What else was in theaters when Abbott and Costello met Frankenstein?

See what you could've watched after Bud & Lou's frightening caper!

Who's on first... at the Strand Theater in Lexington, Kentucky?

Here's a fun blast from the past: In our never-ending quest for relevant research, the MeTV writers have discovered a September 1948 edition of The Kentucky Post and Times-Star. It turns out that the classic comedy duo weren't the only ones at the box office that month! There were plenty of movies that theater-goers could've watched, but very few of them are as well-remembered as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

At least there in Lexington, there were a lot more theaters than we'd have around these days. Sure, we might have multiplexes these days, but nothing beats looking up which pictures played at which theaters.

Let us know which of these pictures you've seen, which you've heard of, and which ones might as well be brand new! Share your thoughts and memories in the comments section below, and have a happy spooky season!

1. Walt Disney's "Melody Time"

 

"In the grand tradition of Disney's greatest musical classics, such as FANTASIA, MELODY TIME features seven classic stories, each enhanced with high-spirited music and unforgettable characters...[A] feast for the eyes and ears [full of] wit and charm...a delightful Disney classic with something for everyone."

2. "Jinx Money"

 

According to IMDb: "A man wins $50,000 in a card game with gamblers, but is soon found dead and the money missing. Slip and Sach find the money near where the body was discovered, and soon find themselves the target of both the police and the gamblers."

3. "So Evil My Love"

 

Per Turner Classic Movies, this movie is about "a con artist [who] seduces a missionary's widow into joining his crooked schemes."

4. "Western Heritage"

 

The American Film Institute lists this movie's synopsis as follows: "In a Tucson, Arizona saloon, ex-convict Joe Powell confesses to singer Cleo Raymond that he is involved in an illegal scheme and shows her a stolen wallet containing valuable papers."

5. "Adventures of Casanova"

 

"Casanova, a young patriot in 18th-century Sicily, upon learning that his father and sister have been murdered, returns to Palermo and engages in guerilla tactics against the forces of the Governor," says moviefone.com.

6. "Fighting Father Dunne"

 

Based on the true story of the turn-of-the-century priest whose home for wayward boys became a model for the nation.

7. "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer"

 

Hey look, it's Cary Grant! And Shirley Temple! He's 43 and she's 19! 

8. "The Sainted Sisters"

 

Paramount Pictures lists the synopsis as: "Two 1890s New York con women (Veronica Lake, Joan Caulfield) flee north with their loot, which a crafty Mainer (Barry Fitzgerald) puts to good use."

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41 Comments

JeffPaul76 12 months ago
I have watched "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" about 5 or 6 years ago. Maybe more. I can't remember.
JeffPaul76 12 months ago
Hello. I've never seen any of these, but I have heard of "The Bachelor and The Bobby-Soxer."
BrittReid 12 months ago
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is one of the funniest movies ever made.
texasluva BrittReid 12 months ago
The best being when Costello was reading the cards on Dracula and the coffin was creaking and candle moving on top of it. About died laughing with that part and many others throughout the flick.
MrsPhilHarris BrittReid 12 months ago
I watch it once or twice a year.
BrittReid texasluva 12 months ago
Mr. Talbot, why am I talking to your dog?
texasluva BrittReid 12 months ago
On the phone, too funny.
Bapa1 12 months ago
Cool article. Just wondering, A&C were Universal. Did they show cartoons before Universal movies? I don't know if Universal was making cartoons at the time. If they did, what studio's cartoons were they using?
texasluva Bapa1 12 months ago
Universal-International as seen on opening credits to movie. All theaters most likely would have options to show cartoons before or in-between movies (if there were two). Below are some of the animations, cartoons that might have been shown at the time (1948). I can only say that I remember in late 50's or 60's as a child they would have movie trailers and other showings before the main attraction. 1948 way before my time. Below might give you some idea of what was going on in that time period.

Walter Lantz Productions was an American animation studio. It was in operation from 1928 to 1972 and was the principal supplier of animation for Universal Pictures.

The studio was originally formed as Universal Cartoon Studios on the initiative of Universal movie mogul Carl Laemmle, who was tired of the continuous company politics he was dealing with concerning contracting cartoons outside animation studios. Walter Lantz, who was Laemmle's part-time chauffeur and a veteran of the John R. Bray Studios with considerable experience in all elements of animation production, was selected to run the department.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_in_animation
Runeshaper 12 months ago
Many great memories watching Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. I don't recall an of the others shown, but I may have seen Fighting Father Dunne a long time ago. Melody Time sounds familiar.
justjeff 12 months ago
"The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer" and "The Sainted Sisters" are probably the two most remembered out of all of the films on the list.

