“I Love Lucy” ~ Season 4

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A handy dandy guide to helping you find your favorite episode blogs here at Papermoon Loves Lucy. Click on the hyperlinks to be taken directly to that episode’s trivia, background, and bloopers!

“The Business Manager” (S4;E1) ~ October 4, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed June 17, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 50.9/72

“Mertz and Kurtz” (S4;E2) ~ October 11, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed July 1, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 47.1/65

“Lucy Cries Wolf” (S4;E3) ~ October 18, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed June 3, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 49.2/68

“The Matchmaker” (S4;E4) ~ October 25, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed June 10, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: N/A   

“Mr. and Mrs. TV Show” (S4;E5) ~ November 1, 1954 / April 11, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr.  Filmed June 24, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 48.7/67

“Ricky’s Movie Offer” (S4;E6) ~ November 8, 1954 

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 16, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios.Rating: 47.4/66 

“Ricky’s Screen Test” (S4;E7) ~ November 15, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 26, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 45.0/63

“Lucy’s Mother-in-Law” (S4;E8) ~ November 22, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 30, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 46.5/67

“Ethel’s Birthday” (S4;E9) ~ November 29, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 7, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 47.3/66

“Ricky’s Contract” (S4;E10) ~ December 6, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 14, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 49.7/67

“Getting Ready” (S4;E11) ~ December 13, 1954

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 21, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 47.6/66

“Lucy Learns to Drive” (S4;E12) ~ January 3, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 28, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 52.8/69

“California, Here We Come!” (S4;E13) ~ January 10, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed November 10, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 50.1/65

“First Stop” (S4;E14) ~ January 17, 1955

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Directed by William Asher.  Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed November 11, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 50.6/65

“Tennessee Bound” (S4;E15) ~ January 24, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed November 18, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios.  Rating: N/A

“Ethel’s Hometown” (S4;E16) ~ January 31, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed November 25, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 53.1/69

“Hollywood at Last!” aka  “L.A. at Last!” (S4;E17) ~ February 7, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed December 2, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 49.9/63

“Don Juan and the Starlets” (S4;E18) ~ February 14, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed December 9, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 51.3/67

“Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (S4;E19) ~ February 21, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed December 16, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 51.7/68

“The Fashion Show” (S4;E20) ~ February 28, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed December 23, 1954 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 55.2/70

“The Hedda Hopper Story” (S4;E21) ~ March 14, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed February 3, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 50.3/69

“Don Juan is Shelved” (S4;E22) ~ March 21, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed on February 10, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios.Rating: 51.5/69

“Bullfight Dance” (S4;E23) ~ March 28, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed on February 17, 1955 at Ren Mar Studios. Rating: 51.2/68

“Hollywood Anniversary” (S4;E24) ~ April 4, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed February 24, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 51.1/72

“The Star Upstairs” (S4;E25) ~ April 18, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed March 3, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 47.5/67

“In Palm Springs” (S4;E26) ~ April 25, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed March 17, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 44.0/62

“The Dancing Star” (S4;E27) ~ May 2, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed March 30, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studio. Rating: 41.5/65

“Lucy and Harpo Marx” (S4;E28) ~ May 9, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed March 24, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 42.9/63

“Ricky Needs An Agent” (S4;E29) ~ May 16, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 7, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studio. Rating: 39.2/63

“The Tour” (S4;E30) ~ May 30, 1955

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 14, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studio. Rating: 31.8/53

SEASON SUMMARY

  • The season ended #1 in the ratings with an average 49.3 share.
  • The highest rated episode was “Ethel’s Hometown” (E16) with a 53.1/69
  • The lowest rated episode was “The Tour” (E30) with a 31.8/53
  • There were 30 new episodes
  • This season begins the series’ trip to Hollywood, which carries over to the start of season 5. 
  • One episode – “Mr. and Mrs. TV Show” (E5) was only seen by half the country on its premiere, and the other half six months later. 
  • “The Business Manager” (E1) was the 100th episode filmed, but “Lucy Cries Wolf” (E3) was the 100th new episode aired. 
  • Recurring Characters introduced: Mrs. McGillicuddy (Kathryn Card), Mother Ricardo (Mary Emery), Bobby the Bellboy (Bob Jellison)
  • Recurring Characters returning: Cousin Ernie (Tennessee Ernie Ford), Caroline Appleby (Doris Singleton), Little Ricky (The Mayer Twins)
  • Guest Stars Playing Themselves: Hedda Hopper, Rock Hudson, Richard Widmark, Van Johnson, Harpo Marx, Cornel Wilde, William Holden,

    Brenda Marshall (aka Mrs. William Holden),  Eve Arden, Don Loper, Sheila MacRae (aka Mrs. Gordon MacRae), Jeanne Martin (aka Mrs. Dean Martin),

    Frances E. Neal (aka Mrs. Van Heflin), Marilyn Johnson (aka Mrs. Forrest Tucker), Mona Carlson (aka Mrs. Richard Carlson)

  • Guest Actors Playing Characters: Charles Lane, Frank Nelson, Charles Winninger, Olin Howland, Irving Bacon, Aaron Spelling, Will Wright, The Borden Twins, Phil Ober, Parley Baer  
  • An average of 7,500 feet of film was shot per episode, for a total of 225,000 feet of film for season 4.
  • Papermoon’s Full Moon Pick: “First Stop” (E14)
  • Papermoon’s Half Moon Pick: “Bullfight Dance” (E23)
  • Total Binge Hours for Season 4: 15 hours (with commercials); 12 hours (without commercials)
  • Colorized episodes: “Hollywood at Last!” (E17), “Lucy Gets into Pictures” (E19), “The Fashion Show” (E20), “The Dancing Star” (E27), “Lucy and Harpo Marx” (E28)
  • “Ricky’s Contract” (E10) was rumored to become the first “I Love Lucy” episode to be shot and aired in color, but it never materialized. 

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