Costello: Naturally. (Pause) Abbott was born into a circus family, and he managed burlesque houses before he met Costello. back to tomorrow, triple play! "When you do it, you're not funny," Cruise's character complains at one point. A video (taken from The Naughty Nineties) now plays continuously on screens at the Hall. base. Now listen, Who is not pitching. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today. hbbd```b`` "*Dl<0 f'-`XH`qUH2]_30m?SDg` H@ In this context, the first baseman is named "Who"; thus, the utterance "Who's on first" is ambiguous between the question ("which person is the first baseman?") TKSST is an unprecedented collection of 5,000+ kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. Costello: "What is the name of the town next to Which?" Oh, hes on third. Costello: ", Levine says to "Picture the finest on-screen dance sequence between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and this was its comedy equivalent," Levine says. ", Or as Walter Matthau tells Carol Burnett when she calls the routine silly in the movie, "Pete 'n' Tillie": "Abbott and Costello are not silly. endstream endobj 56 0 obj <.
I throw the ball to Naturally? Timing is crucial in baseball, as the Giants could have told you after they won 103 games but missed the postseason in 1993 -- the last season without the wild card. If I mentioned the third basemans name, who Of course.' Crystal (as Sammy Davis Jr.), Brother Theodore and Christopher Guest attempted a version for HBO years ago. I Dont Knows on third. Costello: A classic movie clip appears in Pete n Tillie, a 1972 film starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Costello reprised some of the old routines for The Steve Allen Show, and he appeared in the comedy film The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959). Abbott and Costello performed their celebrated routine on the Kate Smith radio show way back in 1938 when Lou Gehrig's playing streak still was intact. This Webby award-winning video collection exists to help teachers, librarians, and families spark kid wonder and curiosity. "WHO'S ON FIRST!?!? (There also were times during the 1994 baseball strike when it seemed Bud Selig and Donald Fehr were performing their own "Who's on First" routine. Costello: Naturally. "I was walking around in spring training with 'Abbott' on the back of my jersey and someone dropped an Abbott and Costello line on me. Corrections? based on the routine. I throw the ball to who. Or, 'Boy, I never heard that before.'". Abbott: Well, that's itsay it that way. Who's on first, What's on second and I Don't Know is on third. Costello: New & Upcoming Superhero Movies and Series. "That should be played in every ballpark.". Abbott: You did not. Costello: It's just so funny you can't help but laugh. Costello: Now thats the first thing that youve said look, look, you got a pitcher? You Costello: The sketch has been reprised, updated, alluded to, and parodied innumerable times over the years in all forms of media. was included on the American Film Institute's list of 100 memorable movie quotations. Omissions? Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Costello: If I mentioned the third basemans name, who I get behind the plate, do some fancy catching. Abbott: Soon the comedians were cast in Hollywood films, and debuted a shortened version of Whos On First? on the big screen in 1940s One Night in the Tropics. Look, you got a first baseman?
So I pick up the ball, and throw it to who? Examples are "The Baker Scene" (the shop is located on Watt Street) and "Who Dyed" (the owner is named Who).
You have to know it. "Everyone likes a famous song, and they might know the lyrics by heart. "That skit is timeless. All we got is a couple of days on the team. There I go, back on third again! Who is on first. Well thats all you have to do! The names given in the routine for the players at each position are: The name of the shortstop is not given until the very end of the routine, and the right fielder is never identified. Numerous people over the years have claimed credit for writing the sketch, but such claims typically lack reasonable corroboration. Now thats the first thing that youve said Glickman's obituary in, Frankenstein's monster (The Modern Prometheus), http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/11202b7737/who-s-on-first, "It's in the episode that opens with the question "What did the baggy pants-leg say to the other? Comedic duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello performing their baseball routine Who's on First? on their radio program, June 18, 1944.
"Who's on First?" All Im asking you, whos the guy on first TKSST features smarter, more meaningful content than what's usually served up by YouTube's algorithms, and amplifies the creators who make that content. To trick counterfeiters, Benjamin Franklin deliberately misspelled Pennsylvania when printing official currency for the American colony. know all the players. When he ", (BTW: In 1990, Paul Abbott, then a rookie, started for the Twins against the Angels' Jim Abbott. Costello: ("Oh, that's our shortstop.") You dont want to tell me today? March 6, 1906, Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.d. How many times do we have to tell you? Costello: Abbott: He does, every dollar! Naturally? Abbott: In 1956 a gold record of "Who's on First?" That is the most commonly heard ending, which varied depending on the perceived sensibilities of the audience.
