Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein: 10 Things You Don't Need to Know

Join me as I pry open the lid on one of the first and most successful genre mashup movies of the classic era... the 1948 comedy-horror classic, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

[@WakandaBabe]

Worth mentioning is that in 2001, the Library of Congress deemed this movie "culturally, historically and aesthetically significant" and it is now preserved in the National Film Registry.

[@trekkiedave7910]

Good! It should be! This film is on my personal top 10 list - I just love this movie - it’s timeless!! I still remember seeing this film for the first time as a small child on tv and being very scared by it - I have a similar memory of the Wizard Of OZ and Planet Of The Apes - all timeless films!

[@brucefritzges8759]

Hear! Hear!

[@anthonybowers3807]

1qqq1

[@onlythewise1]

until white haters vote it out

[@WakandaBabe]

@@trekkiedave7910 Very true. I can still remember which parts made me scared!

[@tomtransport]

I was about 6 years or so old and my older Brother (16) took me to the neighborhood movie house to see A & C meet Frankenstein. About 1948/9. I never forgot it. Of course he could not stay to see it because I was hiding on the movie floor behind the seat in front of me crying from fright. My brother is long passed away but I have that memory of us so long and young ago.

[@ramonmontes8085]

THG: love this story thank you, for Sharing it with us! This is one of my all time favorites. Stories like yours makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Your brother must have had a great time with your fear.😊 bless his heart and yours Thanks again

[@susanb2015]

@@ramonmontes8085 Ass.

[@susanb2015]

@@ramonmontes8085 Jackass.

[@kimcarothers2203]

It's 1948 not /9 with it

[@tomtransport]

@@kimcarothers2203 My intention was to be accurate as possible. We know the movie was released in June of 1948. You'll notice I said "neighborhood" movie house. This was Philadelphia, back then, movies played "downtown" at high priced, first run theaters. Then uptown first run theaters. By the time it got to "my" neighborhood theater it "may" well still have been 1948 or "early" 1949 and "may" have been the second time round of showing. So to be "accurate" I said it was 'ABOUT" 1948/9 that my older "brother took me" to see it.

[@Bigbuddyandblue]

I’d watch this as a kid every time it would play on “Chiller”. Brings back fond memories

[@MexicoDigDoctor]

Mike Roberti Me too! I didn’t know if Chiller was a nationwide show. I was raised in LA originally, and I was totally addicted to it!

[@richardranke7878]

When I was twelve in 1966 I made a point to stay up late one Friday night to see Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. I have since seen it many times. I did recognize the Moving Candle routine even then. In all of their movies, Bud and Lou worked in one of their old burlesque routines.:-)

[@anjkovo2138]

I can't begin to tell you how many times i have seen this great movie. I LOVE IT

[@virginia7191]

My favorite Abbott and Costello movie! No matter how many times I see it, I still crack up when Lou is sitting on Frankenstein’s lap!

[@johnrobinsoniii4028]

“…sitting on Frankenstein’s MONSTER’S lap.”

[@PaulDA2000]

@@johnrobinsoniii4028 actually it’s fine to call him Frankenstein over the years that’s become what most people call the monster anyway. If you notice the movie is not called Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein’s monster.

[@derekllewellyn6663]

WB studio's haunted house in universal studios hollywood movies on the best part of 1948 Abbott and Costello meet

[@justafan6535]

One of their best movies ever in my mind.

[@christopherlordon7457]

Of ALL the films I saw as a kid; I think "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" was the one I saw (and enjoyed) the most. These two funny men were on every Sunday morning at 11:30 for years. Though I loved all of their movies; well most of them, this one was my favorite. Thank you for the video😄👍👍.

[@derekllewellyn6663]

😢😮 it's looks like scary 😨😟😢😮 it's looks like new 🆕 picture awards TCM hollywood netflix original series finale season start show episode 3d of view of the day in movie

[@OneMiketoLive]

A childhood favorite of mine. Gotta love anything with the master, Lon Chaney in it.

