I think it’s gonna be a good thing for television!
(S3;E15 ~ January 25, 1954) Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed December 10, 1953 at Ren-Mar Studios. It was the 81st episode filmed.
Synopsis ~ After seeing the boys give a pretty girl the eye, Lucy and Ethel decide to go to charm school.
For viewers, the episode is probably best remembered for a guest appearance by Natalie Schafer as Charm School proprietress Phoebe Emerson. Born in 1900 in Red Bank, New Jersey, Schafer went on to fame as Mrs. ‘Lovey’ Howell on the long-running sitcom “Gilligan’s Island” (1964-67).
The week before this episode first aired, Schafer made an appearance on CBS TV’s "Topper” as a character named (coincidentally) Mrs. Vance. Two years later Schafer co-starred in Lucy and Desi’s film Forever, Darling (1956). Additionally, she starred in 20 Broadway shows. She died in 1991. Curiously, even in the restored DVD, Shafer and the other supporting cast are not announced over the final credits.
Louann and Bill Hall, friends of the Ricardos, make their first and last appearance in this episode. The couple is played by Vivi Janiss and Tyler McVey, both of whom were veteran character actors. McVey played hundreds of roles on TV and film, dozens of them sheriffs. He went on to play bit parts in three more “I Love Lucy” episodes. Janiss was previously seen as one of the club women in “No Children Allowed” (S2;E22). On Broadway, she introduced the song “I Like the Likes of You” in Ziegfeld Follies of 1934. Her first husband, Robert Cummings, later appeared on "The Lucy Show.”
The episode also featured fashion model and actress Eve Whitney, who used her own name for her character. She had appeared in four films with Lucille Ball from 1943 to 1945. Her real-life husband Eddie Maxwell wrote the lyrics to the song "There’s a Brand-New Baby in Our House” which was commercially released by Desi Arnaz. After this episode, Whitney did one more acting job and then retired from show business to become a real estate agent. Her ‘date’ for the Ricardo’s party is Tom Williams, played by Maurice Hill. This is Hill’s one and only appearance on the series.
The episode opens with a small gathering at the Ricardo apartment where the men and women are in two different rooms. Luann explains:
“We like talking about babies and clothes and recipes and they like to talk about sports and politics.”
This statement broadly encompasses gender roles in 1950s America. The desire to break through these role restrictions is the basis for many “I Love Lucy” story lines.
The premise of men in one room / women in the other was briefly explored in the flashback intro that was written two years earlier for “The Quiz Show” (S1;E5), the very first such flashback intro used to innovate the concept of the re-run and buy time during Ball’s pregnancy.
When Lucy likens men and women to goats and sheep, Ethel remarks: “Maybe we’d better go down to Abercrombie & Fitch and see if they sell goat-mating calls.” Although A&F are known today for apparel for young people (and their generally provocative advertising), the retailer was first opened in 1892 as a sporting goods store with a flagship location on Madison Avenue.
In the boys conversation Desi Arnaz ad-libs a story about golf game – at California’s Thunderbird Country Club and Golf Course – 2,500 miles from New York City.
RICKY: “You know, the whole membership of the Thunderbird Club was around the 18th hole. All I had to do was make this measly two-foot putt to win, and I missed it!
Lucille Ball and husband Desi Arnaz were early celebrity residents of Rancho Mirage, with a home at Thunderbird Country Club built in 1951, the same year “I Love Lucy” debuted. Desi was a keen golfer and Lucille and he spent a lot of their free time in their Rancho Mirage home facing the ninth and 18th fairways. Desi made a similar slip when he wore a Thunderbird Club hat in “The Golf Game” (S3;E30).
At the party, the men talk about how soon color might be introduced on television.
BILL: “Well, there are two schools of thought on that matter. Some people think it’s just around the corner. Others think it’s gonna be a year or two.”
In reality, it was just six months away. Television’s first prime time network color series was “The Marriage,” a situation comedy broadcast live by NBC in the summer of 1954. NBC was owned by RCA, who led in the technology to broadcast color programming. CBS was developing their own technology, so was reluctant to get on the bandwagon. It wasn’t until 1962 that Lucille Ball was seen in color on CBS, and then not even on her own program.
