Lou Costello Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles
LOU COSTELLO
Born: March 06, 1906 in Paterson, New Jersey
Died: March 03, 1959 in East Los Angeles, California
Biography
With partner BUD ABBOTT (1895-1974), LOU COSTELLO (1906-1959) 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.
1997-American-Masters (Other), 1996-Bob-Hope:-Hollywood's-Brightest-Star (Other), 2010-A-History-of-Horror-with-Mark-Gatiss (Other), 1994-It's-Alive:-The-True-Story-of-Frankenstein (Other), 1954-Screen-Snapshots-Series-33,-No.-10:-Hollywood-Grows-Up (Other), 1999-The-Century:-America's-Time (Other), 1953-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-Dr.-Jekyll-and-Mr.-Hyde (Performer), 1986-Classic-Comedy-Teams (Other), 1985-Into-the-Night (Other), 1984-The-Great-Standups (Other), 1959-The-Steve-Allen-Plymouth-Show (Other), 2005-Watch-the-Skies!:-Science-Fiction,-the-1950s-and-Us (Other), 1990-The-Three-Stooges-60th-Anniversary-Special (Other), 2011-Reagan (Other), 1979-The-Horror-Show (Other), 1959-The-30-Foot-Bride-of-Candy-Rock (Performer), 1956-Dance-with-Me,-Henry (Performer), 1952-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-Captain-Kidd (Performer), 1951-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-the-Invisible-Man (Performer), 1950-Abbott-and-Costello-in-the-Foreign-Legion (Performer), 1949-Africa-Screams (Performer), 1945-Here-Come-the-Co-eds (Performer), 1943-Hit-the-Ice (Performer), 1941-Keep-'Em-Flying (Performer), 1941-In-the-Navy (Performer), 1928-The-Cossacks (Performer), 1927-The-Taxi-Dancer (Performer), 1952-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-Captain-Kidd (Producer), 1956-1958-The-Steve-Allen-Plymouth-Show (in person), 1951-1955-The-Colgate-Comedy-Hour (in person), 1952-News-of-the-Day (in person), 1955-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-the-Keystone-Kops (Performer), 1954-Fireman-Save-My-Child (Performer), 1953-Abbott-and-Costello-Go-to-Mars (Performer), 1948-Bud-Abbott-Lou-Costello-Meet-Frankenstein (Performer), 1946-Little-Giant (Performer), 1945-Bud-Abbott-and-Lou-Costello-in-Hollywood (Performer), 1944-In-Society (Performer), 1943-It-Ain't-Hay (Performer), 1927-The-Battle-of-the-Century (Performer), 1926-Bardelys-the-Magnificent (Performer), 1955-1958-The-Ed-Sullivan-Show (in person), 1956-This-Is-Your-Life (in person), 1944-Mail-Call (in person), 2011-Eric-&-Ernie:-Behind-the-Scenes (Other), 1996-Biography (Other), 2010-Muchachada-nui (Other), 2009-Morecambe-and-Wise:-The-Show-What-Paul-Merton-Did (Other), 2006-The-Story-of-Light-Entertainment (Other), 1979-The-Hollywood-Clowns (Other), 1953-Gobs-in-a-Mess (Other), 1953-The-Colgate-Comedy-Hour (Other), 1954-Champs-of-the-Chase (Other), 1949-Kitchen-Mechanics (Other), 1994-Television's-Christmas-Classics (Other), 1943-The-Autobiography-of-a-'Jeep' (Other), 1978-Funny-Business (Other), 1976-That's-Entertainment,-Part-II (Other), 1951-1952-The-Colgate-Comedy-Hour (Sound), 1991-Frankenstein:-A-Cinematic-Scrapbook (Other), 1992-Legends-of-Comedy (Other), 1991-When-It-Was-a-Game (Other), 1986-Horrible-Horror (Other), 1965-Hollywood-My-Home-Town (Other), 2008-Shemp-Cocktail:-A-Toast-to-the-Original-Stooge (Other), 2004-Back-to-the-1950s (Other), 1998-Classified-X (Other), 1982-Showbiz-Goes-to-War (Other), 1951-Knights-of-the-Bath (Other), 1928-The-Trail-of-'98 (Stunt work), 2008-The-O'Reilly-Factor (Other), 1994-Baseball (Other), 1983-Hollywood-Out-takes-and-Rare-Footage (Other), 1965-The-World-of-Abbott-and-Costello (Other), 1964-The-Big-Parade-of-Comedy (Other), 1948-1949-The-Milton-Berle-Show (in person), 2009-Make-'Em-Laugh:-The-Funny-Business-of-America (Other), 1999-Mummy-Dearest:-A-Horror-Tradition-Unearthed (Other), 1995-Ed-Sullivan-All-Star-Comedy-Special (Other), 1994-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-Jerry-Seinfeld (Other), 1958-Wagon-Train (Performer), 1957-1958-The-Steve-Allen-Plymouth-Show (Performer), 1955-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-the-Mummy (Performer), 1952-1954-The-Abbott-and-Costello-Show (Performer), 1952-Lost-in-Alaska (Performer), 1952-Jack-and-the-Beanstalk (Performer), 1948-Mexican-Hayride (Performer), 