In "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer", there is a great back-and forth between Cary Grant and Judy Garland as follows (I'll use C: for Cary and J: for Judy)...

J: You remind me of a man...
C: What man?
J: The man with the power..
C: What power?
J: The power of hoodoo...
C: Hoodoo?
J: You do...
C: Do what?
J: Remind me of a man...
... and it repeats!
MrsPhilHarris justjeff 12 months ago
I think you mean ShirleyTemple.
justjeff MrsPhilHarris 12 months ago
Yes, yes, yes!... I don't know what I was thinking... Of course it was Shirley Temple, thank you!
justjeff 12 months ago
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texasluva 12 months ago
1948 itself was a huge year in movies. September maybe not so much though Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein one of my favorites (for sure their best movie). Their movie plus others below I own and have seen. I will first do the September ones then others that were greats and personal favorites of the year 1948
Sept 1948:
Sorry Wrong Number- Barbara Stanwyck Burt Lancaster
Road House- Ida Lupino Cornel Wilde
Johnny Belinda- Jane Wyman Lew Ayres Charles Bickford
Walk a Crooked Mile--Louis Hayward Dennis O'Keefe
Cry of the City-- Victor Mature Richard Conte Fred Clark
Larceny -- John Payne Joan Caulfield Dan Duryea

The Year 1948 was one of the best years for movies. Passing since the list is too long. Though if anyone wishes to talk about them or a list of those. Just speak up. The list MeTV provided I might have seen one of them.
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justjeff MrsPhilHarris 12 months ago
Agnes was a FANTASTIC actress!
MrsPhilHarris justjeff 12 months ago
Yes she was.
texasluva justjeff 12 months ago
Wow. That is quite a link with almost 1000 episodes. #36 (1948) is Sorry, Wrong Number. I may have to look more into this. Plus it can help me find more classic movies. I collect on rating and resolution of the video. More or less 460P and above. IMDb rating of 6.0 and over unless its a cult favorite. Then we can go for Plan 9 From Outer Space. So bad it's good. Thanks.
justjeff texasluva 12 months ago
My pleasure!
StrayCat 12 months ago
They chose these movies over some remarkable movies released in 1948. Bogart and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. How about the Duke in his classics Red River and Fort Apache? I did enjoy the Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer which I thought was a charming movie showcasing a grown up and gorgeous Shirley Temple. I never understood why her adult movie career never took off.
Bapa1 StrayCat 12 months ago
She was also in Fort Apache. Great movie.
StrayCat Bapa1 11 months ago
Yes. In Fort Apache her character was constantly swooning over John Agar's character. Well, she ended up marrying Agar to her eternal regret.
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teire 12 months ago
I still like it very much, loved it as a kid.
MrsPhilHarris 12 months ago
I love it!
cperrynaples 12 months ago
Can't believe you chose these movies! I'm sure there must have been better movies in 1948! Don't forget that was the year that 4 networks were on the air [ABC, CBS, NBC and Dumont]!

cperrynaples cperrynaples 12 months ago
PS I'm pretty sure 7 would be unacceptable today...LOL!
teire cperrynaples 12 months ago
Going by the intro, it looks like the article is referencing Lexington newspaper movie listings of what was actually playing in other theaters in the area at the same time.
texasluva cperrynaples 12 months ago
You are 100% correct even in September 1948. 1948 as a whole was a awesome year for movies. Above I have listed just September that I have seen and own.
texasluva teire 12 months ago
That seems to be the case because the best (just September don't seem to be listed). Like the story though. Above I have listed ones I have seen and own. The year 1948 was a blockbuster for top movies.
MrsPhilHarris cperrynaples 12 months ago
I think the articles mentioned these were the movies showing in Lexington at that time.
LoveMETV22 MrsPhilHarris 12 months ago
I found a " The Kentucky Post and Times-Star" page on Google Books/Newspapers. Couldn't narrow it to September 1948, but close. I think MeTV has a subscription(s) to an archival newspaper website as they often mention various newspapers, etc in their articles. However there seemed to be quite a few theaters in that area at the time.
MrsPhilHarris LoveMETV22 12 months ago
I think you are right about an archival newspaper site. It would explain the interesting mix of newspapers that are mentioned such as “Don Knotts told The Vancouver Sun …” or The Ottawa Star, or whatever.
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