Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Theatrical Poster
Directed by	Charles Barton
Produced by	Robert Arthur
Written by	Robert Lees Frederic I. Rinaldo John Grant
Starring	Bud Abbott Lou Costello Lon Chaney Jr. Bela Lugosi Glenn Strange
Music by	Frank Skinner
Editing by	Frank Gross
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	June 15, 1948 (U.S. release)
Running time	83 min.
Language	English
Budget	$760,000
Preceded by	House of Dracula (1945) The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944) The Noose Hangs High (1948)
Followed by	Mexican Hayride (1948) Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (onscreen title: Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein) is a 1948 comedy/horror film directed by Charles Barton and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. Image File history File links A&cfrank. ... Director Charles Barton (1902 - 1981) spent his first two decades as an actor in stock, vaudeville and movies. ... Robert Lees (aka J. E. Selby) (1913 – June 13, 2004) was a Hollywood screenwriter, famous for writing comedy, including several Abbott and Costello films. ... William Alexander “Bud” Abbott (October 2, 1895 – April 24, 1974) was an American actor, producer and comedian born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... Lou Costello, born Louis Francis Cristillo, March 6, 1906 - March 3, 1959), was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott. ... Lon Chaney, Jr. ... Bela Lugosi as Dracula United States stamp. ... Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 - September 20, 1973) was an American actor. ... Frank Skinner (1897-1968) was a film composer. ... Universal Pictures is the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... House of Dracula was an American horror film released by Universal Studios in 1945. ... // Paramount Studios releases theatrical short cartoon titled The Friendly Ghost, featuring ghost named Casper With Rossellinis Roma Città aperta, Italian neorealist cinema begins. ... The Invisible Mans Revenge is a 1944 horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. ... // July 20 - Since You Went Away is released. ... The Noose Hangs High is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ... The year 1948 in film involved some significant events. ... Mexican Hayride is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ... The year 1948 in film involved some significant events. ... Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man is a 1951 film starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Nancy Guild. ... See also: 1950 in film 1951 1952 in film 1950s in film 1940s in film years in film film Events Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati Top grossing films North America David and Bathsheba Show Boat tie The Great Caruso and An... The year 1948 in film involved some significant events. ... Comedy film is genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humor. ... Horror Movie redirects here. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Director Charles Barton (1902 - 1981) spent his first two decades as an actor in stock, vaudeville and movies. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

This is the first of several films where the comedy duo meets classic characters from Universal's film stable. In the film, they encounter Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and the Wolf Man. Subsequent films pair the duo with the Mummy, the Keystone Kops, and the Invisible Man. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios), a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the major American film studios. ... Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, featuring as its primary antagonist the vampire Count Dracula. ... Boris Karloff as Frankensteins Monster in Frankenstein (1931). ... The Wolf Man is a 1941 horror film written by Curt Siodmak and produced and directed by George Waggner, starring Lon Chaney Jr, Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi, and Maria Ouspenskaya. ... Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy is a 1955 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ... Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops is a 1955 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ... Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man is a 1951 film starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Nancy Guild. ...

The film is considered the swan song for the "Big Three" Universal horror monsters — Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's monster — although it does not appear to fit within the loose continuity of the earlier films.

The film was re-released in 1956 along with Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff. Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Theatrical Poster Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff is a 1949 film starring Abbott and Costello Categories: | | ...

In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed this film "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. The Library of Congress is the de facto national library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress. ... The National Film Registry is the registry of films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress. ...

Main Cast

• Bud Abbott as Chick Young
• Lou Costello as Wilbur Grey
• Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot, the Wolfman
• Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula
• Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein Monster
• Lenore Aubert as Dr. Sandra Mornay
• Jane Randolph as Joan Raymond
• Charles Bradstreet as Dr. Stevens

William Alexander “Bud” Abbott (October 2, 1895 – April 24, 1974) was an American actor, producer and comedian born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... Lou Costello, born Louis Francis Cristillo, March 6, 1906 - March 3, 1959), was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott. ... Lon Chaney, Jr. ... Bela Lugosi as Dracula United States stamp. ... Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 - September 20, 1973) was an American actor. ... Jane Randolph (born Jane Roemer October 30, 1919, Youngstown, Ohio) is an American film actress. ...

