And they did make an awful lot of films starting with their debut in Universal's ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940). And they did stay busy at Universal; where along with Miss Deanna Durbin, they managed to keep the Studio's doors open. But, they did not go exclusive with Universal; opting for some simultaneous work to be done for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Samuel Goldwyn Studios/United Artists as well as some independents.
Of all their films, we liked ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal-Intermnational, 1948) the best; but that, my dear Schultz, is another story and review. Following this would be both more simplified, yet more complicated; simplified because it provided a road map of where to start with an A&C vehicle and where to go with it. As for the more complicated aspect of the equation; it becomes a matter of, "how do we top this?" With the release of Africa SCREAMS (Huntington-Hartford/Nassour Pictures/United Artists, 1949), it is obvious that all of this business learned on the A&C Frankenstein Project was applied to the "jungle project".
First of all, they started with a simple enough premise and storyline to boot. Bud & Lou work in a big, Downtown Bookstore; being kind of like a B. Dalton, Bookseller or Kroch's & Brentano's (here in Chicago). Lou entertains dreams of being a big time Jungle Guy, sort of like co-stars Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty.* In true comedy movie fashion, the pair get tangled up with Treasure Hunter s Diana Emerson (Hillary Brooke) and her Henchmen Boots Wilson (Buddy Baer) & Grappler McCoy (Max Baer).
They wind up at her house, having plenty of interplay with her Butler, Harry (Joe Besser) and Safari "Guide", Gunner (a Coke-bottle spectacled Shemp Howard). They eventually get to be part of Miss Brooke's expedition by lying about knowledge of the map needed to find a treasure trove of diamonds, worth a King's Ransom. They get into trouble with the local natives, "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Mr. Frank Buck (Himself) and the "World's Greatest Animal Trainer" Mr. Clyde Beatty (Himself).
Lou also runs into a Gorilla who has apparent crush on him, in an emotional lovelorn way; not being a sort of Wrasslin' maneuver. And the censors objected to a female Gorilla feeling amorous about Costello; so the production team made the Gorilla a Male! So our would be 'G' Rated (today) Saturday Afternoon Kids Matinée special now has a Homosexual Bestiality relationship, right out there in front of God and Everybody! (Isn't it great to see how lucky we are in having an Arbiter of Public Taste and Morals looking- out for us in the Movie Business!**)
So, in no surprise to anyone, after all of the above has transpired and a Giant King Kong/Mighty Joe Young knockoff Gorilla brings the action on the Dark Continent to a climactic crescendo, the Comical Pair returns to New York; where Lou has become some sort of Tycoon and Abbott some kind of blue collar worker in Costello's employ! THE END!
A film of only about 80 minutes in length, Africa SCREAMS is obviously a project conceived as an Abbott & Costello movie from the most embryonic of stages. While it is no masterpiece; it is a top flight laugh maker, which is what it is all about, after all is said and done! The film is a crazy-quilt of the most unusual collection of personalities involved in the production at all levels. First of all, we have the cast; which we have already acknowledged in previous paragraphs; but, here we go again. Other than Bud & Lou we have a relatively small (not in size for the Baers) cast. The just mentioned brothers, Heavtyweights in the Prize Ring both, provided the brawn heavies in the gang, the "muscle." "The Livermore Larruper" former Heavyweight Champion of The World, Max Baer and his "little" brother, the near giant Buddy Baer did just fine in performing their shtick with Bud & Lou. Both Hillary Brooke and Joe Besser were later regulars on "THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW" (CBS TV/ NBC TV, 1952-53); with Hillary providing the glamour and Joe playing the Man-Boy, "Stinky" in the Buster Brown suit! And let's not forget the old-pro, the comedians' comedian, the maverick Stooge (himself), Shemp Howard as the "blind-as-a-bat" (with or without the "Harry Caray-style" glasses.)
In going beyond the cast we find a really strange conglomeration of people in different roles. Take for example: Musical Director, Walter Schumann-he of the "DRAGNET" theme and music for NIGHT OF THE HUNTER! We have Donald Crispi as Executive Producer! William Nassour (Producer of "SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE" TV Series, 1956) was Ececutive in Charge. Norman Abbott (Bud's nephew) worked as dialogue coach. Perhaps the most unusual member to be involved is Huntington Hartford, whose name is the same as his Production Company. Mr. Hartford, whose family owned the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as the A&P Food Stores; once totaling about 15,000 Supermarkets nationwide.
Now in Public Domain, Africa SCREAMS is easy to find; being all over the place, much like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Liberty Pictures/RKO Radio, 1946) used to be.
NOTE: * These 2 guys were real life Jungle Bwanas; Mr. Buck having been known as "Bring 'Em Back Alive" for some 25 years before this picture. Clyde Beatty had his own Circus, was known as "the World's Greatest Animal Trainer" and had made many films before, including 2 Serials portraying Himself.
