Lucy Gets Her Diploma

S6;E5
~ October 9,
1967

Synopsis

When
Lucy finds out the bank has a new policy of only employing high
school graduates, she must go back to school to get her diploma in
order to keep her job.

Regular
Cast

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

Roy
Roberts
(Mr. Cheever) and Mary
Jane Croft (Mary
Jane Lewis) do not appear in this episode, although Mr. Cheever is
mentioned.

Guest
Cast

Doris
Singleton
(Doris) created
the role of Caroline Appleby on “I Love Lucy,” although she was
known as Lillian Appleby in the first of her ten appearances. This is
the second of her two appearances on “The Lucy Show.” She will
also be seen on four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Doris
has very little to do with the main plot of this episode. This scene
might have been originally meant for Mary Jane but reassigned to
Lucy’s old friend Doris Singleton due to a conflict in Croft’s
schedule or illness.

Lucie
Arnaz (Patty
Martin) was
the real life daughter
of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She previously appeared on “The
Lucy Show” as Cynthia, a friend of Lucy’s daughter Chris. She
also did background appearances, most recently with her brother Desi
Jr. in “Lucy
at Marineland” (S5;E1).
She will do one more credited episode of “The Lucy Show” before becoming a
regular on “Here’s Lucy.”

Arnaz
met her future husband Phil Vandervort (Alan) filming this episode.
The two were married from 1971 to 1977. Patty’s surname is not
mentioned in the dialogue.

Dave
Willock
(Mr. Willock, Math Teacher) has more than 200 screen credits
including the film classics What
Ever Happened to Baby Jane
(1962) and Hush…
Hush, Sweet Charlotte
(1964). This is his only appearance opposite Lucille Ball.

The
character is credited only as ‘Math Teacher’ but referred to as ‘Mr.
Willock’ in the scene.

Sean
Morgan (Johnny
Harris) played Sean on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” from
1964 to 1966. Morgan was sometimes seen on the Desilu series’ “Star
Trek” and “Mannix.” He will also make an appearance on “Here’s
Lucy” in 1969.

Donald
Randolph
(History Teacher) started his screen acting career in 1946 and
appeared in the Hitchcock classic Topaz (1969). This is his only
appearance opposite Lucille Ball.

Olive
Dunbar
(Biology Teacher) turns up as a Librarian in a 1970 episode of
“Here’s Lucy.” Dunbar passed away in February 2017 at age 91.

Barbara
Babcock
(English Teacher) is probably best remembered for playing Grace
Gardener on “Hills Street Blues” (1981-87) for which she won an
Emmy Award. She was also a regular on “Dallas” (1978-82) as Liz
Craig. This is her only dramatic appearance with Lucille Ball.

Amy
Appleton
(Amy) according to IMDB, this is Appleton’s only screen credit.

Robert
Pine
(Steven Josephs, left) has more than 200 screen credits to his name.
He is the real-life father of actor Chris Pine. This is his only
appearance with Lucille Ball.

Phil
Vandervort (Alan,
right) makes the first of his two appearances on “The Lucy Show.”
He also does 3 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Vandervort
met his future wife Lucie Arnaz (Patty Martin) while filming this
episode. The two were married from 1971 to 1977.

George
E. Carey
(Mr. Potter, Principal) was seen in the 1967 low budget film Riot on
Sunset Strip, which dealt with the famous Curfew Riots. “The Lucy
Show” also dealt with this event (albeit comically) in “Viv
Visits Lucy” (S5;E15).

The
character is credited only as ‘Principal’ but referred to in the
dialogue as ‘Mr. Potter.’ Potter was the maiden name of Ethel Mertz
(Vivian Vance) on “I Love Lucy.”

Roy
Rowan
(TV Announcer, uncredited) was
the off-camera announcer for every episode of “I Love Lucy” as
well as “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.” He was also the
voice heard when TV or radio programs were featured on the plot of
all three shows. His first on-camera appearance was in “Lucy
Takes Up Golf” (S2;E17).

The other high school students are played by uncredited background performers.