[@kevinburland7103]

Lou Costello actually calls Abbott by his real name in the scene with the stairs and the swinging door. Can’t believe nobody ever noticed it .

[@kimcarothers2203]

I did

[@inkey2]

i did too

[@BeverlyLedbetter-cb1971]

I was sorry when Lenore Ulrich was killed. She was a nice looking woman; her career should have gone further because she could also act!😞

[@derekllewellyn6663]

It's looks like concert with News TV show documentary about biography history channel interview review of view of universal studios hollywood movies on Netflix about how many times we have a lot more information about it before

[@ohmythatsweird]

The Invisible mans voice is none other than Vincent Price.

[@Tazzman225]

Adrian Angel---I wonder how much he got paid for doing that one liner?

[@ontologicallysteve7765]

@@Tazzman225 Probably not much. Universal Pictures were chronic cheapskates. They paid Glenn Strange $500.00 for House of Frankenstein. They tried to get away with only paying Lugosi a few hundred dollars per film as well. However, considering Vincent Price was already an established actor (by the time he offered his voice for the Invisible Man), I could see Universal paying him the same amount they paid Strange and Lugosi (for a few sec of dialogue and *zero* screen time).

[@CassandrashadowcassMorrison]

@@ontologicallysteve7765 Remember Price played the character in THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS (1940) which is 8 years before this piece of cheese got churned out. (Did you all catch Count Dracula's reflection in the mirror when he bites Dr. Mornay (Lenore Aubert)?

[@tfranken1561]

Cassandra Morrison I saw him in that. Well actually I didn't "see" him.

[@BumMcFluff]

@@CassandrashadowcassMorrison Did we all catch the thing that was specifically pointed out in the video? Why yes, yes we did.

[@samanthab1923]

I loved this movie as a kid & it still holds up. The Monsters are all straight men & scary as hell. The scene of Frankenstein coming thru the flames to get them still gives me the willies.

[@angelajones8208]

Love these guys ev ed ryonevone of them. RIP Guys you will never be forgotten.🌺🌺🌺🌺

[@gregroeper2976]

Definitely one of my favs, a true classic. I've loved it since I was a kid. Was watching it last night and the gags never get old.

[@dantoothpick]

Even as a 2008 kid, this movie and abott and Costello meet the killer are some of my favourite movies ever

[@randysmith7045]

this is one of the best comedies ever.

[@floridagator1765]

When I was a kid in nj channel 11 wpix would show Abbott & Costello movies sunday mornings. They were some of my favorites.☺

[@Paradiselost69]

The greatest comedy horror of all time, with a star cast laying the monsters.

[@Lastmanstandin64]

Tonight the moon will be full and I'll turn into a wolf........ You and 20 million other guys!!!!

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

roflmao!!

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Lastmanstandin64 Every time this movie is shown, I wait for that line .. I LOVE IT ! Funniest line in the movie.

[@frankt285]

I still watch it from time to time.. Cracks me up always.... Great job on this...

[@geoffreydevore9503]

One of my favorite movies!!

[@Zeldarw104]

This was our favorite film for Halloween when I was a kid! Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein. 🙂 💖

[@News2morrow]

Good review. One additional flub you could have mentioned was when Abbott & Costello are down in the dungeon and Costello is trying to tell Abbott that he saw the monsters behind the secret revolving door. It's at the point when Costello is impersonating the monsters he saw, and when they both move to the revolving door, Costello says, "I wanna tell ya Abbott."

[@NGMonocrom]

Fun Fact: The weird looking hatchet/prybar/hammer that Abbot uses in the scene when they first get ready to pry open the crates.... That weird looking tool is still made today! Sold under a variety of names, The All Purpose Box Hatchet is the most common one.

[@OverlandOne]

I was just a kid when this movie came out on TV in the 60's and it scared the crap out of me.

[@richardeast3328]

The score for the movie was fantastic as well.

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

Thank you for this dose of knowledge. To me, they were BEYOND Great.

[@richardthomas754]

Love All the universal monster movies. Never thought they were scary to me. Still. Love them. Own most of them.

