British Couple first time reaction to Who's on First - Abbott & Costello

[@mrman2062]

What is really amazing is that there was a baseball player by the name of HU(spoken as Who) that ended up on first after he walked. The announcer of the game said "after 50 years I can finally say HU is on first".

[@RustySax1949]

@MrMan - That announcer was the late Vin Scully of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

[@1CrazyEquestrian]

No…what’s on second base, not really amazing. Really is the coach.

[@Ranger1287j]

I remember Scully saying that. Nobody around me got the reference but me, which led to me showing everybody the routine on KZbin! Hilarious!

[@braddstamm9233]

The routine was done on radio first, TV was still being developed. They started on radio first, then transitioned to tv.

[@GeraldWalls]

The clip I saw had Hu getting a base hit.

[@maryjennings4913]

This skit has its own entry on Wikipedia!!! Abbott and Costello were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY because of this skit!!!

[@mrexists5400]

misconception, they are featured in the hall of fame, but not *inducted*

[@mil2k11]

There's a theater on the main strip and you can watch this. I purchased a few tee-shirts from the HOF during one of my earlier trips there. They had names on the back, and I bought the most obvious ones (Who, What & I Don't Know). Not sure if they still sell them. I was too young and didn't have the cash for a jersey from The Natural - which I wanted as well. Years ago, my grandfather told me he saw these guys in vaudeville or something like that. They actually messed up, but he said it was almost genius how they overcame it and got it right back on track. I kind of grew up with these guys and the 3 Stooges during bad weather saturdays as they were often on television when I was a kid - even though they were all either long retired or passed. This skit is a major part of Americana and if you just have the most basic understanding of baseball, it can carry for years. Great skit, lots of fun and I'd have no problem with a good comedian "modernizing" it a bit as a true homage.

[@BabsisHere]

@@mil2k11 totally agree!!! Definitely played a MAJOR part in comedy for me as well, and I was born in the very early 60’s! Thank you Bud and Lou! You were SUPERB!

[@TheRapnep]

@@mil2k11 Such great memories! 👍

[@jshea61]

Yes, there is a separate room at Cooperstown that just plays this over and over, its great!

[@glenberman873]

They originally performed it on radio in 1938. They were true comedic artists. And as a testament to how good they were…NO ONE has ever been able to replicate it in over 80 years.

[@mstover2809]

There IS a version that Jimmy Fallon did with several others. Interesting, but I DO like A&C better!

[@Babbleplay]

@@mstover2809 Slappy Squirrel paid homage to it in original Animaniacs, involving the band 'The Who'.

[@thebronywiking]

@@Babbleplay My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic also did an homage to it in season 5 episode 5 at 7:25.

[@toddevangelista]

On the Odd Couple TV show, Oscar was going to do the skit with Felix. They lost the contest because Felix insisted on using "Whom."

[@Quincy_Morris]

Veggie Tales also did a quick joke in reference to it in The Great Pie War iirc.

[@briankirchhoefer]

Abbott and Costello were very popular from the late 30s through the 50s. Bud Abbott was the slick con man, while Lou Costello was the chubby lovable dim wit. They made a bunch of movies together.

[@ericjanssen394]

And Abbott was always taking advantage of Costello--Like when he had to borrow money: "Here, got two tens for a five?" Costello would hand it over and..."Wait a minute!" "Okay, okay," Abbott would reply, "never mind, here's your five back."

[@creepyaxe]

Abbott was always the straight man to Lou. Abbott also got 60% of the money because of that fact

[@bluecollardave6370]

I've seen all their movies and I loved them all

[@laurabailey1054]

One of their best movies was “Time of their lives”

[@boki1693]

But the ironic thing I heard was, Abbot was a sweetheart and Costello was not very nice at all.

[@chasreg7241]

I'm 68 and I feel like I was born with "Who's on First?" baked into my DNA. Very cool to see someone experience it for the first time.

[@Serai3]

61 and I find it bizarre that anyone can be ignorant of this skit. Goes to show how the familiar seems universal, doesn't it?

[@charleediaven6278]

almost 76 here, funny as hell today and it cracks me up

[@lindaseel8633]

64 here and I grew up with this too.

[@akimmel6941]

I hear ya! Gotta check out, "Only Fools and Asses", now, aye? I do...lol.

[@akimmel6941]

Edit: It's, "Only Fools and Horses"...apparently...I think. 🤷

[@aclevername7613]

Most impressive to me is they did this live and never messed up. Can you imagine the hours spent just practicing this skit?

[@absalomdraconis]

As some other commenters have mentioned, there's a massive variety of recordings of them doing this, and no two are quite identical. As any good vaudeville performer would, they took the basic material, and they ad-libbed within it's context. It wasn't "just practiced", because doing that never would have produced this- instead, while you certainly need to know & understand the material, it's equally important to read the reactions of the audience, and adapt to what your partner is doing so that mistakes can be transformed into just another part of the show.

[@andrewrivera190]

That’s… not really true… they give the illusion there is no mistakes but I caught a mistake in one version they did but they play it off so well you wouldn’t realize it. That’s the art of improv is you keep it moving no matter what.

[@DamnedSilly]

@@andrewrivera190 So, exactly what he said. Even mistakes just got incorporated. This version has a couple slips but by then everyone listening knew the routine... it's like a Monty Python bit (This is an ex-parrot!) They were both sick to death of the bit after a few years but it paid the bills.

[@mattsnyderARTIST]

There are even mistakes in this take, whenever there is hesitation

[@neimanmario]

However there are a couple of mistakes in this version that they quickly corrected but Lou mentioned words he shouldn't before they were supposed to be said. Lou:"The outfielders name?" Bud: Why. Lou"Because I want to know" (He should have said only "because" so that Bud could say "he's in centerfield") Lou corrected quickly by adding only "Because". Also when he asked for the pitcher's name, Bud answers "Tomorrow" and Lou said "You don't want to tell me today?" which he shouldn't because that is the name of the catcher: Today. He stepped on that line. Still it's one of the best versions of the skit.

[@hockemeyer1]

This is the most famous comedy routine of all time and goes all the way back to 1937. This performance you showed, I think came from their television show that aired in the 1950s.

