“Getting Ready”

(S4;E11 ~ December 13, 1954) Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 21, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 47.6/66

Synopsis ~ Planes, trains or automobiles – or even the bus – are the modes of transportation that Lucy considers for the trip to California. They finally decide to go by car – with the Mertzes in the back seat – until they see the car Fred buys!

After convincing Ricky that they should fly, Lucy gets that look in her eye while perusing the train brochure. Lucy is reading the Union Pacific Railroad Time Table. The props department has skillfully redacted the UPR name from the top and their shield emblem. In reality, the Union Pacific did not operate East of the Mississippi, betraying the show’s Southern California roots! 

The Union Pacific Railroad will be featured (unredacted) in “Ricky Sells The Car” (S5;E4, above) and “The Great Train Robbery” (S5;E5).  

Oops!  When Ricky says “You’d better read the bus folder first” Lucy quickly replies, “Don’t be silly. The bus!” and gives him the train folder to make the reservation. Lucille Ball should have said, “Don’t be silly. The train!”  No doubt Ball was thinking ahead…

After committing to the train, Lucy gets engrossed in the idea of going by bus. She peruses the bus schedule, which has also been redacted to obscure the brand name: Greyhound. 

RICKY: “Look, Lucy, this whole thing was my fault. It was something that I said that started this whole thing.”
LUCY: “What’d you say?”
RICKY: “I do.”

This line is reminiscent of writer Jess Oppenheimer’s favorite line of the series: “Ever since we said, ‘I do’ there are so many things we don’t!” from “The Girls Want To Go To a Nightclub” (S1;E1). Like the series’ title itself, the line reminds us that despite Lucy’s crazy antics, the show is really about the Ricardo’s marriage.

Al Hergersheimer is a used car salesman from Brooklyn who used to be in vaudeville with Fred. He sells him a dilapidated 1923 blue Cadillac convertible for $300. Al’s phone number is NEvins 8-2098. This was indeed a Brooklyn exchange. On the rotary telephone, the NE stood for 63. 

When the car finally drives down East 68th Street, the viewers get to see the front of the Mertzes apartment building for the very first time. It will be seen in the next two episodes, “Lucy Learns to Drive” (S4;E12) and “California Here We Come!” (S4;E13) as well as upon their return to NYC in “Homecoming” (S5;E6).

When Ethel is sad about the Ricardos leaving, Lucy reassures her that they will only be gone a month. Ethel says that she knows they will end up staying in California longer. It’s a good thing the Mertzes end up going along, because Ethel was absolutely right!  In real time, the trip actually lasts 11 months!

LUCY: “We can see the Grand Canyon, Pike’s Peak, Yosemite.”

Two episodes later, in “California Here We Come!” (S4;E11), all four travelers agree that they definitely want to see the Grand Canyon. If they did (their route certainly would have made it possible) viewers never got to see it. 

Interestingly, “The Grand Canyon Suite” was the signature theme of Philip Morris, an “I Love Lucy” sponsor. During season one, “The Grand Canyon Suite” (by Ferde Grofé, 1929) was heard as the show opened, seguing into the familiar “I Love Lucy” theme half-way through the opening credits. 

Finally agreeing on who is going, who is paying, and how they will get there, the group launch into a quick chorus of “California, Here We Come” as the show goes to commercial. The song will be sung in full during the episode that bears its name two weeks later. 

Mrs. Trumbull and Little Ricky are mentioned, but do not appear in this episode. 

FRED: “You forget that lovely trip you took to Minnesota.”
ETHEL: (sarcastic) “Oh, that was a lot of fun. I went to Mayo Brothers to have my gallstones taken out.” 

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, was founded in 1889 by brothers Charles and William Mayo, built from their father’s medical practice. It has consistently been considered one of the top rated medical centers in the world. This must have held true in 1954 as well, or Ethel probably would have had the procedure done in a New York City hospital.

LUCY: (on the phone) “Would you like me to give a message to any of the gang out there? You know, Clark or Cary or Van or Marlon? Oh, all right. (writing) Tell Bill Holden that Marion Van Vlack saw ‘Sabrina’ five times!

In her telephone conversation with her friend Marion Van Vlack, name-dropping Lucy is referring to Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Van Johnson, and Marlon Brando. Of the first four Lucy (and the viewers) only meet Van Johnson in “The Dancing Star” (S4;E27). Johnson was friends of the Arnazes having appeared with them in Too Many Girls (1940) and with Lucy in Easy to Wed (1946).  A masked and mute Lucy dresses up as Clark Gable for nearsighted Carolyn Appleby in “Lucy and Harpo Marx” (S4;E28). 

William Holden (long-rumored to have had an affair with Lucille Ball) famously ran into Lucy at the Brown Derby in “Hollywood at Last!” (S4;E16). His film Sabrina was released a month prior to this episode being filmed. In 1955 it was nominated for six Oscars, winning for costumes.

Sabrina is a 1954 romantic comedy-drama directed by Billy Wilder, based on Samuel A. Taylor’s play Sabrina Fair. In addition to Holden, the movie starred Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. “I Love Lucy” and “Lucy Show” character actors Ellen Corby and Nancy Kulp play supporting roles. 

Talking in his sleep during a nap on the sofa, Ricky is dreaming of Hollywood.

RICKY: “No. No, Mr. Zanuck. My price is a million dollars, Mr. Zanuck.”

Darryl F. Zanuck (1902-79) was a film producer and studio executive. At the time the episode was filmed he was with 20th Century Fox. In 1954, his film The Egyptian was in wide release. He produced six of Lucille Ball’s films in the 1930s.  

In “Never Do Business With Friends” (S2;E31), Ethel complains that her washing machine is old enough to belong in the Smithsonian Institution. Dubbed ‘the Nation’s attic’, the Smithsonian museums are located in Washington DC. Although the bulk of “I Love Lucy” memorabilia is held by the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, New York, a portrait of Lucille Ball is part of the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery. 

As Fred toddles off to get his $500 back, he asks Ricky for train fare. 

FRED: “Have you got 15 cents for the subway?”  

The current base fare on the NYC subway is between $2.75 and $3.00!  The NYC subway will be prominently featured in “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (S6;E12). 

The episode ends with a rare self-referential moment on “I Love Lucy.”  In reality, CBS is an acronym for the Columbia Broadcasting System. It was founded in 1927 and is still broadcasting today.  CBS owns the rights to all images from “I Love Lucy”.  Thank you, CBS!  

FAST FORWARD!

In a 1963 episode of “The Lucy Show” (set in Danfield NY) ‘Friendly Al, Used Car Dealer,’ is mentioned as a TV sponsor. Perhaps he is ‘Friendly Al’ Hergersheimer – or his son?

Used car dealer Cheerful Charlie (Milton Berle) sells the Carter Family a 1940 Packard with a paint job Uncle Harry calls “sick-o-delic.”  Like Fred’s Cadillac, it is a lemon that explodes upon ignition!