Posted on 02/26/2006 9:17:22 PM PST by Coleus
He was the funny little guy. The chubby one who did the pratfalls, was the butt of jokes, was always being conned and abused by his tall, skinny buddy.
That was the movies. In real life Lou Costello was nobody's fool.
The jokester to Bud Abbott's straight-man in dozens of Abbott & Costello movies, radio skits and television shows, Costello was known in real life as a generous, caring man who loved kids and never forgot his roots. Especially his hometown of Paterson, N.J.
Next weekend, Paterson will return the favor. It will throw a 100th birthday bash for the city's late, great favorite son. A public birthday party is planned Saturday afternoon, a wreath laying ceremony Sunday morning and a fundraiser dinner on Monday night.
Costello died at the age of 52 in 1959. News of his death took the smile off the nation's face for awhile. After all, Abbott & Costello had helped America laugh through the tough times, World War II, the Korean War and the early days of the Cold War. But the pain of his death was a little harsher in Paterson, where Costello was a patron saint.
"Lou Costello touched a lot of people. He was probably the most likable clown of the 20th century," said comedian "Uncle Floyd" Vivino, also a Paterson native. "He was really loved in Paterson. He premiered some of his movies at The Fabian theater. The red carpet would be rolled out in the city, and the big stars would come in. The city would come alive."
Costello's name still resonates in Paterson. People tell you how Costello helped create the city's Little League, backed its youth boxing program and raised money to rebuild a local church.
"He always kept Paterson in his heart,"
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
The following is the schedule of events:
Saturday: A birthday party will be held at 1 p.m. at John F. Kennedy High School, 61-127 Preakness Ave. Admission is free.
Includes a performance by Abbott & Costello impersonators Gil "Bud" Palmer and Lou Sciara; re-premiere of the 1948 Abbott & Costello short movie, "10,000 Kids and A Cop," which has been restored by the Fort Lee Film Commission;" appearances by Costello's daughter, Chris, veteran TV personality Joe Franklin and political dignitaries; and a birthday cake.
Next Sunday: Wreath laying at 10 a.m. at the Lou Costello monument, located at Ellison and Cianci streets. Boxing promoter Lou Duva and Chris Costello are among those expected to attend.
And a memorial Mass at St. Anthony of Padua's Roman Catholic Church, 138 Beech St., one block from Lou Costello's Place, also is currently being scheduled.
March 6: Fundraising dinner at 7 p.m. for the Lou Costello Paterson Youth Foundation. To be held at the Brownstone, 351 W. Broadway, Paterson. Comedian "Uncle Floyd" Vivino, boxing promoter Lou Duva and others will toast Lou Costello to raise funds for the city's youth. Reservations can be made on line at HappyBirthdayLou.com or by calling (973) 900-4069.
Information on all events also can be found at www.HappyBirthdayLou.com
One of my all time favorite comedy acts. Although he died long before I was born, his act cracked me up. My favorite comedy movie of all time was Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein....Abbot, Costello, Bela, and Boris....can't beat that combination.
I loved Bud Abbot and Lou Costello! Sometimes, I think it's too bad that we can't return to the simpler days. But, then, I think of all that has been invented since these movies were made, and I know that maybe the "good old days" wouldn't seem so good today--LOL!
Remember ABBOTT and COSTELLO Jokes? Hope you enjoy this one. In today's world, Bud ABBOTT and Lou COSTELLO's famous sketch "Who's on first?" might have turned out something like this....
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT . . . .ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks.I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer.I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows.I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer!I need something I can use to write proposals,track expenses and run my business. What have you got?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, lets just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?
ABBOTT: Yes, you want Real One.
COSTELLO: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!
ABBOTT: Real One.
COSTELLO: If it's a long movie I also want to see reel 2, 3 & 4. Can I watch them?
ABBOTT: Of course.
COSTELLO: Great! With what?
ABBOTT: Real One.
COSTELLO: OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?
ABBOTT: You click the blue "1".
COSTELLO: I click the blue one what?
ABBOTT: The blue "1".
COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue w?
ABBOTT: The blue "1" is Real One and the blue "W" is Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: But there's three words in "office for windows"!
ABBOTT: No, just one. But it's the most popular Word in the world.
COSTELLO: It is?
ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there.
COSTELLO: And that word is real one?
ABBOTT: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even part of Office.
COSTELLO: STOP! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
A FEW DAYS LATER . .
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on "START"..........
oh man i love them! i had to love Lou, my grandfather was built like him and acted like him. lol he used to do the phoney crying bit when i 'hurt his feelings'. lol
OMG mine too. It was so funny...
That must have been a hoot. My daughters think I'm crazy for laughing so hard that tears are rolling down my cheeks. I keep telling them that what passes for humor today is nothing compared to the true humor of the Abbott and Costello generation....clean humor without the need to drop "F" bombs.
Oh how I long for those days again.....lol
Nothing better than Lou sitting there reading the description of Dracula and the coffin opening up....cry every time I see it. Brilliant movie.
wouldn't it be great if comedy like that could return? the closest you get now is a Disney movie. lol
by the way, my silly grandpa was from Missouri. lol
He forgot to mention it's a socialist hellhole that is utterly hostile towards the Second Amendment and is in the process of totally disarming honest subjects.
Our Gang, Andy and Barney, Abbot and Costella.......'Those were the days' of humor w/out vulgarity.
I liked Lou, but I was a Curly fan at heart. A lot of people don't realize how good some of those comedians were, but in the Who's on First skit, for example, their timing is perfect. I saw a movie about their lives, with Harvey Korman and Buddy Hackett playing the leads. Those two were excellent comedians, but when they did the Who's on First skit, the timing was a little off. When Abott and Costello do it, there's just enough of a pause that Lou appears to be thinking about it, and the audience has enough time to pick up on the double meaning. Lou jumps in with his comment quickly enough that it doesn't drag, though.
bttt
I hate to be Mr. Negative, but will all of his kindness and generosity of this great man be remembered by a city best known (lately) for its (growing) "peaceful" population cheering the fall of the towers on 9/11/01 from their rooftops?
Remember Lassie, The Wonderful World of Disney, Perry Mason, The Donna Reed Show, Leave it to Beaver. I always wanted thought Donna Reed had the perfect family.
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