“Tennessee Ernie Visits”

(S3;E28 ~ May 3, 1954) Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 1, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studio. Rating: 57.3/80

Synopsis ~ Ernie Ford shows up in the big city with his guitar and a letter of introduction from Lucy’s mother. 

The date this episode was filmed (April 1, 1954) President Eisenhower and Congress authorized the founding of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. 15 years later, “Here’s Lucy” opened their second season with a two-part episode shot on location at the Academy.  

This is the first of a two-episode guest appearance of Tennessee Ernie Ford, a popular country singer of the 1950s. Although basically playing himself, this was his first credited ‘acting’ job, and happened before his big hit with the song “Sixteen Tons” in 1955. 

The following episode, detailing how the Ricardos eventually get rid of their hillbilly house guest, is titled “Tennessee Ernie Hangs On” (S3;E29).

His appearance was so successful that he appeared a third time when the gang travels through his (fictional) home town of Bent Fork, Tennessee, on their way to Hollywood. He is the only guest star to appear in three episodes using his own name. He was the first of many celebrity guest stars on the series.

In 1958, Ford appeared in a commercial for Ford Motor Company (no relation!) that was created especially for an episode of "The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.” 

Ford went on to make alliterative appearances on both "The Lucy Show” (as Homer Higgins) and "Here’s Lucy” (as Ernie Epperson) and also on "The Red Skelton Show” (as Loser Lumpkin) and the Desilu-produced "Make Room For Daddy” (as Kentucky Cal). 

Ford is first mentioned on season one of "I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Writes a Play” (S1;E17), when playwright Lucy mistakenly dubs herself the next Tennessee Ernie, instead of Tennessee Williams.

The scene with Lucy and Ricky playing Scrabble before Ernie arrives was cut from the syndicated version. The Ricardos weren’t new to playing Scrabble, however. It is first mentioned in “Sentimental Anniversary” (S3;E16) when Ethel sees the card table set up and asks if they are playing the word game. Scrabble was first marketed in 1938 and is still one of the world’s best selling board games.

After Lucy Carter gets back from the hospital in 1972′s “Harrison Carter, Male Nurse” (HL S5;E3), bed-ridden Lucy suggests they play Scrabble!

Lucille Ball loved word games like Scrabble and “Password”. Dottie the Scrabble Lady created this vintage Lucille Ball Scrabble tile pendant.

This is the first mention of Mrs. McGillicuddy (who would eventually be played by Kathryn Card), Lucy’s scatter-brained mother. In her letter, she calls Ricky ‘Xavier,’ a step up from her usual ‘Whats-His-Name.’ This is a reference to Xaviar Cugat, Desi Arnaz’s former employer and Ricky Ricardo’s professional rival. Later in the series Mrs. McGillicuddy (who is never given a first name) will generally call her son-in-law ‘Mickey.’ 

Director William Asher repeated this trope when directing the TV series "Bewitched” (1964-72). Darrin Stephens’ mother-in-law Endora (played by Agnes Moorehead) consistently called her son-in-law ‘Durwood.’

The letter explains that Ernie is Lucy’s mother’s friend’s roommate’s cousin’s middle boy. 

• Mrs. McGillicuddy’s friend is Flo Pauline Lopus. 
• Ella Scott Porter was Flo Pauline’s old college roommate. 
• Ella’s cousin (Ernie’s mother) married a Ford and had three boys. 
• Ernie was the middle boy, his older brother was George, and his younger brother was Roger. 

In real-life, Flo Pauline Lopus was the name of a childhood friend of Lucille’s from Celoron, New York. On the series, Lopus was played by Peggy Rea in “The Club Election” (S2;E19). In fact, Lucy Ricardo, Lucy Carmichael (“The Lucy Show”), and Lucy Carter (“Here’s Lucy”) all had friends named Pauline Lopus! 

In the original script, Lucy’s letter from her mother arrived late because Mrs. McGillicuddy forgot to put a stamp on it and had to re-send it. 

Sitcom Logic Alert! After hearing that Ernie is headed to NYC, Ricky moans that they have already had three visitors this month, but doesn’t say who they were. He wants Lucy to write back to her mother to tell Ernie not to come, but never thinks of telephoning. Perhaps Mrs. McGillicuddy does not have a telephone?

Fred calls Ernie ‘Li’l Abner,’ a reference to the Al Capp comic strip that featured a muscular but dim-witted hillbilly hero named Abner Yokum. The comic ran from 1934 to 1977 and spawned a Broadway musical in 1956 and a two feature films (1940 and 1959). In “First Stop” (S4;E14), Fred calls the run down One Oak Cafe and Cabin "Lower Slobbovia,” which is a term first used in 1946 by Al Capp in his comic strip. Capp created a fictional nation that was unenlightened and socially backward and the term entered popular culture when referring to any place hopelessly stuck in the past. 

Pretending to be a ‘wicked city woman’ (like his mother warned him about), Lucy ‘vamps’ Ernie wearing the same tight black dress she wore in “The Charm School” (S3;E15) three months earlier. Lucy also wears a black wig, something she tried out for the first time two episodes earlier (albeit a different style) in “The Black Wig” (S3;E28). The character was very similar to a Theda Bara-type vamp that Lucille Ball had played on “The Ed Wynn Show” on Christmas Eve 1949.  

When Lucy brings home a huge amount of groceries for her new house guest, two cartons of Philip Morris cigarettes can be seen prominently poking out the shopping bags. Apparently, Ernie was also a heavy smoker! Philip Morris was the show’s sponsor at the time and any opportunity to integrate the name or brand imaging was utilized.

"The Wabash Cannonball” is sung and played on guitar by Ford, waking Lucy and Ricky from a sound sleep, and then again just before Lucy enters as the ‘wicked city woman.’ The song’s first documented appearance was on sheet music published in 1882, titled “The Great Rock Island Route” and credited to J.A. Roff. A revised version was made famous by Roy Acuff in 1936. Ford sings the song again in the next episode, “Tennessee Ernie Hangs On” (S3;E29).

While the storyline continues in the next episode, both shows are enjoyable on their own. Future linked episodes include “The Dancing Star” and “Lucy Meets Harpo Marx” (S4;E27 and E28) and “Lucy Visits Grauman’s” and “Lucy and John Wayne” (S5; E1 and E2).