“Make Room for Granddaddy” (S1;E16) ~ January 21, 1971
Directed
by John Rich ~ Written by Lee Erwin
Synopsis
Kathy’s
old friend Lucy Carter comes to New York for a visit. When Danny
comes home from a trip, there is a series of accidental flirtations
between Lucy and Danny that make her believe he is being unfaithful
to Kathy.
Cast
Danny
Thomas (Danny
Williams) was
born Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz in 1912. His screen career began in
1947 but he was most famous for appearing on television in the
long-running show “Make Room for Daddy” (1953-1964), which was
shot at Desilu Studios. When the series moved from ABC to CBS in
1957, Thomas and the cast starred in a rare TV cross-over with “The
Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” titled “Lucy
Makes Room for Danny.” In
return, Lucy and Desi turned up on Thomas’s show. In addition,
Thomas also played an aging artist on a 1973 episode of “Here’s
Lucy.” Thomas is fondly remembered for founding St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital. He is also father to actress Marlo
Thomas. He died in 1999.
Lucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began
her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of
the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With
Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite
Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,”
a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her
real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was
phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was
once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960
(in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so
did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu
financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The
Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a
similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life
children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined
the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death
in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With
Lucy,” also with Gordon, which was not a success and was canceled
after just 13 episodes.
Marjorie
Lord (Kathy
Williams) was the ‘second’ Mrs. Williams, joining the cast in 1957
as a nurse who cared for Danny’s son, Rusty. Lord was previously
seen on stage and screen. She also appeared on “The Lucy-Desi
Comedy Hour” titled “Lucy
Makes Room for Danny.”
She
died on November 28, 2015, at the age of 97.
Angela
Cartwright (Linda
Williams) joined the cast of “The Danny Thomas Show” in 1957 at
the age of five. In 1965 she played the role of Brigitta in The
Sound Of Music. That
same year she played Penny Robinson on TV’s “Lost in Space.”
Her last appearance with Lucille Ball was on “Lucy
Makes Room for Danny.”
Doris
Singleton (Grace
Munson) 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” and four
appearances on “Here’s Lucy,” all as secretaries. Doris
Singleton died in 2012 at age 92.
Although
credited as playing Sylvia, the character is referred to as Grace
Munson in the dialogue.
Joseph
Mell (Taxi
Driver) was seen in five episodes of “The Lucy Show” and one of
“Here’s Lucy.” In 1964 he appeared in the TV special “Mr. and
Mrs.” (aka “The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour”), which featured many
of the Desilu regulars.
Michael
Hughes (Michael
Wilson, uncredited) played this character in every episode of “Make
Room for Granddaddy” although in this episode, only his voice is
heard.
The
title of this episode has been variously listed as “Lucy Visits”
and “Lucy Carter, Houseguest,” possibly to avoid the use of the
word “lecher.”
The
same week this episode of “Make Room for Granddaddy” aired on
ABC, CBS aired “Lucy and the Raffle” (HL S3;E19).
“Make
Room for Granddaddy” was a sequel to Danny Thomas’s phenomenally
successful series, “Make
Room for Daddy” (aka “The Danny Thomas Show”) which ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964
on CBS. In March 1953, Danny Thomas chose ABC
and Desilu Studios to film it using its three-camera
method, perfected on “I Love Lucy,” which ran concurrently on
CBS. When “I Love Lucy” went off the air (in its half-hour
format) in 1957, CBS moved “Make Room for Daddy” into its old
time slot. The series was responsible for the creation of another
long-running Desilu sitcom, “The Andy Griffith Show.” In the
seventh season, Danny Thomas is arrested by Sheriff Andy
Taylor (Andy Griffith) and detained in the small town
of Mayberry in an episode entitled “Danny Meets Andy
Griffith.” The episode aired on February 15, 1960 and “The
Andy Griffith Show” premiered later that year on October 3.
