsulated by Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein....Coniam is clearly a fan...excellent writing, perceptive commentary...cover[s] every film, and there’s much to recommend”—Library Journal

From the Publisher

01/01/2023

Abbott and Costello are often considered afterthoughts of comedy history, but Coniam (The Annotated Marx Brothers) and Santa Maria believe the duo possessed an authenticity of character that their peers lacked. To that point, they've crafted a film-by-film guide to a career that can be divided into two periods: the 1940s war era of Buck Privates, and the monster era, encapsulated by Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Their films were typically vehicles for established routines, preserving classic sketches like "Who's On First" on celluloid. While Costello admitted their humor could be corny, it was also beloved by the public. Each chapter provides a film commentary with plot breakdown and time references to key routines. The authors evenly divide the chapters, which is unfortunately the book's downfall. Coniam is clearly a fan, and his excellent writing, perceptive commentary, and contextual references are lessened by the often flippant comments of his coauthor. Santa Maria employs sophomoric jokes, critiques too subjectively, and his chapters are far less engaging. It does cover every film, and there's much to recommend. But it would have been vastly superior had it only been written by Coniam. VERDICT A useful and valiant effort that sadly falls short.—Peter Thornell

Library Journal