“The Diet”

(S1;E3 ~ October 29, 1951) Directed by Marc Daniels. Written by

Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 28, 1951 at General Services Studio. Rating: 37.9/56

Synopsis ~ When a featured dancer at the Tropicana quits to get married, Lucy naturally wants the job. The only catch is that she doesn’t fit the costume, so she goes on a crash diet. 

The story was mostly based on an episode of Lucy’s radio show “My Favorite Husband” called “Iris and Liz’s Easter” (#123 broadcast March 1951). 

art by Aireen Arellano

This was the fourth episode filmed, but it was aired third when the fourth episode (”Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her”) was moved to the premiere. 

The plot seemed especially timely since Lucille Ball was still trying to lose weight gained during her pregnancy with her daughter Lucie.

Ricky has a phone conversation with Jerry, his agent, although Jerry Hausner is not heard and does not appear on screen. He tells Ricky that Joanne, a dancer at the club, has quit to get married. Joanne was a size 12, so her replacement has to be that size to fit the new costume. Joanne was probably named after

Joanne Pérez (nee Joanne Falcy)

who was the wife of Desi’s friend and clown, Pepito

Pérez. A former dancer herself, Joanne ran the dance academy that provided the students and scenery for “Little Ricky’s School Pageant” in 1956. 

While everyone else is eating steak with mashed potatoes and biscuits, Lucy dines on a single stalk of celery, which she liberally salts, peppers, and sauces with A.1. Steak Sauce. Sold from 1831 as a condiment for meat or game dishes in the United Kingdom, the makers later introduced the product to North America, where it was marketed as a steak sauce. In May 2014, the word “steak” was dropped from the name to “better reflect modern dining habits”.

This is the first time Lucy uses her maiden name, McGillicuddy. It was originally going to be Teitelbaum, but that was deemed ‘too Jewish.’ 

This is the first time Lucy does her “eeugh” sound when she’s lying on the gurney at the episode’s conclusion. The writers named this sound ‘the spider,’ because Lucy first did it when she played Miss Muffet in a commercial for JELL-O, sponsor of “My Favorite Husband.”  The publicity still above is from “The Ricardos Change Apartments” in 1953.

This is the first (and last) appearance of the Mertz’s dog, Butch. In fact, when Little Ricky gets a dog in season 6, Fred sites a ‘no pets clause’ in their lease, also conveniently forgetting about Mrs. Trumbull’s cat.

Butch looks quite alarmed by the crazy lady under the table!

“Cuban Pete” is a song composed by Joseph Norman under the name José Norman in 1936, recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1937, and popularized by Desi Arnaz in the 1946 film Cuban Pete. Lucille Ball’s cousin Cleo had an uncredited role in the film. 

The version of “Cuban Pete / Sally Sweet” Lucy and Ricky perform at the end of the episode was taken directly from the live stage show tour Lucy and Desi did in 1950. The tour was designed to convince CBS that the American public would believe that an all-American girl like Lucy could be happily married to a hotblooded Cuban like Ricky. Even Lucy’s emerald green Sally Sweet outfit is the same as in the original act.

Lucille Ball takes a smoke break with former co-star Jack Carson, who had done three films with Ball in 1937 and 1938. At the time, there was talk that Carson would also get a television show on CBS, but unlike Lucy, he wanted to do it without a studio audience. The show never materialized. 

Faded with age, the dress is now in a museum. 

---

UNCREDITED PERFORMERS

Marco Rizo (audition accompanist) was Desi Arnaz’s pianist and played himself on this and many future episodes. Although not credited, he is referred to by name by Ricky. 

Even the blonde on the left, who has dialogue with Lucy (”You’re not his type!”), goes uncredited.  There are four dancers in the scene. Personally, I think their wigs deserve a credit line of their own!  

The doctor and orderly do not speak, and are not credited and have never been identified.  Anyone?  

FAST FORWARD!

On February 9, 1953, while Lucille Ball took some time off after the birth to Desi Jr., CBS re-broadcast “The Diet” featuring a new opening sequence. The scene involved Ricky, Ethel and Fred discussing the health of Lucy’s new born baby. Ethel offers to make some homemade cookies for Lucy, but Ricky explains that Lucy is worried about her figure. The three then remember the last time Lucy went on a diet – cue flashback. This two-minute scene has been included on the DVD release. 

Two years later when Lucy is forced to stop fibbing in “Lucy Tells the Truth” (S3;E6) she reveals that she is 129 pounds, the same weight she is in this episode. Lucille Ball generally did not talk about her weight or her age unless the plot dictated it. It was Vivian Vance who bore the brunt of the jokes about over-eating and Bill Frawley who was constantly belittled about his age. 

Lucy Carmichael and Viv Bagley are on a 153 calorie diet when Harry (Dan Rowan) arrives with a box of sweets from Friehoffer’s Bakery in this 1962 episode of “The Lucy Show.”

Lucy also hid under the dinner table (sans dog) in this 1963 episode of “The Lucy Show.”  Viv is out on a date with her boyfriend Eddie (Don Briggs).

Lucy Carmichael dieted and exercised at a fat farm in 1965′s “Lucy and the Countess Lose Weight” (TLS S3;E21). The Countess (Ann Sothern) also counted calories with Carmichael!

In 1968′s “Lucy and Miss Shelley Winters” (HL S1;E4), Lucy Carter helped movie star Shelley Summers diet and exercise to get in shape for a new motion picture.

Lucy used a steam cabinet again in a 1970 episode of “The Lucy Show”.  Both times she was watched over by her partners in crime: Vivian Vance and Gale Gordon. 

Kim (Lucie Arnaz) and Lucy Carter help Uncle Harry (Gale Gordon) lose weight and exercise in preparation for a visit from an old girlfriend in 1971′s “Lucy and Harry’s Italian Bombshell.”  Kaye Ballard played the buxom bombshell!

In 1973′s “Goodbye Mrs. Hips” Vanda (Barra) and Mary Jane (Croft) move in together to lose weight and Lucy (Carter) takes drastic measures to curb their late-night cravings. Temptations came by the forkful in both episodes!  

In 1994, Jim Carrey sang a Desi Arnaz-inspired version of “Cuban Pete” in The Mask.

With their Dad present, Lucie and Desi Arnaz Jr. performed (in costume) as Sally Sweet and Cuban Pete for a one-time benefit. 

Desi Arnaz and son performed “Cuban Pete” together on “Saturday Night Live” in February 1976. 

---

SELLING ‘SWEET’ n ‘PETE’!

For the 60th anniversary of the series, Mattel released a Cuban Pete / Sally Sweet Barbie doll set. 

The The Hamilton Collection also released a Sally Sweet doll…

…and a 1981 plate. 

Precious memories from Precious Moments!