In
1977, Lucille Ball acted as Ringmaster for CBS’s second annual
“Circus of the Stars.” On screen, however, Lucy was a one-woman
circus star, performing virtually all the acts found under the big
top on her four television series, various specials, several films,
and even in real life! Here’s a look at her moments of on-the-job
training for life in the center ring!
Lucy, the Showgirl
The
Ziegfeld Follies
(1945) ~ Lucille
Ball cracks the whip during the circus fantasy “Here’s To The Ladies.”
Lucy, the Pony Act
Lucy
Ricardo took part in a circus routine with Ricky as the Ringmaster in
“Lucy
Meets the Queen” (S5;E15
~ January 30, 1956) so that she could meet Her Majesty.
Lucy, the Dog Trainer
Lucy
Carmichael ran a business called “Kiddie
Parties Inc.” (TLS
S2;E2 ~ October 7, 1963) providing circus-themed childrens’ birthday
parties complete with a dog act and pony rides.
Lucy, the Clown
Lucy
Ricardo played the clown in “The
Audition” (ILL
S1;E6 ~ November 19, 1952). Here ‘The Professor’ does an imitation of a trained seal.
Lucy, the Elephant Girl
Lucy
Ricardo pretended to steal a baby elephant from the Clyde Beatty
Circus in “The
Kleptomaniac” (ILL
S1;E27 ~ April 14, 1952).
On “The Lucy Show” Lucy Carmichael had
to coax a circus elephant to lift his foot off a five hundred dollar
bill in “Lucy
Misplaces $2,000” (TLS
S1;E4 ~ October 22, 1962).
Lucy
& Her Trained Chimps
Lucy Carmichael and Lucy Carter both worked with trained chimps.
Lucy, the Dunk Tank Victim
“Lucy
Makes a Few Extra Dollars” (HL
S4;E6 ~ October 18, 1971) by working the mid-way dunk tank.
The carnival barker was played by Ball’s real-life husband Gary Morton.
Lucy, the Fat Lady
In “Lucy
and Miss Shelley Winters” (HL S1;E4 ~ October 14, 1968), Lucy Carter’s regimen to break Shelley Winters of her bad eating habits backfires on Lucy!
Lucy, the Acrobat
“Lucy
Waits Up for Chris” (TLS S1;E1) but locks herself out of her own home in her nightgown. Mrs. Carmichael uses her son’s trampoline to get access to Viv’s second story window!
Lucy, the Stiltwalker
“Lucy
Bags A Bargain” (TLS S4;E17~ January 17, 1966) but then must pay her department store bills by working in the sporting goods department.
Mrs. Carmichael also used her stilt skills to gain access to the top bunk in “Lucy and Her Electric Mattress” (TLS S1;E12 ~ December 17, 1962).
Lucy, the Magician’s Assistant
When “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3 ~ October 15, 1956) she thinks he wants her to play Shakespeare, but instead she ends up floating in air as part of his magic act.
Lucy, the One-Woman Band
During “Breaking Up is Hard To Do” (LWL ~ unaired episode) Lucy Barker stages a ‘Circus of Bargains’ at the Hardware Store, leading shoppers to the shop as a one-woman band!
Lucy, the Drum Majorette
Trying to put the quaint town of Bancroft on the map and avoid it being paved over for a new highway, Lucy Carmichael leads the band down “Main Street U.S.A.” (TLS S5;E17 ~ January 23, 1967).
Lucy, the Ventriloquist’s Dummy
In “Lucy and Paul Winchell” (TLS S5;E4 ~ October 3, 1966), Lucy Carmichael must take the place of Winchell’s partner, Tessie Mahoney.
Lucy, the Strong Woman
Thanks to a strange illness, Lucy Carmichael is temporarily afflicted with super strength in “Lucy, the Superwoman” (TLS S4;E26 ~ March 21, 1966).
Lucy, the Juggler
“Ethel Merman and the Boy Scout Show” (TLS S2;E19 ~ February 10, 1964)
Lucy, the Sharp Shooter
With Ethel’s help, Lucy proves to Ricky she can handle a rifle during “The
Camping Trip” (ILL S2;E29 ~ June 8, 1953).
Lucy, the Seal Trainer
“Lucy at Marineland” (TLS S4;E1 ~ September 13, 1965)
Lucy, the Escape Artist
Lucy manages to escape from a locked cell in “Tennessee Bound” (ILL
S4;E14 ~ January 24, 1955)…
a trunk during “The Passports”
(ILL S5;E11 ~ December 19, 1955)…
locked antique shackles in “The Handcuffs” (ILL S2;E4 ~ October 6, 1952)…
and a sealed shower stall in Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower (TLS S1;E18 ~ January 28, 1963).
Lucy, the Knife Thrower’s Target
In
“Lucy
Tells the Truth” (ILL
S3;E6 ~ November 9, 1953) Mrs. Ricardo enters into a bet that she
won’t lie, so when a talent scout wants clarification about her
appearance in 3D (her apartment number, not a three dimensional film)
she replies “Well,
it’s a three ring circus.” Also
in that fib-free storyline, Lucy faces a knife throwing Italian who
speaks no English.
Lucy, the Bearded Lady
In
“The
Mustache”
(ILL S1;E23 ~ March 17, 1952) Lucy Ricardo gets a false beard stuck
on her face and Ricky remarks that he’ll get her “a
job as the bearded lady in the circus.”
Lucy, the Sideshow Act
“Jack
Benny’s Carnival Nights”
~ March 20, 1968
Lucille
Ball as Luscious Lucille, sideshow attraction.
Lucy, the Voice of the Circus
“Six
Flags presents Sid and Marty Krofft’s Circus” ~ Lucille Ball’s recorded voice joined other stars in a live puppet show in 1967.
Off-Camera Circus Antics
Ed
and Keenan Wynn, with Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz at the St. John’s
Benefit Circus
~ January 1, 1948
Lucille
Ball visiting clown Kenneth Dodd at the Cristiani Circus ~ Los Angeles, 1959
Lucy as Desert Circus Queen ~ Palm Springs, 1964
Lucille Ball riding a Ringling Brothers elephant for Project Hope ~ 1973
And of course, Lucy’s big circus appearances in
“The Greatest Show on Earth” (1963)
and “Circus of the Stars” (1977)
Papermoon Loves Lucy 
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