LUCY AND THE CELEBRITIES

S4;E10
~ November 15, 1971

Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Al Schwartz

Synopsis

When
a rival employment agency starts advertising using endorsements,
Harry charges Lucy with getting celebrities to do radio commercials
for the Unique Employment Agency. After being refused admittance to
a movie studio, Lucy discovers that Kim is dating celebrity
impressionist Rich Little and convinces him to help her.

Regular
Cast

Lucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter), Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter)

Guest
Cast

Rich
Little
(Himself) was born in Canada in 1938. He was a nightclub comic who
became famous for his vast repertoire of impressions. His screen
career began in 1964 and he appeared on virtually every TV talk and
variety show over the next thirty years. He was known as “The Man
of a Thousand Voices.” This is his only scripted appearance with
Lucille Ball.

Jack
Benny
(Himself) was
born on Valentine’s day 1894. He had a successful vaudeville
career, and an even greater career on radio with “The Jack Benny
Program” which also became a successful television show. His screen
persona was known for being a penny-pincher and playing the violin.
Benny was a Beverly Hills neighbor of Lucille Ball’s and the two
were off-screen friends. Benny previously appeared on “The Lucy
Show” as Harry Tuttle (a Jack Benny doppelganger) in “Lucy
and the Plumber” (TLS S3;E2),
did a voice over cameo as himself in “Lucy
With George Burns” (TLS S5;E1),
and played himself in “Lucy
Gets Jack Benny’s Account” (TLS S6;E6).
This is the fourth and final episode of “Here’s Lucy,” all
playing himself. This is also his final screen appearance in a
dramatic (scripted) series. Benny and Ball appeared on many TV
variety and award shows together. He died in 1974.

Sid
Gould (Studio
Guard) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” and
nearly as many on “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader)
was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.

For
some reason, Sid Gould wears sunglasses throughout his scene.

Rich Little introduces the episode on the series DVD. He remembers that Lucy ran a tight ship and that he was aware that he needed to hit his marks and know his line!

When Lucy tells Harry to fight fire with fire, Harry invokes the name Smokey the Bear, an advertising icon used from 1940 to warn against the dangers of forest fires. Smokey was used as a punchline in several episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

Trying
to get access to celebrities, Lucy visits Morton Pictures, a movie studio. Morton is
Lucille Ball’s married name.

Naturally, the first star she asks to
see is John Wayne. Wayne appeared as himself on both “I Love Lucy”
and “The Lucy Show.” Lucy, dressed as a little old lady, says
she is founder of his fan club – Pismo Beach Chapter. Pismo Beach
was often used as a punch line on “Here’s Lucy.”

Being
turned down, Lucy ducks behind a phone booth and changes into a
sturdy matron who demands to see Jimmy Stewart. The Guard (Sid
Gould) tells her that Stewart is on location on the island of Catalina. The Island of Catalina is another California location that has been used in
“Here’s Lucy” punchlines.

Kim
is going on a date with Rich Little. Lucy says the name sounds like
a millionaire midget. For no reason other than to be stylish, Kim
dresses as a Native American woman. A surprised Lucy
says “How!” “Why?” is more like it. Kim feels this look is
fashion forward!

Rich
Little mentions the names of celebrities that he imitates:

Cary Grant
Kirk Douglas
Spiro Agnew
Ed Sullivan
Flip Wilson
Gregory Peck
Jimmy Stewart
John Wayne
and Jack Benny

He does his imitation of
the last three during the course of the episode. Kirk Douglas had a cameo on a 1966 episode of
“The Lucy Show.” Flip Wilson guest-starred on “Here’s Lucy.”

Visiting
the office, Little disguises himself as Dr. Kurtzman, an eye doctor
with a heavy German accent and a beard. He diagnoses Harry with a
severe case of (fictional) “Peeper Poopers” and requires him to be
blindfolded. Harry invokes the name of the Mayo Brothers. The Mayo
Brothers founded a famous hospital in Minnesota that still exists
today. On “I Love Lucy” Ethel Mertz said she went there to have
her gall bladder removed.

Dr.
Kurtzman/Rich Little tells Lucy to keep the compresses on Harry’s
‘peepers’ wet. This gives Lucy a good excuses for spritzing Harry in
the face with water as well as later pouring an entire pitcher of
water over his head! Harry being wet is considered the ‘go to’ source of humor on “Here’s Lucy.”

While
Harry is blindfolded, Rich Little enters as Jimmy Stewart, then as
John Wayne…

…and finally as Jack Benny.

After
Jack Benny/Rich Little records his poem/commercial, Harry says “Rod
McKuen, eat your heart out!” Rod
McKuen
(1933-2015) was one of the best-selling poets in the United States
during the late 1960s.

This
episode is a spin on “Lucy Meets Harpo Marx” (ILL S4;E28) with
Rich Little imitating the celebrities instead of Lucy.

Sitcom
Logic Alert!
If Harry is blindfolded why does Rich Little need to change costumes
to do his impressions? [The practical answer is that this is a
television show!]

Props! After
Jack Benny/Rich Little records his poem/commercial, Lucy puts down
the tape recorder and picks up the water spritzer. She
realizes she doesn’t need the prop, so puts it back down again.

Technical Data! It
seems a little odd that college girl Kim knows all about getting legal releases when
celebrity voices and photos are used. Perhaps she learned if from
dating Rich Little?

Meta Mantle! Lucy
has a photo of herself, Kim and Craig on the mantle. The photograph
was the publicity photo for season one of “Here’s Lucy.”

Memory Lapse! For
the fourth time, Lucy Carter meets Jack Benny, but neither one
recalls ever meeting the other in the past!

Loose Ends! Two
unusual things that are not explained by the plot: Kim’s Indian garb
and the Studio Guard’s sunglasses! Perhaps the Guard has Peeper
Poopers, too? There’s a story there!