[@HRConsultant_Jeff]

I believe you are correct about the video in very later 40's or early 50's. They also performed this several times on their radio show in the 40's.

[@thomasmacdiarmid8251]

I hve read that it goes back much earlier than that on the vaudeville circuit, perhaps even late 1800s. But these guys honed it and made it their signature piece.

[@edwardmclaughlin8851]

@@thomasmacdiarmid8251 You read wrong. Please the 1800,lol.

[@HRConsultant_Jeff]

@@thomasmacdiarmid8251 Yes to Vaudeville and there were rumors that this routine was originated by another comedy team. However, Lou and Bud honed this into several routines over the years including the lesser known (It's formaldehyde- it'' for mel to hide). My mother met both of them when they were at the premier of one of their movies in San Diego during WW2. She was a guide at the theater and helped them back stage. She said they were both very nice, especially to the sailors in the crowd and she had autographed pictures of both.

[@stormysyndrome7043]

This act was actually taken from "Who's the Boss," as admitted by Abbot on a radio show in 1940. They worked to hone it in until they broke up in 1957. they just never really got along. 2 years later Costello died 3 days short of his 53rd birthday of a heart attack.

[@justpinkcandy]

"Who's on First" is pure comedy genius. This is why we're still watching and laughing 60+ years on.

[@kilroy2517]

80+ years

[@Deutschie]

Groucho Marx once referred to Bud Abbott as the best "straight man" in show business.

[@Bancheis]

It helps that they picked a timeless subject like baseball. If it was something like actors, politicians, VHS tapes, walkmans, AOL, and other dated subjects, eventually the subject would be too obscure for many to recognize.

[@kilroy2517]

@@Bancheis I think Abbott and Costello's skit about VHS tapes is hysterical. "Be kind, please rewind".

[@Bancheis]

@@kilroy2517 Had no idea they did one on VHS. Never seen it and cannot find it. Got a source?

[@Michelle-mf6ym]

This skit is nearly 100 years old and it still cracks me up every time.

[@Ellis_Hugh]

Sometime in the 80's on WNYC a local graduate student was being interviewed about this routine because it was the subject of his doctoral thesis. He had found almost 500 tapes, videos, and transcripts of the routine that ranged from eight minutes to just under an hour. Each and every version differed from all of the others. So essentially, they were improvising and reacting to each other and the audience for each show. They did this routine for almost 40 years.

[@jayt9608]

And yet many forms and jokes were nearly identical across so many of the versions. This one ended with the name of the short stop, but I have heard others where there were other jokes interspersed. I am not surprised at all of this. They were great comedians and their like is not currently seen on almost any stage or screen today. Instead everything is "R" rated for sexual content or bodily humor.

[@davidlafleche1142]

The best one was from "Naughty Nineties."

[@nicoleduke7883]

I have seen this sketch before multiple times and I never knew/realized that each sketch was different. The fact they were able to improvise and change this sketch every single time, over that many years, without stumbling or breaking character is mind blowing. It is a testament to their comedic genius. There is a reason they are so well known and the gold standard for comedy!

[@AllTradesGeorge]

In some ways, this is a throwback to medieval/Renaissance commedia del arte...there was no set script, there were very recognizable character archetypes, and while everyone involved knew where the story was going, since there wasn't a script, all the lines were essentially improvised to move the story to its next scene/gag/bit. After so many years of doing this, they knew where they were going at all times in the routine, it was just a question of whether they were taking the direct route or a scenic detour. That said, it takes an incredible amount of trust to just play along when the other guy throws a different twist into the mix. You've got to have faith that your partner is going to keep up with you, as well. I would have loved to see how they developed this...if it started out as a scripted bit that they just started to layer improvisations over, or if it was literally a case of saying, "Okay...we do this bit, segue to this bit, then get into this bit..." with nothing more than an outline to follow. But an insane amount of respect for them...they were, in their heyday, about as popular and well-known as you could be in America--decades-spanning careers that saw them at or near the top of the list on radio, television, and in cinema.

[@katehalleron4688]

@@AllTradesGeorge We don't see many comedy duos anymore (I think Stills and Meara may have been last famous ones), but the 'old days' had lots - A&C, Burns and Allen, Fibber McGee and Molly, etc - who honed their skills and timing in burlesque and vaudeville.

[@tonia.5861]

I nearly spit my drink out when Millie said “posh American” accent and you were unsure if it was even English😂😂🤣😂🤣 They have a New Jersey accent.

[@EricT3769]

I can understand Lou much better than Mr. Beesley. Accents are funny things.

[@DlcEnergy]

Yeah that was a little strange. lol I'm English and i can easily understand what they're saying, and that their accents are American. And wouldn't consider either particularly posh. One is simply talking slightly quick (not as quick as ben shapiro, quickest talker in the land), and the other has a wealthier attire. Which i think is why she has the impression of american poshness about him. It's the sort of charming show business character.

[@jasondecharleroy4161]

Lou even mentions he is from Paterson, such as in this sketch here--kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2OXnpmLo557fLc

[@TsterMr63]

Not posh, just old. Actors spoke much more formally in those days. Watch some other American movies from the 1930s-40s.

[@MichaelSHartman]

New England?

[@lefty3141591]

"13 X 7 is 28" is one of my favorite of their skits. "Two tens for a five" is also good. They came out of vaudeville went into radio and then TV and movies. One of the best comedy duos out there.

[@richardmckee5729]

Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein! A holloween must....

[@a1kid]

I suggested to our youngest daughter that she should do this routine at her elementary school talent show a few years ago. Nobody her age had ever heard of it. They were the hit of the show...

[@JohnBrooking4]

My school friend and I did it for talent shows in middle school and high school in the early 1980’s. We still sometimes get asked to reprise it at reunions. 😄

[@cindyniles379]

I did the same for my son and a friend. He had been skeptical , I think he was afraid people wouldn’t get it. Their audience was howling.

[@johnplunkett6864]

I did a version at a military dinner. Conveniently, the HQ staff sections are numbered G1,G2, G3. Got a good response.