Plot

Chick Young (Bud Abbott) and Wilbur Grey (Lou Costello) work as baggage clerks in LaMirada, Florida. When Wilbur mishandles two crates belonging to 'MacDougal's House of Horrors' museum, Mr. MacDougal (Frank Ferguson) demands that they deliver them in person so that they can be inspected by an insurance agent. MacDougal boasts to Wilbur's girlfriend, Dr. Sandra Mornay (Lénore Aubert) that the crates contain "the remains of the original Count Dracula" (Bela Lugosi) and "the body of the Frankenstein Monster" (Glenn Strange). At the museum, Dracula, very much alive, manages to hypnotize Wilbur, avoid Chick, and spirit away his coffin (and the revived Monster) before anyone else sees them. MacDougal then arrives with the insurance agent. Finding the storage crates empty, he accuses the boys of theft and has them arrested. William Alexander “Bud” Abbott (October 2, 1895 – April 24, 1974) was an American actor, producer and comedian born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... Lou Costello, born Louis Francis Cristillo, March 6, 1906 - March 3, 1959), was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott. ... Frank Ferguson (born December 25, 1899 in Ferndale, California; died September 12, 1978 in Los Angeles, California) was an American character actor with hundreds of appearances in both film and television. ... Bela Lugosi as Dracula United States stamp. ... Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 - September 20, 1973) was an American actor. ...

Mornay receives Dracula and the Monster at her island castle. Sandra is a gifted surgeon who has studied Dr. Frankenstein's notebooks, and has been posing as Wilbur's girlfriend as part of Dracula's scheme to replace the Monster's brutish brain with one more pliable — Wilbur's.

Wilbur and Chick are bailed out and mistakenly believe Sandra to be their benefactor. Actually Joan Raymond (Jane Randolph), who also seems to like Wilbur, is responsible. Joan is secretly working for the company that is processing MacDougal's insurance claim, and hopes Wilbur will lead her to the missing 'exhibits'. Jane Randolph (born Jane Roemer October 30, 1919, Youngstown, Ohio) is an American film actress. ...

Meanwhile, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) has taken the apartment across the hall from Wilbur and Chick. He has tracked Dracula and the Monster from Europe, and knows them to be alive. Talbot asks the boys to help him find and destroy the villains. Wilbur is almsot a true believer, but Chick thinks both of them are crazy. Talbot's desperate insistence that he be locked in his room before moonrise impresses Chick even less. Lon Chaney, Jr. ...

The following night, Wilbur, Chick and Joan go to Sandra's castle to pick her up for a costume ball. Sandra has told Wilbur to come alone, and receives the extra guests rather icily.

Waiting while the ladies powder their noses, Wilbur answers a telephone call from someone wanting to speak to a 'Dr Lejos'. It is Talbot, who informs them that they are in the "house of Dracula" right now. Wilbur reluctantly agrees to search the castle with Chick, and soon stumbles upon an underground passageway, complete with boat and dock. Behind a secret revolving wall, Wilbur again encounters Dracula and the Monster, but escapes. His every attempt to get Chick face to face with the villains fails - thanks to the revolving wall. Meanwhile, Joan has discovered Dr Frankenstein's notebook in Sandra's bureau, while Sandra has discovered Joan's employee I.D. in her bag.