NOTE: ** This begs the question: Who's pitchin' and who's catchin'?
Of all their films, we liked ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal-Intermnational, 1948) the best; but that, my dear Schultz, is another story and review. Following this would be both more simplified, yet more complicated; simplified because it provided a road map of where to start with an A&C vehicle and where to go with it. As for the more complicated aspect of the equation; it becomes a matter of, "how do we top this?" With the release of Africa SCREAMS (Huntington-Hartford/Nassour Pictures/United Artists, 1949), it is obvious that all of this business learned on the A&C Frankenstein Project was applied to the "jungle project".
First of all, they started with a simple enough premise and storyline to boot. Bud & Lou work in a big, Downtown Bookstore; being kind of like a B. Dalton, Bookseller or Kroch's & Brentano's (here in Chicago). Lou entertains dreams of being a big time Jungle Guy, sort of like co-stars Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty.* In true comedy movie fashion, the pair get tangled up with Treasure Hunter s Diana Emerson (Hillary Brooke) and her Henchmen Boots Wilson (Buddy Baer) & Grappler McCoy (Max Baer).
They wind up at her house, having plenty of interplay with her Butler, Harry (Joe Besser) and Safari "Guide", Gunner (a Coke-bottle spectacled Shemp Howard). They eventually get to be part of Miss Brooke's expedition by lying about knowledge of the map needed to find a treasure trove of diamonds, worth a King's Ransom. They get into trouble with the local natives, "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Mr. Frank Buck (Himself) and the "World's Greatest Animal Trainer" Mr. Clyde Beatty (Himself).
Lou also runs into a Gorilla who has apparent crush on him, in an emotional lovelorn way; not being a sort of Wrasslin' maneuver. And the censors objected to a female Gorilla feeling amorous about Costello; so the production team made the Gorilla a Male! So our would be 'G' Rated (today) Saturday Afternoon Kids Matinée special now has a Homosexual Bestiality relationship, right out there in front of God and Everybody! (Isn't it great to see how lucky we are in having an Arbiter of Public Taste and Morals looking- out for us in the Movie Business!**)
So, in no surprise to anyone, after all of the above has transpired and a Giant King Kong/Mighty Joe Young knockoff Gorilla brings the action on the Dark Continent to a climactic crescendo, the Comical Pair returns to New York; where Lou has become some sort of Tycoon and Abbott some kind of blue collar worker in Costello's employ! THE END!
A film of only about 80 minutes in length, Africa SCREAMS is obviously a project conceived as an Abbott & Costello movie from the most embryonic of stages. While it is no masterpiece; it is a top flight laugh maker, which is what it is all about, after all is said and done! The film is a crazy-quilt of the most unusual collection of personalities involved in the production at all levels. First of all, we have the cast; which we have already acknowledged in previous paragraphs; but, here we go again. Other than Bud & Lou we have a relatively small (not in size for the Baers) cast. The just mentioned brothers, Heavtyweights in the Prize Ring both, provided the brawn heavies in the gang, the "muscle." "The Livermore Larruper" former Heavyweight Champion of The World, Max Baer and his "little" brother, the near giant Buddy Baer did just fine in performing their shtick with Bud & Lou. Both Hillary Brooke and Joe Besser were later regulars on "THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW" (CBS TV/ NBC TV, 1952-53); with Hillary providing the glamour and Joe playing the Man-Boy, "Stinky" in the Buster Brown suit! And let's not forget the old-pro, the comedians' comedian, the maverick Stooge (himself), Shemp Howard as the "blind-as-a-bat" (with or without the "Harry Caray-style" glasses.)
In going beyond the cast we find a really strange conglomeration of people in different roles. Take for example: Musical Director, Walter Schumann-he of the "DRAGNET" theme and music for NIGHT OF THE HUNTER! We have Donald Crispi as Executive Producer! William Nassour (Producer of "SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE" TV Series, 1956) was Ececutive in Charge. Norman Abbott (Bud's nephew) worked as dialogue coach. Perhaps the most unusual member to be involved is Huntington Hartford, whose name is the same as his Production Company. Mr. Hartford, whose family owned the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as the A&P Food Stores; once totaling about 15,000 Supermarkets nationwide.
Now in Public Domain, Africa SCREAMS is easy to find; being all over the place, much like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Liberty Pictures/RKO Radio, 1946) used to be.
NOTE: * These 2 guys were real life Jungle Bwanas; Mr. Buck having been known as "Bring 'Em Back Alive" for some 25 years before this picture. Clyde Beatty had his own Circus, was known as "the World's Greatest Animal Trainer" and had made many films before, including 2 Serials portraying Himself.
NOTE: ** This begs the question: Who's pitchin' and who's catchin'?