“Bon Voyage”

(S5;E13 ~ January 16, 1956) Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed December 1, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios.  It was the 140th episode filmed. Rating: 50.3/66

Synopsis ~ The gang is on the gangway, ready to set sail for Europe – but Lucy misses the boat!

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Instead of the usual opening music, the orchestra plays “Sailing, Sailing (Over the Bounding Main)” written in 1880 by Godfrey Marks, a pseudonym of British organist and composer James Frederick Swift (1847–1931.)

“Desi would pay for anything and Lucy would do anything” ~ Madelyn Pugh Davis, writer

This episode was the most expensive show ever produced at Desilu up to that time. The American Export Line and the S.S. Constitution (a real ocean liner) helped finance the show’s sets, as well as donating authentic props.

Lucy has some lines of dialogue that briefly describe the ship:

“It has a ballroom, a theater, some shops and even elevators!”

The script even manages to mention the Constitution’s sister ship, the S.S. Independence.

During the last day of rehearsals, Lucille and Desi celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary on set.

On the day this episode was filmed, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus and was arrested, an act of defiance that was a cornerstone of the civil rights movement.

The Ricardos are assigned stateroom U185 on the Bridge Deck of the SS Constitution. Although there is a real cabin U185 (red circle) on the Constitution, it does not have portholes that overlook a promenade, something that will be key to the plot in the next episode, “Second Honeymoon” (S5;E12).

Lucy gets flowers from “Bill, Dani, and Jerry Asher.”  William (Bill) Asher was an “I Love Lucy” director (although this episode is credited to James V. Kern), and Dani and Jerry were his wife and son. Her mother brings her a huge bottle of sea sickness pills, a callback to the previous episode “Staten Island Ferry” (S5;E12).

Lucille Ball’s skill at her craft is subtly apparent in this short stateroom scene. When Kathryn Card can’t get the big bottle out of her bag, Lucy immediately goes to help pull it out.  She then lies the bottle horizontally on the end table, knowing the tall bottle stood up properly might interfere with camera shots. When kissing Mrs. Trumbull goodbye, Ball (somewhat awkwardly) kisses her on her left (downstage) cheek, keeping her own face toward the camera!

In the stateroom, Ethel immediately dives into the fruit basket.

ETHEL: I can’t help it. This sea air makes me hungry.
FRED: We haven’t even left the dock yet. (To the others) Wait till she finds out the food’s free. She’ll be the biggest bundle Britain’s ever seen. 

Ethel seems to have a taste for bananas. She is caught eating a banana in the next episode (center), and in “Lucy Misses the Mertzes” (S6;E17).  The character trait continued on “The Lucy Show” with Vivian Bagley, so perhaps it was Vance who loved the fruit?

In his joke about Ethel’s weight, Fred makes reference to Bundles for Britain, a war relief effort started in 1940 by American Natalie Wales Latham (above) as a knitting circle in a store front in New York City. Socks, gloves, hats, sweaters, and scarves were made and shipped to Britain. Within Sixteen months, Bundles expanded into an organization with 975 branches and almost a million contributors. By 1941, Bundles had also shipped ambulances, surgical instruments, and medicines, along with used clothing of all sorts.

Ethel mentioned the organization in “Ricky’s European Booking” (S5;E10) when trying to think up a name for their phony charity.

ETHEL: You don’t suppose we could call it ‘Two Bundles for Britain’?
LUCY: No, it has to sound real. 

Mrs. Trumbull makes a last minute request for French perfume. Embarrassed by the name, she whispers it to Lucy: My Sin!  When Lucy is packing her souvenirs for their “Return Home from Europe” (S5;E26) she mentions bringing home a bottle of perfume for Mrs. Trumbull.  The writers remembered this exchange months later.

The gimmick of Lucy’s skirt getting caught in the bike wheel was accomplished by moving a giant crate in front of Lucille Ball, inside which was concealed a stagehand who rigged the skirt to the bike without cutting the film. No doubt the side of the crate facing Lucy and the other actors was open. When the crate was wheeled away, the deed was done!

When Lucy tries to jump onto the ship from the gangplank, the trunk she got locked inside of in “The Passports” (S5;E11) can be seen on the deck. The trunk was dug out of storage by Fred to store the band uniforms for the trip.

Although Lucy loses her skirt, throughout the entire ordeal she never loses her hat!

The tug boat that pulls the Constitution out of New York harbor has a large white M painted on it. This is the insignia of the Moran Company, who began business in 1880 and are still in operation today.

The pilot boat that Lucy misses was likely one of the Sandy Hook Pilots, who have been navigating vessels through New York harbor for more than 300 years.

Lucy says in this episode that she’s never been on a plane before, which is why she was scared to ride in the helicopter. So the Pan Am flight in “Return Home from Europe” (S5;E26) is Lucy Ricardo’s first airplane trip. With all the fuss about smuggling the cheese, the fact is never mentioned.

The Dock Agent directs Lucy to Idlewild Airport, which was officially named New York International Airport (as we see in an insert shot) when it first opened in 1948. It was re-named John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 1963, in memory of the slain President. The name ‘Idlewild’ can still be heard in the theme song to “Car 54, Where Are You?”

Although the episode employs second unit footage of the airport, the ship, and the New York skyline (featuring the Empire State Building), the cast never left the Desilu soundstage in Hollywood.

A stunt double for Lucy can be seen in the distance shots of the actual helicopter. This performer was the wife of a friend of film editor Dann Cahn. When viewing the footage, even Lucille Ball was surprised at home much she looked like her!  A dummy was lowered from the helicopter when filming the mid-air descent.

