Lucy and Viv Learn Judo

S1;E22
~ February 25, 1963

Synopsis

When a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood makes Lucy and Viv feel unsafe,
they learn judo for self-protection. The tactic backfires when
they teach it to their sons, who use it on one another.

Regular
Cast

Lucille
Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Jimmy Garrett
(Jerry Carmichael), Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley)

This
is the final appearance of Dick
Martin
(Harry
Conners).

Candy
Moore (Chris Carmichael) does not appear in this episode, although her name is spoken as if she is upstairs.

Guest
Cast

James
Seay
(Mr. Sheldon) played a police officer in the 1962 film What
Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
which was mentioned in the previous episode “No More Double Dates”
(S1;E21). This is his only appearance on “The Lucy Show.”

Mr.
Sheldon runs a Judo and Karate studio in Danfield.

Ed Parker (Student #1, below right) was a Hawaiin-born actor and stuntman who was the founder of American Kempo Karate. He was often referred to as the ‘father of American Karate’. He was Elvis Presley’s karate instructor and acted as his bodyguard for the later few years of his life.

Louis
Coppola
(Student #2, left) was
born in 1937 in Trenton, New Jersey. He was a protege
of Ed Parker and hired for “The Lucy Show” after another actor
was unable to do the stunts. He is the author of the book
C.B.S
The Chucklehead Broadcasting System.

Both
Parker and Coppola use their own names in the episode.

Alvin, Jerry’s friend Amy Schaffer’s pet dog

Alvin is staying with the Carmichaels for a month while Amy is away.

A dozen other dogs of various breeds appear in the final scene.

The episode was filmed in January 1963.

Judo
is a Japanese grappling sport derived from jujitsu while karate is
primarily a striking unarmed martial art. Judo, however, is used
primarily as a sport, while karate can be used practically for
combat.
In Louis Coppola’s book, he notes that the reason the writers titled
the episode “Lucy and Viv Learn Judo” instead of “Lucy and Viv
Learn Karate” was so ‘karate’ wouldn’t be confused with carrots,
diamonds, or the carotid artery! On “I Love Lucy” the producers had similar concerns when titling “The Adagio” (ILL S1;E12) which was really about “The Apache” dance – afraid it would infer the Native American tribe instead of the French dance.

In his book, Louis Coppola remembers Lucy letting director Jack Donohue know who really was boss.

He also writes that at Desilu, any photo that was not flattering to Lucille Ball had a black circle stamped on her face, making it un-usable.

Jerry’s
friend Amy Shaffer’s dog Alvin is staying with the Carmichaels. Amy
was previously mentioned by Jerry in “Together for Christmas”
(S1;E13). In the series premiere, Harry’s dog Tiger (above) was seen,
although Harry was not!

Lucy calls her son Jerry by his full name, ‘Jerome’, when sending him to his room.

Viv reads a report in The Danfield Tribune:

“Police recommend that all residents of the Danfield area take extra precautions to guard against prowlers. In the past five weeks homes have been broken into and many valuable articles stolen.”

Viv
wishes she knew Judo take-down moves when she was married to her
ex-husband, Ralph.

Although many episodes of “I Love Lucy” were concerned with urban crime (treated in a comic vein, of course), this is the first time that Lucy and Viv express concern for their safety living in the New York City suburb of Danfield.

When Ed Parker has his hands around Lucy’s neck, she remarks that his strong thumbs would be ideal for Tiddlywinks (aka Tiddledy Winks), a game in which the object is to flip small discs called winks, into a pot, which is the target, by pressure applied with the thumb and forefinger.

Lucy
mentions Jack
the Ripper,
the serial killer who stalked the Whitechapel district of London in
1888. The name has become synonymous with violent crime.

Lucy says that she and Viv have lived together in the house for five years. This would mean they have been housemates since around 1958.

Callbacks!

Jerry’s
Black Eye is reminiscent of “The Black Eye” (ILL S2;E20) which
ended with all four principal characters sporting shiners (center). In the
final moments of “Lucy Goes to Sun Valley” (1958) both Ricky and
guest star Fernando Lamas end up with black eyes.

The
dynamic of mother Lucy, young son Jerry and small dog Alvin is very
similar to the dynamic of Lucy Ricardo, Little Ricky, and Fred the dog
on “I Love Lucy.” Lucy Carmichael says that Alvin will have to
sleep in a cardboard box in the kitchen, just as she did with Fred
the dog.

Fast Forward!

In “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (S2;E23), the neighborhood dogs keep Lucy and Viv awake with their barking – but unlike “Lucy and Viv Learn Judo”, they remain offscreen!

Lucy Carmichael’s date

Frank Winslow (Clint Walker) broke a column in Lucy’s apartment in half when he was startled awake and went into a reflex karate chop in “Lucy and the Sleeping Beauty” (S4;E9). Lucy asks “Is that karate?” Lucy and Viv took Judo and karate lessons in Danfield, so she should recognize the moves.

In “Lucy and the Good Skate” (S3;E1), Mr. Mooney says the his wife could not accompany him to the country club dance because she had to attend her karate class, conjuring an image of the unseen Irma Mooney as a physically intimidating woman.

A still from the episode was incorporated into the photo montage on The Official First Season “The Lucy Show” DVD box cover.

In “A Home Is Not An Office” (HL S5;E4), temp secretary Miss Quigley (Susan Tolsky) tells Harry that at secretarial school she learned typing, shorthand, and karate!. She demonstrates a few moves, much to the surprise of Kim and Harry.

Susan Tolsky previously played Kim’s friend and neighbor Sue Ann in “Kim Cuts You-Know-Whose Apron String” (HL S4;E24), an episode that was centered around the single young women learning self-defense from a book.

Blooper
Alerts!

Release the Hounds! When
Lucy blows the dog whistle the first time only Alvin comes in. When
she blows it the second time, a dozen assorted dogs coming running
from every direction, despite the fact that the only open door is the
front door in the center.

Papermoon Loves Lucy