ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN, the third of seven “Meet” romps that the daffy duo delivered. None matched the fun of the first where they ‘met’ Frankenstein (and Dracula and the Wolf Man); this one is arguably the second best. Made for $627,000, it was the 70th most popular outing of 1951, grossing $4,600,000. For the record, the onscreen title is Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet The Invisible Man. 

Bud & Lou, just graduated from detective school (like there is one) get an immediate pressing case with ‘Tommy Nelson’ (Arthur Franz, troubled as usual) a boxer being framed for a murder. Tommy’s fiancée (nondescript Nancy Guild) has a scientist uncle who’s developed a serum that zap-induces invisibility. Tommy injects it to hide from cops while he and our heroes look for the real killer. The trouble is that the serum’s side effect can produce insanity. Like voting.

The guys go thru the paces with their expected finesse, and there are some funny sight (so to speak) gags and clever special effects. Directed by Charles Lamont, the 4th of his nine with the comedy team. Written by Robert Lees (Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein), John Grant (thirty A&C’s!) and Frederic I. Renaldo (The Black Cat, Jumping Jacks). An example of Universal Studio’s thrift is that while Joseph Gershenson is given credit for the music, the scoring included not just his contribution but cues from eleven other composers.

82 minutes,with Adele Jurgens, Sheldon Leonard, William Frawley, Paul Maxey, John Day, Russ Conway and Herb Vigran.