Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949)

Two employees of a secluded hotel investigate a murder on the premises in which the goofy bellboy is the prime suspect.

Director:

Charles Barton

Writers:

Hugh Wedlock Jr. (story), Howard Snyder (story),

Stars:

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bud Abbott	...	Casey Edwards
Lou Costello	...	Freddie Phillips
Boris Karloff	...	Swami Talpur
Lenore Aubert	...	Angela Gordon
Gar Moore	...	Jeff Wilson
Donna Martell	...	Betty Crandall
Alan Mowbray	...	Melton
James Flavin	...	Insp. Wellman
Roland Winters	...	T. Hanley Brooks
Nicholas Joy	...	Amos Strickland
Mikel Conrad	...	Sgt. Stone
Morgan Farley	...	Gregory Milford
Victoria Horne	...	Mrs. Hargreave
Percy Helton	...	Abernathy
Claire Du Brey	...	Mrs. Grimsby

Storyline

Lost Caverns Hotel bellhop Freddie Phillips is suspected of murder. Swami Talpur tries to hypnotize Freddie into confessing, but Freddie is too stupid for the plot to work. Inspector Wellman uses Freddie to get the killer (and it isn't the Swami).

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Plot Keywords:

murder | hotel | bellhop | blood | hypnotism | 

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Taglines:

MORE GHOULISH GLEE THAN WHEN THEY MET FRANKENSTEIN! (original poster- all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 February 1950 (France)

Also Known As:

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$686,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After filming was completed, Lou Costello was bedridden for several months due to a relapse of rheumatic fever, which he originally battled in 1943. As a result, the duo did not make another film together until Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion, a year later.

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Goofs

When Abernathy is looking over Freddie's shoulder during the so-called Bridge game, he starts on Freddie's right side. Then, after the camera cuts back from the close-up of Freddie's hand, Abernathy is on Freddie's left side.

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Quotes

Insp. Wellman: Someone in this room knows a lot more than he or she is admitting, and I intend to find out who it is.

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Crazy Credits

The film begins animated versions of Abbott & Costello on a scaffold painting their names on a wall. (The bucket is labeled "BLOOD")Then there is the sound of a car screeching to a stop, and machine gun fire. "Meet the Killer" is written in bullet holes. "Costello" yells "Yoohoo! You didn't dot the "I"!" Then a dagger flies in and "Dots the 'I'", while the bucket of "Blood" is spilled. Then the frame drops, following the "Blood" as it spells out "Boris Karloff", and then the rest of the credits.

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Connections

Spoofs Hold That Ghost (1941)

User Reviews

If you like Abbott and Costello, you should like this

Much of Abbott and Costello's late 40s/early 50s output put them in parodies of various film genres--this one is a parody of murder mysteries. I saw this as a child and liked it, although I was let down that Boris Karloff had such an insignificant role. Now that it's out on DVD as part of the third A&C boxset, I'm seeing it again, and I still think it's quite funny. There are many well-paced comic set-ups and the boys don't look bored as they do in some of their later vehicles. No great analysis is needed for a film like this--it's just classic comedy and has held up very well.