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Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff

Original title: Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
  • 19491949
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
4K
YOUR RATING
Boris Karloff, Bud Abbott, Lenore Aubert, Lou Costello, and Donna Martell in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
ComedyCrimeHorror
Two employees of a secluded hotel investigate a murder on the premises in which the goofy bellboy is the prime suspect.Two employees of a secluded hotel investigate a murder on the premises in which the goofy bellboy is the prime suspect.Two employees of a secluded hotel investigate a murder on the premises in which the goofy bellboy is the prime suspect.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
4K
YOUR RATING
    • Charles Barton
  • Writers
    • Hugh Wedlock Jr.(story)
    • Howard Snyder(story)
    • John Grant(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Bud Abbott
    • Lou Costello
    • Boris Karloff
    • Charles Barton
  • Writers
    • Hugh Wedlock Jr.(story)
    • Howard Snyder(story)
    • John Grant(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Bud Abbott
    • Lou Costello
    • Boris Karloff
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 45User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos76

    Boris Karloff, Bud Abbott, and Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lou Costello, James Flavin, and Victoria Horne in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Bud Abbott in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lenore Aubert and Roland Winters in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    James Flavin and Harry Hayden in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Bud Abbott, Mikel Conrad, Lou Costello, and James Flavin in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
    Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bud Abbott
    Bud Abbott
    • Casey Edwards
    Lou Costello
    Lou Costello
    • Freddie Phillips
    Boris Karloff
    Boris Karloff
    • Swami Talpur
    Lenore Aubert
    Lenore Aubert
    • Angela Gordon
    Gar Moore
    Gar Moore
    • Jeff Wilson
    Donna Martell
    Donna Martell
    • Betty Crandall
    Alan Mowbray
    Alan Mowbray
    • Melton
    James Flavin
    James Flavin
    • Insp. Wellman
    Roland Winters
    Roland Winters
    • T. Hanley Brooks
    Nicholas Joy
    Nicholas Joy
    • Amos Strickland
    Mikel Conrad
    Mikel Conrad
    • Sgt. Stone
    Morgan Farley
    Morgan Farley
    • Gregory Milford
    Victoria Horne
    Victoria Horne
    • Mrs. Hargreave
    Percy Helton
    Percy Helton
    • Abernathy
    Claire Du Brey
    Claire Du Brey
    • Mrs. Grimsby
    Harry Hayden
    • Lawrence Crandall
    Vincent Renno
    • Mike Relia
    Murray Alper
    Murray Alper
    • Joe, Reporter
    • (uncredited)
      • Charles Barton
    • Writers
      • Hugh Wedlock Jr.(story) (screen play)
      • Howard Snyder(story) (screen play)
      • John Grant(screen play)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was originally banned in Denmark due to the scene where corpses play cards.
    • Goofs
      After Casey and Freddie leave the body of Relia in his closet, and he rolls into the laundry cart, he lands face down. But then, when Freddie gets the cart to put Milford's body in it, he and Casey find Relia face up.
    • Quotes

      [the Swami tries to get a hypnotized Freddie to kill himself]

      Swami Talpur: Perhaps you should choose the manner of your death. How would you like to die?

      Freddie Phillips: Old age.

    • 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 "HaHa! 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.
    • Alternate versions
      In Australia and New Zealand, every scene with a corpse was removed prior to distribution.
    • Connections
      Featured in Abbott and Costello in the Movies (1990)

    User reviews45

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Good fun without being one of the duo's best
    Abbott and Costello are one of the best comedy duos on film, and there are some great entries of theirs, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein being a contender for their best. Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff is not one their high-points, there are a few draggy spots, a rather standard story and while he is eerie and commanding Boris Karloff is underused(so much for the misleading title). The gags are well-timed and funny though, especially the dressing up in drag, Costello being hypnotised by Karloff and playing cards with a corpse. There is a very nice mix of zany comedy and suspenseful mystery elements, the dialogue is snappily written, the film looks good and is directed in a way that allows the stars to have fun and the story to breathe while not leaving things out of control. Abbott and Costello are still as funny as ever and their chemistry still sparkles even with contrasting personalities. The acting is solid enough from all, Karloff is still fine in his role, you just want to see more of him considering how great an actor he was and is. Overall, not among the greats with Abbott and Costello but makes for good fun regardless. 7/10 Bethany Cox
    helpful•2
    1
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Oct 19, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 22, 1949 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 24 minutes
      • Black and White

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    Boris Karloff, Bud Abbott, Lenore Aubert, Lou Costello, and Donna Martell in Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949)
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    By what name was Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949) officially released in Canada in English?
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