In
1970, ABC brought back “Make Room for Daddy” as “Make
Room for Granddaddy.” For
the series premiere, Sherry Jackson reprised her role of oldest
daughter Terry who left her son, six-year-old Michael (played by
Michael Hughes), in the care of grandparents Danny and Kathy so she
could join her husband, who was stationed overseas. In addition to
Lord, Rusty Hamer (who is not in “Lucy and the Lecher”) and
Cartwright, other returning regulars were Sid Melton as Charley
Halper and Hans Conried as Uncle Tonoose. The show lasted only one
year, producing 24 episodes. According to Lord, the series faced many
obstacles, including the inexperience of child actor Michael Hughes,
the absence of producer / director Sheldon Leonard to control Thomas
and improve the quality of the scripts, and the fact that ABC
switched the time slot of the show from Wednesday nights at 8pm to
Thursday nights at 9pm. As a result, the ratings went from mediocre
to poor. In 1986, Lucille Ball would also take a sitcom to ABC and
have similar luck – the ill-fated “Life With Lucy.”
This
is one of three episodes of “Make Room for Granddaddy” produced
by Richard
Crenna,
who had guest-starred on a 1952 episode of “I Love Lucy” as
Arthur Morton, a young man who has a crush on Lucy Ricardo in “The
Young Fans” (ILL S1;E20). His character was based on one he played
on “Our Miss Brooks” named Walter Denton.
Director
John
Rich
started directing on CBS in July 1951, a few months before the
premiere of “I Love Lucy.” He directed episodes of “Our Miss
Brooks” (starring producer Crenna), “That Girl” (starring Danny
Thomas’ daughter, Marlo), and episodes of “The New Dick Van Dyke
Show” (another re-boot of a successful franchise) which aired on
CBS after “Here’s Lucy.”
Writer
Lee
Erwin
makes his debut writing for both Danny Thomas and Lucille Ball. Erwin
passed away less than a year after this episode aired.
Lucille
Ball agreed to guest-star on Thomas’s show in order to boost ratings
for the series. Thomas later repaid Ball by appearing on “Here’s
Lucy” when they were in a similar ratings slump during their final
season. Thomas played artist Danny Gallupi in “Lucy and Danny
Thomas” (HL S6;E1). On “The Lucy Show,” Thomas had played
himself in an episode titled “Lucy Helps Danny Thomas” (TLS
S4;E7).
This
episode of “Make Room for Granddaddy” is included on the Bonus
Features of “Here’s Lucy: Season 3” DVD available from MPI Video. It is introduced by Marjorie Lord.
Although
oddly credited with playing Sylvia, Lucy friend and co-star Doris
Singleton is called by the name Grace Munson in the show. Grace
Munson is a character from “I Love Lucy” that appeared on camera
twice but was often spoken about. Her first appearance was as a
member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in 1953’s “The
Club Election” (ILL S2;E19) where she is played by Lucille Ball’s
camera and lighting stand-in, Hazel Pierce. Coincidentally, in that
same episode, Doris Singleton appears as Lillian (later Carolyn)
Appleby.
In season six, the Munsons have also moved to Connecticut
and she and her husband Harry (Tristram Coffin) appear in 1957′s “Country
Club Dance” (ILL S6;E25) where Grace is played by Ruth Brady. The
guest star is Barbra Eden, who plays Grace’s cousin, the sexy Diana
Jordan. The Munsons also had a son, Billy, who was the same age as
Little Ricky.
In
the Lucy-verse, Danny Williams and his family have met Lucy Ricardo
and Lucy Carter, while Danny Thomas has met Lucy Carmichael.
The
series takes place in New York City. The opening credits were filmed
on location, but the show was filmed in front of a studio audience in
Hollywood, California. Lucille Ball is listed as “Special Guest
Star” in the opening credits, complete with film of her appearance.
Lucy
Carter and Kathy Williams were friends in school. Lucy has not met
Danny Williams when the show begins. Lucy asks Kathy if she’s seen
Sylvia Newton, Helena Rivkin or Janet Robinson (with the funny nose).
Kathy reports that Sylvia has changed a good deal and Helena dyes her
hair. Lucy is happy to say she’s never had to do anything to hers!
