Louis Francis Cristillo, Lou Costello-1906-1959. Born Louis Francis Cristillo in Paterson, New Jersey to Calabrian Native, Sebastian Cristillo, and his wife Helen, Louis is best remembered for his partnership with Bud Abbott. The two made up the comedy team Abbott and Costello. At their peak, the two were possibly the two most quoted men in America.

A multistate athlete, despite his 5'5" height, as a young man, Cristillo played basketball,  and fought in 12 matches under the alias "Lou King." athleticism helped him earn his first few Hollywood performances as a stunt double in a handful of films. He began work at MGM and Warner Brothers Studios as a carpenter, moving on to stuntman and later as a comic.

In 1931, while working in a Brooklyn theater, his straight man became ill, and the theater cashier, Bud Abbott, filled in for him. The chemistry between the two was instant, and they soon formed their famous comedy team, working burlesque, minstrel shows, and movie houses. In 1938, they gained national exposure on the "Kate Smith Hour" radio show, and soon signed with Universal Pictures

In 1938, Abbott and Costello made their national radio debut on "The Kate Smith Hour." For a year and a half, the pair were among the program's most popular recurring guest stars. His slight falsetto became his vocal trademark. Abbott and Costello made nearly 40 movies together.

In 1942, they Raised $85 Million for America's War Effort, touring 78 cities in 34 days, with the proceeds funding Uncle Sam's war bonds and stamps.

Lou and his wife Ann Battler Costello were parents to four children: Carole, Chris, Lou Jr., and  Patricia. It was in 1943, while Lou was rehearsing at  NBC that he received tragic news. His one-year-old son had drowned at their Van Nuys home. Lou Costello, Jr., nicknamed "Butch," escaped his playpen, crawled to the swimming pool, fell in, and drowned.

Lou never forgot his roots. During almost every single episode of The Abbott and Costello Show (which ran from 1952 to 1954), he would mention Paterson, NJ,  by name. Currently, he and Bud Abbott are the only non-sports figures honored in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, for their famous "Who's on First" routine.

Lou Costello, a comic whose heart was as big as his girth, died of a heart attack on March 3, 1959,  three days before his 53rd birthday. His wife Anne died on December 4, 1959.