Bud Abbott : Abbott + Costello

would abbott have been successful without costello?

Who's to say? Would Costello have been successful without Abbott? Probably not. A good straight-man isn't easy to find, and Bud was great at what he did.

Maybe. He was already the best straight man in the business. He had been working with other comics. I think something either clicked with Costello or the fact that Costello was the one who wanted to do films. Bud wasn't really into it.

No. It simply wouldn't have happened. Imagine a world without Abbott and Costello. Even though Bud Abbott was definet presence in vaudeville and burlesque, it simply wouldn't be the same.
It was simply meant to be.