Suavely reattired, Dracula (a.k.a. Dr. Lejos) is introduced by Sandra to Joan and the boys. He commends Sandra on her 'choice', expertly massaging the ego of Wilbur, who does not realize the true context of the remark. Also working at the castle is the naive Dr. Stevens (Charles Bradstreet), who questions some of the specialized equipment that has arrived. Dracula manages to deflect Dr. Stevens' questions by pairing him with Joan and shooing off the 'young people' to their ball. Sandra claims to have a sudden splitting headache and will not be able to attend the ball. When Dracula talks with Sandra in private, she reveals that Dr. Stevens' questions, Joan's insurance credentials and Wilbur's roamings have made her nervous, and wants to postpone. Impatient, Dracula asserts his will by hypnotizing her, and biting her in the throat. (As an interesting sidenote, Dracula's reflection can be seen in a nearby mirror when he bites Sandra. This contradicts the Dracula mythos, in that vampires do not have reflections).

At the ball, the boys encounter Larry and MacDougal. Dracula arrives unexpectedly with Sandra, now under his spell. Dracula easily deflects Talbot's accusations, making the man appear disturbed. Dracula takes Joan for a dance while Sandra lures Wilbur to a quiet spot. Just before she can bite Wilbur's neck, Chick and Larry approach looking for Joan, and Sandra flees. As they search, Larry transforms into the Wolf Man. Wilbur escapes, but Larry finds and injures MacDougal. Later noting that Chick is costumed as a werewolf, MacDougal concludes that Chick attacked him for revenge. (The fact that Chick is dressed like Talbot certainly does not help). Chick manages to slip away, only to witness Dracula hypnotizing Wilbur. Chick becomes somewhat hypnotized himself, while Wilbur and an entranced Joan are brought back to the castle by Dracula and Sandra. The next morning, Chick is still on the lam when he finds Larry, who confesses that he attacked MacDougal. Now finally convinced, Chick agrees to help Larry rescue Wilbur and Joan.

While Wilbur is being held in a pillory, Sandra finally explains to him the plan to transplant his brain into the Monster. She and Dracula leave him to prepare the Monster for the operation. Chick and Larry arrive, free Wilbur, and head off to save Joan. Wilbur, meanwhile, is lured back to the castle by Dracula, who easily overpowers his mind.

While the Monster receives an electrical boost in the lab, Sandra is about to open Wilbur's skull when Larry storms in and knocks Sandra out. Just as he is about to untie Wilbur, Larry once again transforms into the Wolf Man. Dracula arrives and has a tug-of-war with the Wolf Man over Wilbur's gurney. Dracula flees, with the Wolf Man giving chase. Chick arrives to untie Wilbur just as the Monster, now at full power, breaks his bonds and rises from his stretcher. Sandra tries to order him back as Dracula does, but he picks her up and tosses her out a window.

Dr. Stevens, meanwhile, has managed to find Joan and gets her to the boat. Dracula, in an attempt to escape, transforms into a bat, but the Wolf Man snares him and both fall over a balcony and into the rocky seas below. Joan's trance abruptly ends. The boys, meanwhile, escape the castle and head to the pier, with the Monster in pursuit. Once again Chick and Wilbur meet Mr. MacDougal, who insists that he still wants his exhibits. They loudly reply, "..here comes one of them now!" When the Monster appears, Mr. MacDougal and his partner jump off the pier. Chick and Wilbur attempt to escape ith a rowboat, which is securely tied to the pier. The Monster throws barrels at them, in a series of near misses. Wilbur finally unties the boat, while Stevens and Joan arrive and set the pier ablaze. The Monster turns and marches into the flames, slowing and succumbing as the pier collapses into the water.

Just as Chick and Wilbur relax, they hear a disembodied voice (Vincent Price) and see a cigarette floating in the air: "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm the Invisible Man!" The boys jump off the boat as the Invisible Man lights his cigarette and laughs. (This scene presaged 1951's Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, though Price did not star, and the Invisible Man in that film was a different character). Vincent Leonard Price Jr. ... Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man is a 1951 film starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Nancy Guild. ...

