ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/14/1954 - HFSID 177690

LOU COSTELLO
Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this Community Property Affidavit for the state of California in 1954. It gives interesting details about his finances since 1934, when he married his wife Anne.
Document signed "Lou Costello" in black ink and by notary public in blue ink. Black ink stamp in lower left corner. 2 pages, 8½x14, 1 sheet, front and verso, with 1½-inch diameter embossed notary seal in lower left corner. Community Property Affidavit from the State Controller of the California Inheritance Tax Division. Notarized Sept. 14, 1954. This document shines an interesting light on Lou Costello's finances between his marriage to his wife Anne and the date of this document. According to this document, Lou had no property of any kind when he married Anne in South Attleborough, Massachusetts, and he was receiving $150 a week for acting in burlesque. Five years later - in 1939, when he moved to California - he was worth $15,000, where he got involved in acting, producing, financing, investing and ranching. He'd also transferred $25,000 in jewelry and clothing to Anne and, upon arrival in California, co-mingled all his property with the community property funds owned by both him and Anne. Lou and his partner Bud Abbott were into the third year of their TV show, The Abbott and Costello Show (1952-1958), in the year that he signed this contract. They also appeared in the TV movie Abbott and Costello Meet the Creature. 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. 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. Lightly toned and creased. Show-through touches signatures, which are legible. Ink transference (does not touch signatures). Lightly discolored along one edge (does not touch signatures). Light tears and two file holes at top edge. Light nicks in top edge and top corners. Folded thrice, comes folded once. Otherwise in fine condition.