LUCY CARTER MEETS LUCILLE BALL

S6;E22
~ March 4, 1974

Directed
by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Robert O’Brien

Synopsis

Kim
enters a Lucille Ball look-alike contest to win a new car. When she
feels she’s been overlooked, Lucy gets involved, insisting on seeing
Miss Ball in person. When the two come face to face, Ball insists
Lucy enter the contest, too!

Regular
Cast

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

Guest
Cast

Gary
Morton
(Gary Morton) was
a comedian who worked the famed ‘Borscht Belt’ in the Catskills
Mountains. He met Lucille Ball shortly after her divorce from Desi
Arnaz and they married in November 1961. At her request, Morton gave
up his nightclub career and became a producer of “The Lucy Show.”
Morton also served as a warm-up comic for the show’s studio
audience. Morton passed away in 1999.

Doris
Singleton
(Doris, Lucille Ball’s Secretary) created
the role of Caroline Appleby on “I Love Lucy,” although she was
known as Lillian Appleby in the first of her ten appearances. She
made two appearances on “The Lucy Show.” This is the last of her
four appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” She was originally
intended to be a series regular but was written out after the first
episode.

Singleton
is listed as “Doris” in the final credits, but her name is never
spoken aloud in the episode. Singleton has played a different
secretary in all four of her “Here’s Lucy” appearances.

Tom
Kelly
(Tom Morgon, Mais Oui Announcer) first
called play-by-play of college football and men’s basketball games
in 1961. He did so on radio from 1961 to 1988, then on TV from 1989
until 2003. He described the action of five USC national championship
football teams, five Heisman Trophy winners, and 92 first team
All-American footballers.
Kelly previously played himself in “The Big Game” (S6;E2) sharing
the screen with O.J. Simpson.

Carole
Cook
(Cynthia Duncan) played
Thelma Green on “The Lucy Show” as well as a host of other
characters. She was a protege of Lucille Ball’s during the Desilu
Playhouse years. Although born as Mildred Cook, Ball suggested she
take the name Carole, in honor of Lucy’s great friend, Carole
Lombard. Cook appeared in five episodes of “Here’s Lucy”
although she hasn’t been seen on the show since 1970’s “Lucy and Ma
Parker” (S3;E15).

Cynthia’s
surname is used during the episode, but is not in the final credits.

Roy
Rowan
(Voice of TV Late Movie Host) was
announcer for all of Lucille Ball’s television shows as well as
doing the voice of some TV and radio announcers. On several occasions
he appeared on camera as well.

The
day this episode first aired, People
Magazine’s
first issue hit the newsstands with Mia Farrow on the cover (left). After her passing in 1989, Lucille
Ball was featured on the cover of three issues of People.

As a young model, Lucille Ball appeared in several ads for perfume.

In real life,

Lucille Ball wore Florida Water, Chanel No. 5, and White Shoulders.

The episode opens with Lucy and Kim rushing home to catch a movie on television. This is the last time on the series we see the Carter living room. On the coffee table is Elite Magazine, a studio-manufactured publication seen on screen since “The Lucy Show”.

Scenes
between Lucy Carter and Lucille Ball were accomplished by split
screen and the use of body doubles. This was the best technology
available in 1974.

There
is lots of discussion about Lucille Ball’s hair color. While being
interviewed in the Mais Oui commercial, Ball declines to disclose the
last time she appeared in a film as a brunette. Like Lucille Ball, the character of Mame has a variety of hair colors during her life.
Some of the wigs are seen on Ball’s dressing table in the episode.

Although
Lucille Ball’s dressing room wall is lined with photographs of Mame
and the soundtrack plays the title tune by Jerry Herman, the name of
the movie is never
specifically mentioned.
The film was given its world premiere at the Radio City Music Hall in
New York City on March 7, 1974 three days after this episode first
aired, and released nationally three weeks later. Ball was thrilled
to be returning to the Music Hall after they declined to premiere her
1956 film Forever
Darling
starring Desi Arnaz and James Mason. The film opened at the Ziegfeld
instead.

Lucy’s
Mame
co-stars Robert Preston (Beau) and Bea Arthur (Vera) are also in a
few of the photographs on the dressing room wall. There is also a
photo of Lucille Ball’s mother, Dede.
Dede Ball was
said to be in the audience of every filming of a Lucille Ball TV
show. She made a cameo appearance in the studio audience of “The
Tonight Show” in “Lucy and Johnny Carson” (S2;E11).

