Abbott and Costello in Hollywood ** (1945, Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Frances Rafferty, Bob Haymes, Jean Porter) – Classic Movie Review 6566

Director S Sylvan Simon’s 1945 MGM vehicle for Bud Abbott and Lou Costello cast them as Buzz and Abercrombie, who run a barbershop in Tinseltown and become showbiz agents with Jeff Parker (Robert Stanton [aka Bob Haymes]) as their client, whom they are trying to swing a top gig in film musical.

The result is the usual strained Abbott and Costello clowning, but done on a bigger budget than usual, with a couple of memorable routines (Lou has earplugs and cannot hear Bud, and he has insomnia and cannot sleep) and a decent fairground finish.

Movie buffs will find that it is entertaining to go backstage at MGM studios, and glimpse Lucille Ball, Preston Foster, Jackie Butch Jenkins, Dean Stockwell, Rags Ragland, Sharon McManus and director Robert Z Leonard, all playing themselves.

Also in the cast are Frances Rafferty, Jean Porter as Ruthie, Warner Anderson, Mike Mazurki, Carleton G Young, Donald MacBride, Edgar Dearing, Marion Martin, Arthur Space, William ‘Bill’ Phillips, Richard Alexander, Marie Blake, Betty Blythe, Karin Booth, Wheaton Chambers, Chester Clute, Joe Devlin, Franklyn Farnum, Frank Hagney, Eddie Hall, Henry Hall, Sam Harris, William Hawley, Dell Henderson, Milton Kibbee, Nolan Leary, Robert Emmett O’Connor, Garry Owen, Frank Penny, Jeffrey Sayre, Frank J Scannell, Charles Walters, Hank Worden and Sharon McManus.

It is written by Nat Perrin and Lou Breslow (from a story by Nat Perrin and Martin A Gosch), shot by Charles Schoenbaum, produced by Martin A Gosch and S Sylvan Simon, scored by George Bassman, and designed by Cedric Gibbons and Wade B Rubottom.

RIP Jean Porter (8 December 1922 – 13 January 2018).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6566

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