Bud and Lou 45 years old
Comedy is No Laughing Matter
They were the greatest partners that ever partnered, partner. No, I haven’t lost the ability to write, I’m simply repeating the word repeated ad nauseam in the 1978 television biopic, Bud and Lou. I avoided watching/reviewing this for a while, predominately because I know absolutely nothing about Abbott and Costello, and the duo, embodied by Buddy Hackett and Harvey Korman, instilled a belief this was a cheapo TV movie….which it is. Bud and Lou plays as if the screenwriter read a Sparknotes write-up about the duo and thought it was too long. On top of it all, the characters are bipolar in temperament and horribly miscast. For a movie about two comedians, the only humor derived is in the belief this television movie was a good idea. Bud Abbott (Korman) and Lou Costello (Hackett) struggle to rise up the burlesque ranks, eventually becoming successful comedic actors. However, various problems complicate their fame.
Credits
Bud and Lou Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Michele Lee She was 36, now 82 years old | as Anne Costello |
| Buddy Hackett He was 54, 78 years old when he died | as Lou Costello |
| Robert Reed He was 46, 59 years old when he died | as Alan Randall |
| Arte Johnson He was 49, 90 years old when he died | as Eddie Sherman |
| Harvey Korman He was 51, 81 years old when he died | as Bud Abbott |
| Henry Brandon He was 66, 78 years old when he died | |
| William Tregoe He was 57, 67 years old when he died | as Ted Collins |
| Danny Dayton He was 54, 75 years old when he died | as Gene Duffy |
Bud and Lou Crew
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Fred Karlin as Original Music Composer. He was 42 (67) years old when He died | Sound |
| Ron Fury as Associate Producer. | Production |
| Serge Krizman as Art Direction. | Art |
| George Lefferts as Writer. He was 57 (now 103) years old | Writing |
| Richard C. Glouner as Director of Photography. He was 47 (66) years old when He died | Camera |
| Robert C. Thompson as Director. | Directing |
| Robert C. Thompson as Producer. | Production |
| Hank McCann as Casting. | Production |
| Bob Thomas as Novel. | Writing |
Bud and Lou (45 years)
Comedy is No Laughing Matter
- Release day: Wednesday, November 15, 1978
- Runtime: 98 minutes