On
the date of Mame’s
New York premiere, a pre-taped interview of Lucille Ball was aired on
“The Dick Cavett Show” as part of Ball’s promotion of the film.

Kim
says that a lot of her friends think she looks like Lucille Ball. Lucy scoffs “That’s
ridiculous. She’s old enough to be your mother!”

Lucy
Carter admits that she may look like Lucille Ball now, but when she
was younger she looked like Ingrid Bergman. Bergman was supposed to be “The Celebrity Next Door” (1957) on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” but was forced to withdraw because of tax problems. After Bette Davis also passed on the role, it went to Tallulah Bankhead. Bergman’s name was mentioned on a 1967 episode of “The Lucy Show” where Lucy Carmichael and Mary Jane Lewis watch Gaslight, Bergman’s 1944 film with Charles Boyer, on television.

The
Lucille Ball Look-Alike Contest is sponsored by Mais Oui perfume.
There actually was a Mais Oui (French for “But Yes”) made by
Boujois that appeared in 1938, although the packaging and logo used
here bear no resemblance to the real product. The first prize is a
sports car complete with 8-track tape deck!

In
his DVD introduction to the episode (shared with Lucie Arnaz and
Carole Cook), “Here’s Lucy” Musical Director Marl Young says he
had a great time writing the four different iterations of the Mais
Oui jingle. Lucy Carter’s lyrics refer to “a
Joe Namath pass.” Namath was a guest star on “Here’s Lucy” in 1972.

Lucy’s
secretary Doris tells Lucy Carter that Miss Ball is very busy planning a charity event for
Share. Share
was a real life charity that Lucille Ball had worked with for many
years. They were mentioned on “I Love Lucy” during “The
Fashion Show” (ILL S4;E19) in 1955 when the non-profit was just two
years old. Share is dedicated
to raising funds for children with special needs.

In
real life, Lucille Ball’s secretary was named Wanda Clark so it is
curious that (to add veracity), the credits do not name her Wanda
instead of Doris. Clark had a cameo in “Lucy Protects Her Job”
(S2;E14) as – what else – a secretary!

The
bright red outfit Lucille Ball wears to present the three finalists
was the same one she wore while singing the song “It’s Today!” in
Mame.
It is now on display at the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in
Jamestown, New York.

Inside Lucille Ball’s dressing room closet is the red spangled jacket Lucy Carmichael wore in “Lucy Dates Dean Martin” (TLS S4:E21) and the blue nightgown Ball wears in “The Bob Hope Christmas Special” (1973). The blue negligee also appears in “Three for Two” (1975) and the jacket in “The Danny Kaye Show” (1962) where Lucy spoofs Judy Garland.

Lucie
and Cook dared to try to make a no-nonsense Lucille Ball laugh during
the filming by doing silly, unscripted things. While Ball is
lip-synching her Mais Oui jingle, Cook cavorted behind her in a
colorful mu-mu. When Ball saw her out of the corner of her eye, she
stopped ‘singing’ and started to laugh, mouthing “son of a bitch”
with a smile on her face. Only her daughter and an old friend like
Cook could get away with such clowning on Lucille Ball’s set. Some of these antics are available on the Season 6 DVD extras.

Because
Lucille Ball wore a wig as Lucy Carter, she could not effectively
try-on the brunette wig without stopping the filming, something she was usually
reluctant to do. She turns her back and hides behind a screen to disguise the cuts.

Lucille Ball says Lucy Carter has “a
voice as un-musical as mine.”
This is a daring admission on national television considering Ball is
about to premiere a million dollar motion picture musical of a
beloved Broadway hit. Lucille Ball was widely criticized for her vocals when the film was reviewed.

Although viewers were watching “Lucille Ball” it is important to realize that the character they were watching was no more like the real Lucille Ball than any of her other guest stars who played themselves. This is a character representative of ‘Lucille Ball’ the film star filtered through the choices made by the performer and on the demands of the script.

And the winner is….

You’ll have to watch the episode to find out! But whoever wins can drive their new sports car listening to the Mame soundtrack on 8-Track tape! It was issued by Warner Brothers Records in 1974 and is now rare, but may be available through secondary dealers.

Fittingly,
Lucille Ball is given both a Starring and Guest Star credit on separate screens!

