The Abbott & Costello Show - Christmas Program (12-24-47)

The Abbott and Costello Show- William (Bud) Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular teams in the history of comedy. Thanks to the endurance of their most popular and influential routine, "Who's on First?"---whose rapid-fire word play and comprehension confusion set the preponderant framework for most of their best-known routines---the team are also the only comedians known to have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (usually, by singers such as Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbrook, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott & Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello insulted his on-air wife routinely); he was succeeded by Michael Roy, with annoncing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle.

THIS EPISODE:

December 25, 1943. Red network, KFI, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: Camels. Abbott and Costello plan to kill Ingrid, Costello's pet turkey, for Thanksgiving. Guest Jane Wyman joins in a routine, "What is the wind?" Connie Haines sings, "Shoo, Shoo Baby." Mel Blanc appears as Bugs Bunny. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Freddie Rich and His Orchestra, Ken Niles (announcer), Jane Wyman, Connie Haines, Mel Blanc (triples), Don Prindle (writer), Leo Solomon (writer), Alan Woods (writer), Martin Gosch (director), Billy Gray, Elvia Allman, John Brown. 29:45.