Lou Costello
Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), better known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known for his double act with straight man Bud Abbott and their routine "Who's on First?". Abbott and Costello, who teamed in burlesque in 1936, were among the most popular and highest-paid entertainers in the world during World War II. During a national tour in 1942, they sold $85 million in war bonds in 35 days. By 1955, their popularity waned from overexposure, and their film and television contracts lapsed. Their partnership ended in 1957. |
Birth and Death Data: Born March 6, 1906 (Paterson), Died March 3, 1959 (Los Angeles)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1952
Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | PBS-061962 | 10-in. | 12/8/1941 | Laugh, laugh, laugh | Bud Abbott ; Lou Bring ; Lou Costello ; Sportsmen Quartet | Comic dialogue and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | speaker, songwriter | |
| Victor | PBS-061963 | 10-in. | 12/8/1941 | Laugh, laugh, laugh | Bud Abbott ; Lou Bring ; Lou Costello ; Sportsmen Quartet | Comic dialogue and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | speaker, songwriter | |
| Decca | DLA 2358 | 10-in. | 1/6/1941 | (Special test) | Bud Abbott ; Lou Costello | speaker | ||
| Decca | L 6693 | 3/27/1952 | Jack and the beanstalk, part 1 | Bud Abbott ; Lou Costello | speaker | |||
| Decca | L 6694 | 3/27/1952 | Jack and the beanstalk, part 2 | Bud Abbott ; Lou Costello | speaker |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Costello, Lou," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101938.
Costello, Lou. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101938.
"Costello, Lou." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Costello, Lou - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50018158
Wikidata: Lou Costello - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q23884
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/51951204
MusicBrainz: Lou Costello - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/505e9b26-b150-4884-bc99-54216a56e4ea
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