LUCY AND THE USED CAR DEALER

S2;E9
~ November 17, 1969

Directed
by George Marshall ~ Written by David Ketchum and Bruce Shelley

Synopsis

When
the Carters want to become a two-car family, Kim and Craig visit a
used car dealer named Cheerful Charlie (Milton Berle). When the car
turns out to be a lemon, Lucy and Harry turn the tables on the
huckster.

Regular
Cast

Lucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter), Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter), Desi
Arnaz Jr. (Craig
Carter)

Guest
Cast

Milton
Berle
(Cheerful Charlie) this is the first time that Milton Berle has not
played Milton Berle on a Lucille Ball sitcom. He was
born Milton Berlinger in New York City on July 12, 1908. He started
performing at the age of five. Berle perfected his comedy in
vaudeville, early silent films, and then on radio, before taking his
act to the small screen, where he would be proclaimed “Mr.
Television” and later “Uncle Miltie.” He hosted “Texaco Star
Theater” on NBC from 1948 to 1956. The variety show was re-titled
“The Milton Berle Show” in 1954 when Texaco dropped their
sponsorship. The program was briefly revived in 1958, but lasted only
one season. In 1959 he played himself in “Milton
Berle Hides out at the Ricardos.” In return, Lucy and Desi appeared on his Sunday Showcase special that same year. Berle
continued to perform live, in films, and on television specials for
the remainder of his career. Berle previously appeared on “The
Lucy Show” in “Lucy
Saves Milton Berle” (TLS S4;E13)
and
did a cameo in “Lucy
Meets John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10).
He will also do one more episode of the series:
“Milton
Berle Is the Life of the Party” (S6;E19). Berle died
of cancer in 2002.

Jack
Berle
(Jack, uncredited) was the older brother of Milton Berle. This is
the second of his eleven uncredited appearances on the series. He
also did two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

The
character has no dialogue.

The
cameraman and cue card holder are played by uncredited performers.

This
is the first episode written by David
Ketchum and Bruce Shelley.
The pair will also return to write “Lucy and Rudy Vallee”
(S3;E12). Ketchum and Shelley began writing together in 1967 and
their partnership ended in 1984. The pair were nominated for a
Writer’s Guild of American (WGA) Award for a 1973 episode of
“M*A*S*H”. Ketchum was also an actor. He played Agent 13 on
“Get Smart” (1965-70).

Milton
Berle had a previous professional engagement he canceled in order to
star in this episode.

This
is the second episode in a row to be set among parked cars. The
previous episode took place at a drive-in movie theatre, which is
really just a used car lot with entertainment. In fact, seven of the
last ten episodes have featured automobiles. Interestingly, none of
the vehicles seen previously are used here.

Kim’s
new boyfriend is named Herbie Hofferman (“Hoffy”). In the
previous episode she was dating a college graduate named Alan.

Craig
is now dating Susan. In the previous episode he was dating Patty. He
is planning to use the car to double date with Steve & Peggy, and
Billy & Debbie. They are all going to a drive-in movie – just
as Craig & Patty and Kim & Alan all did the previous week!
Susan
(or Susie, as Lucy calls her) may be a reference to Susan
Callahan-Howe, a model that Desi Arnaz Jr. had a relationship with
(and had a child with) the previous year. The name Patty
may refer to Patty Duke, another of Desi Jr.’s romances, but it is
generally thought the two didn’t meet until 1970, a year after this
episode was shot. The name Billy
is probably a reference to Desi’s good friend and band-mate Billy
Hinsche of Dino Desi & Billy. The names Susie and Steve
were mentioned as friends of Craig’s in “Lucy the Fixer”
(S1;E14).

Craig
tells Kim that it is his night to use the car, so she should “take
the bus and leave the driving to us!”
This was the advertising slogan of the Greyhound Bus Company. It was
previously quoted in “Lucy Helps Craig Get a Driver’s License”
(S1;E24).

Lucy
says they have $147 in IOU’s in their Emergency Fund but only $75 in
cash. Pooling their resources, they find they have $97 to spend on a
second car.

Searching
between the sofa cushions for coins, Kim finds a ‘Win With Willkie’
button. Wendell
Lewis Willkie (1892–1944)
was the 1940 Republican nominee
for President.
His Democratic opponent,
incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, handily won a third
term (pre-term limits). Lucy calls him Mendell Willkie. Later in
the episode, Harry asks if anyone’s found his Willkie button.

Cheerful
Charlie’s lot is located on the corner of Cherokee and Chatsworth.
In the 1940’s Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had a ranch in Chatsworth,
California.

The
brightly painted lemon that is the subject of the transactions is
actually a 1940 Packard One-Twenty [1397]. Harry calls the paint job
“sick-o-delic.”

Cheerful
Charlie’s lot also offers:

A
1966 tan Volkswagen Beetle
A
light blue 1961 Ford Falcon
A
blue 1964 Chevrolet Biscayne

Upon
seeing the car Cheerful Charlie has sold the kids Harry says “Well,
Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang!”

That was the title of a 1968 musical fantasy film (based on a novel
by Ian Fleming) about a colorful flying car. Harry then refers to it
as “a purple people eater.” “Purple
People Eater” was
the title of a hit kids novelty song written by Sheb Wooley in 1958.

When
Craig tries to start the car by kicking the floorboard, Harry asks
him “What
in the name of Kaiser-Frazer are you doing?”
The
Kaiser-Frazer Corporation
was a car company that briefly thrived after World War II. When the
car finally starts and fills the garage with smoke, Harry says it is
“a
one-car smog alert.”
References to Los Angeles’ smog
problem were topical and frequent in this time period.

Posing
as a British dandy, Harry calls the car a Pierce-Ruxton with
a sundial in place of a clock.

Pierce-Ruxton is a combination of two
automakers names. Pierce-Arrow
Motor Car Company
was an manufacturer
based
in Buffalo,
New York,
active from 1901 to 1938.
The
Ruxton
was a front-wheel drive automobile
produced
by New Era Motors Company during 1929 and 1930.

Posing
as Texan ‘Laredo Lucy,’ Lucy calls the car a combination Hudson
Edsel Tucker Reo and Packard – all defunct automobile companies. Laredo Lucy sings a bit of “Deep
in the Heart of Texas,”
a 1941
song
by June Hershey and Don Swander.

When
Craig and Kim return to claim their car, Cheerful Charlie says “Go
away kid, you bother me.”
This is a quote attributed to W.C.
Fields,
talking to his nemesis Baby Leroy.

Lucy
Carmichael drove a Packard in “Lucy Buys a Sheep” (TLS S1;E5).

Looking
for loose change in the sofa cushions was something Lucy Ricardo and
Ethel Mertz did in “Ricky’s European Booking” (ILL S5;E10).

While
Kim finds a ‘Win With Willkie’ button in the sofa, Lucy Carmichael
found a ‘Vote for Dewey’ button under the sofa in “Lucy Gets the
Bird” (TLS S3;E12).

Lucy
Ricardo also had trouble with an antique lemon when Fred Mertz bought
a 1929 Cadillac for their trip across the country in “Getting
Ready” (ILL S4;E11).

Over The Line! When
returning the car for a refund, Desi jumps one of Milton Berle’s
lines and has to repeat himself.