REMINISCING

July 1, 1949

“Reminiscing” is episode #51 of the CBS Radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on July 1, 1949. 

Synopsis ~ 

Liz is working on her scrapbook, and she and George reminisce about when Liz learned to drive and got her license, when Liz signed an affidavit swearing never to interrupt George’s stories again, and when the butcher thought that Liz had a crush on him.

REGULAR CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) 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.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born as Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on “Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricarodo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

Frank Nelson (Motor Vehicles Clerk) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”. This is one of his 11 performances on “My Favorite Husband.”  On “I Love Lucy” he holds the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring roles: Freddie Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey, as well as six one-off characters, including the frazzled train conductor in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5), a character he repeated on “The Lucy Show.”  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs.  

Hans Conried (Mr. Dabney, the Butcher) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942). He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13) – both in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan. On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) and in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was filmed on the Desilu lot. He joined Thomas on a season 6 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973.

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. When Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, on air concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown. In addition to being aired on the CBS Radio Network, the episodes were heard on the Armed Forces Radio Network, where the commercials were omitted. 

This is the final episode of Season One of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND.  

An audio excerpt from this episode was included on the CD that came with the book Laughs, Luck…and Lucy by Jess Oppenheimer. 

THE EPISODE

The episode opens with Liz spread out on the living room floor scrap-booking.  George reminds her they are supposed to go to the movies and he hates to miss the first three minutes. Liz says that it doesn’t matter because:

LIZ: “It’s always the same: MGM presents… (roars like a lion).”  

Liz is referring to the Metro Goldwyn Mayer logo, a lion with his head through a celluloid ribbon that reads ‘Ars Gratia Artis’ (art for arts sake). The lion – named Leo, naturally – roared and the motion picture began. 

In 1954, Lucy and Desi began a business relationship with MGM, making several motion pictures for them and even having Ricky Ricardo work for the studio on "I Love Lucy”.  

Liz finds a picture of their car – before she got into an accident and wrecked it!  She ran it into a house!  Flashback to George teaching Liz to drive.  

The script for the reminiscence is nearly identical to the scene in “Liz Learns To Drive” aka “Driving Lessons” aka “Learning To Drive” in episode #18 on November 13, 1948, from when the characters were known as the Cugats. This is not a ‘clip’ from that episode, but a recreation of it, including guest actor Frank Nelson as the Motor Vehicles Clerk. 

Their new Hudson has a starter button – not a key.  Liz mistakes the cigarette lighter and the radio dial for the starter button. Naturally, she has difficulty with the clutch.  Everything goes smoothly – if Liz can just remember to drive on the right side of the road! A near traffic accident scares George, but only makes Liz angry at the other driver. George has Liz stop at the Motor Vehicle Department to get her license. 

On “I Love Lucy,” Ricky taught Lucy how to drive with some of the same communication problems. Most of the dramatic moments during the lesson happen off-screen. Over-confident Lucy then feels she can teach Ethel to drive, too!  

The Motor Vehicles Clerk (Frank Nelson) takes Liz’s application.

CLERK: “Race?” 
LIZ: “Of course not. I don’t even have a license yet.”

On the application Liz gives her address as 321 Bundy, her age as 21 (!), her weight as 118lbs, blue eyes… 

LIZ: “And my hair is red.”
CLERK: “Naturally.” 
LIZ: “Well, just a henna rinse now and then.”

He then gives Liz and eye test. 

CLERK: “Read those letters on the wall over there.”
LIZ: “M.E.N.”

On “Here’s Lucy” Lucy Carter took her son Craig to get his license. Mrs. Carter also faced impatient clerks and a hair-raising driver’s test. 

Back in the present, Liz finds a recipe for making Jell-O, which cues a commercial for their sponsor. Bob LeMond ties in the upcoming Independence Day holiday with a Jell-O raspberry pie recipe.  “Back to the Coopers…”

Two hours later, the Coopers still haven’t left for the movie.  Still going through the scrapbook pile of photos and papers, Liz finds an affidavit. 

“I, Liz Cooper, solemnly swear I will not interrupt my husband’s stories, even if I’ve heard them a hundred times.”  

