“The Diner”

(S3;E27 ~ April 26, 1954) Directed by William Asher. Written by

Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed March 18, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 51.1/77

Synopsis ~ Tired of show business, Ricky suggests that the Ricardos and Mertzes go into business together.  They pick a diner but then can’t agree on how to run it!

This episode has a plot similar to “The Girls Go Into Business” (S3;E2) except that the foursome all go in on the scheme together to buy a diner instead of the girls going in on a dress shop. Like that episode, they cannot decide on a name and end up selling the business. 

Interestingly, “The Diner” and the “The Black Wig” (S3;E26) had their filming and broadcast order switched so that set for Bill’s Diner ended up becoming the set for Tony’s Restaurant where black wig Lucy and Geisha/American Indian/Eskimo Ethel meet Ricky and Fred for their fake blind date.

The 1950’s saw the proliferation of diners and American-style fast food. Burger King first franchised in 1954, and McDonald’s was by then well on its way to world domination. 

In 1954 a New York City eatery called Veselka Diner opened in the East Village and is still in operation today. Also in 1954, photos of film star James Dean in a diner were published. 

Lucy and Ethel popped into a corner diner during 1953′s “Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans” (S2;E30) in order to use the payphone. 

Ricky had a bad night at the Tropicana when there was a blackout and the audience went across the street to see Liberace, who performs by candlelight! Flamboyant showman and musician was noted for having a candelabra on his piano. During a 1970 episode of “Here’s Lucy,” Lucy Carter’s son Craig (Desi Arnaz Jr.) ‘borrowed’ one of Liberace’s candelabras for a school scavenger hunt. Liberace plays himself in the episode. He was also mentioned in two season 4 episodes of “I Love Lucy.” 

When Ricky is looking in the newspaper for business opportunities, he first mentions a delicatessen (”Ricky Ricardo’s Cuban blintzes?”) which everyone agrees isn’t a fit. 

He then reads “Cocktail lounge” to which Ethel flatly replies “No.” with a passing glance at Fred.  This little exchange may indicate Fred’s (and William Frawley’s) propensity to indulge in drink or just Fred’s wandering eye. In the 1950s cocktail lounges were not known for their wholesome atmosphere. In any case, this funny delivery by Vivian Vance is sadly often cut in syndication.  

The Ricardos and the Mertz’s decide that Lucy and Ricky have ‘the name’ so will work the front (hospitality) and that Fred and Ethel have ‘the know-how’ so will be in the back (cooking). 

The “Fly To Gay Havana” poster next to the front door is for Mexicana de Aviacion, an affiliate of Pan American World Airlines. It was first issued in 1940. The artist is unknown.  The Ricardos and Mertzes travel on Pan American World Airways in “Return Home From Europe” (S5;E26). They will also use Pan Am when flying from Miami Beach to Havana in “The Ricardos Visit Cuba” (S6;E9).

Fred and Ethel reveal they were once stranded in Indianapolis and got a job in a diner. There they learned ‘diner lingo’ like: 

• “Adam and Eve on a raft – wreck ’em!” (scrambled eggs on toast)
• “Walk a cow past the stove and don’t cry over it!” (a rare hamburger without onions) or – as Ricky interprets it – “Bring the bull in the ring and laugh in its face!”
• “There’s a gambler in the house!” (hash)

But dividing the labor doesn’t last long, and soon the foursome have split the restaurant in half (much like they did with their apartment in “Men Are Messy” (S1;E8). 

The Mertz side is named ‘Big Hunk of America’ and the Ricardo side is called ‘A Little Bit of Cuba.’ 

In the story line, the diner is owned by Mr. Watson, who turns out to have ulterior motives for selling. 

The character is played by James Burke, who had appeared with Lucy in four films: Blood Money (1933), The Bowery (1933), Joy of Living (1938), and The Affairs of Annabel (1938). He was also seen in The Maltese Falcon (1948), and would go on to make an appearance on “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” (1958).

The gastronomic battle between ‘America’ and ‘Cuba’ is fought using a drunk played by Fred Sherman. Sherman is credited with more than 130 films and TV shows, most of them Westerns. One of his first films was Wildcat with William Frawley. BTW, the film is not related to the Broadway musical that starred Lucy in 1960.

The Pie Delivery Boy is played by Don Garner, who also was a delivery boy in “Bonus Bucks” (S3;E21). Little Ricky is played by the Mayer Twins. Nick Escalante, Alberto Calderon, Joe Miller, and Marco Rizo, members of the Ricky Ricardo / Desi Arnaz Orchestra, play diner patrons. When Calderon enters, Lucy asks “How’s Pura?” – a reference to Alberto’s wife.

The episode ends in true vaudevillian comic style with everyone getting a cream pie in the face. When the drunk finds out that Mr. Watson makes money by buying and selling the diner to naive entrepreneurs, even he gets a taste of his own custard!

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Fast Forward!

Lucy and Viv go into the restaurant business in a 1964 episode of “The Lucy Show.”  Just like on “I Love Lucy,” when customers are scarce, they change the concept. 

Lucy Carter and Mary Jane go into the frozen custard business in a 1973 episode of “Here’s Lucy.”  Just like on “I Love Lucy,” the plot features a trouble-making drunk. 

On May 6, 1980 “Laverne
& Shirley” presented an episode also titled “The
Diner” (S5;E2) where the girls (who were often compared to Lucy and Ethel) take over a diner and are overwhelmed by the workload and the demanding patrons. It starred Penny Marshall (Laverne), Cindy Williams (Shirley), David Lander
(Squiggy), and Michael McKean (Lenny).

A Little Bit of Cuba in Freehold, New Jersey.  I doubt that they offer Ricky’s famous special: a hamburger patty smothered in Tobasco sauce and mashed bananas between two tortillas!