“Lucy’s Mother-in-Law”

(S4;E8 ~ November 22, 1954) Directed by William Asher. Written by

Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 30, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 46.5/67

Synopsis ~ Lucy meets her Cuban mother-in-law for the first time. To help bridge the language barrier, she enlists the help of Ricky’s new mind-reading act.

For his direction of this episode, William Asher was nominated for the 1955 Directors Guild of American (DGA) Award. He lost to Ray Kellino, who directed “The Answer,” an episode of CBS’s “Four Star Playhouse” starring David Niven and Richard Reeves, who made 9 appearances on “I Love Lucy.”  This would be the series’ only recognition for direction. 

The day this episode first aired, Life Magazine’s cover story was about color television. CBS toyed with the idea of filming and airing an episode of “I Love Lucy” in color. Two weeks later TV Guide announced that “Ricky’s Contract” (S4;E10) would be broadcast in color, but this never happened. 

This is one of five episodes in which William Frawley does not actually appear. Although his voice is heard yelling for Ethel to get his lunch. In reality, it would have been impractical to have Frawley on set for that one moment, so it would have been a ‘voice double’ adopting Fred’s gruff shout. 

Following the initial broadcast of “Lucy’s Mother-in-Law,” Desilu’s “December Bride” aired an episode titled “Lily’s Mother-in-Law.”  

Appropriately, the show opens with Ricky at the club finishing a rehearsal of "Bim Bam Boom,” a song recorded in 1942 by Cuban musician Miguelito Valdés, known as ‘Mr. Babalu.’ 

When Ricky sees Lucy at the club, he immediately assumes she’s heard from Hollywood about his screen test, which was part of the previous episode. There will be one more non-Hollywood episode (”Ethel’s Birthday”) before he lands the part in “Ricky’s Contract” (S4;E10). 

While there, Ricky auditions Professor Bonanova, a mind reader who uses a hidden transmitter and a sexy assistant wearing a hidden microphone. This is what Ricky calls “electro-nicks”.  

Oops! Desi’s line was supposed to be “We are thinking of putting him on to the bill.” He ad libbed “We are thinking of using him at the club” forgetting that he is at the club when he is saying it.

Fortunio Bonanova plays the Professor, using his own surname. He was actually a Spanish-born classically-trained singer. His most memorable role was as the harried vocal coach of the second Mrs. Kane in Citizen Kane (1941). Virginia Barbour plays his wired assistant. Barbour’s only other screen credit was as a waitress in an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1965.

ASSISTANT: (whispering) “What’s your birthday?”
LUCY: (whispering) “August the sixth.”
ASSISTANT: “August the sixth what?”
LUCY: “August the sixth period.  He’s a mind reader, let him tell you.”

August the sixth is Lucille Ball’s real birthday, although Lucy Ricardo claimed to be a Taurus in “The Seance” (S1;E7). She also reveals that her nickname in grade school was bird legs. However, when Lucy meets her old friend Helen in “The Passports” (S5;E11) her nickname was “droopy drawers.”  

Ethel tells Lucy that her mother-in-law comes all the way from Indiana once a year just to look under her rug for dirt!  William Frawley was 67 years old at the time, so it is not inconceivable that his mother might still be alive. Ethel tells Fred that she’ll be visiting her mother during “The Camping Trip” (S2;E29). 

ETHEL: “If I thought she’d stay home I’d send her the rug in a box of dirt!” 

Lucy and Mother Ricardo peek in on the baby, who is sleeping.  The insert shot of Little Ricky (one of the Mayer Twins) was likely filmed after the studio audience left.  

Oops! When Lucy goes to hang up her mother-in-law’s coat, they hastily packed closet spills out into the room. This bit of comedy was inspired by the radio show “Fibber McGee & Molly” who had a closet that regularly spill out with the help of various sound effects. Behind Ricky’s Mother, the closet door remains open and inside there seems to be a box of cue cards!  Not exactly something Lucy and Ricky would have at home!  

