Lou Costello

While Lou Costello is best known for his radio, movie, and television work with Bud Abbott, his career both predated and extended beyond the partnership. Costello was born Louis Francis Cristillo on March 6, 1906, in Patterson, NJ. His family was Catholic, and he excelled in school as an athlete, taking part in basketball, track (the foul shot), and boxing. Costello embarked on his acting career in 1927, but could only find work as a laborer and extra in Hollywood. He appeared in an early Laurel & Hardy short, Battle of the Century, and worked as stuntman in The Trail of '98 (...