On the sound stage, Lucille Ball did the lowering onto the deck itself. The above rare photo shows Lucille Ball rehearsing the stunt. Early in her movie career, Lucy fell doing a similar stunt and injured her back so she was naturally nervous. The cast and crew didn’t discover her fear until just prior to filming. It is said that about 90 minutes before the cameras rolled Lucille Ball passed out from anxiety – much like Lucy Ricardo does after realizing the enormity of what she’s done!

Their experience filming this episode served as the inspiration for Desilu to create the series “Whirlybirds” (1957-60), which premiered exactly one year later on CBS. It was about a helicopter company hired to perform all types of jobs. “Bon Voyage” cast member Tyler McVey was seen in two episodes of the series. Other “I Love Lucy” cast members showing up on “Whirlybirds” include: Robert Foulk, Harry Bartell, Robert Stevenson, Claude Akins, Hans Conried, Lawrence Dobkin, Strother Martin, Phil Ober, Parley Baer, Charles Lane, Norman Leavitt, Doris Singleton, Bill Erwin, Irving Bacon, Sid Melton, and Herb Vigran. Bob Galbraith, who did the stunt pilot work on “Bon Voyage” worked on all 111 episodes of the series.

It was later noted by viewers that it is against the law to put someone on a ship via a helicopter, despite the pilot saying “It’s done all the time!”

Oops! When Ricky is lifted off the deck hanging onto Lucy’s legs, he accidentally kicks Vivian Vance in the face. Luckily, she turned quickly enough and wasn’t hurt.

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Passengers & Crew ~~~

Tyler McVey (Ship’s Officer) had already appeared as Bill Hall in “The Charm School” (S3;E15). He would also appear in the very next episode on board the S.S. Constitution, “Second Honeymoon” (S5;E14) arranging young Kenneth Hamilton as Lucy’s shuffleboard partner. He would return to the series in a bit role during “Lucy Raises Chickens” (S6;E19). He appeared extensively on television, mostly as sheriffs in Westerns.

Ken Christy (Dock Agent) had played Fred’s friend Ken, the detective, investigating the new tenants from Texas in “Oil Wells” (S3;E18). The month “Bon Voyage” was filmed, Christy finished his two-year run on the series “Meet Corliss Archer,” also on CBS.

The dispatcher at the airport is played by Jack Albertson, who would go on to win a 1969 Oscar for The Subject Was Roses. He would also play Grandpa Joe in the 1971 movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, but he is perhaps best known as ‘the man’ on the TV series “Chico and the Man,” which won him a 1974 Emmy.

RICKY: I don’t know. I don’t like the idea of Lucy taking a hell-ya-copter. That’s too risky. 
FRED: Yeah. For the hell-ya-copter.

The helicopter pilot is played by Frank Gerstle, who had previously appeared as the shorter Indian, Herman, in “The Indian Show” (S2;E24), as well as a gas station attendant in The Long, Long Trailer (1953).

Sadly, Bob Gilbreath, who actually piloted the helicopter in the location shots, would die in a helicopter crash five years later.

Pat Goldin played the messenger boy whose bike snags Lucy’s skirt. This is his only appearance on the series. He is best known for playing Willie Dugan (his screen debut) in Bringing Up Father (1946) as well as its four ‘Jiggs and Maggie’ sequels.

The episode also features series regulars Kathryn Card as Mrs. McGillicuddy, Elizabeth Patterson as Mrs. Trumbull (in her penultimate appearance), and The Mayer Twins as Little Ricky (also making their next-to-last appearance).

Ben Niems (Officer on Gangplank) was previously seen as one of the policemen in “Lucy Visits Grauman’s” (S5;E1).

Uncredited background performers on the ship and dock include:

• Bob Carroll, Jr. (Passenger at the Rail with Ethel) was one of the writers of this episode. Carroll will also have cameos at the outdoor cafe in “Paris at Last” (S5;E18) and at the roulette table in “Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo” (S5;E25).
• Herschel Graham (Passenger) was seen with Lucille Ball in the 1947 film Lured. After this, he would also be seen in her 1960 film The Facts of Life, as well as “Lucy Goes to Mexico” (1958) and two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”
• Marion Gray (Passenger) makes her only appearance with Lucille Ball, but can be seen in the background of the musical films Singin’ in the Rain (1950), The Bandwagon (1953), and White Christmas (1954).
• Bennett Green (Dock Worker / “All Ashore” voice) was Desi Arnaz’s camera and lighting stand-in for the entire series. He often had small roles in the episodes as well.
• Hans Moebus (Man on Dock) was a German-born actor who appeared as an uncredited background performer in hundreds of movies and TV shows, including the Lucille Ball films DuBarry Was a Lady (1943), A Woman of Distinction (1950), and The Facts of Life (1960). Moebus was also in two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”
• Ron Nieman (Passenger) would not be seen with Lucille Ball again until 1970, when he played an uncredited moving man in “Lucy Takes Over” (HL S2;E23).

Oops!  The female extra on the dock when Lucy gets her skirt caught in the bicycle is simultaneously seen on the deck when Ricky and Fred are watching the event!

At the end of the original broadcast, there was a tag scene to promote the upcoming film (and record) Forever, Darling. Although cut for syndication, the DVD restores this tag scene. Lucy and Desi [or is it Ricky?] are seen sitting in deck chairs.

LUCY: Did you see the ship’s newspaper? They just raved about your new MGM record of Forever, Darling.’ They said it’s gonna be one of the top records of the year. Let’s get them to play it on the public address system. I know how modest you are, but think what a treat it would be for the passengers.”

[Song plays on public address system. The couple kiss. Roll credits.]

This episode was originally sponsored by Golden Fluffo, a butter flavored shortening.