Here’s another classic comedy bit, in answer to emailed reader requests for more of them. This is THE classic Abbott & Costello bit “Who’s on First.” There are many versions of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello doing this bit (which was entered into the Baseball Hall of Fame) — but this one is perhaps the best version on film.
Here’s what I wrote about it on a ventriloquist’s email list:
If you’ve been to a (ventriloquists’) convention then you’ve most definitely seen someone get up and try to do Abbott & Costello’s Who’s On First. And you realize something: it was less the writing that made this routine fly; it was the TIMING and the way that each of these two guy stayed in character. I’ve been on variety show bills with people who tried to do this routine…and it also usually falls flat.
NOW if you want to STUDY this routine and the way it’s done, go to the link (ABOVE) I contend vents watch and study too many vents and not enough comedians and comedy teams. And note:
–Costello’s endearing stage presence.
–The overall timing flow.
–Abbott’s total seriousness. No ironic winking at the audience here. He does it seriously.
–Notice the part towards the end where Costello almost breaks up. I have read tons on the team, and they seldom did it the same way and reportedly messed it up a lot but got back on track. YOu can see this here.
This is a GEM.
This link is from You Tube and it shows an excerpt from a Colgate Comedy Hour show (I have this dvd; you can go to Amazon (CLICK HERE) and still buy these but I would advise you to do it soon since these things go in cycles). This was done in the early 1950s (before my time) when NBC mounted a big budget TV show to compete against the low budget but popular CBS Ed Sullivan Show. It was done in front of a live audience.
You can also buy the WONDERFUL Abbott and Costello TV situation comedy show (2 seasons; it’s the one that inspired Seinfeld) on Amazon or from the Abbott and Costello Collectibles website (run by his daughter). That show was shot at the old Hal Roach Studio (where Laurel & Hardy and the Little Rascals did their best work) with laughter added later. And you can see the same routine in some of their early movies.
I think this is one of their best performances of it, since it’ s done in front of a live group. Vents have a LOT to learn from A&C — but not in trying to copy “Who’s on First” as a routine, just the “feel” of the chemistry between the two.
If you’re a younger reader who has never seen this routine make sure you watch it. It is truly a classic comedy bit.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.