Flashback to the night George made Liz sign the affidavit. This scene is from “Old Jokes and Old Stories” episode #37 on March 25, 1949. As with the previous reminiscence, it is not a clip, but a recreation with minor textural alterations. 

The Atterburys are over for dinner, and George is once again monopolizing the conversation with his funny but familiar old stories. 

LIZ (to Katie): “One person snickers and George thinks his last name is Jessel.” 

George Albert ‘Georgie’ Jessel (1898-1981) was famous as a multi-talented entertainer widely known by his nickname, the "Toastmaster General of the United States,” due to his frequent role as the master of ceremonies at political and entertainment gatherings. In 1948, he was honored by the Friars Club, of which he was’ the Abbot’ in a ceremony that was later turned into a short newsreel film. 

George launches into a story about their Honeymoon. Everyone has heard it so he tries to tell the story of a picnic, but Liz keeps interrupting and correcting his recollections. 

Some of the same dialogue will be recycled on “I Love Lucy”  in “Equal Rights” (ILL S3;E4), first aired on October 24, 1953. The rest of the TV episode was based on another episode of “My Favorite Husband” titled “Women’s Rights, Part I” aired on March 5, 1950. 

GEORGE / RICKY: “We got there about 10 o’clock.”
LIZ / LUCY: “It was twelve o’clock.”
GEORGE / RICKY: “What’s the difference?”
RUDOLPH / FRED: “Two hours.”

Back to the present time, with Liz and George still pawing through the scrap book materials.  Liz discovers an old Valentine from George. Flashback to a Valentine’s Day past…

This final reminiscence is based on “Valentine’s Day” aka “Valentine’s Day Mischief” broadcast on February 11, 1949. As with the previous two flashbacks, this is not a clip, but a recreation of the script, including using the original cast, Hans Conried, as Mr. Dabney. 

Liz screams “I love you, George” at the top of her voice to prove her affection for him. Liz discovers that Katie has a boyfriend. She has written Mr. Dabney the butcher a romantic poem. Liz calls him “old heavy thumbs”. 

KATIE: “Some people may have better beef, but his liver’s good. And no one has oxtail and pig’s feet like him!” 

Katie is embarrassed to give the Valentine poem to him, so she asks Liz to do it. Mr. Dabney (Hans Conried) arrives with a delivery from ‘Dabney’s: The Home of Happy Ham Hocks!’  Naturally, Mr. Dabney thinks Liz is the one who has a crush on him, not Katie. 

The situation will be used again in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) first aired on January 21, 1952. On TV, the butcher is named Mr. Ritter and he is played by Edward Everett Horton (above). The one who has a crush on him (since the Ricardos do not have a maid) is Miss Lewis, played by (ironically) Bea Benadaret, who plays Iris Atterbury in this episode of “My Favorite Husband.”  

Katie’s Valentine is scented!  

MR. DABNEY: “And how did you know my favorite aroma – Swift Premium!” 

Mr. Dabney reads the poem aloud:

“If you be mine, then I’ll be thine
And set your heart a-quiver.
Say you’ll be my Valentine
And bring two pounds of liver!

The poem is signed “Your bashful redhead”. We learn that Katie also has red hair! 

MR. DABNEY: “Listen, two houses may have red roofs, but you don’t pick the one with saggin’ foundation!” 

Back in the living room in the present time, Liz and George realize they have missed the movie – it is two in the morning!  The Coopers hug and kiss.

LIZ: “Honey, you’re my favorite husband!”

The episode ends, but Lucille Ball returns for a Jell-O commercial with announcer Bob LeMond. They sing “Row Row Your Boat” with Jell-O lyrics!  The big finish, 

“J.E.L.L.O, now you’re on the ball.
Jell-O is wonderful, sponsors are marvelous,
We’ll see you next fall!”

Lucy interrupts Bob to say a special thank you to director Jess Oppenheimer, as well as thanking the entire cast and crew by name. Lucy reminds the listeners they will all be back on the second of September. Bob adds that audiences should see Lucille Ball in Sorrowful Jones with Bob Hope.