Bud Abbott
(1898 - 1974)
In 1959, soon after the death of comedian partner Lou Costello, Bud Abbott was socked by an IRS audit that claimed he owed the government about $750,000. He had to sell his Encino estate, a ranch in Ojai, and the residual rights to most of his films to clear up the debt.
The following year, 1960, Bud resurrected the classic Abbott and Costello routines with comedian Candy Candido. When Variety and other critics caught their act in 1961, the reviews were excellent. Bud later recalled, "That was the biggest challenge of all: to see, after 24 years of working with Lou, if I could make another man funny. I found out I could." That same year, Bud made his dramatic debut on an episode of GE Theater titled "The Jokes On Me", playing a talent agent. After suffering a mild stroke late in 1964, he was idle until 1966, when Hanna-Barbera produced 156 Abbott and Costello cartoons. Bud supplied his own voice, while Stan Irwin impersonated Lou.
Bud Abbott succumbed to cancer on April 24, 1974 at his home in Woodland Hills, California. Although his age was reported to be 78, he was actually 76. In the years before his death, Bud had suffered two strokes, a broken hip, and a broken leg. Then, late in 1973, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He and his wife Betty celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary before he died.
Bud's memorial service was in the First Christian Church of Reseda, where about 240 mourners gathered. His body was cremated, and the ashes spread over the ocean. His wife Betty, adopted children Bud Jr. and Vickie, and four grandchildren survived Bud. (Seven years later, at the age of 80, Betty passed away and Bud Jr. passed away in 1997 at the age of 57).
