ONE OF MY MANY HOMETOWN HERO’S

    (WILLIAM ALEXANDER “BUD” ABBOTT)         The first of many who’s path to Stardom began in the same City as I. Asbury Park NJ, once the Crowned Jewel of the entire East Coast bar none. I was introduced to Abbott and Costello from my Uncle Jerry. We would watch them together on channel 11 WPIX NY. 11:30 every Sunday morning they would run all their movies. My favorite among these is the everlasting classic Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. On Oct. 2 1897 in Asbury Park NJ was born the greatest straight man to ever live. I agree with this but it was endorced by the another great comic Groucho Marx who once said, ” Bud Abbott is the greatest straight man in the business “. Here on the 3rd Floor Podcast we bring you the total story.( well kind’a) Bud was actually born in Reading Pa. later moved to where he called “his birthplace” Asbury Park at age 3. His Mom and Dad Rea (Fisher), Harry Abbott, both worked with Barnum and Bailey Circus. Rea was a Bareback rider and Harry a concessionaire and forage agent. In his early teens after relocating to Coney Island section of Brooklyn NY, one of Bud’s jobs after dropping out of grammar school. Was a cabin boy on a Norwegian steamliner shovling coal. Moving on to his later teens it was in 1918 he met a later marries for 55 years was Jenny Mae Pratt.( something in that double T thing) In 1926 a hidden illness Epilepsy. This would never slow him down.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     { E=Mc2 }            1935 the first time proforming together,this shortly after meeting at Minsky’s Burlesque just a couple years earlier. It was an illness that sided lined Costello’s normal partner Bud filled in and the rest is History. So it began that night at Eltinge Theate on 42nd street, burlesque -vaudeville- minstrel shows and stage the boys were on the way up. Lou being from Patterson NJ the boys would return home to perform shows from time to time. If you go to City Park in Patterson NJ you will see a statue of Lou. If you go to Bradley Park in Asbury Park you will see nothing of Bud. You will see a statue of the guy who discovered the town next to Asbury Park. I have started a movement to have statue of Bud erected in Bradley Park the man desrves it above all other reasons it was well earned. During WW II the 2 raised $85 million in War Bonds, just a side note of the impact of these 2 comic giants.                                                                                                                                                     { SAY GOODNIGHT LOU }           I remember hearing it on WJLK local radio station, Bud Abbott had died at age 76. That day was April 24, 1974. At his Woodland Hills home in L.A. California, his long fight against cancer was over. He was cremated and his ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean. His widow known now as Betty (her stage name when they met ) joined him September 12, 1981. He left so much more than just laughs he and his wife had adopted 2 children, along with countless hours of charity. This Hometown Hero of my shall always shine as one of the brightest Stars in my sky. For more on the this dou of word wit, follow the 3rd Floor Podcast @anchor @spotify any where you get your podcast from even @iTunes follow us on TWITTER @victor8201963 vavthe3rdfloorpodcast@gmail.com