"Who's On First" -- the final recorded performance.

[@captainchris817]

As the title and description say, this was the last performance that Bud Abbott and Lou Costello did of Who’s on First before Lou Costello passed away three years later in 1959 at the age of 52. This routine is the best❤️ (For those morbidly curious, Bud Abbott died in 1974 at the age of 76!)

[@lukedanni]

*78 years old

[@craigjillson6050]

I never get tired of this. One of my favorite things in life is this skit. Joy every time.

[@hollywoodjoe123]

NOBODY CAN BEAT THEM - - THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME - -

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

My all-time favorite comedy duo. They were BEYOND great.

[@duck5tar]

Mine too, they did it all before any of the rest. Innocent and family friendly too. It will stand the test of time because there is no age limit for this kind of humour.

[@atranfanatic]

@@duck5tar No no no "Its" the batboy!

[@BEEPBOOPOP76]

lou died 3 years later…RIP Abbott and Costello. Forever missed but never forgotten

[@roadkill_666]

I have never seen this one before, I love them laughing, they've done it so long. Brilliant sketch. Learned it when I was 10, still have it ready to do on the spot to this day.

[@johnvoice815]

Thank you whoever invented video/dvd/blu-ray.....and thank you to those who thought of putting A&C's films on these formats for all to see and bow to.

[@jamest681]

It's funny how Lou Costello can go off script and ad lib during this for as long as he likes. He has Abbott laughing as well. Lou was a genius.

[@sfopaladin2661]

They were both genius's. Bouncing off each other, they sensed each others timing. That's how they could reply and comment so quickly. No other comedy duo even comes close even in this day and age, 2024. God bless we have it on film and video.

[@divinecomedy0]

This never gets old! 😁

[@SPACEMAN_fkYT]

Still the best comedy duo ever to exist.

[@Bixfan78]

This is a very good performance. I can't believe that they broke up acrimoniously as detailed in the Bob Thomas book (and denied by A&C's families). Notice that no matter how Lou throws Bud a curve, Bud knows how to keep the routine on track, and actually enjoys the challenge (the "forgery" bit!). There are many variations in this version from others I've heard. Thanks for sending this along!

[@kevinbutler1955NYC]

The info in that book is false and insulting..Take my advice Randy..please don't read Mr.Thomas' book..Read Chris Costello's bio on her dad:"Lou's On First" and "A&C In Hollywood"(The book)and watch the "Biography tv tribute to the boys"A&C Meet Biography"to learn the truth about the second and final; break up of the duo.

[@rson1962]

​@Kevin Butler I read that book. It is a great account of their time together. I still have the book.

[@antonioangelocento9855]

This final Abbott and Costello performance of Who's on First was on the Steve Allen Show , and it also featured Mickey Mantle presenting Abbott And Costello a hall of fame award of who's in first

[@alphonsocarioti512]

By this point they had this routine down to a science. The could have led each other any way they wanted. Timing perfection.

[@johcafra]

Many years ago, when my memory was far more supple, I was tasked to memorize and perform this routine. My partner and I nailed it over the 'phone, and, yes, it truly boiled down to timing. We never got it right in front of an audience. Lose one's place, "I dunno / Third Base." The audience still laughs like heck while you and your partner quietly realize (by way of the eyes) that you're both cooked beyond redemption.

[@dennismood7476]

This is one version I've never heard before, and I've seen a LOT of different ones.

[@josephsavoia4828]

This was the day before Don Larsen's perfect game!

[@dennisdeleo74]

These boys never did this routine the same way twice…check out any of the recorded versions, they could knock it out in 3 minutes or more than 7…the radio timing ran as long as they needed time to kill…and one of the longest versions was on their 1952 filmed television show… they performed it on the Colgate comedy hour as well…so from “ A Night in the Tropics,” “The Naughty Nineties “, even a 20 second version in “ Who Done It? “…they might not have invented the routine, but they sure perfected it!

[@kenscholfield5936]

My favorite A & C skit.

[@DinoNardelli]

Love it when they break character 3:00

[@MikeHenry3280]

damnnn costello died 3 years after this.. in 1959, this was about 20 years after the first time they did it...

[@petraanna9272]

Es kann nur EINEN geben, den einzig Wahren

[@kenclayton5088]

Just the best....

[@dantheman1508]

This is such a classic skit.

[@ghostrider-ek8gu]

True comedic geniuses

[@petraanna9272]

LIEBE MEINES LEBENS

[@johnrettig1880]

This IS GREAT You ought to see the bit when they do the mathematics

[@PaulDA2000]

Who’s on first animation

[@n9bjj871]

They were both gamblers, and they'd gambled away a fortune. So they had to keep working. They weren't on speaking terms for quite a while. The gambling put a strain on the relationship. It was all so silly.

[@jessicathethreestoogesfan2635]

Oh no, Lou looks sick and Bud was not feeling well

[@dreamcream3738]

They were getting on their years

[@PinkLaffs]

Bud was 60 at the time, Lou was 51.

[@barryrivadue9228]

Look at 1953 TV version for best one.

[@kevinbutler1955NYC]

It was more than age..Lou was suffering from Rhuemantic Heart Disease and other ailments..three years later..after the second and final split with Bud..After he finished work on his last film:"The 30 Foot Bride Of Candy Rock"...Lou was sent to the hospital Late February of 1959..where he was being treated for a heart attack..he died on March 3,1959 from a second heart attack..three days before his 53rd birthday. Bud..who suffered from Epilepsy..and strokes..sucumbed to bone cancer on April 24,1974.

[@BEEPBOOPOP76]

@@kevinbutler1955NYC it’s very sad what happened to both of them

[@HarryGandia-z8l]

Superb 😂

[@theanimationcommendation]

"Where did this come from?" XD

[@thescribefiles]

"The Steve Allen Show", October7, 1956

[@theanimationcommendation]

@@thescribefiles No, I was quoting Lou at 3:50

[@thescribefiles]

@@theanimationcommendation HA! Sorry. ;)

[@bjbell52]

I've heard many different versions of Who's on First and that's the first time Abbott talked about Today and Tomorrow being brothers. Judging by Lou's reaction I think that was an adlib by Bud.

[@alanbash2921]

@@theanimationcommendation. Their minds were so fast that they could even turn a rare error into a Great Laugh !……… They were The Best !... You caught Costello’s ad Lib really well !………………… I’ve been laughing at their Genius for over 60 Years .

[@filmtheory783]

There is no way on gods green earth that that is abott it looks nothing like him he's looks about 50 pounds heavy and it looks like his face changed that happened to lou too by the way from the original whos on first to the one in the retirement home lou looks like he gained weight and his voiced changed he looked completely different from the first time they did the skit

[@barryrivadue9228]

The earlier 1953 classic edituon was not their first doing it. They'd been doing it since the 1930s.

[@filmtheory783]

@@barryrivadue9228 I didn't say first I said there is no way that there is no way that is the last time they did the routin

[@joanwolff4343]

Yes it is. He had gotten heavier and is wearing a heavy jacket. His 1950's moustache is gone but the voice is still there. There is a recorded version of Lou and Sid Fields doing the routine as Bud had gotten sick. But this version is Bud.

[@Staszu13]

Well they're maybe 15 or so years older than when they first did it on film and older still when they first did it on stage

[@davemiller6354]

You are correct. It is not them. It’s actually Laurel & Hardy.