This intimate portrait of Lou Costello (1906-1959) offers a rare look at one of the most talented comedians of all time. Starting in the 1930s, Costello attained enormous fame touring the burlesque circuits with straight man Bud Abbott (1895-1974). Their live skits (including "Who's on First?"), radio programs, and films such as One Night in the Tropics, Buck Privates, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, and In the Navy made comic history. 
Behind the scenes, however, Costello faced numerous crises: a bout with rheumatic fever that left him bedridden for months, the drowning death of his young son, and constant haggles with Universal Studios over its reluctance to adequately finance productions of Abbot and Costello films. Lou's on First goes beyond Costello's clownish persona to explore his Pagliacci nature: the private demons behind the happy public face, the heartbreaking moments in an otherwise storybook marriage, the business ventures soured by unscrupulous managers, and the true nature of the breakup of his twenty-one-year partnership with Bud Abbott.

Lou's on First: The Tragic Life of Hollywood's Greatest Clown Warmly Recounted by his Youngest Child

Biographies & Memoirs

Costello, Chris

Arts & Literature

St. Martin's: Griffin

Lou Costello (1906-1959) made comedy history on stage, on screen, and on the air, performing with straight man Bud Abbott and keeping the nation in stitches with "Who's On First?" and other hilarious skits. The duo made over thirty films together (including One Night in the Tropics, Buck Privates, and In the Navy), and have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Lou's On First: A Biography of Lou Costello is an affectionate biography by Lou's daughter Chris, in which she recounts the comedian's generosity, his bumpy road to success, and the numerous hardships he endured (including the devastating death of his son) while still managing to keep a nation laughing. Despite the difficult periods of his life, Lou remained a steadfast performer, carrying on with the show whenever he could. Chris reveals her father's humble beginnings in New Jersey, where his comical and prankish side first appeared. The book tells how Lou's initial attempt to make it in the movie business failed, and how he subsequently met up with Bud Abbott, then the most famous straight man touring the burlesque houses. Their winning partnership withstood years on the burlesque circuit and money squabbles with Hollywood studios. Chris points out that when Abbott &amp; Costello finally split in 1957, after over 21 years of making people laugh, it was not a hostile breakup but one whose time, both partners agreed, had come. Chris also puts to rest several other rumors that sprang up after Lou's death, such as the myth that both Abbott and Costello lost their fortunes, and she describes their lasting contributions to entertainment. This is a portrait of the comedian by those who knew him best. The story Chris shares in Lou's On First is a funny, touching, and heartfelt account of one of America's great entertainers.

Lou's on First: A Biography on Lou Costello

Humor & Entertainment

UNKNO

African missionary, Mike Taliaferro recounts true stories of African diseases and their devastation to the body and compares them to the effects of sin on the human soul to help you hate sin and flee from it.

The Killer Within

Taliaferro, Mike

Religion & Spirituality

Discipleship Pubns Intl

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Books by Costello, Chris