Despite real-life conversations on the subject between producers and CBS, “I Love Lucy” was never shot or broadcast in color. Jess Oppenheimer said that color wasn’t necessary for a comedy show, unless it enhanced the comedy. Also, in 1954 color television sets were very expensive (about $1,200) and very few Americans had them. Ricky says he read an article by Harry Ackerman. Ackerman was the TV producer who first encouraged the filming of “I Love Lucy” in front of a live studio audience. He even appeared as a Network Sponsor in “The Audition” (S1;E6).
As a group, the men and women try talking about Tom Williams (Maurice Hill) – but the conversation leads right back to sports when someone mentions the last time they saw Tom was at the fights at Madison Square Garden.
When they return to the kitchen after their failed attempt at mixed gender conversation, the topic turns to the sport of kings – prize fighting, something the boys were frequently obsessed with on the show. The last scene of the very first aired episode “The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub” (S1;E2) was set at the fights. Also, in “Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans” (S2;E30, above), the boys are glued to the television to watch a match between Murphy and The Kid.
Here, real life bouts between Ezzard Charles, ‘Jersey Joe’ Walcott and Rex Layne are mentioned. Fred even brings up Jack Dempsey and Bob Fitzsimmons, both of whom were dead by the time Fred was barely twenty. During the series, Fred is mentioned as being a Golden Gloves boxer, so it stands to reason he would know his pugilistic history.
Oops! Desi originally ad-libs about a fight between Charles and Layne before correcting himself (with Bill Frawley’s help) that it was Charles and Walcott. Perhaps Desi was thinking of Charles Lane, a character actor that had already appeared on the series twice and would go to make several more appearances.
The square plastic cookie jar on the kitchen counter (likely red) was made by Lusterware.
This ad from 1954 shows that it is part of a larger set, priced at $9.95.
“Bad morning!” Lucy catches the toast – two pieces – as they discuss the events of the previous evening. Seeing an ad for the same charm school that Eve Whitney attended, Lucy and Ethel hatch a plan.
Hit Your Marks! While Lucy and Ethel are at the charm school, when they’re standing in front of Miss Emerson’s desk, in the wide shots a small tape mark can be seen on the floor in front of Lucy’s feet. Then when Lucy and Ethel are in sweatpants two small tape marks can be seen on the floor, and when Ethel walks to the other side of the room to join Lucy, there’s another tape mark which Vivian even looks down at to confirm her foot’s position.
Lucy and Ethel visit Phoebe Emerson Charm School for their free Beauty Analysis and CQ (Charm Quotient) check-up. The analysis grades on four points: skin & make-up, hair, voice, and posture.
Miss Emerson scores Lucy a 30 and Ethel a 32 out of 100.
Despite archival photographs of Lucy and Ethel using the exercise equipment at the Charm School, the footage was not used in the final cut. Going into commercial, the theme music swells and you can just hear Ethel say something and Miss Emerson look over to Ethel – but by then the animation has taken over. There was obviously more to the scene, but it was cut for time. Too bad, as it looks like a lot of laughs!
Never one to let go of a funny idea, Lucy Carmichael and the Countess (Ann Sothern) wore matching sweat suits and used the exercise equipment in a 1965 episode of “The Lucy Show.”
The slinky black dress Lucy wears to impress Ricky will be worn again when she tries to ‘vamp’ Cousin Ernie Ford as the ‘wicked city woman’ in “Tennessee Ernie Visits” (S3;E28).
Ethel looks as glamorous as she ever has or will, which must have pleased Vivian Vance, who was required to remain ‘frumpy’ for her role.
Ricky is dressed as as a French courtier from the 17th century, while Fred resembles a cross between Mr. Peanut and Mr. Monopoly.
Lucy will get overly dolled-up again in “Country Club Dance” (S6;E25) where she is also in a dress so tight she can’t sit down, and Ethel has her hair pulled back tight.
The Franklin Mint and the Bradford Exchange issues collectible figures based on the episode.
Mrs. Trumbull is mentioned, but not seen. Also not appearing or mentioned is Little Ricky.
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