Licensing

The estates have licensed the images of Abbott and Costello, the routine "Who's On First" and other routines and materials by Abbott and Costello for placement on all kinds of merchandise, and for the promotion of everything from McDonald's Hamburgers to the fall television line-up for a local TV station. The "Who's On First" routine, for example, has proven to be a powerful demonstration tool at sales conventions.

Licenses are required for any use of material owned and controlled by the estates, including but not limited to use of all or any portion of the "Who's On First" routine, images of Abbott or Costello, use of the trade name Abbott and Costello or "Who's On First," as well as any and all other copyrighted, trademarked or controlled material of the estates.

If you would like to license any of these materials for use in a book, advertisement or promotion, stage play, sales convention or other use, please E-mail us so we can provide you with the appropriate licensing quote. The estates do not issue gratis licenses except under very extraordinary circumstances.

Your licensing request should include all information concerning the proposed use so that an appropriate license can be issued. For example, if you wish to use an image of Abbott and Costello in a print ad, we would need to see the proposed ad and know the number of proposed publications and extent of distribution, the duration of the use, the product being sold, the intended recipient of the ad (trade, wholesale, sales staff, or retail) etc.
We hope this information is helpful to you as a potential licensee.