S1;E6
~ November 1, 1986
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Marc Daniels ~ Written
by Bob Fisher and Arthur Marx
Synopsis
Lucy’s
attempt to computerize M&B Hardware results in a a shop full of
lawnmowers and with Curtis listed in the obituary column.
Regular
Cast
Lucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)
[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]
Guest
Cast
Dave
Madden
(Stanley Bigelow) is probably best remembered for playing Reuben
Kincaid, the manager of “The Partridge Family” (1970-74). He was
a regular performer on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In,” which (for some
seasons) was programmed opposite “Here’s Lucy.” Madden died in
2014 at age 82.
Stanley
is a sales representative selling lawnmowers. His last name is only
listed in the final credits but is not spoken aloud in the episodes.
Billy
Van Zandt
(Delivery Guy) is an actor and writer of more than 25 plays with Jane
Millmore. A native of Red Bank, New Jersey, he is married to
Adrienne Barbeau. In 1990, Van Zandt won an Emmy Award for “I Love
Lucy: The First Show,” which introduced the long-lost pilot to TV
viewers.
This
was the eighth episode filmed, but it was aired sixth. “Life With
Lucy” loses its time slot with an 8 share, the lowest to date and
the second lowest of all those aired.
When
Lucy activates the leaf blower and scatters seed packets all over the
Hardware Store, Curtis says “We
were hit by Hurricane Lucy.”
In 1957’s “Building a Bar-B-Q” (ILL S6;E24), Ricky says that he
thinks the re-built monstrosity of a brick barbecue was caused by
Hurricane Lucy.
Curtis:
“You
know me, always keeping up with the times.”
Lucy:
“Yeah,
he’s almost up to 1956.”
In
1956,
Gale Gordon had finished playing Osgood Conklin on “Our Miss
Brooks” and started a playing Harvey Box in “The Brothers” (aka “The Box Brothers”), a Desilu series that lasted just one season on CBS. Lucille Ball began 1956
with “I Love Lucy” touring Europe and ended it with the Ricardos and Mertzes visiting Cuba.
Bigelow (Stanley’s credited surname) was the name of a Department Store in Jamestown, New York, Lucille
Ball’s hometown that it is said rejected a teenage Ball when she applied for a job in their ribbon department! One of Lucille Ball’s distant relatives was also
named Bigelow. In the 1950s Lucy and Desi promoted Bigelow carpeting.
She used the name Bigelow on both “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show” (above).
Stanley:
[To
Curtis] “We’ve been through a lot together. From the pot-bellied
stove to the microwave. Then back to the pot belly.” [Pats Curtis’s
belly]
When
Curtis compares the extinction of wild animals to the human race
being replaced by computers, Lucy says he’s been watching too much
“Wild Kingdom.” “Mutual
of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” was
an educational series about the lives of wild animals that aired on
NBC from 1963 to 1988. Until 1984 it was hosted by zoologist Marlin
Perkins.
Lucy:
“Change
is hard on everybody.”
In
the episode, Lucy attaches file cards to the computer using magnets,
which wipes out the inventory data. In reality, refrigerator magnets
placed on the computer would not be strong enough to have caused any
harm.
Curtis:
[To Leonard, furious] “You
gave our trash to the trash man?!?”
Using
the computer, Lucy orders a lawnmower. She accidentally presses the
‘1′ key three times and orders 111 lawnmowers for a cost of
$4,192.67! This means the push lawnmowers were wholesale priced at
$37.77. Adjusting for inflation, that would be nearly $90 today.
Curtis:
[To
Lucy]
“I’m dead!”
Lucy:
“You’re
not dead, you’re just not a lot of fun.”
To
straighten out Curtis’s obituary, Lucy calls her friend at the
newspaper, Carol.
The name may be an homage to any or all of Lucille Ball’s friends
Carol Burnett, Carole Lombard, or Carole Cook. The unseen Carol
tells Lucy she learned of Curtis’s passing from the bank. Lucy used
the computer to stop the check to Chadwick Mowers with the phrase “CM
decreased” but types “CM deceased.” The bank interprets CM as
Curtis McGibbon. [Only on television, folks!]
Lucy
returns the computer, but buys a Robot
named
Rupert! In 1928, British schoolboys built a robot named Rupert which
contained mechanical representations of human organs!
Curtis: [To Lucy] “Listen to me!”
Lucy: “I don’t have to, you’re dead!”
On
“The Lucy Show,” Mr.
Mooney (Gale Gordon) installed a computer at the bank in “Lucy,
the Superwoman” (TLS S4;E26)…
and
again in “Lucy
and Bob Crane” (TLS S4;E22). Both aired in 1966!
On a 1972 “Here’s Lucy” Harry Carter (Gale Gordon) installed a giant
computer named EXMO III in the office as “Lucy’s Replacement” (HL
S4;E19).
Prior
to that Lucy Carter tried her hand at computer dating in 1968′s “Lucy
the Matchmaker” (HL S1;E12).
The comic payoff of most episodes featuring computers was having them
short-circuit and run amok!
Lucy
Carmichael encountered robots played by mime Larry Dean in “Lucy
and the Ceramic Cat” (TLS S3;E16)…
and
again in “Lucy and the Robot” (TLS S4;E23).
This
Day in Lucy History
~ November
1st
“Mr.
and Mrs. TV Show” (ILL S4;E5) – *November 1, 1954
* This
episode’s original broadcast was pre-empted. It eventually aired
Monday, April 11, 1955.
“Lucy
Helps Danny Thomas” (TLS S4;E7) – November 1, 1965
“Lucy
and Her All-Nun Band” (HL S4;E8) – November 1, 1971
Papermoon Loves Lucy 
Leave a comment