The Vikings

The Vikings

September 23, 1967 TV Episode Abbott & Costello

Studio
Hanna-Barbera Productions, RKO General, Jomar Productions
Distributor
Gold Key Entertainment, King World Productions

Synopsis

The animated antics of one of Hollywood's most popular comedy duo's are completed with voice work by Bud Abbott as himself.

Characters

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello

Credits

Directing

Director
William Hanna, Joseph Barbera

Producing

Producer
William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
Executive Producer
Lee Orgel
Associate Producer
Art Scott

Voices

Voice
Bud Abbott (Bud Abbott), Stan Irwin (Lou Costello), Janet Waldo, Mel Blanc, Hal Smith, John Stephenson, Don Messick

Music

Music
Hoyt Curtin

Art Department

Backgrounds
F. Montealegre, Bob Gentle, Richard Khim

Sound

Sound Direction
Richard Olson, Bill Getty

Music Department

Musical Director
Ted Nichols

Production Management

Production Supervisor
Howard Hanson
Assistant Production Supervisor
Victor O. Schipek

Crew

Story Direction
Art Davis, Paul Sommer, Steve Clark
Technical Supervision
Frank Paiker

Companies and other credits

  • A HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCTION

Production notes

In the 60's, a wave of nostalgia helped the legendary comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello make a return to television-this time in animated form. The syndicated Abbott & Costello consisted of a 156 five minute cartoons- 4 to the half-hour- nearly all of which featured Lou running for his life from a variety of pursuers while screaming his trademark line, "Hey Abbott!" Unfortunately, the series featured none of the comedy routines that made the pair famous, and it featured very little of the rapport that made them legends.

The most remarkable feature of the series was the fact that Bud Abbott provided his own voice. At the time, Abbott was very ill and owed a pretty sum of money to the IRS, so the job was something of a godsend for him. Sadly, years of smoking and a 1964 stroke had ravaged Abbott's voice so badly that he retained little of his original slick, smooth-talking tone. Stan Irwin provided the voice of Lou Costello, the comedian having died of a heart attack in 1959.

Though the show has taken some flack from Abbot & Costello purists, the animated Abbott & Costello does hold the distinction of being one of the first cartoons based on real people, an honor shared with 1965's The New 3 Stooges and 1966's Laurel and Hardy.