1948-The-Noose-Hangs-High (Performer), 1944-Lost-in-a-Harem (Performer), 1942-Who-Done-It (Performer), 1942-Pardon-My-Sarong (Performer), 1942-Rio-Rita (Performer), 1942-Ride-'Em-Cowboy (Performer), 1941-Hold-That-Ghost (Performer), 1941-Buck-Privates (Performer), 1940-One-Night-in-the-Tropics (Performer), 1928-Circus-Rookies (Performer), 1952-Jack-and-the-Beanstalk (Producer), 1948-10,000-Kids-and-a-Cop (Producer), 1948-The-Noose-Hangs-High (Producer), 1944-A-Wave,-a-WAC-and-a-Marine (Producer), 1954-The-Abbott-and-Costello-Show (Writer), 1957-I've-Got-a-Secret (in person), 1948-10,000-Kids-and-a-Cop (in person), 1942-Screen-Snapshots-Series-21,-No.-6 (in person), 1951-Comin'-Round-the-Mountain (Performer), 1947-The-Wistful-Widow-of-Wagon-Gap (Performer), 1947-Buck-Privates-Come-Home (Performer), 1946-The-Time-of-Their-Lives (Performer), 1945-The-Naughty-Nineties (Performer), 1928-Rose-Marie (Performer), 1927-The-Fair-Co-Ed (Performer), 1953-I'm-the-Law (Producer), 1942-Picture-People-No.-10:-Hollywood-at-Home (in person), 1941-Meet-the-Stars-#4:-Variety-Reel-#2 (in person), 1940-The-Baer-Galento-Bout (in person), 1958-General-Electric-Theater (Performer), 1998-Universal-Horror (Other), 1984-Stooge-Snapshots (Other), 1982-Simon-&-Simon (Other), 1965-Wayne-and-Shuster-Take-an-Affectionate-Look-At... (Other), 1978-Hey,-Abbott! (Other), 1946-Screen-Snapshots-Series-25,-No.-8:-Looking-Back (Other), 1960-Project-XX (Other), 1952-Olympic-Fund-Telethon (in person), 1999-ABC-2000:-The-Millennium (Other), 1954-Oh,-My-Achin'-Tooth! (Other), 1952-Screen-Snapshots:-Memories-of-Famous-Hollywood-Comedians (Other), 1949-Fun-on-the-Run (Other), 1948-Oysters-and-Muscles (Other), 1949-Abbott-and-Costello-Meet-the-Killer,-Boris-Karloff (Performer), 1958-The-Lux-Show (in person), 2010-Behind-the-Burly-Q (Other), 1994-Entertaining-the-Troops (Other)
Theater Credits
Streets-of-Paris - Performer (June 19, 1939 - February 10, 1940)
Style
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - APPLICATION SIGNED 10/02/1946 - HFSID 350340Costello signs an application for membership in the Friars Club. Partly Printed DS: "Lou Costello". 1p, 8½ x 11. Hollywood, 1946 October 2. "Proposal for Membership" to The Friars Club of California.
Sale Price $1,349.00
$1,600.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED CHECK 05/31/1945 - HFSID 176574Lou Costello fills out and signs a check for cash in the amount of $25.00. Partly Printed Check filled out and signed: "Lou Costello", 6x2¾. Studio City, California, 1945 May 31. Drawn on his Bank of America account, payable to "Cash" for "$25.00".
Price: $600.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - CONTRACT SIGNED 08/15/1955 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 177684Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello", "Anne Costello" and "Herbert L. Golden" (Assistant Vice President) for Bankers Trust Company, "Pat Costello Vice President" and "Ralph Handley, Secy." for Cosman Productions, Inc. and "Charles N.…"
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - CONTRACT SIGNED WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 218010Comedian 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!
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 01/02/1954 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 173126Lou Costello and Anne Costello sign a tax form for the 1953 tax year. Carbon Partly Printed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" and "Anne Costello" in ink as Taxpayers, 1p, 8x10½. Los Angeles, California, 1954 January 2.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 01/26/1953 - HFSID 177689Lou Costello signs a document along with a check paying his taxes. Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" under "The above action is approved.", 1p, 8½x11. Los Angeles, California, 1953 January 26.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 01/29/1946 - HFSID 173124Lou Costello signs a promissory note to pay Universal Pictures Company $20,000.00. Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello", 1p, 8½x11. Universal City, California, 1946 January 29. Headed: "Promissory Note".