[@johnbernstein7887]

Who was?

[@jayhache5609]

@@johnbernstein7887 What?

[@bob_._.]

This was their most famous and best-loved routine of all time; they'd probably been doing it for at least 25 years by the time this was filmed. It's an American classic and still pretty much required viewing, usually by age 10.

[@RTS907]

Classic American TV from the 40’s! My dad made sure we saw all the skits and movies from A & C in the late 60’s and early 70’s. We are glad you liked it.

[@nahnotsomuch2292]

This literally may be the best comedy skit ever recorded. It's cool to see a couple that were both born well after both Bud Abbott and Lou Costello have passed on, still enjoying this bit 80+ years after they did the original.

[@davidlafleche1142]

Another classic: Mel Blanc and Jack Benny doing "Si, Sue," etc.

[@davidgarrett6444]

Definitely a classic for all ages.

[@PeteSmoot]

They were so good at it because they performed this skit hundreds, maybe thousands of times. Apparently they could keep it going basically forever.

[@peterkerr4019]

Great! but my personal favorite is the Dead Parrot Sketch

[@stevenyoungkin7333]

@@davidlafleche1142, great call and I loved that sketch. It had the same style as "who's on first" and also played on rapid byplay between the pair. For me, Jack Benny was the single greatest comedian of all time. His delivery and timing was unrivaled (Bob Newhart is the only one who came close to matching him) and, unlike most comedians (especially today), Benny was smart and humble enough to not feel like HE had to get the punchline. In most of Benny's sketches, he was the straight man and allowed the other actor to get the laugh (in the "Si, Sue" sketch, Mel Blank is the one who gets the laughs that Benny sets him up for). Benny did this because he realized that, as long as the audience was laughing, it didn't matter WHO was the reason for it because that was still a successful sketch and the audience would praise him for it. It was a smart approach and one that I wish more comedians would learn from (once again, Newhart did in his series showing that he truly studied the Master).

[@robotusan]

There has never been a comedy skit that has ever come close to how amazing this one is. The timing is impeccable and it is comedy genius.

[@alanmurray5963]

This was performed in 1953. 70 years now🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Genius in timeless

[@johnkidwell3932]

I was driving in Modesto CA one afternoon when the local radio station played this skit. It wasn't too long before I had to pull to the side of the road to prevent myself from causing a car accident from laughing too hard. Once I was safely out of traffic, I saw through my tears of laughter that I was not the only one to pull over laughing uncontrollably1

[@TheSulross]

that's a great story - the world badly needs stories of mirth right now

[@jakefriesenjake]

@@TheSulross what? not just stories on War, covid and high gas prices?

[@scottspeer]

I'm from Modesto. What station was it?

[@johnkidwell3932]

@@scottspeer KO93, it was in the 80's

[@everettwhite3537]

The very first time that I encountered this was on a poster in the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown, NY. I was about 13-years-old (I am 63 now). I think this was the only piece in the museum about this routine at that time. I read it over and over and over, and truly even in print it was brilliant. Many years later (oh, about 30 or so), this was playing on a loop in a mini-theater in the Hall of Fame. I sat through at least 3 showings, much to the costernation of my then wife. Now, of course, we have youtube and I can watch it at will ( and different versions). So, this first experience (poster) is most likely why I chose Linguistics as my major and for my BA degree when I went back to school to study what I WANTED TO (finally at 39). It has had that much effect on me.

[@stevenbennett3805]

I have a friend that saw this about a hundred years ago and ever since whenever he and his wife would argue and it got to the point where he knew he was losing; he would throw up his arms and shout, "Third base!" It was about a year before he explained to his wife what it meant. As for Lou Costello's accent, that my dear is a New Jersey dialect. About as posh as a whelk stand.

[@jayt9608]

I believe that he was referring to Costello, but she was referring to Abbott.

[@Irisheddy]

@@jayt9608 Abbott was from NJ as well

[@0megacron]

Abbott has something in-between his actual accent & a Transatlantic accent. Lots of actors used it back then - it was a big fad from the 30s to 50s. When Abbott gets rushed, you can hear his actual accent coming out more.

[@Pocketfarmer1]

@@0megacron Mid-Atlantic

[@Music_Lover26]

@@Pocketfarmer1 Also known as "General American" used by radio and TV announcers, newscasters and many actors.

[@mayloo2137]

These two were probably the best comedy duo in American history. This routine never gets old.

[@paulmorphy6638]

I've been listening to this sketch for over 50 years now and I'm still crying laughing. There is no better skit than this one.

[@Rsharlan3]

I was just about to make this exact comment!

[@sportster16301]

Their "Loafing" skit is very funny too.

[@robertmacfarlane8176]

Yeah baby, same here...

[@raymondweaver8526]

And absolutely clean

[@gregorykenfield3134]

I was having a conversation with my daughter when she was about 8 years old, and we were talking about what kind of things I thought were funny. I told her I liked smart humor, not stupid humor. She asked me what I meant...I bought her a copy of this exact routine.

[@edwardmclaughlin8851]

uh, this? Poor daughter.

[@louiswillhauck5572]

Yes this is Smart Humor!

[@liduck52]

"Clever" humor would be a better description.

[@crustycurmudgeon2182]

Good choice!

[@stinkbug4321]

They both played off each other so well. Greatest comedy duo of all time. Any pair that starts off today and even thinks they are going to be nearly as good as they were. I say, "Good luck."

[@56holidayvillages40]

They were one of America's most famous comedy team. They both cut their teeth and learned their trade in Vaudeville in the in the 1920's. They teamed up in the 1930 and play in Burlesque and other venues to finetune their art and amazing ability to play off of each other. They went into radio in the 1930's and started to gain popularity. Their movies is what put them on the map. Starting in 1940 - 1956 they were in I think 38 films. Although Buck Privates in 1941 was their first staring role and a wonderful film, most fans would consider their best film was Abbott and Costello Meets Frankenstein. The number of routines they were know for was countless. Most famous is Who's on First. (The Naughty Nineties) Others include, Pay Day (Night in the Tropics), 7-13-28 (In the Navy), Lone me $40, (Buck Privates) 2 $10s for a $5, Dice Game/Club House, submarine, Loafing, Alexander 2222, Your 40 and your in love with a little girl who is 10... (don't know the name of the skit) the list goes on and on..... They moved to TV in the early 1950 but they were not as successful as their movies. Mostly due time and a new team that hit the scene, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. There have been many great comedy teams over the years, and to this day new teams are formed, but in my opinion Abbott and Costello was the best comedy team ever.

