Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW, THE - The Drugstore
| Air Date/Released | Tuesday, October 7, 1952 |
|---|---|
| Station/Studio | Syndicated / T.C.A. |
| Featuring | Joe Besser (Solo) |
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello preserved the art of burlesque on film with their stage personas and virtually perfect timing, particularly with this 1st season of their syndicated sitcom. Bud and Lou basically play themselves, as unemployed comics residing in Mr. Fields' boarding house. A&C spend each day avoiding Fields' demand for back rent, while welcoming a cast of regular and guest characters, who join them in a rapid-fire parade of burlesque jokes and routines.
Bud and Lou take jobs at Fields' Drugstore to earn money for back rent. 'Stinky' (Joe Besser) engages Lou in a game of slapstick hop-scotch, and later sickens Lou at the drug store counter with a soft drink request of Coca-Cola mixed with castor oil.
The first documented broadcast was on KTTV Channel 11 in Los Angeles, CA. Being syndicated, as additional stations added the show, airdates would differ by episode; for example, WCBS in New York premiered the show on Dec. 5 with "The Wrestling Match." The order in which the episodes aired on KTTV is not certain, but for purposes of this filmography, it is assumed they were aired in catalog order with "The Drugstore" first.
The scene was supposed to be filmed with honey, but as a practical joke, Costello used real castor oil. To Besser's credit, he never broke character and waited until the director said "cut," before he turned deathly green and became sick offstage.
Cast: Bud Abbott (Himself), Lou Costello (Himself), Sidney Fields (Mr. Fields), Hillary Brooke (Hillary), Gordon Jones (Mike the Cop), Joe Kirk (Counter customer), Joe Besser (Stinky Davis), Milt Bronson (Allergist), Iris Adrian (Abusive woman), Elvia Allman (Stinky's mother)
Jean Yarbrough (Director), Eddie Forman (Writer), Pat Costello (Executive Producer), Alex Gottlieb (Producer)
The scene was supposed to be filmed with honey, but as a practical joke, Costello used real castor oil. To Besser's credit, he never broke character and waited until the director said "cut," before he turned deathly green and became sick offstage.
Cast: Bud Abbott (Himself), Lou Costello (Himself), Sidney Fields (Mr. Fields), Hillary Brooke (Hillary), Gordon Jones (Mike the Cop), Joe Kirk (Counter customer), Joe Besser (Stinky Davis), Milt Bronson (Allergist), Iris Adrian (Abusive woman), Elvia Allman (Stinky's mother)
Jean Yarbrough (Director), Eddie Forman (Writer), Pat Costello (Executive Producer), Alex Gottlieb (Producer)
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