Philosophy
Friends,
This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Bud. Born Louis Francis Cristillo, he grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, a tough town where he was a well known basketball player and an amateur boxer before becoming turning to show biz.
He got a few jobs in Hollywood as a stunt double and an extra, but his career didn't take off and trying to get back home, he ran out of money. Stuck in the midwest, he became a burlesque comic, adopting the stage name Costello after a popular actress of the times. It was working the circuit that he met straightman Bud Abbott and they worked together on and off until 1936 when they became an official team.
Their big break came in 1938 when they played the Kate Smith Hour, a major radio program where they performed possibly the best known skit in the history of comedy, "Who's on First." It cemented their place in comedy history and they went on to become two of the biggest names in radio and film.
Sunday mornings growing up always meant Abbott and Costello movies on the tv, something that cable has sadly displaced.
Happy Birthday, Lou Costello.
Live, love, and laugh,
Irreverend Steve
- The Feast Of Saint Martin
My Fellow Comedists, This weekend, we celebrate the feast of Saint Martin. Martin Lawrence turns 45 today. There is a long tradition of African-American stand-up comics who were major players in every generation, from Moms Mabley to Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory...
- Feat Of Saint Sid
My Fellow Comedists, This week brings us the feast of Saint Sid. Sid Caesar turns 88. His Your Show of Shows took comedy from Vaudeville into the suburban world of grey suited middle managers of the 1950s. He could do the slapstick, he could do the highbrow...
- The Feast Of Saint Miltie
My Fellow Comedists, This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Miltie on what would have been Milton Berle's 101st birthday. He had one of the longest and most influential careers in 20th century comedy. Beginning as a child actor in silent films,...
- Feast Of Saint Tommy
My Fellow Comedists, This week saw the feast day of Saint Tommy. Tommy Chong turned 71. Actually, I'm not sure if it was a feast day or if I just really has serious munchies, man. Born to a Chinese father and a Scotch-Irish mother in Canada, he received...
- The Feast Of Saint David
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere, This week we celebrated the feast day of Saint David. David Brenner is 73 years old. The son of a vaudeville performer, growing up in the tough parts of Philly, he became a pivotal figure in stand-up....
Philosophy
The Feast of Saint Lou
Friends,
This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Bud. Born Louis Francis Cristillo, he grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, a tough town where he was a well known basketball player and an amateur boxer before becoming turning to show biz.
He got a few jobs in Hollywood as a stunt double and an extra, but his career didn't take off and trying to get back home, he ran out of money. Stuck in the midwest, he became a burlesque comic, adopting the stage name Costello after a popular actress of the times. It was working the circuit that he met straightman Bud Abbott and they worked together on and off until 1936 when they became an official team.
Their big break came in 1938 when they played the Kate Smith Hour, a major radio program where they performed possibly the best known skit in the history of comedy, "Who's on First." It cemented their place in comedy history and they went on to become two of the biggest names in radio and film.
Sunday mornings growing up always meant Abbott and Costello movies on the tv, something that cable has sadly displaced.
Happy Birthday, Lou Costello.
Live, love, and laugh,
Irreverend Steve
- The Feast Of Saint Martin
My Fellow Comedists, This weekend, we celebrate the feast of Saint Martin. Martin Lawrence turns 45 today. There is a long tradition of African-American stand-up comics who were major players in every generation, from Moms Mabley to Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory...
- Feat Of Saint Sid
My Fellow Comedists, This week brings us the feast of Saint Sid. Sid Caesar turns 88. His Your Show of Shows took comedy from Vaudeville into the suburban world of grey suited middle managers of the 1950s. He could do the slapstick, he could do the highbrow...
- The Feast Of Saint Miltie
My Fellow Comedists, This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Miltie on what would have been Milton Berle's 101st birthday. He had one of the longest and most influential careers in 20th century comedy. Beginning as a child actor in silent films,...
- Feast Of Saint Tommy
My Fellow Comedists, This week saw the feast day of Saint Tommy. Tommy Chong turned 71. Actually, I'm not sure if it was a feast day or if I just really has serious munchies, man. Born to a Chinese father and a Scotch-Irish mother in Canada, he received...
- The Feast Of Saint David
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere, This week we celebrated the feast day of Saint David. David Brenner is 73 years old. The son of a vaudeville performer, growing up in the tough parts of Philly, he became a pivotal figure in stand-up....