[@gerikucinski2427]

For those not familiar with vaudeville, in the pre-television era there were traveling shows in the US with music, comedy, and other acts. They would perform at theaters for a live audience - so they learned how to do routines like this in only one take.

[@stanshearer7343]

I would like to add Abbott and Costello meets the Mummy as one of the best of their movies.

[@peterf.5261]

I personally think Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff is their best movie, although they have a lot of great ones.

[@JOHNWLOUCKS]

Alexander 4444 and Niagra Falls. Two more fun A & C skits.

[@fmlazar]

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein featured Bela Lugosi's final performance as Dracula.

[@willmoore8708]

There's a recording of the classic A&C: "Who's On First" enshrined in our nation's Smithsonian Museum. It is THAT MUCH of an American classic.

[@Irisheddy]

it's also in the Baseball's Hall of Fame.

[@loupizzuti]

They actually did it a number of times - they teamed up in 1936. The following year it was a big hit in a touring vaudeville show they were a part of. They continued performing it until the team split in 1957. Lou Costello (the shorter one) died in March 1959. This particular version is The Abbott and Costello TV show, "The Actor's Home", Season 1, Episode 24, originally aired March 17, 1953

[@douglaslee742]

I never tire of hearing this comedy sketch. During an interview they revealed that while the skit is well rehearsed, that every performance is somewhat ad-libbed so that no two performances are exactly the same.

[@hecate235]

That means they're listening to each other. Pretty good after some thirty years!

[@crowflight719]

Abbot - the chubby one holding the bat through most of the routine - showed up when no one expected him to. The reason he wasn't expected is because his son died less than 24 hours before they did this. Abbot did it because they were performing the routine for charity. It shows the incredible professionalism these guys had.

[@Romans--bo7br]

Crow Flight..... Just so you know, "Abbot" is correctly spelled ABBOTT ("Bud").... and he is the taller of the two. Lou Costello is the one with the bat. As far as Lou Jr.'s ("Little Butch") death (drowned in their swimming pool) just a couple of days before his First (1st) birthday... Lou (Sr.) got the call about his son, just shortly before the radio show at NBC Studio's was to air. It was Lou's very first show after a year hiatus due to his contracting of Rheumatic Fever (very rare for an adult), and he had promised his son that he would hear him on the radio show (live) later that evening, and that is the reason why he returned back to the studio with his manager (Eddie Sherman). This show in the video above is NOT the show that took place that fateful day. The show that Lou went on to do on that sad day... was filled with tears running down his cheeks & face, as they went through their routine.. all so that Lou could fulfill his promise to his son of hearing him on the radio, that evening. Lou immediately went to a dark corner of the stage after his last words of the act, fell to his knees and passed out. His marriage was strained between he and his wife, even though they stayed together until his sudden passing in 1959, and she died soon after, the same year.

[@crowflight719]

@@Romans--bo7br Thank you. I stand corrected.

[@Romans--bo7br]

@@crowflight719.... and Thank You for your response. I hope I didn't come across to you as just being an arrogant corrective type... certainly was never my intention, in fact was basically intended as just a point of nostalgia. I "grew up" with them on early TV, back in the 1950s & early 1960s.... along many other of the great comedians, actors and actresses of the now, long gone era.... which we will Never see the likes of, again.... Ever, quite sadly. PS: I don't know how many of Bud & Lou's "Who's on First" you've seen or heard.... but did you notice that virtually Every single "Who's on First" routine that they ever did in nearly 40 years together.... Never, Ever was an exact repeat from one to the next, even if they did it twice on the same day, at the same location (live shows)... some were longer, some shorter... all with different variations. It proved just how Genius these two were, as they naturally "played off" of one another (no pun intended lol). They had.. "The Abbott and Costello Show" as well from the fall of 1952 til the spring of 1954, which had lots of great skits and laughs galore! Also, do a search on YT for the "This is Your Life" Show from 1956 which was a very heart felt show featuring Lou Costello's life from the time he was a kid... and was a complete surprise to him. I had tears in my eyes watching and listening.... unbelievable how many, and in how many ways, that he personally helped different people... try and find it, it's very much worth it. Did you know that, as a teenager... he "boxed" in the ring under the alias of "Lou King", so that his mother (hopefully) wouldn't find out?..... he won 37 straight fights (including his very first fight!), until someone got in a lucky punch (not for Lou), and knocked Lou out.... which along with his mother finding out, ended his boxing "career".... a great thing, as it turned out.. for untold millions around the world.

[@crowflight719]

@@Romans--bo7br No you did not seem arrogant. I know a bit about the old comedians and films because my mother also grew up on them. And I feel its fun to look back on these things and see how a lot of things started. I'm currently 59 yrs myself and was born the year that JKF was shot. I'm kind of an old fart myself. smile

[@nicktherecordlover1969]

@@Romans--bo7br I knew most of that info. I had no idea he passed out afterwards. His wife I heard unfortunately turned to drinking after their son passed away. Lou wore a bracelet on his wrist which reminded him of his son that he never took off.

[@RonRicho]

To us in America these two are like family which is why we still watch and laugh after seeing skits like this one numerous times. It's good remember that the sort of comedy they do (or did) was basically their Vaudeville routines. Not many people are old enough to have experienced Vaudeville but through performers like these two pros we had a glimpse of it. I'm so glad you liked it.

[@rdrift1879]

The "posh accent" comment is very interesting. There was an accent called Mid-Atlantic that was taught to radio performers and eventually made its way into Hollywood movies. It has clarity and could be understood on both sides of Atlantic with ease.

