Abbott and Costello in Hollywood
This single volume contains everthing one could possibly want to know about the films and lives of Abbott and Costello. Furmanek, archivist for both comedians' estates, and Palumbo, founder of the Abbott and Costello fan club, have compiled comprehensive listings for every film the pair made. They include credits, plot synopses, summaries of reviews, and fun facts about the scripts and casts in a level-headed look at two vaudevillians who became one of the most popular comedy teams in Hollywood history. The authors are appropriately critical of the duo's weaker vehicles, though blame is assigned not to the stars but the executives who refused to invest in top directors. "I'm just sorry that they really didn't turn Lou into a Chaplin," screenwriter Robert Lees is quoted as saying, "because they turned the pictures out like sausages." Informative and enjoyable, this book is essential reading for the duo's fans, and a surprisingly interesting retrospective for general film buffs.- Kevin Sweeney, ChicagoCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.