“Lucy Gets Homesick in Italy”

(S5;E22 ~ April 9, 1956) Directed by James V. Kern. Written by

Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed March 1, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studio. Rating: 48.4/68

Synopsis ~ While traveling through Florence, Lucy starts to miss Little Ricky on his third birthday, so she holds a local birthday party for a shoeshine boy named Giuseppe. 

This is the fifth episode of the European Trip (#5), and the first of three episodes set in Italy, with the famous grape stomping episode next.

FRED: “Ricky has gone round to pick up the mail at the American Express Office.” 

On the same day Fred mentions American Express, Time Magazine hits the stands with their President, Ralph Reed, on the cover. In 1958, he would make the decision to create the American Express credit card. At the time of the episode, however, the company’s European offices were places were mail could be forwarded and money exchanged.  

Lucy and Ricky’s room at the Hotel Grande is on the fourth floor (#47) and is called the bridal suite. The Mertzes’ room is on the fifth floor, and Ethel quips that it must be the “bridal suite for mountain goats.” Funny how there was never an issue with the stairs when the Ricardos lived in apartment 4-A, yet after the same climb in the hotel they were exhausted. As far as we know, 623 East 68th Street was not an elevator building. 

While there is (and was in 1956) a Grand Hotel in Florence (above), it is likely the one in the episode was a writer’s contrivance. The old-fashioned pensione is unfavorably compared to the Hotel Astor and the name of famous hotelier Conrad Hilton is invoked. 

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT ALL THE HOTELS SEEN ON THE SERIES!

Fred claims that he mailed Little Ricky’s birthday presents, to which Ethel replies, “He’ll be lucky if he gets them for his 23rd birthday.” If Little Ricky turned three on April 9, 1956 his 23rd birthday would be in 1976. In real-life, this is the same year Desi Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr. appeared together on “Saturday Night Live.” Gilda Radner played Lucy. 

In this episode, the Ricardo’s telephone number is MUrray Hill 5-9099. But in “The Million Dollar Idea” (S3;E13) it is CIrcle 7-2099.

Vicente Padula (Signore Nicoletti, Hotel Manager) makes his second appearance on the show, having just played a drunk in “Paris at Last” (S5;E18). He would go on to play a nightclub owner on the very first episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” titled “Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana” in 1957. Despite playing an Italian, a Frenchman, and a Cuban, Padula was actually an Argentinian by birth. His character name is Signore Nicoletti, an homage to Louis Nicoletti, who played bit roles on more than a dozen episodes and went on to become assistant director on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy." 

The woman who hogs the telephone in the hotel lobby was Ida Smeraldo, an actress who was born in Rome, Italy, in 1898, and so spoke fluent Italian.

LUCY (on telephone, with her finger on the button): “Hello, Ben! Well, lightning, huh?” 

When Lucy finally gets the phone to herself, the woman hovers in the background, so Lucy pretends to talk to Benjamin Franklin. Lucy surely thinks the woman does not understand English. 

Although Franklin never went to Italy, he could read Italian and enjoyed Italian culture. Franklin’s influence on Italy was apparently quite large. He influenced Italian philosophers, printers, diplomats, politicians, artists, and scientists.

It was in Florence that American sculptor Hiram Powers worked on his 1858 statue of Franklin before sending it to the US Capitol. In 1872 in Rome a library of Franklin’s works was established. In 1881 there was a short-lived monthly publication bearing Franklin’s name published in Milan. Between 1884 and 1887 a Typografia Frankliania flourished in Rome. In 1882 Franklin’s name was attached to an almanac (not unlike his own “Poor Richard’s Almanac” in the US) published in Parma. And, as unlikely as it seems, parents were baptizing their children under the unorthodox name of Franklin!  So… Lucy was taking a greater chance than she realized.  

Bart Braverman (Giuseppe) was born as Bartley Louis Braverman in Los Angeles in 1946. This was his fifth TV role although he used the name Bart Bradley until 1962. 

He is today best known for playing Bobby ‘Binzer’ Borso on "Vega$” (1978-81). He suffered from epilepsy with multiple seizures daily which forced him to quit acting on live television and on stage. In 2005 Braverman had brain surgery that has completely cured his condition. 

The little girl Theresa (“She’s-a her birthday, too!”) was played by Kathleen Mazolo (nee Mazzola). This is her one and only screen credit of record.

LUCY (on telephone): “Mother? This is Lucy. I’m calling from Florence.”
MRS. MCGILLICUDDY (sleepy): “Oh. Hello, Florence.”

This is the last time that Little Ricky will be played by the Mayer Twins, Michael and Joseph. When next we see the character he will be played by Keith Thibodeaux (aka Richard Keith) and his age will be advanced from 3 to nearly 6 in just five months time! The next and last time we see Lucy’s mother, Mrs. McGillicuddy (Kathryn Card) will be briefly in the penultimate episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in late 1959.

Mrs. Trumbull is mentioned but does not appear on screen. Elizabeth Patterson would play the character in just one more episode. Mrs. Trumbull sends a message to Fred that it costs $118 to repair the furnace. Adjusted for the cost of living, that would be nearly $1,100 today!  

The plot ends with the children singing a long-distance “Happy Birthday” to Little Ricky in Italian over the telephone. Despite Lucy’s sometimes outrageous behavior, she is still a mother who misses her child.

At the very end of the episode, after the final credits, announcer Johnny Jacobs says “Read all about Lucy and Desi in the current issue of Look Magazine.” Lucille Ball made the cover of Look nine times during from 1937 to 1971, when the magazine printed its final issue. The magazine appeared on camera several times during the series.

TO FIND OUT ABOUT ALL THE MAGAZINES ON THE SERIES, CLICK HERE! 

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FAST FORWARD!

In a 1963 episode of “The Lucy Show”, Lucy and Viv also throw a birthday party for children they don’t know. This time, however, they are getting paid to do it! 

In 1999, Bart Braverman (center) attended the Loving Lucy Convention. Also on the panel were the Bordon Twins (Teensy and Weensy), Keith Thibodeaux (Little Ricky), and Doris Singleton (Caroline Appleby). 

All Lucy’s sitcoms were aired internationally – including in Italy!