[@ranwolf7650]

I was born and raised in Brooklyn. On my block was a mix of people from all over the world. I kinda picked up on everyone's accent and mine was a sorta weird mix. In high school I had a history teacher that thought I was from the mid-west. Accents are weird sometimes...

[@mikes3827]

@@ranwolf7650 Very true. While my dad was born in San Diego, he was raised in the famous Irish enclave known as South Boston, and "Southie" residents are known to typically carry STRONG Boston accents. But even though my dad spent his formative years (grade school to HS graduation) in Southie, he never had a Boston accent in the slightest. My mom and myself, however, we both have Boston accents, complete with not pronouncing our "Rs" (cahh, pahhk, Hahhvuhd, etc.), whereas my sister has always pronounced her "Rs" and does not have a Boston accent. Same parents, same upbringing, yet VERY different accents just in our household alone.

[@michman2]

Kathryn Hepburn's is the best example.

[@jimdecamp7204]

I don't think Bud Abbott could be said to have a Mid-Atlantic accent, just a more or less very "standard American" (Ohio) accent. I certainly won't characterize his accent as "posh". Sometimes I have to listen to Brit for a sentence or two to even be sure that they are British (or possibly form Australia or New Zealand, which sound similar.) There is a huge swath of the U.S. where everyone has more or less the same accent from Maine through the Midwest and out to West Coast, with slight regional variations, and individual anomalies. There more linguistic variation in the British Isles (which are smaller than Michigan) than in the U.S.

[@flashcar60]

Right: it was the American equivalent to BBC English.

[@wrdlmbrt1956]

LMBO... 🤣 I'm 65 years old and I first watched this on tv when I was in my early teens and that routine is just as hilarious to me as it was the first time I saw it on tv. Abbott and Costello's comedy routines are priceless and the proof is that it's now the year 2022 and their comedy routines still make people of all ages and in different countries around the world laugh! Enjoyed y'alls reaction Abbott's and Costello's " Who's on First " comedy routine. They even made some good movies like " Abbott and Castello meet Frankenstein " it's also hilarious! 😄

[@Jack-pm1ve]

Also 65 and I grew up watching them on TV from childhood they can still make me laugh.

[@marcdenlinger5282]

"I'm keen to seeing new comedians." That was great! This skit is so classic, it's hard to believe that some people haven't seen it.

[@thomaspaccione7214]

These two had such great comedic timing, all their stuff is like this. Bud plays the straight man, and Lou plays the comedy off him. They were genius.

[@Telcontar86]

I think it was Groucho Marx who said that Bud Abbot was the best straight man in the business. I tend to agree, and imo his only real competition from that time period was George Burns

[@leedog396]

I've been seeing that skit for 40+ years and it's just as funny as the very first time.

[@gungasam3000]

I'm so glad younger people are experiencing this skit. I've introduced it to my kids and we howl with laughter every time we see it.

[@char5533]

So happy you did Who's on First...it is from the 1950's...another great one is 7 times 13 =28.

[@brianeleighton]

I love how you can see the landlord character's brain short circuit in that routine 😂😂😂😂

[@TheCosmicGenius]

Who's on First is a very old comedy routine - more than 100 years old, now. Abbott & Costello perfected it, & performed it several times. This is from their tv show, in the late 1950s.

[@usmc24thmeu36]

1950's is only some 70 yrs ago not 100 yrs.

[@TheCosmicGenius]

@@usmc24thmeu36 Yes, this clip is about 65 yrs ago. But the routine is much older, & this isn't the 1st time Abbott & Costello performed it.

[@TheCosmicGenius]

@@IcyTorment Ok, fine. According to wikipedia, "Who's on First?" is descended from turn-of-the-century burlesque sketches that used plays on words and names. Examples are "The Baker Scene" (the shop is located on Watt Street) and "Who Dyed" (the owner is named "Who"). Turn-of-the-century - 19th to 20th Century.

[@Wiley_Coyote]

The routine is from the 1930s, this performance from the 1950s. But yes, other skits with wordplay over confusing names existed before it.

[@claregale9011]

That's not old to us brits 😉

[@lindamills6192]

No matter how many times I see this, it still makes me laugh. Timing is everything and these two were great at it.

[@timheiss5207]

This particular film was shot at the Old Actors Home in the early fifties. They were doing it as part of a benefit performance by other artists. They had, by then, been performing this comedy routine for over thirty years when they started out in an entertainment medium called "vaudeville". It was popular on the golden days of radio and was featured in a motion picture that starred Bud Abbot and Lou Costello. The surprising thing is they paid someone to write it for them. I'm 66, and my grandparents enjoyed this routine.

[@barryrivadue9228]

It was on a TV show if theirs.

[@rickdavis7005]

It was actually an episode of their old TV series in 1953.. The premise of the episode was that it was a benefit for an "Old ActorsHome", but it was actually shot in a studio in Hollywood.

[@kevinpshan]

Back in my 20’s (which is about 40 years ago now) a good friend and I practiced this routine and performed it a number of times over the years at local variety and talent shows. We had it memorized but I can tell you Bud and Lou didn’t. This version actually has a few missteps in it where the lead in line to the next segment is a bit off…. This routine was so engrained in them they always were able to change it up and work perfectly off of each other. No two versions are ever exactly the same. I think they also changed it up to surprise audiences who thought they knew what was coming. It never gets old and it was a joy watching folks that have never seen it before. A pure reaction of joy.

[@michaelsterref]

They made some movies too. Check out "Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein" A lot of their skits are on line. They had our soldiers laughing during WW II

[@benhur4154]

Best horror comedy EVER.

[@flexjay87]

These two guys are American royalty, in regards to comedy, and this is easily one of the best skits in history . They were in their prime pre and post WW2 !

[@larrybauerski]

I agree with you all, that this is maybe the cleverest and smoothest "fast chatter" humor skit I have ever seen. And Lou's reactions are priceless. I am so grateful that we have many recordings of this fabulous skit.

[@billrobertson5895]

I can’t count the number of times I have seen this and it ALWAYS makes me laugh like the first time.

[@artsilva]

Ive been listening to this bit all my life (just over five decades) and it still makes me laugh every time I see/hear it. A true American comedy classic. Next you gotta see their "7 x 13 = 28" skit.

