Lou Costello facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lou Costello
Costello in Africa Screams (1949)
Born	Louis Francis Cristillo (1906-03-06)March 6, 1906 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	March 3, 1959(1959-03-03) (aged 52) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Resting place	Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles)
Occupation	Comedian, actor
Years active	1926–1959
Spouse(s)	Anne Battler ​ (m. 1934)​
Children	4
Parent(s)	Sebastiano Cristillo and Helen Rege
Family	Pat Costello (brother)

Louis Francis Cristillo (born March 6, 1906 – died March 3, 1959), known as Lou Costello, was a famous American comedian, actor, and producer. He was most famous for his comedy team with Bud Abbott. They were known as Abbott and Costello. Their most famous comedy act was called "Who's on First?"

Abbott and Costello became a team in 1936. They were very popular during World War II. They even helped sell $85 million in war bonds in just 35 days in 1942. By 1955, their popularity started to fade. Their partnership ended in 1957.

Lou Costello's Early Life and Talents

Louis Francis Cristillo was born on March 6, 1906, in Paterson, New Jersey. His father, Sebastiano Cristillo, was from Italy. His mother, Helen Rege, had Italian, French, and Irish family.

Lou went to Public School 15 in Paterson. He was a very good athlete. He was excellent at basketball and was even Paterson's free-throw champion twice. You can see his basketball skills in his 1945 movie, Here Come the Co-Eds. He also used to box under the name Lou King.

Starting a Career in Show Business

Lou Costello really looked up to the silent-film comedian Charlie Chaplin. In 1927, Lou went to Hollywood hoping to become an actor. He found work as a laborer or an extra in movies. He also worked as a stunt man because he was so athletic. He appeared in The Trail of '98 (1928). He also took his stage name, Costello, from an actress named Helene Costello.

Meeting Bud Abbott and Becoming a Team

In 1928, when movies started to have sound, Lou went back east. He wanted to get more experience in theater. He started working in burlesque shows in 1929.

During the Great Depression, Lou met Bud Abbott. Bud was a talented producer and a "straight man" (the serious one in a comedy duo). They first worked together in 1935 when Lou's usual partner got sick. They officially became a team in 1936.

From Radio to Hollywood Films

The William Morris talent agency signed Abbott and Costello. This helped them get on a popular radio show called The Kate Smith Hour in 1938. Their famous "Who's on First?" routine was first heard on this show. A writer named John Grant helped them make their comedy acts even better. Their radio success led them to a Broadway musical in 1939.

In 1940, Universal Pictures signed them for a movie called One Night in the Tropics. They were so funny that they stole the show! Their first big hit movie was Buck Privates in 1941. They made three more films that year and became very famous.

They also got their own radio show, The Abbott and Costello Show, in 1942. It was very popular for many years.

Fame, Challenges, and a Sad Loss

Abbott and Costello made 36 films between 1940 and 1956. They were some of the most popular and highest-paid entertainers during World War II. Some of their well-known films include Buck Privates, Hold That Ghost, and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

In 1942, they went on a tour to help sell war bonds. They helped the government sell $85 million in bonds!

In 1943, Lou Costello got sick with rheumatic fever and couldn't work for six months. Later that year, on November 4, Lou was rehearsing for his radio show. He got the terrible news that his baby son, Lou Jr., had accidentally drowned. Lou Jr. was almost one year old. Even though he was heartbroken, Lou decided to go on with the show. He said, "Wherever he is tonight, I want him to hear me." After the show, Bud Abbott explained what had happened. Lou Costello truly showed what "the show must go on" means.

Over time, Lou and Bud started to have disagreements. They argued about how to split their earnings. In 1945, Lou even said he wouldn't work with Bud anymore. But they had to finish two more movies together. These were Little Giant and The Time of Their Lives. They didn't spend much time together off-camera during these films. To help fix their friendship, Bud suggested naming a foundation for sick children after Lou's son, the Lou Costello Jr. Youth Foundation. This touched Lou deeply, and the foundation still helps young people today.

In the 1950s, the duo started appearing on live television. They were hosts on The Colgate Comedy Hour. In 1952, their own TV show, The Abbott and Costello Show, began. It was very popular and ran for two seasons.

Lou Costello being surprised on This Is Your Life

In 1954, Lou Costello got sick with rheumatic fever again. Because of this, they had to drop out of a movie. In 1956, Lou was surprised and honored on the TV show This Is Your Life.

Abbott and Costello Go Their Separate Ways

By the mid-1950s, Abbott and Costello were not as popular as they once were. Other comedy teams like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis had become very famous. In 1955, Abbott and Costello left Universal Studios after 15 years.

Their last movie together was Dance with Me, Henry (1956). It didn't do very well at the box office.

Abbott and Costello decided to end their partnership in a friendly way in 1957. Lou Costello then worked with other comedians. He appeared on The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, often doing his old routines with new partners. In 1958, he even took on a serious acting role in an episode of Wagon Train.

Lou Costello's Passing

The resting place of Lou Costello and his wife Anne

Lou Costello finished his only movie without Bud Abbott, called The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock. Soon after, he had a heart attack. He passed away on March 3, 1959, in Beverly Hills, California. He was just three days shy of his 53rd birthday.

People remember different stories about his last moments. Some say he told visitors that the strawberry ice cream soda he just had was "the best I ever tasted" before he died. Others say that happened earlier, and he passed away later after asking his nurse to adjust his bed.

After a funeral service, Lou Costello was buried at the Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles. His wife, Anne, also passed away from a heart attack nine months later in December 1959.

Lou Costello's Family Life

On January 30, 1934, Lou Costello married Anne Battler, who was a dancer. They had four children:

• Patricia "Paddy" Costello (born 1936)
• Carole Costello (born 1938)
• Lou Jr. (nicknamed "Butch") (born 1942)
• Christine Costello (born 1947)

Lou's older brother, Pat Costello, was a musician. He sometimes did stunts for Lou in his early movies. Lou's sister, Marie, was married to actor Joe Kirk. Joe played Mr. Bacciagalupe on the Abbott and Costello radio and TV shows.

Lou's daughter Carole appeared in some of his films when she was a baby. She later became a singer. Carole's daughter, Marki Costello, is an actress, director, and producer today. Lou's daughter Chris wrote a book about him called Lou's on First in 1981.

Remembering Lou Costello

In 1946, Lou and Bud helped create the Lou Costello Jr. Youth Foundation. It was a recreation center in Los Angeles with a baseball field and swimming pool. It opened in 1947 and was later renamed the Lou Costello Jr. Youth Recreation Center.

On June 26, 1992, the city of Paterson, New Jersey, put up a statue of Lou Costello in a park named after him. The statue shows him holding a baseball bat, like in his "Who's on First?" routine. In 2005, the street where Lou was born in Paterson was renamed Lou Costello Place.

In March 2006, people in Paterson celebrated 100 years since Lou's birth. There were film screenings and a special movie made by teenagers from the Lou Costello Jr. Recreation Center.

In 2009, Lou Costello was added to the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Abbott and Costello are also honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame. A plaque and a gold record of their "Who's on First?" sketch have been on display there since 1956.

Lou Costello's Radio Shows

Lou Costello's Movies

Lou Costello's Television Appearances

Images for kids

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  Costello in Africa Screams (1949)

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  The crypts of Lou Costello and his wife Anne

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  The Lou Costello statue in Paterson, New Jersey

See also

In Spanish: Lou Costello para niños