Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

Last updated
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953 film) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Charles Lamont
Written by
Produced byHoward Christie
Starring
Cinematography Clifford Stine
Edited byRussell Schoengarth
Music by
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • April 6, 1953 (1953-04-06)
Running time
77 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$762,446 [2]
Box office$1.25 million (US) [3]

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars is a 1953 American science fiction comedy film starring the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and directed by Charles Lamont. It was produced by Howard Christie and made by Universal-International. Despite the film's title, no character in the film actually travels to the planet Mars (although Abbott and Costello's characters believe they are on Mars at one point.)

Contents

Plot

Original trailer

Orville, the oldest orphan at the Hideaway Orphans Home, accidentally hides inside a truck headed to a top-secret laboratory. There he is placed under the supervision of lab worker Lester to help load supplies onto an experimental rocket ship. While on board with Lester, Orville flips the ignition switch and the rocket ship blasts off, flying across the country and eventually landing outside of New Orleans, where Mardi Gras is in progress. Lester and Orville, believing that they have successfully landed on Mars, don spacesuits and go into the city, where they assume the grotesquely costumed celebrants are Martians, while the others assume they are fellow costumed celebrants.

Meanwhile, two escaped convicts, Harry the Horse and Mugsy, stumble upon the rocket ship, put on spacesuits and head to New Orleans to rob a bank and steal clothes. Lester and Orville are wrongly accused of the crimes and flee back to the rocket ship, where Mugsy and Harry force them to launch and demand to actually go to Mars. However, once in outer space, Lester and Orville get control of the crooks' gun and attempt to land back on Earth.

The ship instead lands on Venus, where the four men are quickly captured by female guards and brought to the ruler of the planet, Queen Allura. She informs them that Venus is inhabited only by women because men were banished long ago. She takes more than a liking to Orville and makes him her king consort on the condition that he remains true to her. Orville agrees, and has Harry and Mugsy imprisoned. However, Mugsy convinces one of the female guards to flirt with Orville to prove to Queen Allura that he cannot be trusted. Disillusioned with Orville, the Queen orders all the men to leave Venus.

Upon returning to the Earth, the men are lauded as heroes in a parade, but Allura, who is watching the celebration from Venus, sends a spaceship to Earth to drop a cake on Orville's head.

Cast

Production

Science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein wrote a film treatment in 1950 called Abbott and Costello Move to the Moon that may have inspired the film's screenplay. [4]

Principal photography took place between August 1 and August 28, 1952. [5]

The Venusian women were played by 1952 Miss Universe contestants, including Anita Ekberg, the winner of the Miss Sweden competition a year earlier. [6]

The Venusian cars featured in the film were later used in the science fiction feature This Island Earth (1955). [7]

Harry Shearer made his debut as a kid at the orphanage. [8]

Shortly after the film's release, Abbott and Costello appeared on The Colgate Comedy Hour and did a comedy sketch in which they attended the film's premiere.

Home media

The film has had two DVD releases, the first as part of The Best of Abbott and Costello Volume Three, released on August 3, 2004, and the second as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection, released on October 28, 2008.

In the 2018 film, Stan & Ollie , Stan Laurel, played by Steve Coogan, looks ruefully at a movie poster for Abbott and Costello Go To Mars just after learning that his last chance to make a new film with Oliver Hardy has fallen through.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bud Abbott</span> American comedian and actor (1897–1974)

William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known as the straight man half of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello.

<i>Jack and the Beanstalk</i> (1952 film) 1952 Abbott & Costello film

Jack and the Beanstalk is a 1952 American family comedy film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello and featuring Buddy Baer, Dorothy Ford and Barbara Brown. It is a comic retelling of the "Jack and the Beanstalk" fairy tale, produced by Abbott and Costello and distributed by Warner Bros.

<i>Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy</i> 1955 film by Charles Lamont

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy is a 1955 American horror comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It is the 28th and final Abbott and Costello film produced by Universal-International.

<i>Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd</i> 1952 film by Charles Lamont

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, along with Charles Laughton, who reprised his role as the infamous pirate from the 1945 film Captain Kidd. It was the second film in SuperCineColor, a three-color version of the two-color Cinecolor process, and which utilized an Eastmancolor negative as Cinecolor did not offer three-color origination, only two-color origination via bipack.