[@SwitchBuilder]

And two 10s for a 5

[@Bootlegger69]

7 x 13 = 28 is pure mathematical genius.

[@Hiraghm]

@@Bootlegger69 common core math before there was a common core... lol

[@nancyandrews398]

Was shopping once years ago, and knew I needed a light bulb for a small nightlight sized lamp. I couldn't remember what size bulb it used, so, using a payphone outside the store, I phoned my sister at home to ask. She put the phone down to go check, taking several long minutes. When she finally picked back up I impatiently asked, "So what size?" "For what." "For the lamp I asked you to check! What the hell have you been doing this whole time!?" "The light bulb is 4 watts," she replied calmly, and hung up on me. This was nearly 30 years ago and we still laugh about our "who's on first" moment to this day.

[@shawnmurray9964]

😂

[@michaelsommers2356]

I believe Abbott and Costello had a routine in which they punned on 'watt'.

[@chrisdiner7170]

Awesome!

[@jumbles1957]

The Who is on First routine is a classic. Abbot and Costello used it throughout their career from the 40s to the 50s. In fact it was “inducted” into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This particular version was from their TV show from the 50s

[@digne6502]

They did this routine together so many times. They probably performed it live a lot.

[@catwhowalksbyhimself]

Hundreds of times by the time this performance was recorded.

[@victorialuvslincoln337]

Your banter about speaking "Posh American" when one was thinking of Abbott and the other thinking of Costello was so meta. It sounded like an Abbott & Costello skit. I laughed so loud. Thanks!

[@sundromos9456]

Yeah, it totally was like that. And her attempt to describe Bud Abbott's style of speaking...hah, it's the first time I've ever heard a Brooklyn accent referred to as "posh"...

[@mutantplants1]

I grew up in Brooklyn in the 1950's, so to hear the accent described as "posh" is almost as funny as the skit. I guess this couple must be from London as that's the only place I've ever heard of "posh" being spoken. I'm sure there's a Monty Python joke in there somewhere.

[@markworden7425]

Yeah -- this is almost the opposite of "posh American" -- if these guys were British "music hall" performers, it would likely be Cockney, or maybe Lancashire -- whichever area of the country or dialect might immediately connote a bit of a gullible country fool -- think gormless George Formby, perhaps.

[@kenpurcell2316]

Brooklyn accent? Both are from New Jersey! Bud Abbot was from Asbury Park and Lou Costello was from Paterson!

[@MichaelBoyce-tm2vw]

Costello died in his Hometown on Patterson.

[@Cricket2731]

Several years ago, on George Takei's website (GT played Sulu on Star Trek); he posted a pic of a ball player on 1st base--ball player's name was Hu. 'Nuff said!

[@alfaromdriver8792]

I played this from the internet about 12 years ago to my youngest daughter and her best friend and they were hysterical! they were like 11 or 12 years old! I never thought they would appreciate it! I was totally wrong! I happy for that!

[@goombabear]

This version was not as good as the one done in the movie "The Naughty Nineties." Abbott and Costello learned their comedic skills from Burlesque and Vaudeville. Their films were highly popular in the US (and Europe) from the early forties to early fifties. Then Abbott and Costello had their own television program in the fifties. It's a shame that many young folk have never seen these classics. I'd rather watch black and white films more than the rubbish Hollywood produces today.

[@terrykeever3280]

I've seen earlier versions that I liked better, but this skit is always funny.

[@rdrift1879]

I agree, The Naughty Nineties version is perfect.

[@reesebn38]

I watched all their movies when I was a kid. Loved them!

[@johnthomas2485]

When I was growing up, every Sunday morning, before I had to leave for church, one of the local TV stations would play either a Shirley Temple movie or, Abbot and Costello.

[@reesebn38]

@@johnthomas2485 Was it out of Detroit? I watched them sunday mornings on channel 7 Detroit.

[@debbers]

So glad you've discovered Abbot and Costello! They have so many funny skits and movies too!

[@williamking5506]

So I'm a huge Abbot & Costello fan - they started in vaudeville, had one of the biggest radio shows from the late 30's until the 1950s, for a time they were among the biggest movie stars in the world in the 1940s with a hugely popular series of films from Universal, and a TV show in the 1950s. 'Who's on First?' is one of their oldest and most famous routines, which they've done in a number of radio show episodes and feature films. This particular rendition appears to be from one of their TV shows.

[@bracejuice7955]

You pronounce the T at the end of Abbott, I guess living on an island right next to France is having its effects on you! It’s a classic bit, to the point where getting confused and think someone is saying something else is sometimes called a “who’s on first situation”. Oh and that accent is an old school working class New York accent

[@terihollis8603]

Both from Jersey.

[@donovanmedieval]

I only pronounce the second T, not the first, and the first B, but not the second.

[@donovanmedieval]

@@terihollis8603 Bud was born in Asbury Park, the same town as Bruce Springsteen. People from Old Jersey should appreciate that.

[@whoviating]

@@donovanmedieval We do. :-) (Altho to be unnecessarily pedantic, Bruce was born in Long Branch and grew up in Freehold.)

[@donovanmedieval]

@@whoviating Bud was born in the town often associated with Bruce Springsteen.

[@eksortso]

This one's a classic! Abbott and Costello performed it probably thousands of times in their careers. This one was done on their TV show in the 1950s. Well-honed by that time.

[@brettg274]

I wouldn’t call either accent “posh”. Both men are doing street accents for the time, more New Yorker. If you like this, their “7x13=28” bit is genius level comedy.

[@jimrichards9103]

They were both New Jersey accents and they were both from New Jersey.

[@jim2lane]

I believe she referred to Bud Abbott's accent as posh because it was quite close to what was known during the early 20th century as the Mid-Atlantic accent which was heard on both sides of the pond from the 20's to 40's in both film and on the radio

[@brettg274]

@@jimrichards9103 thanks, that’s the assessment you get from a West coaster, haha

[@milomurphy9178]

They made over 30 movies from the the 30s to the 50s. There is a series of comedy monster movies with them since they worked at Universal pictures which made Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, etc.