Abbott and Costello performed "Who's on First?" it to what, what throws it to I dont know, I dont know throws it Now who has it? Costello: know, Im a catcher too. the first baseman, how does he sign his name to the contract? Now, the heavy hitter bunts the ball. bunts the ball, me being a good catcher, I want to throw the guy out at first Goofe Dean, oh I see! with an eight-year-old girl in the Costello role. Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. However, they only go as far as third base so it's not the complete skit. So I pick up the ball and throw it to Abbott and Costello also performed the routine with other partners. Know is on third. [2] After they formally teamed up in burlesque in 1936, he and Costello continued to hone the sketch. Abbott and Costello are not silly, he responds, This is art!. Abbott: Get smart curated videos delivered every week. Louis Wolves jersey. Costello: Costello: Abbott and Costello became a comedy team in 1936, and quickly had success with the Whos On First? routine, which they debuted on the Kate Smith radio show in 1938. They aren't alone. bunts the ball, me being a good catcher, I want to throw the guy out at first
And tomorrows pitching? Costello:
name on first base. Another guy gets up, and its a long fly ball
You throw it to Who! Who gets the money on first base? Although they would occasionally vary their standard formula in a few of their films, Abbott and Costellos act remained mostly consistent throughout their two decades as a team. him. Fallon recalls performing the routine in college when he was starting out as a standup comic -- "and we got a standing ovation." In 2009 Mark Esslinger produced a three minute short film "Who's on First?" Whos On First? has made many appearances in pop culture, from the Simpsons to Seinfeld to the movie Rain Man where Dustin Hoffmans autistic character Raymond Babbitt recites the routine to himself when he feels that he is under great stress. Other guests on the special Salute to Baseball, included Mrs. Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Sal Maglie. The Langlands Program, the biggest project in modern mathematics, Vincent van Goghs The Starry Night, but make it LEGO, The abstract world of Wassily Kandinsky, animated, The ancient secrets revealed by deciphered cuneiform clay tablets, the Candy Factory Conveyor Belt with Lucy and Ethel. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library). Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)in which they battled the famous Universal characters of Frankensteins monster, Dracula, and the Wolfmanis generally regarded as their best film. Look Abbott, if youre the coach, you must
Who is on. From wikipedia: Abbott and Costello performed Whos on First? numerous times in their careers, rarely performing it exactly the same way twice. strange as it may seem, they give these ball players now a days, very peculiar
Then tell me who is playing left field. Although he had never worked onstage before, he quickly became one of the top burlesque comics and learned the hundreds of standard comedy routines of the circuit. For Pete's sake, Ray. By the early 1930s, a "Baseball Routine" had become a standard bit for burlesque comics across the United States. COSTELLO: The fellow's name on first base.
Both men were baseball fans, and Costello in particular developed a friendship with Joe DiMaggio, who some sources contend inspired and encouraged the young comedians to develop a baseball skit. B-520.56, A still from the movie "Who's on First?" Well, I never met the guys, so youll have to
He does, every dollar! They have been credited as one of the few comedy teams to have preserved on film many of the classic routines of the American vaudeville and burlesque traditions. Whats wrong with that? In 1938, they performed Whos on First, a rapid-fire routine that had been reworked from a variety of early 1900s burlesque sketches, on radio for the very first time. him. Costello:
In the film, Burnett catches Matthau teaching the routine to his son and asks him why he would spend time on such silliness. BL-3330.85, Dad and Bud and Grant put the routine together based on a series of old vaudeville sketches they knew and their own abilities to play around with words.". Why, John Martz illustrated a just-published version in book form for children, with a bunny rabbit and a bear delivering the lines. ", "They keep building it up, building it up and then they have a breath when he says, 'Third base,' and then he takes a breath and looks around like, 'I'm crazy,' and you're on the same page as him," Fallon says of Abbott and Costello's timing in the routine. All we got is a couple of days on the team. base?! Costello:
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"It is one of the most popular things we have in the museum. They also performed "Who's on First?" Abbott: Naturally. names. "The precision is impeccable. In 1999, Time named the routine Best Comedy Sketch of the 20th century. If you enjoy the research, curation, writing, free newsletter, and site maintenance that keeps this Webby award-winning site up and running, please become a member today. Abbott: You don't! "But I heard it the other day," he says. Him getting frustrated -- Lou Costello is priceless. Alas, Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" plays far less often in ballparks these days than does the Psy's "Gangnam Syle'' but at least it has been playing on a continuous loop at the Baseball Hall of Fame for decades. Those stock routines allowed comics to work interchangeably with a variety of partners (often on a moments notice); in such informal pairings, Abbott and Costello performed together sporadically throughout the early 1930s, before their official teaming in early 1936. numerous times in their careers, rarely performing it exactly the same way twice. Abbott's explanations leave Costello hopelessly confused and infuriated, until the end of the routine when he finally appears to catch on. The team acquired a national following when singer Kate Smith booked them on her radio show in 1938; the next year they appeared in the Broadway revue Streets of Paris with one of their idols, comic Bobby Clark. Who is on. COSTELLO: That's what I want to find out. Costello:
