Bud Abbott

William Alexander Bud Abbott was an American actor, producer, and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.

Abbott was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, into a show business family. His parents, Rae and Harry Abbott, had worked for the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Several years after the family relocated to Brooklyn, Abbott dropped out of grammar school to begin working with his father at Dreamland Park on Coney Island. When he was 15, Abbott signed on as a cabin boy on a Norwegian steamer, but was soon forced to shovel coal. He eventually worked his way back to the United States after a year.

Source: Wikipedia