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The Best Episodes of The Abbott and Costello Show

Every episode of The Abbott and Costello Show ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Abbott and Costello Show!

Binge this in 21h 40m•Peaking at 8.7/10

Bud and Lou are unemployed actors living in Mr. Fields’ boarding house. Lou’s girlfriend Hillary lives across the hall. Many situations arise leading to slapstick and puns.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 24 - The Actors' Home
    8.7/10(88 votes)

    #1 - The Actors' Home

    S1:E24

    Bud is taken away to an old actors' home where he and Lou perform their famous "Who's on first?" routine.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  2. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 14 - Hungry
    8.4/10(68 votes)

    #2 - Hungry

    S1:E14

    Bud and Lou visit a couple of restaurants. In one they become involved with twin waitresses. In the other, Lou has a battle with an oyster.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  3. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 15 - The Music Lovers
    8.4/10(74 votes)

    #3 - The Music Lovers

    S1:E15

    Lou attempts to impress Hillary and her father with his musical abilities. While pretending to perform, Bud falls asleep and ruins the scheme.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  4. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 10 - $1,000 TV Prize
    8.4/10(56 votes)

    #4 - $1,000 TV Prize

    S2:E10

    Lou wins a $1,000 dollar prize pretending to be Mr. Fields. He then has to get Mr. Fields out of the way so he can collect it.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  5. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 16 - Private Eye
    8.4/10(62 votes)

    #5 - Private Eye

    S2:E16

    After receiving his private eye diploma from the Watchdog Correspondence School, Lou helps a friend locate some valuable bonds in a haunted house.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Clyde Bruckman

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  6. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 26 - Barber Lou
    8.4/10(57 votes)

    #6 - Barber Lou

    S2:E26

    Lou tries to give Bud a rubdown following instructions from a radio show, but he's tuned into a program explaining how to paint a car at home.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writers:Lou Costello, Sid Fields

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Abbott and Costello Show

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  7. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 16 - The Politician
    8.3/10(67 votes)

    #7 - The Politician

    S1:E16

    Bud coaches Lou on running for public office, a political campaign that ends with Lou delivering a disastrous speech in a neighborhood park.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  8. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 18 - Getting a Job
    8.3/10(73 votes)

    #8 - Getting a Job

    S1:E18

    Bud and Lou are hired to deliver hats to the Susquehanna Hat Company on Floogle Street and encounter several lunatics on the way. Also, Stinky attempts to kill Lou by backing him into traffic. The "Loafing" routine is performed.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  9. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 11 - Amnesia
    8.3/10(62 votes)

    #9 - Amnesia

    S2:E11

    Lou is in love with a girl he has never met. As a gag, Bud and his friends convince him that he has already married the girl. The woman who poses as his wife then makes his existence miserable.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  10. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 19 - Bank Holdup
    8.3/10(52 votes)

    #10 - Bank Holdup

    S2:E19

    Bud and Lou unwittingly take jobs as armed bodyguards for a couple of hoodlums and assist in a bank robbery. They use their share of money to pay their rent, and later try to get it back from Mr. Fields' safe.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  11. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 23 - Fencing Master
    8.3/10(51 votes)

    #11 - Fencing Master

    S2:E23

    A mad scientist's experiment convinces Lou that he is indestructible.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  12. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 8 - The Army Story
    8.2/10(80 votes)

    #12 - The Army Story

    S1:E8

    Bud and Lou join the Army, where they recreate their routines from the feature film 'Buck Privates.' "Drill Routine" and "Dice Game" are performed.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  13. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 10 - The Charity Bazaar
    8.2/10(77 votes)

    #13 - The Charity Bazaar

    S1:E10

    Bud and Lou participate in Hillary's charity bazaar, raising money with the "shell game." Lou blows his money at the kissing booth.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  14. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 6 - Killer's Wife
    8.2/10(64 votes)

    #14 - Killer's Wife

    S2:E6

    When a heavyweight prize fighter named Killer thinks that Lou is having an affair with his wife, Bud attempts to get Lou trained and fit in a gym.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Clyde Bruckman

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  15. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 20 - Well Oiled
    8.2/10(52 votes)

    #15 - Well Oiled

    S2:E20

    Bud and Lou help Mr. Fields, who is being threatened with a lawsuit. Lou poses as a Texas millionaire to help discredit the complainant.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  16. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 21 - The Pigeon
    8.2/10(57 votes)

    #16 - The Pigeon

    S2:E21

    Bud and Lou's beautiful next door neighbor uses Lou as a decoy to help break up with her mobster boyfriend.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Clyde Bruckman

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  17. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 24 - Beauty Contest Story
    8.2/10(60 votes)

    #17 - Beauty Contest Story

    S2:E24

    When Bud and Lou judge a beauty contest, pressure is applied to sway their votes.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  18. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 3 - Jail
    8.1/10(102 votes)

    #18 - Jail

    S1:E3

    Lou damages Mrs. Crumbcake's waterpail and she drags him into court claiming .79 cents in damages. In jail, Lou's crazed cellmate becomes enraged whenever he hears "Niagara Falls."

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Eddie Forman

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  19. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 7 - The Vacuum Cleaner Salesman
    8.1/10(87 votes)

    #19 - The Vacuum Cleaner Salesman

    S1:E7

    Bud and Lou visit an employment agency run by Mr. Fields' brother, who gives Lou a job selling vacuum cleaners door to door.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  20. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 9 - Pots and Pans
    8.1/10(74 votes)

    #20 - Pots and Pans

    S1:E9

    Working as a door-to-door cookware salesman, Lou prepares a dinner for his friends in hopes of moving some product. However, his honest culinary efforts are met with disaster.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Sid Fields

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  21. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 5 - Pest Exterminators
    8.1/10(58 votes)

    #21 - Pest Exterminators

    S2:E5

    Bud and Lou are pest exterminators mistaken for psychiatrists when they attend to Mrs. Featherton's "aunts."

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  22. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 15 - Uncle from New Jersey
    8.1/10(54 votes)

    #22 - Uncle from New Jersey

    S2:E15

    When Mr. Fields is just about to evict the boys, Bud convinces him that Lou's Uncle Ruppert is a millionaire and Lou is the sole heir. Complications arise, however, when Mike the Cop begins to believe that the visiting uncle (Lou in disguise) has been murdered.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  23. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 2 Episode 17 - The Tax Return
    8.1/10(60 votes)

    #23 - The Tax Return

    S2:E17

    Lou receives a tax refund check for $1,000,000. He takes the check to a bank and demands cash. He is subsequently followed by home by crooks.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Jack Townley

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  24. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 12 - The Haunted House
    8.0/10(88 votes)

    #24 - The Haunted House

    S1:E12

    Hillary will inherit a castle if she spends one night there. Bud and Lou come along with her for protection and Lou is scared out of his mind by frightful encounters.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writers:Eddie Forman, Sid Fields

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  25. The Abbott and Costello Show Season 1 Episode 13 - Peace and Quiet
    8.0/10(75 votes)

    #25 - Peace and Quiet

    S1:E13

    Lou sleeps all day but can't sleep at night. Bud takes him to see a psychiatrist. Eventually Bud checks him into a sanitarium for a night's rest. "Crazy House" is performed.

    Director:Jean Yarbrough
    Writer:Eddie Forman

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Actors' Home" is the best rated episode of "The Abbott and Costello Show". It scored 8.7/10 based on 88 votes. Directed by Jean Yarbrough and written by Sid Fields, it aired on 5/15/1953. This episode scored 0.3 points higher than the second highest rated, "Hungry".