Production

The film was originally intended to be titled The Brain of Frankenstein, but its name was changed prior to the filming schedule, which ran from February 5 through March 20, 1948. is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Walter Lantz, noted for the creation of Woody Woodpecker, provided the animation for Dracula's transformations. Walter Lantz in 1983, with painting of Woody Woodpecker Walter Lantz (April 27, 1900 – March 22, 1994) was an American cartoonist and animator, best known for founding the Walter Lantz Studio and creating Woody Woodpecker. ... Woody Woodpecker, from the opening title sequence for the 1951 short Puny Express. ...

In a 1996 documentary, 100 Years of Horror, hosted by Christopher Lee, it was revealed that the studio hired two additional comedians to add laughs between takes on the set. Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE (born May 27, 1922) is an English actor known for his professional longevity and his distinctive basso delivery. ...

Trivia

• This was only Lugosi's second onscreen appearance as Dracula. Ian Keith was considered for the role. Coincidentally, Keith was also considered to play Dracula in the 1931 original.
• In the film, the monster is actually played by two actors. Glenn Strange plays him for most of the film, but broke his foot during production, so Lon Chaney Jr. (who previously played the monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein), took over the role for a portion of the laboratory battle sequence.
• Boris Karloff was originally approached to play the monster once again, but declined. He did, however, help promote the movie and can be seen in several publicity photos, including one where he is buying a ticket, even though he refused to actually see the film (considering it an insult).
• On original movie posters, the film's full name was Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein; however, its onscreen title is Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (without the "and"). This is the official title of the movie according to the Internet Movie Database. In any event, the film's title is inaccurate since they do not actually encounter anyone named Frankenstein (therefore this film, like many others, promoted the misnomer that the monster was named 'Frankenstein'). In the U.K. the film was released under the more generic title, Abbott and Costello Meet the Ghosts
• At one point in the film, where Wilbur and Chick are going through the revolving panel, Wilbur calls Chick by his real name, Abbott.
• Costello hated the script for Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.^[1] He said that his five-year-old daughter could have written something better, but later warmed to the film during production.
• During the filming of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Glenn Strange found Costello so funny he would often break up laughing, necessitating many retakes. There were several pie fights between takes as well, but Abbott and Costello respected the three monsters (Chaney as the Wolfman, Lugosi as Dracula and Strange as the Monster) and made sure no pies were flung at the heavily made-up actors.
• The Australian film board required that almost every scene involving a monster should be removed before release. ^[2]

Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The Ghost of Frankenstein (often referred to without the article The in the title), was an American horror film released in 1942. ... Boris Karloff (born William Henry Pratt) (London, November 23, 1887 – February 2, 1969) was an English actor, who immigrated to Canada in the 1910s, best known for his roles in horror films and the creation of Frankensteins monster in 1931s Frankenstein. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... UK redirects here. ...

Cultural References

• In a 2006 episode of Iconoclasts on the Sundance Channel Quentin Tarantino cited the film as his favorite childhood movie because "when it was supposed to be funny it was really funny, and when it was supposed to be scary it was really scary."
• The film was unofficially remade in Mexico as Frankenstein, el Vampiro y Compañía (1962) and in Egypt as Haram Alek (1953).
• In the Star Trek: Enterprise episode Horizon, Trip Tucker wanted to show the film.

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sundance Channel logo used from 1996 to 2002. ... Quentin Jerome Tarantino (born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, actor, and screenwriter. ... The starship Enterprise (NX-01) Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. ... Horizon is the 20th episode of season 2 of Star Trek: Enterprise which originally aired on April 16, 2003. ... Charles Trip Tucker III Commander Charles Tucker III, known as Trip (for triple, since he is the third generation of his family to be called Charles Tucker), is a fictional character in the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, played by Connor Trinneer. ...

Routines

The Moving Candle routine previously used in Hold That Ghost was utilized again in this film. Hold That Ghost is a 1941 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ...

DVD Releases

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein 2000 DVD cover, deemed fair use This is a DVD cover. ... Image File history File links A&cdvd3. ...

References

External links

• Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein at the Internet Movie Database