[@luisreyes1963]

To me, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is their funniest movie ever made.

[@robertmcpherson1617]

I love this film but my favorite is still Hold That Ghost.

[@gskchicago]

I always loved this movie. Greatest one ever.

[@mrsmonster7020]

One on my list of movies I actively searched for as a kid in the weekly TV Guide as soon as it came in the mail.

[@lorraineschultz2149]

I Love this movie. The Best!!!

[@speedracer1945]

This film scared me but made me laugh which for 5 ye as r old kid watching from behind the sofa . It took me a few more years to warch it on the sofa and this film became one of my favorite horror films since it had the Frankenstein monster and Dracula and the Wolfman and a cameo by the invisible man .

[@BabyBoomerChannel]

I’m a big A&C fan. Your video here was fun and well done. Thanks. BTW - it was Lon Chaney Jr.

[@AMillionMovies]

That’s right. I thought I called that out at the beginning, but if not, this was Lon Chaney, Jr.

[@TheETBubba]

@@AMillionMovies Well, they did tend to drop the "Jr." towards the end of his career (always irritated me).

[@nolanbowen8800]

This came to our little town when I was in 4th grade. The kids that saw it were laughing about so I asked mother to take my brother and I to it. That may be the most scared I've ever been. I had nightmares for a week. I enjoy it now. It's interesting how you change. I have enjoyed others comments.

[@erichowry9356]

I loved this movie! I was born in 1970 and I remember in the 70's the use to play Abbott and Costello movies every Sunday! When we came home from church dad and I would always watch!

[@robanybody3363]

I love this movie. I have the dvd.

[@jonathanolds813]

Walter Lantz also did the animation for the opening title sequence.

[@brucefritzges8759]

...and it's best animation that have ever done. They rose to the challenge!

[@rmadara]

Dracula's bat transformations have never been better

[@queenglamazona8789]

It's fascinating that they didn't have CGI back then, But they could Still use Animation to Create some of the Special Effects.

[@kevinbutler1955NYC]

Boris did those publicity photos for "A&C Meet Frankenstein"in the lobby of The Criterion movie theater on NYC's Times Sq. in June of 1948.

[@paulpowell4871]

I got to meet Walter Lantz in the 80's, He had a really giant Dutch Masters painting in his place and in the center in bright colors was Woody Woodpecker holding a bright red apple as if he took it from the basket in the Painting. the funny part is the Dutch masters are really stodgy and dark and the rest of the fruit was grey and brown and dirty yellow if you know the works. He was in the phone book and would answer if you called him, so different from to elitists of today

[@mothernature251]

I love a&c I remember when they were in a cartoon as mice trying to steal Cheese and the little chubby one would scream "BABBIT" lol

[@ejay1118]

mothernature251 I don't think they weren't thrilled with that as I don't believe it was them doing the voices, and you can be sure Warner Brothers certainly didn't pay them for likenesses!

[@melissacooper4282]

I don't remember seeing them as mice but I do remember seeing them as cats in A Tale Of Two Kitties where Tweety Bird first appeared.

[@mikegrossberg8624]

@@melissacooper4282 Two cartoons, one mice, one cats. Not sure which came first, though

[@queenglamazona8789]

There was also an Abbott and Costello Cartoon by Hanna Barbera.

[@JavierBonilla78]

I don't know why 4 guys thumbs downed this video, it's a good one.

[@kimcarothers2203]

Really?

[@nomobties]

I’m 23. I know allot more than featured here.

[@JavierBonilla78]

@@nomobties I didn't know this video was a showdown to know who has more knowledge about movie. If what you said is true When are we going to watch your video about the movie?

[@nomobties]

Javier Bonilla first off I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day. Second, no challenge intended. My statement is to say that more info could’ve been provided. The poster to his credit did ask for trivia contributions if he missed anything. I didn’t contribute. It’s like my doing the bulk of the work after the bare minimum of info has been provided.

[@JavierBonilla78]

@@nomobties If you say so, it really doesn't matter, enjoy your turkey dinner.