This
episode was filmed on June 29, 1967. It was written by Ray Singer
and Milt Josefsberg. A script from this episode later turned up
with handwritten notes from Lucille Ball about the episode’s writing:

“I
expected more comedy from me after I went to school, not just from
the jibes of the kids — I think we’ll throw away a good opportunity
if you don’t see me trying hard at something
— somehow, I’m
too goody-goody doing everything right. Too much preaching from the
minute I get there — too soon for preaching. Gotta save it — goof
a bit & then get in your sermons — I don’t have to be teacher’s
pet from start to finish & that’s why it ain’t funny — schmaltzy
yes, but not funny. Talk to you later.”

On
the official Season 6 DVD package, one of the extras is this episode
with a dubbed Italian soundtrack. There is also a completely
different title sequence that features a neon design and the theme music from seasons 2 and 3.

The
day this episode was filmed (June 29, 1967) Jayne
Mansfield
was killed in an automobile crash at age 34. Only a month earlier
saw the release of A
Guide for the Married Man,
in which both she and Lucille Ball had cameos. It was her last film
appearance.

The
day this episode first aired (October 9, 1967) Che
Guevara,
who had led the Cuban Revolution, was assassinated in Bolivia. The
Cuban Revolution was about to come to a head when Desilu crews were
in Cuba to film second unit footage and establishing shots to be used
in “Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana” (1957). Producer Desi Arnaz,
who fled the oppressive Cuban government in the 1930s, ordered his
team to get whatever footage they could and get out.

Lucille Ball also never graduated high school. She left to go to Drama School in New York City. In 1989 she was to receive an honorary degree from Jamestown Community College (which she financially supported) but passed away before the ceremony.

In Lucy’s apartment, Doris wants to watch The Slimy Monster from Outer Space on TV, but Lucy is obliged to watch an interview with Mr. Mooney on a public service program instead.

When
Mr. Mooney calls himself
“Thoughtful,
compassionate, considerate, kind” Lucy’s TV promptly explodes! The next morning Lucy tells
Mr. Mooney what happened and says she can’t wait for the summer
rerun. Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball are largely credited with the
concept of ‘reruns’ in series television.

In
Biology class, Lucy is asked to explain the skeletal system, which,
of course, she does in song. “Dem
Bones” (also
called “Dry
Bones”
and “Dem
Dry Bones”) was composed by James
Weldon Johnson
(1871–1938)
although some sources also credit his brother, J. Rosomond Johnson.
It was first recorded by The Famous Myers Jubilee Singers in 1928.

After
Steve pours itching powder down her back, Lucy recites Hamlet’s
soliloquy. The line “Ay,
there’s the rub”
is particularly funny in this new context as Lucy seeks relief by rubbing up against the chalkboard.

Lucy
is attending Wilshire High School whose motto is ‘Seek Honor Through
Service.’ This seems to be a fictional high school, although there
was a Wilshire Junior High School in Fullerton, California.

During
her honorary valedictorian speech, Lucy says that her generation was
famous for fads like swallowing
live goldfish
and seeing
how many kids can fit into one phone booth.
Both of these are actual stunts popular with students in the 1920s
and 30s. Lucy also compares the music of today with that of her
generation, which had such important tunes as “The
Hut-Sut Song,” “Mairzy Doats (and Dozy Doats)” and
“Three Little Fishies (Itty Bitty Poo).”
Again,
all three are actual novelty songs from the 1930s and 40s. In
closing, Lucy quotes Socrates.
The
speech is purposely dramatic and inspirational rather than comic.
Lucy’s initial assessment of the script is right on target: Schmaltzy.

Callbacks!

Back
in Danfield, Lucy went ‘back to school’ (night school courses) in
“Lucy and Viv Take Up Chemistry” (S1;E26).

Lucy
also has to publicly deal with itching when she has an allergic
reaction at a fancy soiree in “My Fair Lucy” (S3;E20).

Blooper
Alerts!

Lucy
supposedly didn’t graduate high school because of measles during the
final exams, but this directly contradicts the premise of “Lucy’s
College Reunion” (S2;E11) in which she returns to her alma mater,
(fictional) Milroy University. “The Lucy Show” was notoriously
inconsistent, perhaps due to the show having so many writers.

The
portrait of George Washington that turned up behind Mr. Mooney’s desk
in “Lucy Gets Trapped” (S6;E2) is hanging in the math classroom.