[@lizetteolsen3218]

Loved those movies!!!

[@chrisorrill7183]

I think the best one was Abbott and Costello Meets Frankenstein, unfortunately too many scenes to just pick one. The best scene from one of their other films is the voodoo doll fight between Abbott and Margaret Hamilton. I believe the movie title was She will be Coming around the Mountain.

[@chrisorrill7183]

Correction I meant Costello vs. Margaret Hamilton and NOT Abbott. Sorry to the Fans of Abbott and Costello.

[@thomasoa]

This routine was one they created when performing live as a vaudeville duo, no doubt at least a decade before this was filmed. I think they became famous after performing this and other routines on radio. Costello developed his high-pitched voice for radio because their voices were too similar to be easily distinguished in their high-speed banter.

[@southtexasprepper1837]

The one thing that I truly love about the "Who's On First?" comedy skit is that it NEVER gets old. Abbott and Costello were true geniuses when it came to comedy. It's an art that has been lost. I remember seeing many of their movies as well. True comedy classics.

[@heathertomlinson1961]

I had a poster with the routine up in my college dorm and anytime I needed a laugh I could just read it and imagine the boys performing it. That was in the early 90s. I still laugh just as hard every time I see or hear it.

[@miamidolphinsfan]

This is one of the most iconic comedy routines of all time !! Still hilarious today 100 years from when it was 1st performed.

[@KalEL224]

Not 100 years. More like 80 or so

[@miamidolphinsfan]

@@KalEL224 still a damn long time

[@krashd]

@@KalEL224 More like 140 or so, the routine started with Vaudeville acts of the late 19th century.

[@KalEL224]

@@krashd ya but this version isn’t that.

[@stevecagle2317]

A friend of mine and I did this skit for a highschool talent show. I played the "straight man." Our timing was spot on and most of the audience of students had never heard it before... We brought down the house. We had listened to it so many times that we had the lines and timing perfect. This was in 1975 and it's been a long time since I've heard it and it brought back some happy memories! Thanks and glad you got a great laugh 😁😂🤣

[@ldjackson3973]

I've been a huge Abbott and Costello fan ever since I first saw one of their movies when I was 4 or 5, which would have been in 1966 or 1967. Since you like "Who's On First," I think that you may also like a routine that they did called "7 x 13 = 28." It's amazing to see how Lou, the chubby guy on the left in "Who's On First," manages to use multiplication, division, and addition to prove that, yes, 7 x 13 = 28!

[@kens32052]

I like their skit about Loafing.

[@stephanieestrada6629]

Me too! Except from the mid 70's and up. Laurel and Hardy were also favorites of mine, and of course The Three Stooges. My dad introduced us to them all. My mom- Shirley Temple and The Little Rascals, lol. And Looney Tunes with dad at lunch time.

[@The89reatta]

OMG such a classic comedy bit, I love this

[@Rkenton48]

You really need to see them do this in the movie where they are on a riverboat. That was probably the very best rendition. The timing is always perfect when they do this routine, as they had been doing it for decades since they performed it on the radio.

[@pica6888]

Can you imagine how many times they did this to get the kind of timing and delivery you have to have. This also comes from years of working together and knowing each other.

[@atrain9042]

This skit was performed in 1938 ... one of the first TV Comedy routines in America

[@AliasMark69]

I grew up watching these guys and several others like them. Laurel And Hardy, W.C.Fields. The Three Stooges. The pure brilliance of their material is incredibly funny, but how they remember each line and deliver the routine like it was the first time... every time. Amazing. "I don't Know Is On Third"

[@jlpack62]

Transatlantic English is an accent that was often used in the early 20th Century by the entertainment industry as a bridge between standard American English and RP English. That said, I don't know that I'd say that Abbott was using it, and Costello certainly wasn't. As for this recording, I'd guess that it's from the 1940s.

[@iamjamesmix]

Yeah pretty sure the Transatlantic accent was first developed by Katherine Hepburn when the talkies arrived in the 30's that became standard for talkie films by other actors. Comedians didn't really use it.

[@titaneyes1]

Its a great day when we can smile...and I enjoyed seeing you both smile through this

[@richardrice3137]

this routine is from a very old comedy routine pre-1900. it was used by many comedians in vaudeville and other venues. it was Abbott and Costello who perfected it and made it famous.

[@blindleader42]

This "definitive" performance was from 1953. By that time they had performed it probably thousands of times, refining and perfecting it over the decades. This genre of bit goes back even further in time than their career to Vaudeville, and certainly has parallels in British music hall routines. The Two Ronnies' "Four Candles" comes to mind as a spiritual cousin to this. And the idea of persistent confusion in comedy goes back to the beginning of the human race. Certainly Shakespeare wasn't inventing a new genre when he wrote "A Comedy of Errors".

[@Historian212]

In the States, we just call this "Who's On First?" and we know what it is. Glad you enjoyed. A classic. This bit is no later than the 1950s.

[@shannongray3290]

This is such a classic skit that keeps me in stitches every time I hear it! Such a shame that so many miss out on this epic comedic duo!

[@jimharrison2513]

According to Wikipedia: Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and early 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in the world during World War II. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one of the best-known comedy routines of all time. Their popularity waned in the early 1950s due to overexposure and changing tastes in comedy, and their film and television contracts lapsed. The partnership ended soon afterwards. I was surprised at how funny this was. Just to show you don't need cussing and dirty jokes to be funny.

[@FlamingoKicker]

Movie executives aren't the smartest people either. Thinking Universal was going to give them a big increase after their huge theatrical hit "A&C Meet the Mummy" in 1955, instead they were told they were being let go. The team went on tv and were quite successful but did ultimately split cause Costello wanted to do solo work and Abbott wanted to retire. I don't believe their popularity ever waned though and they'd probably still be popular if they hadn't gotten old and died.

[@sherikuykendall2621]

Love this...I haven't seen it in years. They were so good. Such innocent pure entertainment.

[@GinaPressley]

I love people's reactions to Abbott and Costello. My all time favorite comedy duo.

[@alyzu4755]

My parents had a recording of this when I was a kid. I listened to it over and over and just laughed myself silly.