[@johnny6171]

Jeff great job - More please!

[@jameshutchins6077]

One of my favorite Abbott and Costello movies.

[@dancoughlan8001]

That was AWESOME Sir.....I grew up with those horror movies in the 60s. Made my Mother stay up with me on Friday nights because they only came on after 11pm and they scared the 💩 out of me. This one was the best. However you left out one important fact. The voice of the invisible man. It wasn't Claude Reins because he refused ,so they bought in ,the soon to be HORROR MASTER because of his laugh. Mr Vincent Price

[@miketufaro5915]

That was the film that made me love horror movies.

[@matthale8090]

That was awesome! Bang up job my friend

[@craigclarke3298]

Favorite Halloween 👻 Movie 🎥 Ever. Comedy & Fright. What more could you ask for????

[@RetroAllianceGaming]

Love this movie! One of my favs

[@RonRicho]

This is such a great short documentary on A&C Meet Frankenstein. Thank you very much.

[@melissacooper4482]

I was first introduced to Abbott and Costello when I watched a Looney Tunes short A Tale of Two Kitties. They were potrayed as black and white cats Babbitt and Catstello. I know in later cartoons they were potrayed as mice but I liked them as cats better!

[@1950Grendel]

We're used to hearing Karloff speak as the Monster- it was funny to hear Montanan Glenn Strange say "Ah cain't help it" in the goof clip.

[@queenglamazona8789]

Glenn Strange also played a Bartender on Gunsmoke. He also played one the Lone Ranger's Arch Enemies Butch Cavendish on that Series.

[@russk1971]

I love all of the Abbott and Costello movies. You forgot the end scene in the row boat. The invisible man was voiced by Vincent Price

[@viktoriaironpride4977]

There's no mistaking that voice.

[@DeedeeSch1]

Awesome, you are great!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@souperstar7050]

The only thing that would have made Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein even better is if the Mummy could have had a cameo in the film, like the Invisible Man did.

[@Macy1ify]

* Thanks Jeff - great job. Your love of movies really shines through :)

[@alpha-omega2362]

I like your camera work, the shaky camera actually makes you feel like part of the scene, and that bit with your finger coming into the frame, it made me feel like I had just entered another world...I am deadly serious........

[@howardgould3745]

Very insightful, great job putting this together!!

[@AMillionMovies]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it.

[@rockyrose6326]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH7Tc5iQn911fZY

[@G0K3001]

One, of three of my favorite childhood movies. Wizard of Oz Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein The Day The Earth Stood Still Thank you for the fun facts

[@thecarman3693]

You left out Forbidden Planet. ;-)

[@G0K3001]

@@thecarman3693 ....Yes, I did, Forbidden Planet- Also, of my current adult "best movies" "Signs" I'll see in the next 72 hours.

[@TheETBubba]

My choice for best A & C movie.

[@charleskuckel3173]

I DIDN'T know some of the trivia about the movie. I'm SURE SOME horror fans were appalled by the comedy of Abbot and Costello in the film BUT it worked. Simpler times and funny films indeed!

[@moviesgalore9947]

A true classic and the most entertaining movie of the 1940s it's brilliant in every way and the first time you watch it no matter your age you fall in love with it. I first saw it on TV when I was 7 or 8 my dad loved it and I always watched it whenever it aired then got it on VHS now you can find it on here and many other video sites.

[@ingriddubbel8468]

When I was a kid WPIX in New York showed Abbott and Costello movies every Sunday. I loved it. The two funniest comedy routines are Monty Python Parrot and Who's On First. The latter being funnier...although, lovely plumage.

[@JJerseyGirl]

You forgot the scene when Costello was yanking the tablecloth off the table the dishes, glasses, and candlesticks stayed on the table, Costello looks at the camera shrugs and runs. That was not supposed to happen everything was supposed to fall as a gag but Costello did it without even trying.

[@bryanmiller469]

A most excellent job and it made everyone laugh and scream and it would've been better if it had the Bride.

