General Electric True Theater with BUD ABBOTT

One of the rare solo TV appearances by Bud Abbott co-starring with Lee Marvin, YES - thee LEE MARVIN of all people ! and Mala Powers. This episode of G.E. Theater is called The Joke's on Me and aired in 1961. Bud plays Ernie Kaufmann, the patsy manager to stand-up nightclub comedian Sid Benton (Lee Marvin). But the act behind the scenes is quite different. Sid is abusive to Ernie and just as well to his wife Martha (Mala Powers). No comedy here for Bud - straight drama. Bud has some quality time on screen, but unfortunately Sid fires him about 15 minutes into the show and that's the last we see of him. The rest of the episode dwells on Sid and Martha's declining marriage as she tries to win him back by pulling at his heart strings by adopting a foster child. It is nice to see Bud back on the screen only a few years after Lou Costello's death. The footage in the video is a transfer from my own 16mm film print.

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• JOKES
• ON
• ME
• BUD
• ABBOTT

[lemaxmas]

Wow! Never knew Bud Abbott acted without Lou Costello. I knew they split up before Lou died. He was a good serious actor.

Thanks for uplioading and sharing this!

[verbusen]

I thought Lee was gonna kill Bud for a sec

[heyyyabbottt]

Great archive! Thank you for sharing.

[789trebor]

Too bad Bud didn't do anymore character roles!

[MrTgculpeper]

Fine performance by Bud - he was a good actor.

[fromthesidelines]

Bud made very few TV appareances after Lou Costello's death in 1959 (including providing his own frail voice for the 1967 Hanna-Barbera syndicated TV cartoon version of the duo, with Stan Irwin as "Lou"). This originally aired on April 16, 1961.

[BusterKeatonWatz]

Thank you so much, I'd heard only the soundtrack still existed - what a surprise to see it!

[Russellye5man1]

Fantastic!! Thanks for uploading - been wanting to see this for year! Pleased its in good condition too :D

[amiaminot]

What a treat ! Haven't seen this episode in 50 years !