''Hit the Ice'' is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of

Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansa ...

and their first film directed by Charles Lamont. Lamont later directed the team's last few films in the 1950s.

Plot

Two sidewalk photographers, Tubby McCoy and Flash Fulton, aspire to work for the local newspaper. Their childhood friend, Dr. Bill Burns, invites them to come along on a call to a building fire. While attempting to photograph the inferno, Tubby is injured and brought to Burns' hospital. While they are there, Silky Fellowsby, a gangster who is admitted as a patient to establish an alibi for a robbery he is planning, mistake Tubby and Flash for two Detroit hitmen. He expects them to guard the bank's entrance while they rob it, while they mistakenly believe that they are hired to take photographs of the gang as they leave the bank. When the bank is robbed, Tubby and Flash are considered the prime suspects. Fellowsby heads to a ski resort in Sun Valley to "recuperate", hiring Burns and his nurse to care for him. To clear their names, Tubby and Flash go to the resort, where they are hired as waiters. They attempt to retrieve the stolen cash by blackmailing the gangsters with the bank photographs, which turn out to be worthless since the robbers' faces are not shown. A fight ensues and after a climactic ski chase down the mountain, the gangsters are caught.

Cast

Bud Abbott William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (October 2, 1897 – April 24, 1974) was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known as the straight man half of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello. Early life Abbott was born in Asbury Park, New J ...

as Flash Fulton *

Lou Costello Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), professionally known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known for his double act with straight man Bud Abbott and their routine "Who's on First? ...

as Tubby McCoy *

Ginny Simms Virginia Ellen SimmsSleeve notes from ''Ginny Simms – I'd Like To Set You To Music'', Jasmine JASCD 118, 2001. (May 25, 1913 – April 4, 1994) was an American popular singer and film actress. Simms sang with big bands and with Dinah Shore, ...

as Marcia Manning *

Patric Knowles Reginald Lawrence Knowles (11 November 1911 – 23 December 1995), better known as Patric Knowles, was an English film actor. Born in Horsforth, West Riding of Yorkshire, he made his film debut in 1932, and played either first or second f ...

as Dr. Bill Elliot (Credits) / Dr. William 'Bill' Burns (in Film) *

Elyse Knox Elyse Knox (born Elsie M. Kornbrath, December 14, 1917 – February 16, 2012) was an American actress, model, and fashion designer. Early life Knox was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the daughter of Austrian immigrants Hermine Sophie (née Mu ...

as Peggy Osborne *

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers, August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

as Buster (Joseph Sawyer in Credits) *

Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence (born Max Goldsmith; February 17, 1910 – November 28, 2005) was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence. Early life Lawrence w ...

as Phil *

Sheldon Leonard Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. Early life Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of middle-clas ...

as 'Silky' Fellowsby * Johnny Long and His Orchestra as themselves

Production

''Hit the Ice'' was put into production 12 days after the team completed '' It Ain't Hay''. It was filmed from November 23 through December 31, 1942. Erle C. Kenton was replaced by Charles Lamont on ''Hit the Ice'' after problems with Lou Costello.Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51605-0) On the final day of shooting, the team appeared on their weekly radio show, where they were crowned the nation's top box-office stars for 1942 in a poll of theater exhibitors.

Rerelease

It was re-released by

Realart Pictures Realart Pictures was a motion picture distribution company founded in 1948 by Jack Broder and Joseph Harris. The company specialized in reissues of older pictures, particularly from the library of Universal Pictures, but also handled an occasion ...

on a

double bill The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...

with an earlier Abbott and Costello film, ''

Hold That Ghost ''Hold That Ghost'' is a 1941 horror comedy film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello and featuring Joan Davis, Evelyn Ankers and Richard Carlson. On August 1, 1941, Abbott and Costello performed a half-hour live version of the film ...

'', in 1949.

Home media

This film has been released twice on VHS. The first time on VHS and Beta in 1987 and again on VHS in 1991. This film has been released twice on DVD. The first time, on ''The Best of Abbott and Costello Volume Two'', on May 4, 2004, and again on October 28, 2008 as part of ''Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection''.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hit The Ice (Film) 1943 comedy films Hit the Ice Abbott and Costello films American black-and-white films Films directed by Charles Lamont Films scored by Paul Sawtell American skiing films Universal Pictures films American comedy films Films shot in Sun Valley, Idaho Films set in Sun Valley, Idaho 1940s English-language films 1940s American films