[@travorptrebor3358]

THAT WOULD OF BEEN INTERRESTING

[@annademo]

This was a great film. So much better than the dreck that is produced today. A&C were American comedy gems.

[@rochellecrump-mcnulty9675]

A classic yes, but it is an immortal classic 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@PamperedPetz]

Wow they are hilarious and you are correct about them using their jokes over and over but I love them anyway‼️ They work in every movie 🎥 ‼️👏🎉🥳🎊Nicely done❣️‼️

[@underdog1117]

What a great movie..so much fun.

[@thecarman3693]

Amazing, isn't it? In this film A&C meet the Monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man, and even the Invisible Man ... but never meet Frankenstein himself. How could that piece of trivia be omitted?

[@bartman898]

When the monster starts to laugh when Lou is sitting on his lap...it sure sounds like Lon Chaney Jr.

[@davebooshty299]

Walter Lanz I think did the Animated Intro too as well.

[@johnthomasjr.5421]

Me personally I liked the movie. Costello was a trip especially when he told Bud Abbott I saw what I saw what I saw. Bela Lugosi is always Dracula, Long Chaney Jr. always the wolfman and Glenn Strange played a good Frankste in.

[@queenglamazona8789]

He also played The Monster in House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula.

[@mariejohnson7292]

Lenore Aubert portrays Dr Mornay and she’s the first female scientist character in a film.

[@viktoriaironpride4977]

She was also quite a dish. And did anybody notice that her reaction to being necked by the Count was pretty erotic?

[@marieruiz5696]

This is such a classic movie!!!!

[@tonylemanski2379]

I grew up watching & playing at Birthdays by having the movie playing turning out the room lights & chasing each other pretending we were the characters 🤩😮👌

[@MrGpschmidt]

I knew all of these already but still fun to know

[@CassandrashadowcassMorrison]

Bela Lugosi began playing Dracula o the Broadway Stage and toured America several times in revivals of the play. And in England at least once (which didn't turn out well and he had to make MY SON, THE VAMPIRE over there with Arthur Lucan as Old Mother Riley in order to earn enough money to get back to America.

[@loncaselton]

Of course, Glenn Strange went on to play Sam in the long running Gunsmoke..

[@kimcarothers2203]

Well duh

[@viktoriaironpride4977]

I always thought Sam the bartender with a shotgun was even more scary than the Monster.

[@spectrumlocalb191]

GOOD JOB JEFF

[@mikereseigh]

I really enjoyed that. Thanks

[@frankdietz9517]

One common misconception: Walter Lantz did not do the animation for this movie. Lantz was not at Universal when the movie was made. He was working at United Artists by then. Animation historians have maintained that Dave Fleischer was the animator responsible for the opening credits and the animated bat transformations. Starting in 1945, Fleischer was at Universal for twenty years, doing animated title sequences, shorts, trailers, etc.

[@queenglamazona8789]

The same Animator who did the Superman Cartoons.

[@frankdietz9517]

@@queenglamazona8789 His brother, Richard, did the Superman shorts.

[@queenglamazona8789]

A lot of talented Animators in that family. I remember they also did the Popeye and Betty Boop Cartoons.

[@onlythewise1]

one of the best scary comedy ever

[@queenglamazona8789]

Lon Chaney played the Wolfman again in a Mexican film called La Casa Del Terror(which Translates to The House of Terror). He also appeared as the Wolfman in an episode of the Series Route 66 entitled Lizard's Leg, Owlet's Wing, Which also featured Boris Karloff reprising his role as The Monster.

[@tomkoziol9588]

Classic film

[@kevinmiller1985]

The role of the Frankenstein monster could have been played by Fred Gwynne, pre Herman Munster. Glenn Strange, who was the monster, later played Sam the Bartender on Gunsmoke. He also portrayed Butch Cavendish, the man who shot the Lone Ranger from ambush in the pilot episode of the series.

[@bobbywimsy6741]

Kevin Miller why not Trump in about 5 years, as Trumpenstein in Alcatraz?

