LUCY GOES HAWAIIAN: PART TWO

S3;E24 ~ February 22, 1971

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg, Ray Singer, and Al Schwartz

Synopsis

Lucy and Harry have to put a ‘Farewell Show’ for the final night of their cruise. It’s a good thing that Viv, Harry, Kim and Craig are along to help her to produce a Hawaiian extravaganza.

Regular Cast

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

Guest Cast

Vivian Vance (Vivian Jones) was born Vivian Roberta Jones in Cherryvale, Kansas in 1909, although her family quickly moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was raised. She had extensive theatre experience, co-starring on Broadway with Ethel Merman in Anything Goes. She was acting in a play in Southern California when she was spotted by Desi Arnaz and hired to play Ethel Mertz, Lucy Ricardo’s neighbor and best friend. The pairing is credited with much of the success of “I Love Lucy.” Vance was convinced to join the cast of “The Lucy Show” in 1962, but stayed with the series only through season three, making occasional guest appearances afterwards. This is the fourth of her half a dozen appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” She also joined Lucy for a TV special “Lucy Calls the President” in 1977. Vance died two years later.

Robert Alda (Captain MacClay) originated the role of Sky Masterson in Broadway’s Guys and Dolls, winning the 1951 Tony Award. He is the father of Alan Alda of “M*A*S*H” fame. He made one appearance on the “The Lucy Show,”
and this is his final appearance on “Here’s Lucy.” Alda died in 1986.

The surname MacClay is a tribute to Lucille Ball’s long-time publicist Howard McClay, who also loaned his name to characters on “The Lucy Show.” The end credits, however, spell ‘McClay’ as ‘MacClay.’

Anita Mann (Wendy) was assistant to the series’ choreographer Jack Baker. This (and Part One) are her only appearances of record on the show. She later choreographed for the Solid Gold Dancers and the Muppets. Mann won an Emmy Award for her work in 1996.

Although credited as ‘Wendy,’ she is not identified by name and has no dialogue. She does, however, get a kiss on the lips by Craig!

Johnny Ukulele (Himself) was born John Ka’aihue in Kalani, Hawaii in 1901, the son of Prince Koeheo Ka’aihue. He eventually settled in St. Louis to begin a family, playing local clubs and operating an instructional school teaching Hawaiian music. Shortly after World War II ended he joined up with bandleader Harry Owens, remaining with his Royal Hawaiian Orchestra for 15 years, including a nine-year stint on CBS television’s “The Harry Owens Show.” He returned to Hawaii headlining a triumphant homecoming gig. When his children became mainstays on the Las Vegas Strip, Ukulele migrated to Sin City himself, playing casino nightclubs throughout the 1960s. He died in Hollywood in November 1971, just nine months after this episode first aired.

“The Boys” go unbilled and uncredited. Johnny Ukulele has no speakinglines.

Jack Donohue (Dancer with Cigar) was the director of this episode and 34 others. He also directed 107 episodes of “The Lucy Show” where he was seen on screen as Man in the Bank in “Lucy and the Bank Scandal” (TLS S2;E7) and “Lucy Conducts the Symphony” (TLS S2;E13). He will be seen on camera in one future episode, which he also directed.

Donohue is cast as a typical American tourist, smoking a big cigar and wearing a Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned to his navel.

The ship’s passengers and crew are played by uncredited background performers:

Nick Borgani appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1937 film Stage Door and in one episode of “The Lucy Show.”
George DeNormand appearedin three films with Lucille Ball from 1937 to 1963. This is just one of his many appearances on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”
Chester Jones makes the last of his four background appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”
Paul King makes the third of his five background appearances on the series.
Bernard Sell wasan English-born background player who made three appearance on the “The Lucy Show.” He was also an extra with Lucille Ball and Bob Hope in their films The Facts of Life (1960) and Critic’s
Choice (1963).

Lisa Pharren (“Tiny Bubbles” Back-up Singer with Red Hair) gave up performing after only four appearances on screen and became a Hollywood make-up artist eventually earning three Emmy nominations for her work. She was also seen in “Lucy the Co-Ed” (S3;E6) in 1970.

The final draft of the script was dated April 1, 1970. This episode, and the preceding one, are sometimes referred to as “Lucy’s Hawaiian Vacation.”