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 01/31/1955 - HFSID 173146IRS form listing tax deficiencies from 1950 and 1951, signed and dated by Costello in 1955. Both Costello and his partner Bud Abbott would wind up virtually broke over tax problems two years after this form was signed. Document signed: "Lou Costello/Pres.…"
Sale Price $729.00
$850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 01/31/1955 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 173129The comedy legend and his wife sign a U.S. Treasury Department form listing four years of their tax deficiencies Document signed: "Lou Costello" and "Anne Costello" in ink, 1p, 8x10½. Los Angeles, 1955 January 31.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 02/24/1953 - HFSID 177688Lou Costello signs a document along with a check paying for a loan. Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" under "The foregoing action is approved.", 1p, 8½x11. Los Angeles, California, 1953 February 24. On letterhead of the Law Offices of Irell & Manella to Mr. J.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 03/21/1949 - HFSID 276039Costello signs a document, probably for a feature film, for which he would be paid 50 percent of the net proceeds and his partner, Bud Abbott, would also receive 50 percent. Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" in ink under "Approved and Accepted", 1p, 8½x11.
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 03/28/1949 - HFSID 275365The comic actor receives an advance from Universal Pictures. Carbon Document signed in ink: "Lou Costello", 8½x11. Universal City, California, 1949 March 28. Costello acknowledges receipt of an advance from the studio of $12,857.
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 05/05/1951 - HFSID 276372Costello, on behalf of himself and his partner, Bud Abbott, signs an agreement with NBC regarding their use of "Bud Abbott and myself on the live television shows referred to". Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" in ink, 1p, 8½x11.
Sale Price $499.00
$600.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 06/24/1952 - HFSID 226409Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this document in 1952 to declare that his betting losses from 1946 exceeded his betting wins. This document is probably related to his tax problems with the IRS, which left him broke by the mid-1950s.
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/14/1954 - HFSID 177690Comedian 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.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/16/1955 - HFSID 177702Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this $1 bill of sale in 1955 to divide the assets of his production company Cosman Productions between himself and three members of his family to pay back taxes to the IRS.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/17/1955 - HFSID 177692Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this $1 bill of sale in 1955 to have five members of his family, including his wife Anne, sell their stakes in his production company Cosman Productions to pay back taxes.
Sale Price $729.00
$850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/17/1955 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 177693Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello", "Anne Costello", "Pat Costello", "Margaret Jane Costello", "Helen Cristillo" and "Marie Kirk", 1p, 8½x13. Los Angeles, California, 1955 September 17. Headed: "Bill of Sale".
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/18/1955 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 177685Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" in ink on page 4 and "Anne Costello" in ink on page 5, 5p, 8½x13, separate sheets. Los Angeles County, California, 1955 September 18. Headed: "Assignment". Costello dissolves his company, Cosman Productions, Inc.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 09/18/1955 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 177687Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" and "Anne Costello" in ink on page 3, 3p, 8½x13, separate sheets. Los Angeles County, California, 1955 September 18. Headed: "Assignment". Costello dissolves his company, Cosman Productions, Inc.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 10/23/1952 - HFSID 217364Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this document in 1952 to receive a $5,000 loan from Universal pictures, to be paid back out of any payments that Universal would make to him in the future.
Sale Price $729.00
$850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 10/24/1947 - HFSID 176143Lou Costello signs a document saying that the IRS can have all his earnings from the productions 'Buck Privates Come Home', and 'Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap'. Carbon Typed Document Signed: "Lou Costello" in ink, 1p, 8½x11. No place, 1947 October 24.
Price: $750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 12/13/1954 - HFSID 173128Triplicate copy of IRS form for Costello's Cosman Productions, signed "Lou Costello Pres" in 1954 for the 1951 tax year. Both Costello and his partner Bud Abbott would wind up virtually broke over tax problems three years after this document was signed.
Sale Price $729.00
$850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 12/15/1952 - HFSID 263102Lou Costello sends a typed letter about Abbott and Costello appearing on NBC's hour-long live variety show, The Colgate Comedy Hour. Typed Letter Signed: "Lou Costello", 1p, 8½x11. No place, 1952 December 15. To NBC, RCA Building, Radio City, New York.
Sale Price $639.00
$750.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED 12/18/1953 - HFSID 177686Comedian Lou Costello, one-half of Abbott and Costello, signed this document in 1953 with Bank of America to receive a $35,000 loan on a Los Angeles tract of land, to be paid back wtih 7 percent interest. Document signed "Lou Costello" as President of Cosman Productions, Inc.
Price: $850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (LOU COSTELLO) - DOCUMENT SIGNED CIRCA 1948 - HFSID 173125Blank 1948 IRS tax form signed by Costello. Both Costello and his partner Bud Abbott would wind up virtually broke over tax problems in 1957. Document signed: "Lou Costello", 2 pages, 8x10½ (front and verso). 1948 tax form.
Sale Price $729.00
$850.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO (BUD ABBOTT) - COLLECTION WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 350616Black and white publicity photographs of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Comprises: (1) Bud Abbott. Photograph inscribed and signed: "To Kay/Sincerely/Bud Abbott". B/w, 7½ x 9¼. Fine condition. (2) Lou Costello.
Price: $1,600.00
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO - INSCRIBED SIGNATURE WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 77439Comedy duo extraordinaire. Inscribed signatures: "To Roy/From Your Pals/Lou Costello" and "Bud Abbott", 5½x4½.
Price: $1,100.00