ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - CONTRACT SIGNED CO-SIGNED BY: ANNE (MRS. LOU) COSTELLO - HFSID 218010

LOU COSTELLO, CO-SIGNED BY: ANNE COSTELLO
Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this contract in 1952 to amend his 1950 employment agreement with Universal Pictures. Also signed by Costello's wife Anne!
Contract signed"Lou Costello" and "Anne Costello" in black ink and by two representatives of Universal Pictures Company, Inc. in black and blue ink. Blue ink date stamp near bottom right corner of page 21. Blue ink notations on last page of contract brief in unknown hand. Embossed seal at right edge and bottom left corner of page 21. 21 pages with 3-page brief, 8½x11, carbon copy. Brief is bound with 1 staple. Universal City, California, Oct. 30, 1952. Addressed to Mr. Lou Costello, c/o Universal Pictures Company, Inc., Universal City, California. This document is a long series of amendments to an employment contract that Costello signed with Universal on May 12, 1950. Costello and partner Bud Abbott premiered their TV show, The Abbott and Costello Show (1952-1958), in the year that the Costellos signed this contract. The comedy duo also appeared in three movies: Jack and the Beanstalk, Lost in Alaska and Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd. With partner BUD ABBOTT (1895-1974, born William A. Abbott in Asbury Park, New Jersey), LOU COSTELLO (1906-1959, born Louis Francis Cristillo in Paterson, New Jersey) formed one of the greatest comedy teams in the history of show business. They mastered the straight man/clown relationship, creating a magical chemistry that took them from vaudeville and burlesque to radio, Broadway, film and television. The Abbott & Costello Show aired on radio on ABC from 1941 to 1946 and on NBC from 1946 to 1949. Abbott and Costello were also guest hosts of NBC's hour-long live variety show, The Colgate Comedy Hour, seven times between 1951 and 1954. Their "Who's on First?" routine is enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Abbott and Costello split up in 1957 after troubles with the Internal Revenue Service left both men broke. ANNE COSTELLO (1912-1959, born Anne Battler in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, United Kingdom) was married to comedian Lou Costello from 1934 until his death on March 3, 1959. The couple had four children, including a son who drowned just days before his first birthday. Anne died nine months after Lou's death on Dec. 5, 1959. Lightly toned and creased. Lightly discolored and torn at left edge. Light nicks in all edges. Staple holes and two file holes at top edge. Otherwise in fine condition.