From the Back Cover
The Abbott and Costello TV Show is timeless American humor, as fresh today as it was 40 years ago. All the classic routines which "the boys" performed on film, radio, and stage were captured in 1952-53 for the new medium of television and delivered at the peak of their powers. The regular cast of characters, including Mr. Fields, Mike the Cop, Stinky, Bacciagalupe, and Hillary, had worked with Bud and Lou on film and stage and each contributed memorably. These shows stand today as perhaps the finest surviving representation of the art of burlesque comedy.
Charity Bazaar: The boys help out with a charity bazaar. They perform the burlesque favorite "buzzin' the bee" with the help of a line of bathing beauties. Lou spends most of his time at the kissing booth when he finds a devious way to keep his costs down. Bud hustles Lou and Mr. Fields in the classic "find the lemon" routine.
Well Oiled: An old flame is suing Mr. Fields for breach of promise and he might have to sell the boarding house to pay her off. Attempting to help him out in exchange for free rent, the boys hatch a scheme to get her off Mr. Fields' back. Lou impersonates a Texas millionaire and in a hilarious case of mistaken identity, he successfully woos the fiancée of Mike the Cop instead of Mr. Fields' ex-flame.
Police Academy: The boys plan to enroll in the police academy, so they invite Mike the Cop over for dinner to find out what's in store. While Bingo's taking a bath, the boys do their famous "mustard" routine at the dinner table. When they finally end up as rookies at the police academy, they create havoc and are thrown out when Lou sets off a live hand grenade.
Killer's Wife: Killer King, a jealous heavyweight fighter, moves in across the hall from the boys. Before long, Killer thinks Lou is messing around with Dixie, his blonde bombshell of a wife, and he's ready to murder Lou if he can find him. Bud finds out that Killer needs a sparring partner and it's worth $200 to anyone who'll step in the ring. He cons Lou into doing it without telling him the whole story.