[@mortimerbrewster3671]

This was one performed on radio, television and in live performances but the first time I heard it was in one of their movies. They have a great catalog of films that you should watch. Some are better than others but I think all of the are enjoyable.

[@bonusbaby801]

As many times as I've seen this skit, I've never thought about how it was done in 1 take!!! No mistakes...No pauses... ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS!!! Judas Priest these guys were good...yea...even phenomenal!!

[@Romans--bo7br]

Bonas Baby... it was Easy for them to "do it in one take".... because they Never, Ever.... did it the same way, twice.... in the 40+/- years of this routine. They were absolute masters at "reading the audience" and playing off of each other, as well as the audience. Sometimes it was "only" for a few minutes.... and other times, they might carry it out for over a half an hour... but Never, Ever the same, twice..... pure comedic geniuses, they were!

[@biggmaqq]

Bud Abbott did make a mistake but Lou Costello got things back on track.

[@little1942]

“Who’s on first” is a classic! I heard this for the first time when I was 13. I thought I would die laughing. 😂 Comedy gold!

[@beegee1960]

This is considered one of the best comedy skits of all time. And they performed it live without a single flaw. They were both American. Many people of that era were more formal than now. Bud Abbot and Lou Costello were very popular in the forties and fifties. They did a number of movies and they were all hilarious.

[@rapmastac1362]

I saw this for the first time a few years ago when I was 26, needed a cough drop because my throat was so dry from laughing. Their other skits are great too, especially the landlord one with the funny math.

[@dennisanderson3895]

The "Who's on First" debuted at least as early as the 30s. (I believe they developed it after their initial Vaudeville days.) Such a timeless and perfect skit, it doesn't matter how often you've seen it, you still laugh!

[@kat369-mine]

I had to look it up. An article in a paper said they first did it on radio in 1938.

[@Cathrope1]

I can't remember the movie off hand, Abbot and Castello where on a gambling river boat and they did that skit in it as well

[@psirockin123]

@@Cathrope1 The Naughty Nineties is the movie. It’s my favorite version of this sketch since I watched it so much as a kid. They did this routine in at least one other movie as well.

[@wholovesyababy5574]

Brilliant routine! Funny every time I see it! All Americans "of a certain age" know this routine very well.

[@phillhuddleston9445]

sadly that is no longer true today.

[@seesea-sv3xw]

Yeah we BOOMERS all know who Abbott and Costello are, even though they are from the greatest generation, grew up seeing their movies on late night TV and TCM still plays their movies occasionally, don't know of you get TCM in the UK 🤔

[@jayt9608]

@@seesea-sv3xw, Hey!!! Some of us that belong to the Millenials were raised on classic comedy and love it more than this modern obscenity.

[@Jimmersaunt]

It’s amazing how such a simple concept has become such a classic! The first time I heard it a couple girls were doing it in a talent show at my college-they were an absolute hit! I believe Budd Abbot was actually the brains behind this pair’s success and probably came up with this.

[@dbqdude75ify]

I've been waiting for this....like the 1940 to 1950....lol 😆

[@chrismoros4664]

Watch the episode of “Taxi” when Reverend Jim gets his drivers permit. This is one of the all time funniest skits in US sitcom history. Taxi was a great sitcom from the 70s with many actors that became household names.

[@joycejohnson7164]

also the episode of the drivers at an art auction: Jim: 'I know that woman!" (abstract nude painting)

[@amystreasuresdesign]

Wkrp is another classic show. Turkey drop. 😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@thomasnichols9839]

This is an all time American classic by two very talented comedians. This skit came out in 1953. Today when a young generation watches or hears it for the first time they tend to either laugh very hard or wonder what’s going on. It’s a timeless piece.

[@annforkin8368]

Nope 1938 was the first time they did this skit!

[@danielkapity9542]

The show you reacted to was from 1953. I love these guys, some other great one's are loafing and 7×13=28. Yes i said it correctly and how they do it is brilliant. Thanks very much and really looking forward to it.

[@Sharon_K]

Millie is right again! This was first performed on 3/24/38 on a radio show.

[@SeenGod]

just a classic, when my girlfriend would say something like “who you talking to on the phone?” i’d say “No Who’s on first” and she would get so mad 😂😂

[@lindanearing4710]

This was hilarious when I was a child and it still is 60 years later.yes, they were popular from the 30's through the 50's. My family watched them on Sunday afternoons when I was about 7 or 8. In the mid 50's

[@pgh45rpms]

The video clip shown was taken from Abbott & Costello's tv show, "The Actors Home" episode that aired on May 15, 1953. Bud & Lou introduced the sketch on Kate Smith's radio show in 1938, but it's origin goes back even futher. They were masters of their craft, with unbelievable timing. Lou was from Patterson NJ, near New York City. Bud was from Asbury Park on the NJ coast, 60 miles south of Patterson.

[@fmlazar]

And Costello would name-drop Paterson whenever he could. The Paterson Museum has a restoration of the playhouse he built for his kids.

[@thomasmayk]

It's grand that so many young people are beginning to see how rollickingly funny this work of genius is. It is doubly rewarding to find that our friends way across the pond find it just as genuinely hilarious as we do here. Time after time "Who's on First?" tops the list of the greatest comedy routines of all time. It's such a classic it was even inducted into our Baseball Hall of Fame, the only time such an honor was bestowed on people who had no direct connection to the sport of baseball. I believe this particular clip was taken from the pair's TV series, around 1953. It is pure gold.

[@BabsisHere]

I’m so glad you guys enjoyed that!!!! They were “LEGENDS”!!!(lol James…they truly were) They made movies as well!!! Love those guys!

[@lancecramer2217]

These two performed together for years. They were really good friends. The chemistry between these two was almost unmatched

[@terryowensby5690]

They were at one time but very bitter towards each other later on .

[@knyght67]

Lots of great movies with them.... Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein....The best....They were HYSTERICAL..

[@sydney4911]

Thank you for digging out this old chestnut for all of us. I haven't heard this in years and it was as funny today as it was hearing it the first time more than 50 years ago.