1968 Part One ~ JANUARY to JUNE
A tumultuous year. Lucille Ball sells Desilu Studios to Paramount, ends “The Lucy Show,” and creates Lucille Ball Productions (LBP) to produce “Here’s Lucy,” starring her real-life children!
“Lucy and Viv Reminisce”
(TLS S6;E16) ~ January 1, 1968
This is the first and only clips show on “The Lucy Show.” It marks the final appearance of Vivian Vance as Viv Bunson. Wrap around scenes were filmed (in one day, without a studio audience) to introduce and conclude the clips, most from season one and in black and white.
“Lucy Gets Involved” (TLS S6;E17) ~ January 15, 1968
Lucy moonlights as a carhop at a drive-in restaurant in an episode that features Jackie Coogan (”The Addams Family”) and Lucie Arnaz.
“Mooney’s Other Wife” (TLS S6;E18) ~ January 22, 1968
Lucy pretends to be Mrs. Mooney to scare off an amorous woman played by Edie Adams.
“Lucy and the Stolen Stole” (TLS S6;E19) ~ January 29, 1968
Lucy and Mr. Mooney go shopping for Mrs. Mooney’s birthday and wind up being arrested for possession of a stolen fur stole. Trying to get his money back from the scam artist (Buddy Hackett), Mooney and Lucy are jailed. Filmed on December 7, 1967.
“Lucy and Phil Harris” (TLS S6;E20) ~ February 5, 1968
Phil Harris (”The Jack Benny Program”) plays Phil Stanley, a piano bar singer and composer with writer’s block.
“Lucy Helps Ken Berry”
(TLS S6;E21) ~ February 19, 1968
Ken Berry plays Ken Jones, a dance instructor about to default on a loan until Lucy arranges for him to be on a local television show.
Berry was spotted by Lucille Ball performing on stage and offered him a job at Desilu. He made his TV debut in 1960.
“Lucy and the Lost Star”
(TLS S6;E22) ~ February 26, 1968
The title character was originally intended to be Gloria Swanson, but ended up being played by Joan Crawford. Ball and Crawford clashed during rehearsals.
“Lucy and Sid Caesar” (TLS S6;E23) ~ March 4, 1968
Sid Caesar plays himself and a look-alike criminal named Frankie the Forger.
Lucy mentions that she saw Sid Caesar in Little Me and convinces him to sing “Real Live Girl” from the show.
“Lucy and the ‘Boss of the Year’ Award” (TLS S6;E24) ~ March 11, 1968
This is the end of season 6 and the final episode of the series (156 half-hour episodes). The season ended with a 27 share and the show was #2 in the ratings.
“The Ed Sullivan Show” (S20;E28) ~ March 17, 1968
Lucille Ball chats with Ed Sullivan onstage. She introduces a clip from her movie Yours, Mine & Ours (which co-stars Henry Fonda). Following the clip, the kids from the film sing the movie’s theme song.
“Jack
Benny’s Carnival Nights” ~ March 20, 1968
One of Jack Benny’s bi-annual themed specials, this one starring Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson, Ben Blue, and musical guests Paul Revere and the Raiders. Cameos by Bob Hope, George Burns, Danny Thomas, Dean Martin, and The Smothers Brothers.
“The
Mike Douglas Show” ~ March 29, 1968
Ozzie and Harriet Nelson were Mike Douglas’s co-hosts. Their guests were Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance, and Neil Diamond.
“Girl Talk” ~ April 26, 1968
Host Virginia Graham welcomes Lucille Ball to her talk show, which ran from 1962 to 1970 on ABC TV.
“The
Mike Douglas Show” ~ May 6, 1968
Lucille Ball is guest during “Salute to the Armed Forces Week” with Omar Bradley (on the telephone) and Lt. General Stanley Larsen.
“The
20th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards” ~ May 19, 1968
Lucille Ball wins her fourth (and final) competitive Emmy Award on a show broadcast on NBC from The Hollywood Palladium. “The Lucy Show” lost to “Get Smart,” which also earned its star Don Adams (left) an Emmy. Bill Cosby (right) won for “I Spy.”
“Lucy Gets Jack Benny’s Account” (TLS S6;E6) was nominated for its writing.
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