Double Acts

Bud, the lean, mean straight man and Lou the roly-poly comic, their quick-fire verbal dexterity propelled them to the pinnacle of show business.

They won the hearts of audiences everywhere...from Burlesque, Vaudeville, Broadway and Nightclubs to Hollywood, Radio and TV, they conquered it all!

Bud was born into show business whilst Lou had dreams of Hollywood and when they met on the Burlesque circuit in 1934, they knew that they were right for each other and a partnership was forged that would last for 26 years.

When Burlesque was banished by New York City in 1937, Bud and Lou moved over to Vaudeville which led to weekly appearances on 'The Kate Smith Hour', a hugely popular radio show.

Next stop was the Broadway show 'Streets Of Paris' where Abbott and Costello were spotted by Hollywood talent scouts and they signed to Universal for just one picture, 'One Night In The Tropics'. Bud and Lou stole the movie with their comedy routines and a long-term contract was signed. In the first 24 months of their Universal contract, an incredible ten Abbott and Costello films were released.

By 1942, Bud and Lou ranked as the No. 1 Box Office attraction in America and in October of that year, The Abbott And Costello Radio Show was launched featuring some of the biggest names in show business as the duo's special guest stars.

Bud and Lou were actually very good friends, a rarity amongst double acts, but they were also fiercely competitive; if Bud built a pool, Lou's would have to be bigger...similarly with cars, boats and homes and their between-takes card games on the movie sets were legendary with thousands of dollars passing across the table.

In November 1943, tragedy befell the Costello family when Lou's baby son, just short of his 1st birthday, drowned in the family swimming pool. That night, Bud and Lou began a new series of their radio show and Lou bravely went on, despite his heartbreak. The audience only learned of the terrible accident when Bud announced it over the air at the end of the show.

In the early 50s, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were investigated by the US government's Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The payments and fines that they incurred were crippling; a bitter blow for the popular duo who had volunteered their time so generously, selling millions of dollars worth of War Bonds all over America, during World War 2.

The movie hits continued through the 1950s and the new medium of television brought even greater success to Bud and Lou.

Their partnership ended in 1957 after a falling out in Las Vegas and the boys went their separate ways. In 1959, Lou Costello was felled by a heart attack and died aged just 52. When Bud Abbott heard the news, he said, 'My heart is broken. I've lost the best pal anyone ever had'.

Bud Abbott died in 1974 aged 78. Groucho Marx said of Bud Abbott that he was 'the greatest straight man ever'.

Barbara Windsor tells the tragicomic story of America's comedy duo, Abbott & Costello.

Elsie and Doris Waters were born within the sound of Bow Bells at the turn of the last century; Elsie was the elder by ten years and their brother Jack became the famous actor Jack Warner of 'Dixon Of Dock Green' fame. Their family was musical and as young girls they got their first engagements in Concert Parties and Music Hall and came up with the idea of 'Gert and Daisy' in 1930.

This was a new kind of comedy; observational 'over the garden wall' gossiping based on everyday life, their neighbours and their fictional other halves, Bert and Wally. The sisters moved onto BBC Radio, becoming regulars on 'Workers Playtime'.

During the World War Two, they made three films together 'Gert and Daisy's Weekend' (1942), 'Gert and Daisy Clean Up' (1942) and 'It's in the Bag' (1944). They toured with ENSA, entertaining the troops in India and the Far East, and back home they were enlisted by the Ministry Of Food and appeared regularly on BBC Radio's 'Kitchen Front', giving advice on how to make the best of the daily food rations including recipes for such gastronomic delights as 'Woolton Pie' and Christmas 'Murkey'!

In 1956, Elsie and Doris Waters starred as 'Gert and Daisy' in the popular radio series 'Floggit's', with a supporting cast that included future stars Ronnie Barker, Joan Sims, Ron Moody, Hugh Paddick and Anthony Newley.

Elsie and Doris kept 'Gert and Daisy' gossiping and singing on Radio, TV and live shows until Doris passed away in 1978, followed by Elsie in 1990 at the grand age of 97.

In 1986, 'Gert and Daisy' were awarded the Burma Star.

Elsie and Doris Waters were trailblazers for British female comedians, being one of the first highly successful female double acts who wrote their own material and songs. They formed their own production company, taking full charge of their incredible career spanning more than fifty years.

Christopher Biggins celebrates the Waters sisters' famous double act, 'Gert and Daisy.'.

But things were very different when Dean and Jerry first met in 1945. In those days both of them were going nowhere fast. Dean was a pleasant but unremarkable singer and Jerry had an act that involved miming to records dressed as Carmen Miranda. But things quickly changed when they got together at Skinny D'Amato's 500 Club in Atlantic City. Their energy and anarchy was an instant hit with audiences, something that Jerry described as 'lightning in a bottle'. From there they quickly moved on to TV with their hit show, The Colgate Comedy Hour and when Hollywood came calling they signed to Paramount Pictures.

However, all of this this success would come at a great cost to their friendship, and ultimately their partnership. After their split in 1956 Martin and Lewis didn't speak a word to each other for 20 years until their mutual friend Frank Sinatra brought them back together in a surprise reunion in front of millions of TV viewers. In this programme Bill looks back at their story with frank and revealing archive interviews featuring both Dean and Jerry, and some of their most memorable film and TV sketches. Plus interviews with writer James Kaplan (author of Dean & Me - A Love Story) and Dean Martin's daughter Deana Martin.

Bill Kenwright looks back at the stellar comedy partnership of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

Famous fans of today tell the stories of some of the great comedy duos of the past

These include actor Jeffrey Holland who is currently playing Stan Laurel in his own show, '...and this is my friend Mr Laurel' at the Edinburgh Fringe, and Jeff Pope, writer of Stan & Ollie, the soon to be released film starring Steve Coogan and John C Reilly that tells the story of Laurel and Hardy's final British variety halls tour of 1953. Laurel and Hardy historian Randy Skretvedt reveals the painstaking efforts to preserve and restore the films of Laurel and Hardy plus Yvette Fielding examines the role of strong female characters in their work. Ross Owen, who was responsible for successfully bringing Laurel and Hardy back to cinemas all over the UK a couple of years ago visits Mark Greenhow, curator of the Laurel and Hardy Museum in Stan Laurel's home town of Ulverston in Cumbria. Plus celebrity fans Fran Healy, lead singer of Travis and actor Perry Fenwick (Billy Mitchell from EastEnders) share their passion for all things Stan and Ollie!

Another Nice Mess: Al Murray recalls the comic genius of Laurel and Hardy.

Famous fans of today tell the stories of some of the great comedy duos of the past