By David Flynn
One of the most successful comedy duos in the history of Hollywood was Bud Abbott and Lou Costello – Abbott and Costello. They had starred for more than a decade in movies and on radio before they headlined a sitcom for the 1952/53 US television season.
In recent times, the series was given huge praise by comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, who said its use of funny situations inspired his own 1990s hit comedy series, Seinfeld.
The Colgate Comedy Hour was a tv show that was sponsored by the Colgate/Palmolive company, and it was screened at viewing peak time, 8pm on Sunday nights on the NBC network, beginning in 1950. It was the most popular show in that timeslot and came in at No. 5 in the ratings in that first year.
In the following season, 1951/52, Abbott and Costello were regular hosts on the show, broadcasting from the west coast of America.
Television gave a vitality to the lads’ routine that they couldn’t portray in movies or even on radio. Shows like Colgate Comedy Hour were broadcast live, which kept Abbott and Costello on their toes, and kept their improvisations sharp for the tv audiences.
