''Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd'' is a 1952

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Charles Lamont Charles Lamont (May 5, 1895 – September 11, 1993) was a prolific filmmaker, directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others. He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films. Biography A Calif ...

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 William Kidd, also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd ( – 23 May 1701), was a Scottish sea captain who was commissioned as a privateer and had experience as a pirate. He was tried and executed in London in 1701 for murder a ...

''. It was the second film in

SuperCineColor Cinecolor was an early subtractive color-model two-color motion picture process that was based upon the Prizma system of the 1910s and 1920s and the Multicolor system of the late 1920s and the 1930s. It was developed by William T. Crispinel an ...

, a three-color version of the two-color Cinecolor process, and which utilized an

Eastmancolor Eastmancolor is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with color motion picture production and referring to George Eastman, founder of Kodak. Eastmancolor, introduced in 1950, was on ...

negative as Cinecolor did not offer three-color origination, only two-color origination via bipack.

Plot

On their way to their jobs at the Death's Head Tavern, Oliver "Puddin' Head" Johnson and Rocky Stonebridge encounter Lady Jane, who asks them to bring a love note to the tavern singer, Bruce Martingale. At the tavern, the notorious

dines with Captain Anne Bonney, a female pirate. She complains that Kidd raided ships in her territory and demands her share of the treasure. Kidd informs Bonney that he has hidden the amassed treasure on Skull Island, and that he has the only map to its exact location. He agrees to take her, with her ship following close behind in the event of a double-cross. But as Oliver nervously waits on them, he inadvertently switches Lady Jane's love note with Kidd's map. Rocky discovers the mistake and negotiates with Kidd to take them along and share the treasure in exchange for the map. Kidd ostensibly agrees, but intends to kill Oliver and Rocky once he gets the map. The voyage begins with the addition of Bruce, who has been shanghaied. Kidd unsuccessfully attempts to regain the map throughout the entire voyage. Meanwhile, Bonney mistakenly believes that Lady Jane's love note was written to Oliver, and becomes intrigued. During the voyage Kidd raids an English ship carrying Lady Jane, and kidnaps her. When the ships reach Skull Island, Oliver and Rocky dig up the treasure. Kidd arrogantly declares his plans to dispose of them along with Captain Bonney. Bonney alerts the others to Kidd's true intentions, and signals her crew to attack. Bonney's crew wins the fight, the treasure is recovered, and Kidd becomes her prisoner.

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 Rocky Stonebridge *

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 Oliver Johnson (alias Captain "Puddin' Head" Feathergill) * Charles Laughton as Captain William Kidd *

Hillary Brooke Hillary Brooke (born Beatrice Sofia Mathilda Peterson; September 8, 1914 – May 25, 1999) was an American film actress. Career A 5′6″ blonde from the Astoria neighborhood of New York City's borough of Queens, Brooke, who was of Swedish an ...

as Captain Bonney *

Bill Shirley William Jesse Shirley (July 6, 1921 – August 27, 1989) was an American actor and tenor/lyric baritone singer who later became a Broadway theatre producer. He is perhaps best known as the speaking and singing voice of Prince Phillip in Walt Disn ...

as Bruce Martingale * Leif Erickson as Morgan * Fran Warren as Lady Jane

Production

''Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd'' was filmed from February 27 through March 25, 1952. Since Universal would not budget the extra money to make the film in color, the duo opted to do it themselves. Using a contractual agreement with Universal that permitted them to make one independent film per year, they made the film using Abbott's company, Woodley Productions (and their first color film, ''

Jack and the Beanstalk "Jack and the Beanstalk" is an English fairy tale. It appeared as "The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean" in 1734 4th edition On Commons and as Benjamin Tabart's moralized "The History of Jack and the Bean-Stalk" in 1807. Henry Co ...

'', using Costello's company, Exclusive Productions). Produced during a slump in Charles Laughton's career, the accomplished actor signed on to do the film for a mere $25,000. Shortly after filming was completed, on April 6, Abbott and Costello hosted an episode of the ''

Colgate Comedy Hour ''The Colgate Comedy Hour'' was an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars. Many of the scripts of the series ...

'' and brought Laughton along as a guest. Later that year, the three of them filmed a two-minute commercial for Christmas Seals.

Re-release

The film was re-released in 1960 by RKO Pictures.

Routines

*The ''Handcuff Scene'', first used in '' Who Done It?'', is used again in this film. In this version, Laughton as Captain Kidd demonstrates to Costello as Oliver how handcuffs should be worn by putting them on himself.Furmanek, Bob and Palumbo, Ron (1991). ''Abbott and Costello in Hollywood''. New York: Perigee Books.

Home media

This film, along with '' Rio Rita'', were released on DVD on April 1, 2011 by Warner Bros. on the WB Archive Collection.

References

External links

* * * {{Charles Lamont 1952 films 1952 musical comedy films American adventure comedy films American musical comedy films Abbott and Costello films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Charles Lamont Pirate films Warner Bros. films Cinecolor films Cultural depictions of William Kidd Cultural depictions of Anne Bonny Films scored by Raoul Kraushaar 1950s American films