This is Desi Arnaz Junior’s final appearance as a regular cast member. He will make a guest appearance on “Lucy Meets Joe Namath” (S5;E5). He never intended to be on the show more than three seasons, regardless of how successful it was. He was also being offered jobs that he couldn’t turn down, including the filming of Red Sky at Morning (1970).

This is the final episode of season 3, which ends as the #3 show of the year with a 25.9 share, the highest of all six seasons.

Originally, the two episodes were to be filmed aboard the SS Lurline and on location in Hawaii. When costs proved prohibitive, Lucille Ball productions had a three-quarter scale model of the ship built on the Paramount lot. At the time it was the second largest ship ever built at the studio. The sets occupied three sound stages. It even included a real swimming pool.

These two episodes were a single-camera shoot and filmed without a live studio audience.

Hawaii was a favorite getaway destination of the Arnaz family. The Season 3 DVD contains home movie footage of the family (and friends) vacationing together in Hawaii. In 2007, Lucie Arnaz remembered their trips to Hawaii fondly:

“It was before my parents were divorced and the time when they were at their happiest. No arguing, no work to take them away, and they just loved being there and with each other.”

The SS Lurline was a real ship sailing from California to Hawaii for the Matson Steamship line from 1932 to 1963, when it was sold to the Chandris Lines and re-christened the RHMS Ellinis. The Matson Line then brought the Matsonia (first known as the Monterey) out of retirement and re-christened it the Lurline, keeping the historic name alive in their fleet. She sailed her last voyage under this name in June 1970, before being sold to Chandris and re-christened Britanis. During the 1980s it was briefly the oldest cruise ship in service. The vessel underwent one more name and ownership change before being deliberately sunk in 2000 after nearly 68 years at sea.

THE FAREWELL SHOW

Captain MacClay acts as the host, introducing the acts:

Vivian sings “Yellow Bird” (aka “Choucoune”) a 19th-century Haitian song composed by Michel Mauleart Monton with lyrics from a poem by Oswald Durand. It was rewritten with English lyrics in the 20th century as “Yellow Bird.” Vance sang it in a high falsetto, with a calypso beat, dressed in yellow with feathers like a canary (including a long tail feather) and perched on a swing decorated as a nest. This is the last full musical solo Vivian Vance sings on a Lucy program.

Kim and Lucy sing “Ukulele Talk.” Lucille Ball learned to play the ukulele for “I Love Lucy,” although the only full song she knew was “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?”

Craig does an impression of Don Ho (inset), singing “Tiny Bubbles” by Martin Denny and Leon Pober. It was released in 1966 by Don Ho (inset) and became his signature song.

Lucy and Viv sing the 1957 novelty song “Mama’s Mumu” by Gene Burdette. Harry makes a special appearances as ‘Mama’, wearing a wig and a padded mumu.

The Captain (Robert Alda) sings “Just Keep Your Eyes on the Hands” while Kim dances a seductive hula. The song was written by Tony Todaro and Liko Johnston and was interpolated into the 1956 film The Revolt of Mamie Stover.

The Carters perform “A Hawaiian War Chant,” written by Johnny Noble, a composer who was a native Hawaiian. The song was previously performed on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show” making it one of the few songs to be performed on all three of Lucille Ball’s major sitcoms. The finale is filled out with several of the female extras who previously appeared in the Hula lesson scene.

In 1955 Desilu recreated the SS Constitution on their Hollywood sound stage the same way LBP does the SS Lurline in 1971. Both episodes were filmed with the cooperation of the shipping lines, American Export Lines (1955) and Matson Steamship Lines (1970).

Hawaiian music was featured on “RIcky’s Hawaiian Vacation” (ILL S3;E22)…

…and “Lucy and Carol in Palm Springs” (TLS S5;E8).

Playing his Hawaiian-style conga drum, Desi Jr. bears more than a passing resemblance to his famous father.

Oops! There is a transistor radio next to Harry while he is lounging poolside. There would be no radio reception if the ship was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Wha’ Happen’? Despite the title, just as on “RIcky’s Hawaiian Vacation” we never see the characters in Hawaii – or even learn later if they got there or what they did. Did the Lurline spend any time in Hawaii or did it immediately return to California? Was Lucy aboard, or did she stay on for a vacation and fly back later? We never find out!