<i>Hit the Ice</i> (film) 1943 film by Charles Lamont

Hit the Ice is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello and their first film directed by Charles Lamont. Lamont later directed the team's last few films in the 1950s.

<i>In the Navy</i> (film) 1941 American film directed by Arthur Lubin

In the Navy is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring the team of Abbott and Costello alongside Dick Powell, Claire Dodd and The Andrews Sisters. Produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, it was the second service comedy based on the peacetime draft of 1940. The comedy team appeared in two other service comedies in 1941, before the United States entered the war: Buck Privates released in January and Keep 'Em Flying released in November.

<i>Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> 1953 American film directed by Charles Lamont

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1953 American horror comedy film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, co-starring Boris Karloff, and directed by Charles Lamont.

<i>Rio Rita</i> (1942 film) 1942 comedy film directed by S. Sylvan Simon

Rio Rita is a 1942 American comedy film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Abbott and Costello. It was based upon the 1927 Flo Ziegfeld Broadway musical, which was previously made into a 1929 film also titled Rio Rita that starred the comedy team of Wheeler & Woolsey. Kathryn Grayson and John Carroll replace the 1929 version's Bebe Daniels and John Boles.

<i>Pardon My Sarong</i> 1942 film by Erle C. Kenton

Pardon My Sarong is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Abbott and Costello. The cast also featured Virginia Bruce, Robert Paige and Lionel Atwill. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures as part of a long-running series featuring the comic duo.

<i>Who Done It?</i> (1942 film) 1942 film by Erle C. Kenton

Who Done It? is a 1942 American comedy-mystery film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. It is noteworthy as their first feature that contains no musical numbers.

<i>Lost in a Harem</i> 1944 film by Charles Reisner

Lost in a Harem is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and starring the team of Abbott and Costello alongside Marilyn Maxwell.

<i>Here Come the Co-Eds</i> 1945 film by Jean Yarbrough

Here Come The Co-Eds is a 1945 American comedy film starring the comedy team Abbott and Costello.

<i>The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap</i> 1947 film by Charles Barton

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap is a 1947 American comedy western film directed by Charles Barton and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello alongside Marjorie Main and Audrey Young. It was released on October 8 and distributed by Universal-International.

<i>The Noose Hangs High</i> 1948 film by Charles Barton

The Noose Hangs High is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The film is a remake of the Universal Pictures film For Love or Money (1939).

<i>Mexican Hayride</i> 1948 film by Charles Barton

Mexican Hayride is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The film is based on Cole Porter's Broadway musical Mexican Hayride starring Bobby Clark. No songs from the stage musical were used in the film.

<i>Comin Round the Mountain</i> 1951 film by Charles Lamont

Comin' Round The Mountain is a 1951 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It is a "hillbilly" comedy in the vein of Universal's successful Ma and Pa Kettle series. Charles Lamont had directed the first two Kettle films previously and would ultimately do five.

<i>Lost in Alaska</i> 1952 American comedy film

Lost in Alaska is a 1952 American film starring comedy duo Abbott and Costello.

<i>Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops</i> 1955 film by Charles Lamont

Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops is a 1955 comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello.

John Grant was a comedy writer best known for his association with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Costello called him their "chief idea man". Grant contributed to Abbott and Costello's radio, film and live television scripts, as well as the films of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and Ma and Pa Kettle.

<i>Feudin, Fussin and A-Fightin</i> 1948 film by George Sherman

Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' is a 1948 American musical comedy film directed by George Sherman and starring Donald O'Connor. Also featured are Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride,, with Penny Edwards as the perky love interest. It was produced and distributed by Universal Studios. Included in the film is a dance routine, in a barn, to the Al Jolson song, "Me and My Shadow".

References

  1. ↑ Abbott and Costello Go to Mars at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
  2. ↑ Furmanek p 236
  3. ↑ "Top Grossers of '953". Variety. January 13, 1954. p. 11.
  4. ↑ Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN   0-399-51605-0
  5. ↑ Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN   0-399-51605-0
  6. ↑ Jim Mulholland (1977). The Abbott and Costello Book. Popular Library. p. 204.
  7. ↑ Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN   0-399-51605-0
  8. ↑ "Canadian Film Weekly; Voice of the Canadian Motion Picture Industry". 1952.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.