TV series
The comedic duo engages in humorous scenarios.
Bud and Lou are unemployed actors living in Mr. Fields’ boarding house. Lou’s girlfriend Hillary lives across the hall. Many situations arise leading to slapstick and puns.
Availability
The Abbott and Costello Show premiered December 5, 1952. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Bud and Lou are unemployed actors living in Mr. Fields’ boarding house. Lou’s girlfriend Hillary lives across the hall. Many situations arise leading to slapstick and puns.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
Bud and Lou find jobs in Fields' drugstore and nearly wreck the place. This episode opens with the famous "Jonah and the Whale" routine.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Elvia Allman, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Iris Adrian, Louis Lettieri
Episode 2
When Lou gets a toothache he attempts to get arrested so he can receive free treatment while incarcerated.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Virginia Christine, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Ray Walker, Vera Marshe, Bobby Barber
Episode 3
Lou damages Mrs. Crumbcake's waterpail and she drags him into court claiming .79 cents in damages. In jail, Lou's crazed cellmate becomes enraged whenever he hears "Niagara Falls."
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Eddie FormanGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Iris Adrian, Robin Raymond, Stanley Andrews, Elvia Allman
Episode 4
Bud and Lou head off to the Biltmore Hotel near Phoenix for a vacation. "Hertz U-Drive" and the "Pack-Unpack" routines are performed.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Glenn Strange, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Bobby Barber, Milt Bronson
Episode 5
Lou throws a birthday party for himself, but nearly poisons his guests when he puts ant paste on his hors d'oeurves instead of anti pasto. Bud throws him out and Lou consoles himself by ordering a giant decorated cake.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Eddie FormanGuest stars Joe Besser, Sarah Padden, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Elvia Allman, Joyce Jameson
Episode 6
When news arrives that Lou's uncle has struck gold in Alaska, Bud and Lou plan to help him spend it.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Eddie FormanGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Ray Walker, Murray Leonard, Rita Moreno
Episode 7
Bud and Lou visit an employment agency run by Mr. Fields' brother, who gives Lou a job selling vacuum cleaners door to door.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Bobby Barber, Ethelreda Leopold, Robin Raymond
Episode 8
Bud and Lou join the Army, where they recreate their routines from the feature film 'Buck Privates.' "Drill Routine" and "Dice Game" are performed.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Robert Cherry, James Alexander
Episode 9
Working as a door-to-door cookware salesman, Lou prepares a dinner for his friends in hopes of moving some product. However, his honest culinary efforts are met with disaster.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Anthony Caruso
Episode 10
Bud and Lou participate in Hillary's charity bazaar, raising money with the "shell game." Lou blows his money at the kissing booth.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields, Bobby Barber
Episode 11
Bud and Lou accept Hillary's invitation to visit her uncle's B-Bar-Bop ranch.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Eddie Forman, Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, James Alexander, Anthony Caruso, Minerva Urecal, Bobby Barber, Don Zelaya
Episode 12
Hillary will inherit a castle if she spends one night there. Bud and Lou come along with her for protection and Lou is scared out of his mind by frightful encounters.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Eddie Forman, Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields, Joan Shawlee, Bobby Barber, George Barrows
Episode 13
Lou sleeps all day but can't sleep at night. Bud takes him to see a psychiatrist. Eventually Bud checks him into a sanitarium for a night's rest. "Crazy House" is performed.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Eddie FormanGuest stars Joe Besser, Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields, Marjorie Reynolds, Eddie Parks, Veda Ann Borg, Murray Leonard, Milt Bronson
Episode 14
Bud and Lou visit a couple of restaurants. In one they become involved with twin waitresses. In the other, Lou has a battle with an oyster.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Joe Kirk, Bobby Barber, Milt Bronson, Murray Leonard, Joan Shawlee
Episode 15
Lou attempts to impress Hillary and her father with his musical abilities. While pretending to perform, Bud falls asleep and ruins the scheme.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Raymond Hatton, Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Renie Riano, Minerva Urecal
Episode 16
Bud coaches Lou on running for public office, a political campaign that ends with Lou delivering a disastrous speech in a neighborhood park.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Joan Shawlee, Bobby Barber, Charles Cane, Milt Bronson
Episode 17
Lou and Stinky agree to settle their differences with a wrestling match. When Stinky becomes ill, his little brother Ivan the Terrible takes his place.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Ben Welden, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Phyllis Kennedy, Dorothy Granger
Episode 18
Bud and Lou are hired to deliver hats to the Susquehanna Hat Company on Floogle Street and encounter several lunatics on the way. Also, Stinky attempts to kill Lou by backing him into traffic. The "Loafing" routine is performed.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Veda Ann Borg, Sid Fields, Lucien Littlefield, Syd Saylor, Vera Marshe, Milt Bronson, Eddie Parks
Episode 19
Mike the Cop tells Lou that he must have a license for his pet chimp. But Lou accidentally applies for a marriage license.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Dorothy Granger, Joan Shawlee, Isabel Randolph, Alix Talton
Episode 20
While shopping for Hillary's birthday present, Lou nearly destroys a grocery store. Later, at her party, Mr. Fields becomes upset about the noise.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Lee Patrick, Joan Shawlee
Episode 21
Lou is a contestant on a TV quiz show where he wins a pack of bubblegum. Their neighbor slips on a piece of gum and takes them to court.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Ben Welden, Joan Shawlee, Barbara Billingsley, Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, James Alexander
Episode 22
Bud and Lou pay $90 for a car and head for Las Vegas, where Lou takes part in a violent game of billiards. The "mudder/fodder" routine is performed.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Virginia Christine, Joe Devlin, Maudie Prickett, Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Lucien Littlefield, Renie Riano
Episode 23
Bud and Lou attempt to help an old lady who has been evicted. They raise $300 and she uses the money to bet on a racehorse.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, George Chandler, Benny Rubin, Syd Saylor, Judy Clark
Episode 24
Bud is taken away to an old actors' home where he and Lou perform their famous "Who's on first?" routine.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Joe Besser, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Thurston Hall, Allen Jenkins, Lucien Littlefield, Joan Shawlee, Ray Walker
Episode 25
Mike the Cop helps Bud and Lou enroll in the Police Rookie School, where Lou blows up the gymnasium while playing with a hand grenade.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Emory Parnell, Robert Cherry, John Halloran
Episode 26
When Bingo gets sick, the whole gang travels to Africa to find his parents.
Directed by Jean YarbroughWritten by Sid FieldsGuest stars Hillary Brooke, Gordon Jones, Sid Fields, Joe Kirk, Bobby Barber
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Available now in United States
These shows are available now and closely match The Abbott and Costello Show.
Bud AbbottBud Abbott
Lou CostelloLou Costello
Joe BesserStinky Davis
Virginia ChristineMrs. Jackson
Dick WesselBill Hart
Ben WeldenGaston - Restaurant Manager
Elvia AllmanMrs. Crumbcake
Paul BryarGeorge
Television Corporation of AmericaUnited States