MORE META MADNESS & DOPPELGANGER DRAMA!

This
is not the first time “Here’s Lucy” has taken a turn for the
meta.

In 1946, Lucille Ball (the actress) met Lucille Ball (the filly), courtesy of jockey Johnny Longden.

A guest appearance by Van Johnson in “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (S1;E11) is used as an opportunity to promote their 1968 film Your Mine
and Ours, where Lucy plays the wife of Henry Fonda.

VAN:
“I
loved working with that kooky redhead.”
LUCY CARTER: “Personally,
I thought she was much too young for Henry Fonda.”

When
Kim decorates her room with posters of classic film stars in “Lucy
and the Andrews Sisters” (S2;E6), Lucy Carter finds a poster
of Lucille Ball! She looks at it thoughtfully, is about to put
it on the wall, and then says “Meh” and puts it down.

When “Lucy Competes With Carol Burnett” (S2;E24), she dresses like a charwoman identical to the character created by Burnett. When Carol Krausmeyer (disguised as a hippie reporter) asks how Lucy Carter thought up such a goofy outfit, Lucy replies “from some goofy dame on TV.” Carol says “Well, she must be some kind of nut!”

In 1975′s “Lucy Gets Lucky” Lucy Collins admires a photo of Lucille Ball while walking through the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel’s Hall of Fame.

The black and white photo next to the door is from “The Lucy Show” 1962 episode “Lucy and Chris’s New Year’s Eve Party” (S1;E14) where Lucy Carmichael did a silent movie sketch as Charlie Chaplin.

Perfume was on Mrs. Trumbull’s mind when Lucy Ricardo sailed to Europe in 1954. The real-life My Sin by Lanvin was a favorite of Matilda’s – although saying the name out loud embarrassed her! When packing to return home from Europe, Lucy protests getting off the plane without a present for her mother (the cheese!) – and the bottle of perfume for Mrs. Trumbull.

Playing himself, Gary
Morton asks Lucille Ball for permission to play golf, his favorite
pastime. In his first on screen appearance with his new wife in
1964, “Lucy Takes Up Golf” (TLS S2;E17), he played Gary Stewart,
who was obsessed with the game, just like Morton was in reality.

When
Lucy Carter is wearing Lucille Ball’s brunette wig with her red
bangs, it is reminiscent of the look worn by the ‘Maharincess of
Franistan’ in “The Pulicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31) where Lucy Ricardo donned a dark wig as a disguise.

ASSASSIN:
“You
have red and black hair of Franistan royalty. What is secret?”
LUCY RICARDO:
“I’ll
give you the secret. It’s
every two weeks a cup of henna to a gallon of water. I’m not a
Maharincess, I’m a Henna-rinse-ess.”

In
a 1967 episode of “The Lucy Show,” Lucy Carmichael entered a
truck driver named Chuck Willis (played by Robert Goulet) in a Robert
Goulet look-alike contest which also featured (you got it) Robert
Goulet playing himself – as well as a third look-alike.

FAST FORWARD!

In 1981

“Mork & Mindy” was inspired by Lucy with “Mork Meets Robin Williams” (S3;E15) with Williams playing himself and Mork in the same episode.

In his 2006 book The Comic DNA of Lucille Ball: Interpreting the Icon, Michael Karol sums up the episode.

Son-of-a-! The same framed black and white photo of Desi Arnaz Jr. appears in Lucille Ball’s office, and on Lucy Carter’s desk at home! Do they also have sons that look alike? In a parallel universe, is Craig Carter entered in a Desi Arnaz look-alike contest?

Wardrobe
(Literally) Malfunction!
While looking through Lucille Ball’s wardrobe, Lucy Carter pulls out a
shear powder blue dress that Lucy Carter actually wore in the
previous episode, “Lucy and Phil Harris Strike Up the Band”
(S6;E20). Do Ball and Carter shop at the same boutiques?

Oops!
Promotion for this episode sent to the press said that the first
prize was a “complete stereo outfit” when in fact it was a new
sports car with an eight-track tape deck.

Reality Check! In the background of the “studio” set are signs that read LUCILLE BALL MUSICAL NUMBER and BALLROOM SET. These were obviously created to communicate to viewers that they are on the film set (again without naming the film) and would likely not be found on any real movie set. What purpose would they serve?