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"Buck Privates" (1941)


Subdeacon Joe

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IMDb says that Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's drill routine in "Buck Privates" (1941) ran only 2-1/2 minutes in the script, but was allowed five minutes of screen time because of their ad-libbing (in fact, much of their dialogue in the film was ad-libbed). Wikipedia states that the routine was actually a series of shorter takes that were strung together to expand the bit to more than three minutes of screen time. Abbott and Costello had been performing this sketch on stage for more than three years.
Herbie Brown (Lou): "What time is it?"
Slicker Smith (Bud): "None of your business!"
This exchange was completely ad-libbed during the drill routine. Abbott didn't know it was coming but delivered his response flawlessly.
In the beginning of the movie when Abbott and Costello are about to go into what they think is a movie theatre, Lou asks the recruiter who's standing outside the door what movie is playing. The recruiter replies, "You're in the army now." There was actually a movie by that title, "You're in the Army Now" (1941), that starred Phil Silvers and Jimmy Durante released by Warner Brothers that same year.
This film took in $4 million (at a time when theater admission ranged between 10 cents and 25 cents), more than either "Citizen Kane" (1941) or "How Green Was My Valley" (1941).
Arthur Lubin later admitted he did very little to direct Abbott and Costello. They showed him the routines they wanted, and he chose the camera set-ups. Their constant ad-libbing made even this difficult, as Lubin never knew how far, or where, they would take a gag. Nonetheless, the picture made so much money that Universal gave him a bonus, extended his contract, and assigned him the next four Abbott and Costello starring vehicles. (IMDb/Wikipedia)
Happy Birthday, Bud Abbott!
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