ALL SCI-FI

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Movie Comedy Teams by Leonard Maltin.

The New York Times remarked about Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, "And about time." The joke was unfair to Bud and Lou, but not to that particular film, which was one of their dreariest.

Sidebar: I would disagree with Maltin that this was "one of their dreariest" films. It isn't top notch by any stretch, even for dedicated Abbott & Costello fans. However, it does have some funny scenes here and there.

[Bud Brewster]

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The only flaw in this film is the entire Mardi Gras segment. It's a waste of both time and celluloid — and if it was completely edited out, nobody would miss it!

It's absence, of course, would make it possible to include a longer segment with the comic duo on Venus. A plot element about how the boys on Mars are hoping to hook with the babes on Venus would be very enjoyable.

Bud and Lou could have been instrumental in uniting the two worlds, thus making this a marvelous sci-fi comedy!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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I watched an episode of Wagon Train today which was called The Tobias Jones Story, and it featured a familiar actor — but it was a very different kind of role than those for which he was famous.

Lou Costello gave an amazing performance as a somber-but-kindhearted man named Tobias Jones who befriends a orphaned young girl, and together they become stowaways on the wagon train in hopes of finding new lives in California.

After the stowaways are discover, they're allowed to stay with the wagon train, but when a man is killed, Lou is suspected of being the murderer.

Lou's performance is strikingly different from anything I've ever seen him in before. He's a sad little man with a drinking problem, but he's devoted to the girl, and he's skilled at woodcraft, carving out a horse for his young friend.

Also noteworthy is the way Lou portrayed his periods of inebriation. He does it in a way that is totally believable and completely without comedic elements.

I was very impressed by the way Lou invoked the viewers sympathy. It convinced me that he was capable of playing characters who were both funny and intelligent.


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

From IMDB & other sources:

"The Tobias Jones" story was first broadcast less than five months before Lou's death from a heart attack at only 52 years old.

Harry von Zell who co-wrote the script for this episode with Jefferey Shorling & guest stars in this episode was a well established announcer in radio, film, and television, as well as a character actor. He was the announcer for The George Burns & Gracie Allen television show (1951~1958, 268 episodes), and appeared as himself on the series.

Harry is also in the National Hall of Bloopers. On radio he introduced President Herbert Hoover as "Hoobert Heever."

Beverly Washburn plays the role of Midge on this episode. Beverly was a popular and prolific child actress in movies and television. She appeared in Superman & the Mole Men, Father Knows Best, Leave It To Beaver, Old Yeller. She guest starred on Star Trek: TOS episode "The Deadly Years" as one of the crew members who is affected by a rapid aging disease. Beverly wrote her autobiography titled: Reel Tears, The Beverly Washburn Story.

Note: I saw this episode a few months ago and was most impressed with Lou's turn at a dramatic acting role. I remember reading in an interview with him about when he appeared on Wagon Train. He said that it felt very strange to do scenes and not look over to see his comedy partner Bud Abbott standing next to him after their many years together in vaudeville, films, and their tv show. He said it was difficult not to ad-lib in his scenes, something he was noted for in his comedy career, and was good at. And it was tempting he said not to perform some slapstick and falls during his time on Wagon Train. Lou had hoped to do produce and star in a film based upon the life of Fiorello LaGuardia (1882~1946), who was the Mayor of NYC from 1934 to 1946. Given what a fine dramatic actor Lou could be, and his resemblance to LaGuardia, he would have done a superb job in this real life role if supported by a top notch script.