Over
coffee, Lucy asks about someone named Mabel Cockenlocker! Kathy
reports that Mabel is still trying to lose weight. This name contains
quite a bit of sexual innuendo for Lucille Ball. It is apparent that
these are not Lucy’s writers and that they are on the more
adventurous ABC instead of the conservative Tiffany Network, CBS.
Lucy
Carter mentions her “late husband” (although not by name),
something she rarely did on “Here’s Lucy.” She does not, however,
mention her children, Kim and Craig, or her boss / brother-in-law, Harry.
Lucy
wonders why Kathy is not more suspicious of Danny’s being away from
home so much, intimating that he might be a womanizer. This sounds
more like Lucille Ball talking, not Lucy Carter. Before marrying Gary
Morton in 1961, Ball was married to Desi Arnaz, whom Ball constantly
suspected of being unfaithful. The creation of “I Love Lucy” was
her attempt to keep Arnaz at home in Hollywood, where she could keep
an eye on him!
Danny
Thomas makes his first entrance seven minutes into the episode.
The
taxi driver (Joseph Mell) says Danny is one of his favorite
comedians, although he thinks he is Jack Benny. Danny corrects him
and says he is Jackie Gleason!
As the taxi driver leaves, he calls Danny “Mr. Berle”! Lucy Carter met all three comedians during
the course of “Here’s Lucy.”
Thinking
that Danny won’t be home that evening, Kathy gives Lucy her bed.
Danny comes home unexpectedly and naturally mistakes the tucked-in
Lucy for Kathy.
Kathy: “Lucy, this is my husband, Danny.”
Lucy: “We’ve already met.”
Kathy: “Where?”
Lucy: “In bed.”
A similar thing happened in “Lucy Makes Room for
Danny” when Danny Williams was sleeping in the Ricardo’s bed having
rented their house. Lucy sneaks into her old bedroom for her
toothbrush and a sleepy but amorous Danny thinks she is Kathy.
When
Lucy comes downstairs for breakfast, Danny is at the piano singing
“The
More I See You”
by Harry
Warren and Mack
Gordon. It was
originally sung by Dick
Haymes in
the 1945 film Diamond
Horseshoe.
In
1966, Chris
Montez released
the most commercially successful and well-known recording of the
song. Lucy naturally thinks Danny is singing the romantic ballad to her and
is immediately suspicious of his intentions.
Fearing
Danny is a “sex maniac” Lucy calls the operator and asks to be
connected to Mary Jane Lewis at (874) 555-8962. On “Here’s Lucy,”
Mary Jane is Lucy Carter’s friend played by Mary Jane Croft (above). Croft does not appear here nor do we hear her distinctive high-pitched voice.
To
dissuade what she thinks are his lecherous intentions, Lucy decides
to be less feminine. She dons Danny’s clothes and smokes one of his
cigars, even striking a match on her back pocket. She tries to talk
about boxing with Danny, even throwing a few punches. When Danny
blocks one of them with his hand, she dissolves into the trademark
Lucy “Waaaa”. Naturally, Kathy comes through the door while Danny
is consoling her with a hug.
Danny:
“I
may be a grandfather, but I’m not embalmed yet!”
In
the last few minutes of the episode, the doorbell rings and it is
another one of Kathy’s old school chums, Grace Munson (Doris
Singleton). Danny roles his eyes. He has a flashback of his
accidentally flirtation with Lucy and heads out the door for his next
gig in Philadelphia.
It
is possible that Kathy Williams met Grace when the Williams rented
the Ricardo home in Westport, Connecticut, where the Munsons also
lived.
When Lucy and Danny fall to the floor in a clumsy fumble, the audience can see the black tape used to mark actor positions for camera shots.
This
Date in Lucy History
~ January 21
“Lucy
Plays Cupid”
(ILL S1;E15) – January 21, 1952
“Little
Ricky Gets a Dog”
(ILL S6;E15) – January 21, 1957
“Lucy
Becomes a Reporter”
(TLS S1;E17) – January 21, 1963
“Lucy
is N.G. as an R.N.” (HL S6;E17) – January 21, 1974
Papermoon Loves Lucy 
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