[@kevinmiller1985]

@@bobbywimsy6741 Lol. Only problem is, Alcatraz no longer exists.

[@Theywaswrong]

@@bobbywimsy6741 Biden instead of Costello. All that falling down, tripping going UP stairs would work very well.

[@Theywaswrong]

@@kevinmiller1985 Biden as his cell mate?

[@SG-1-GRC]

I think in England this was called Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Werewolf and Dracula. I remember it being the first A&C movie I liked. I confess apart from Who's on First, I didn't always like their humour. There was also a Laurel & Hardy movie with monsters in it that I watched as a child, I think all the characters were from fairy tales or nursery rhymes.

[@brucefritzges8759]

That may have been "The March of the Wooden Soldiers.

[@robbarbieri8676]

Released as "Babes in Toyland", the name of the operetta it was based on. The title was changed for TV showings because of conflicts with the Disney version which came out in '59, I believe. In books about L and H, it's still listed by it's original title. Both of these films were favorites of mine as a kid, and I still love them today.

[@bighuge1060]

In the 1970s and early 80s, this movie was part of WPIX's (NY) Thanksgiving television line up. That and March of the Wooden Soldiers. Channel 9 (WOR) had a line up of King Kong, Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young.

[@danmonges1539]

Nothing says Thanksgiving like giant ape movies! We used to alternate holidays between our house and my aunt and uncle's house. The years Thanksgiving was at our house we always had King King, Son of Kong, and Mighty Joe Young on. drove my cousins crazy! LOL

[@joedean8017]

Awesome music

[@earlenem5745]

Abbott and Lou Costello R2 of the most funniest people I've ever watched and that movie Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein werewolf and Dracula that is the best movie ever love it LOL

[@TMEVANS-dl6zn]

I believe this was the same Glenn Strange that played Sam the bartender in Gunsmoke. Is that right?

[@AMillionMovies]

Yes, same actor.

[@thebasementfilmgroup]

I am related to Boris Karloff (on my mothers side)

[@bobbywimsy6741]

thebasementfilmgroup Any relation to Dr.Hugo Hollingshead?

[@tfranken1561]

5:11 makeup artist has hairier arm than wolfman

[@paulcoy9060]

Universal also fired Jack Pierce, not just got Westmore to do the job.

[@jonny9884]

Sadly.

[@pwareham61]

That was a real shame, as far as I'm concerned, without Jack Pierce, there would have been no Westmores. He was a genius.

[@colinwestwood921]

Still got the film. Very funny. .🙌

[@danielzemiller8512]

Hold that ghost! My favorite

[@johnmcgrew7128]

GREAT!!! :)

[@loncaselton]

Great video of one of the greatest Horror satires of all time..my observation, few in any, seem to get...You try..what is wrong in the opening credits???

[@TonyHampton-qf9cl]

Abbott and Costello BLOOPS WERE INTENTED SPOOF Frankenstein walks into the fire - Dracula's reflection is in the mirror 'camera shot ' Wolfman's victum does not turn into a Werewolf. excellent movie Lugosi tour de force performance Reply

[@theking-nz1ut]

It was there best movie ever. Still just as funny today. Lou was a very hard man to work for. He was funny on screen but not off screen.

[@christopherstarr8050]

well, he got screwed alot , big time , by the studio and by Abbot to a lesser degree

[@thomash4578]

@@christopherstarr8050 how so? I always thought that it was Abbott got the worse deals

[@christopherstarr8050]

@@thomash4578 well , for the first years , Abbot got 60 percent to costello's 40 percent .

[@thomash4578]

@@christopherstarr8050 I understood that this was standard. The straight man gets first billing and a larger salary. Was the A&C deal different?

[@WakandaBabe]

@Thomas h, No, you are correct. People often think it's the funny guy who holds an act together but...no straight man to set up and react to the jokes? No 'funny.' There is a documentary on KZbin about A&C doing entertainment work for the government and how the government kinda screwed them over, which lead to a lot of financial troubles for the team. I can't recall the title but it's on here...if it hasn't been removed.