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1906 - Born in Paterson, New Jersey on the 6th of March.
1927 - He went to Hollywood to become an actor, but could only find work as a laborer or extra at MGM and Warner Brothers.
1930 - He hitchhiked back home but ran out of money in St. Joseph, Missouri.
- He took a job as a Dutch-accented comic at a local burlesque theater. Changing his name to "Costello," he went back to New York and began working in vaudeville theater and burlesque there
1938-1940 - Received national exposure for the first time by becoming featured performers on "The Kate Smith Hour," a popular variety show.
1943 - Had an attack of rheumatic fever and was unable to work for a year.
1957 - Abbott and Costello split, after troubles with the Internal Revenue Service that forced both men to sell off their large homes and the rights to some of their films.
1959 - Died of a heart attack three days before his 53rd birthday, on the 3rd of March. He was interred in the Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California.
2005 - Madison Street, in the Sandy Hill section of Paterson, where Costello was born, was renamed Lou Costello's Place.
  | Page last updated: 3:26pm, 14th Jul '07 |
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Lou's on First: The Tragic Life of Hollywood's Greatest Clown Warmly Recounted by his Youngest Child by Chris Costello (Paperback - Dec 15, 1982) 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...  Usually ships in 24 hours |
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The Abbott&Costello Story: Sixty Years of "Who's on First?" by Stephen Cox and John Lofflin (Paperback - Oct 17, 1997)  |
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Smithsonian Legendary Performers: Abbott&Costello (Radio Spirits and the Smithsonian) (Smithsonian Legendary Performers) (Audio CD - Feb 1, 2003) In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. |
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Bud&Lou: The Abbott&Costello story by Bob Thomas (Unknown Binding - May 17, 1977) |
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Abbott and Costello by Furmanek (Paperback - Jun 1, 1991) The personal archivist of the Abbott and Costello estates and the founder of the Official Abbott and Costello Fan Club join forces to produce this definitive history of the timeless comedy team's... |
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