Before Ricky gets home, Lucy is alone with her mother-in-law and must communicate via pantomime.

Lucille Ball was expert at mime and looked for any opportunity to include charades in the stories. Here, she pantomimes what’s for dinner: chicken and rice. This gives Lucy the opportunity to walk like a clucking hen, something she will do again in “Lucy Raises Chickens” (S6;17).

Lucy’s pantomime of “rice” would probably be considered politically incorrect today.  Asian stereotypes continued well into “Here’s Lucy.”  

Oops! While translating English into Spanish, Desi mistakenly says “I got my fingers crossed,” instead of the line (“I got my wires crossed”). Lucy couldn’t resist pointing out his error, resulting in an unscripted on camera exchange between the two.  The translation trouble will also be part of “Paris at Last” (S5;E18) when Lucy is in custody of the Paris police and Ricky must act as intermediary. 

When Lucy’s dinner burns to a crisp, whatever she pulls out of the smoking oven is certainly not a chicken!  It resembles a burned loaf of bread or a meatloaf.  Arroz con pollo is actually made on top of the stove in a pot, not in the oven. 

Lucy string of bad luck continues while ironing her mother-in-law’s dress. 

When Ethel suggests Lucy meet her mother-in-law at the United Nations to provide translation service, she gets the idea to ask for the Professor’s help.

Mary Emery plays Ricky’s mother. Emery was born in 1896 in Monterrey, Mexico, as Margarita Cabazos. She would reprise her role in “The Ricardos Visit Cuba” (S6;E9), which would be her last appearance before retiring from show business. She was first seen with Lucy in The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). She died in February 1988, just 8 months before Desi Arnaz’s real mother, Dolores de Acha (right). 

Interestingly, neither Lucy’s mother nor Ricky’s mother ever is given a first name.

When Lucy is offering her Cuban guests a cigarette, she uses the name of their sponsor, but with a Spanish inflection: “Philip-ay Morris-ah?”

Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. and Pilar Arcos play Spanish-speaking guests of the Ricardo’s at a small gathering in madre Ricardo’s honor. Hoyos also appears as one of Ricky’s relatives in “The Ricardos Visit Cuba” (S6;E9). Arcos has the distinction of being the only other Cuban-born actor in the episode.

Bennett Green, Desi’s camera and lighting stand-by and a frequent extra on the show, plays the Cablegram Delivery Man. 

THE BEST BITS BEAR REPEATING! 

Poor ironing skills were a source of comedy in “Job Switching” (S2;E1) as well as several times on “Here’s Lucy.”  

Poor translating skills were a source of comedy in “Paris at Last!” (S5;E18). 

Poor cooking skills for company were a also source of comedy in “The Matchmaker” (S4;E4). In this case the burnt offerings actually looked like charred chickens. 

Lucy’s unique ‘bird walk’ would be repeated in “Lucy Raises Chickens” (S6;17) as well as on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”  

Spanish-speaking “Cuban Pals” also visited the Ricardo apartment during season one. 

Mary Emery reprises the role of Lucy’s Mother-in-Law when “The Ricardos Visit Cuba” (S6;E9). 

Five weeks later, Ricky’s mother-in-law (Kathryn Card) will be introduced in “California, Here We Come!” (S4;E13) and play the role until 1959.

Fred and Ethel’s mother-in-laws remain perennially off-screen.

In 2003 Card was nominated by TV Land for Best TV In-Law. She lost to Endora, Darrin’s mother-in-law on “Bewitched,” played by Agnes Moorehead.

Desi Arnaz fully explored mother-in-law humor in his series “The Mothers-in-Law” which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1969, concurrently with the last seasons of “The Lucy Show” and the start of “Here’s Lucy.”

Lucille Ball played a mother-in-law herself in “Life With Lucy” when her daughter married Ted (Larry Anderson) and they all moved in together. Finally “Lucy IS Mother-in-Law” bringing things full circle!