When their captain is swindled out of his riverboat by a trio of gamblers, stage show star Abbott and his bumbling sidekick Costello must put things right.When their captain is swindled out of his riverboat by a trio of gamblers, stage show star Abbott and his bumbling sidekick Costello must put things right.When their captain is swindled out of his riverboat by a trio of gamblers, stage show star Abbott and his bumbling sidekick Costello must put things right.
- Specialty Dancer
- (uncredited)
- Card Player
- (uncredited)
- Rainbow Four Member
- (uncredited)
- Baby
- (uncredited)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Girl in Garter Gag
- (uncredited)
- Gambler
- (uncredited)
- Croupier
- (uncredited)
- Gilded Cage Waiter
- (uncredited)
- Specialty Dancer
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe scene of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello doing their classic "Who's on First" routine is run continuously at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. It is regarded as the best version of this routine in existence.
- GoofsCrew members can be heard laughing during the "Who's On First?" routine (who could blame them?)
- Quotes
Dexter Broadhurst: Strange as it may seem, they give ball players nowadays very peculiar names.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: Funny names?
Dexter Broadhurst: Nicknames. Nicknames.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: Not - not as funny as my name - Sebastian Dinwiddie.
Dexter Broadhurst: Oh, yes, yes, yes!
Sebastian Dinwiddle: Funnier than that?
Dexter Broadhurst: Oh, absolutely. Yes. Now, on the St. Louis team we have Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third...
Sebastian Dinwiddle: That's what I want to find out. I want you to tell me the names of the fellows on the St. Louis team.
Dexter Broadhurst: I'm telling you. Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third...
Sebastian Dinwiddle: You know the fellows' names?
Dexter Broadhurst: Yes.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: Well, then, who's playin' first?
Dexter Broadhurst: Yes.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: I mean the fellow's name on first base.
Dexter Broadhurst: Who.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: The fellow playin' first base for St. Louis.
Dexter Broadhurst: Who.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: The guy on first base.
Dexter Broadhurst: Who is on first.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: Well, what are you askin' me for?
Dexter Broadhurst: I'm not asking you - I'm telling you. Who is on first.
Sebastian Dinwiddle: I'm asking *you* who's on first!
Dexter Broadhurst: That's the man's name!
Sebastian Dinwiddle: That's whose name?
Dexter Broadhurst: Yes.
- Crazy creditsIn many of Abbott and Costello's films, their faces are visible through the "O"'s in their names. In this one, only Costello's face is seen at first; then he silently calls, "Hey, Abb-bott!," and Abbott's face appears.
- ConnectionsEdited into Diminishing Returns: It (2017)
- SoundtracksRolling Down the River
(uncredited)
Music by Edgar Fairchild
Lyrics by Jack Brooks
Played at the first scene and sung offscreen by an unidentified male chorus
The riverboat theme used here is appropriate as the naive Costello's comedy bounces well off the bad guys schemes. There are some great throw away lines in the film in addition to the Whose On First routine which today they are most remembered for.
Their supporting cast here is fairly good. The production qualities are good and the music works into the film better than some of their films where the music stops the action. Costello borrows the Marx Brothers Horse Feathers routine about throwing a drowning man a life saver. While even Costello can't perform a the frantic pace the brothers did, he is quite energetic and funny here.
- DKosty123
- Nov 24, 2008
- How long is The Naughty Nineties?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 16 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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![Bud Abbott, Lois Collier, Lou Costello, Alan Curtis, Rita Johnson, Joe Sawyer, and Henry Travers in The Naughty Nineties (1945)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjUxZGM0YjYtYjc2Mi00NTNiLWFjYWEtZjFhMWUwYjRjYmFiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY5Nzc4MDY@._V1_QL75_UX90_CR0,3,90,133_.jpg)