Lucy, the Meter Maid

S3;E7 ~ November 2, 1964

Synopsis

When Lucy takes a job with the police department, she ends up giving Viv a ticket for an expired parking meter. In traffic court, Lucy and Viv frustrate the judge – until Lucy tries to give him a parking ticket as well!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Gale Gordon (Theodore J. Mooney)

Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael), and Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley) do not appear in this episode.

Guest Cast

Parley Baer (Judge Jack T. Kasten) previously played MGM’s Mr. Reilly in “Ricky Needs an Agent” (ILL S4;E29) and the furniture salesman Mr. Perry in “Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors” (ILL S6;E18). This is the second of his five appearances on “The Lucy Show.” He also made two appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” He is perhaps best known for his recurring roles as Mayor Stoner on “The Andy Griffith Show” and Doc Appleby in “The Dukes of Hazzard.”

The surname Kasten will be used again for Phil Silvers’ character in “Lucy and the Efficiency Expert” (S5;E13) and for a character played by Carole Cook on “Here’s Lucy.”

Joseph Mell (Bailiff) previously played the Bailiff in “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (S2;E23) as well as the Butcher in “Together for Christmas” (S1;E13). He will make two more appearances as a background player on “The Lucy Show.” He also appeared in a 1969 episode of “Here’s Lucy.” In 1964 he appeared in the TV special “Mr. and Mrs.” (aka “The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour”), which featured many of the Desilu regulars and was directed by Jack Donohue, who also directed this episode. In 1971, he was a Taxi Driver on “Lucy and the Lecher,” a cross-over episode of Danny Thomas’s “Make Room for Granddaddy” in which Lucille Ball played Lucy Carter, her character from “Here’s Lucy.”

The title “meter maid,” is now considered a sexist and politically incorrect term for a female law enforcement official who patrols public parking areas and issues summons for violations.

This is the first of three episodes to be written by Vic McLeod, joined by Bob O’Brien, who previously wrote “Lucy and the Plumber” (S3;E2).

This episode was filmed after “Lucy and the Good Skate” (S3;E1), but aired out of filming order.

This episode was first aired the day before a US Presidential election where incumbent Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson handily defeated Republican challenger Barry Goldwater with sixty percent of the vote.

Hearing that Lucy is training for a physically strenuous job, Mr. Mooney hopefully says “Maybe they’re sending her to the moon.” Lucy and Viv were candidates to be the first women in space in “Lucy Becomes an Astronaut” (S1;E6).

In traffic court, Lucy calls Viv a “bleached blonde Perry Mason.” Perry Mason was a fictional attorney made famous in books by Erle Stanley Gardner and on the CBS TV series “Perry Mason” (1957-1966) starring Raymond Burr. The show was previously mentioned in “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (S2;E23).

Viv calls Lucy J. Edna Hoover. This is a pun on the name of the then director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972). He was first mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “The Great Train Robbery” (S5;E5). Hoover was reportedly a fan of Lucille Ball, even writing her a fan letter!

The Danfeild Cab call box on the wall behind Viv in the above photo was last seen in “No More Double Dates” (S1;E21), below.

This is the third time we have been inside a Danfield court room. The first was “Lucy and the Runaway Butterfly” (S1;E29)…

…and then again in “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (S2;E23). In “Lucy, the Meter Maid,” however, the judge’s bench is on the left side of the room, not the right as in the previous episodes.

Lucy presents herself to the Judge as “Officer Carmichael, Traffic Department, Badge Number 8715, District 9, 21st Precinct, Division 7, Vehicle Number 12, Unit 11A, Women’s Auxiliary” and then salutes.

Taking place on a Danfield city street, the episode employs four different vehicles:

A 1965 Ford Mustang. This may also be the same car used in “The Lady and the Babysitter” an October 1964 episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” also filmed on the Desilu lot.

That series was filmed and aired on CBS in black and white.

A 1962 Triumph TR4. In court, the Judge admits to owning a “1964 blue convertible” which may be a reference to this car, despite the difference in the actual model year. The license plate is a 1964 NY World’s Fair commemorative plate 2F-37L5. The Fair was previously mentioned in two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

A Cushman Meter Miser 3. The Cushman company also manufactures golf carts. As of 2015, they still make the Meter Miser.

A 1953 Ford Crestline Sunliner. This is Viv’s car and was previously seen in “Lucy Decides to Redecorate” (S2;E8), above. The license plate on Viv’s car reads 9P-7427. In “Lucy Buys a Sheep” (S1;E5), also starring Parley Baer, Viv owned a 1949 Packard which does not show up in this episode.

Callbacks!

Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz went to court on “I Love Lucy” over a television set. They then sued each other on “The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour” in “Lucy Makes Room for Danny” (1958) with Gale Gordon as the presiding judge (above).

Blooper Alerts!

Sitcom Logic Alert! While not exactly a blooper, Lucy says she doesn’t recognize Viv’s car. It was parked in her garage and Lucy even spent a night sleeping in it in “Lucy Decides to Redecorate” (S2;E8). Lucy also frequently borrowed Viv’s car.

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