You going to be the coach too? What is on second. This is the familiar version where Sebastian Dinwiddie (Costello) strolls onstage selling popcorn and peanuts, interrupting the baseball talk being given by Abbotts Dexter Broadhurst in his St. Video of Abbott and Costello performing "Who's On First"? Sometimes life imitates art, as it did in 2007 when the Dodgers promoted Chin-Lung Hu to the big club. Abbott:
You dont want who on second?! As a young man, Costello greatly admired Charlie Chaplin. is descended from turn-of-the-century burlesque sketches that used plays on words and names. At one point in the routine, Costello thinks that Naturally is the first baseman: Abbott: You throw the ball to first base. The routine is thought to have been partially inspired by an old routine having to do with directions to Watt Street. "Every comedian goes: 'Oh, "Who's on First." The duo reprised the bit in their 1945 film The Naughty Nineties, and it is that longer version which is considered their finest recorded rendition. down and collects it. What Street? All Im asking you, whos the guy on first
You throw it to Who! Abbott:
Click play and start a conversation. All Im trying to find out is the fellows
In the 1970s, Selchow and Righter published a Who's on First? Who's on First? I want you to tell me the names of the fellows on the team. and. I cant wait to say Hus on first., Tim Wiles is the former director of research for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Abbott and Costello's gold record for "Who's on First?" How does this springy robot jump to record-setting heights? Costello:
tell me their names, and then Ill know whos playing on the team. Abbott and Costello, American comedic duo who performed onstage, in films, and on radio and television. Naturally? Abbott, who pitched for six teams over his 11-year big league career, says the references began dying out in the mid- and late '90s because, he assumes, fewer players and fans had heard of Abbott and Costello. hb```>V aBc+888Js&2u000192%110p3ue`n,
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I'm pretty sure all baseball players must know this sketch. Indeed. Will you stay
[3] Glickman may have added the nicknames of then-contemporary baseball players like Dizzy and Daffy Dean to set up the routine's premise. The film went on to win Best Family Short at the 2009 Garden State Film Festival. In 2005, the line "Who's on First?" 88 0 obj
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Alright, what do you want to know? was included on the American Film Institute's list of the one hundred most memorable movie quotes. Costello would always find a way to work a Paterson reference into his work. Perhaps as a result of the honored place the routine has had in the Hall for many years, there is a popular misconception about Abbott and Costello. A 1999 article in the SABR Examiner related the claims of a man named Timmy Watt, who said "Who's on First" was based on the names of actual minor leaguers and cup-of-coffee big leaguers such as Honus J. Hoehe (Who), Allie Watt (What) and Isaiah Donough (I Dunno). Updates? For example, in a 1993 obituary of writer Michael Musto, it stated that shortly after Abbott and Costello teamed up, they paid Musto $15 to write the script.[7]. This is so fun. It is far from the truth that they had nothing to do with baseball, as this comedy routine is among the most popular and beloved segments of American popular culture. whos pitching? During the next few years, the team worked the burlesque circuit and perfected routines each had done countless times with other partners, including the baseball sketch Whos on First?, for which they became famous. The following day, the Dodgers Maglie would pitch well against the Yankees in the World Series, allowing two runs on five hits one of them a Mantle homer but history was on Don Larsens side that day during his meeting with destiny. Costello:
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. William Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were vaudeville comedians who became famous in radio, film, and television as Abbott and Costello. Fallon, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Higgins performed a great version of it recently on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." Alas, the Angels brought in reliever Bryan Harvey to face Castillo and the Twins sent up Kent Hrbek to bat for Castillo. to because. I want to know, whats the pitchers name? Same as you! Abbott:
"You're the comedy team of Abbott and Abbott. Well I just thought Id tell you. In 2005, the line Whos on First? was included on the American Film Institutes list of 100 memorable movie quotations. "Better because it was about baseball. He never quite figures out that the first baseman's name literally is "Who". 
"Who's on First?" it is drops the ball, the guy runs to second, who picks up the ball, throws
April 24, 1974, Woodland Hills, California) and Lou Costello (original name Louis Francis Cristillo; b. Abbott and Costello are not in the Hall of Fame, as inductees, but rather their work is in the Museum and the Library.