LIZ AND THE GENERAL

September 17, 1948

“Liz and the General” (aka “Making Friends with General Timberlake”) is episode #8 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on September 17, 1948.

Synopsis ~ Liz befriends an eccentric neighbor, General Timberlake. 

Note: This episode was aired before the characters names were changed from Cugat to Cooper. It was also before Jell-O came aboard to sponsor the show and before the regular cast featured Bea Benadaret and Gale Gordon as the Atterburys.

“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. 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 Coope. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running 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.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cugat) 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. “My Favorite Husband” 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 Cugat) was born 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.

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 

John Hiestand (Cory Cartwright) served as the announcer for the radio show “Let George Do It” from 1946 to 1950. In 1955 he did an episode of “Our Miss Brooks” opposite Gale Gordon.

Hans Conried (General Timberlake) 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. He died in 1982 at age 64. 

The actress voicing Miss Winifred Higgins, the librarian, is not credited. 

THE EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Cugat – the record of a happy marriage. As we look in on the Cugat’s this morning, the scene is familiar…”

The episode opens at breakfast, where Liz is upset that George has buried himself in the morning newspaper instead of paying attention to her. 

This was a common complaint on early episodes of “I Love Lucy” as well. Ricky often didn’t lift his eyes from behind the newspaper. 

Feeling sorry for herself, Liz wishes that she was a better cook. 

GEORGE: “It was very smart of you to butter the toast with Unguentine so it wouldn’t burn!” 

Unguentine is a commercially available topical skin ointment that helps alleviate minor burns and irritations, mostly from sunburn. It was originally introduced in 1893 and is still sold today. It will be mentioned on “I Love Lucy” when Lucy Ricardo gets a painful sunburn just before Lucy is to model a Don Loper original in “The Fashion Show” (ILL S4;E20). 

Liz retorts that although she isn’t a good cook, George isn’t very handy around the house either!  They call a truce and kiss and make-up. Liz warns George not to kiss her in front of the windows, lest neighbor General Timberlake see them. George lists some of the General’s eccentricities, but Liz thinks he’s sweet. George doubts he was even in the military. 

Outside, randy bachelor Cory Cartwright honks his horn.  He’s come to pick up George for work. 

LIZ: “That car is built for parking not driving!  It has reclining seats, indirect lighting, hot and cold running chorus girls… that isn’t a car, it’s a nightclub!” 

CORY: “Look at those lines, that color, the modern design, and all those extras too! She’s the reason Good Sam turned bad!”

Good Sam is a romantic comedy starring Gary Cooper as a Good Samaritan who is helpful to others at the expense of his own family. Coincidentally, the film featured William Frawley, who would be Lucille Ball’s co-star just three years later. It also featured Irving Bacon, who would play Frawley’s father in law on “I Love Lucy”! The RKO film was released on September 1, 1948. The term ‘Good Samaritan’ refers to a Bible Parable that encourages people to help others who are in danger or in need.  

George and Cory go off to work and Liz decides to pay a visit on old General Timberlake. The General claims to have been the youngest officer at the Battle of Bull Run, but Liz says that would have been 80 years ago. 

The Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as The Battle of Manassas (the name used by Confederate forces), was the first major battle of the Civil War and was a Confederate victory. The battle was fought on July 21, 1861 just north of the city of Manassas, Virginia and about 30 miles west-southwest of Washington, D.C. 

Liz notices some new medals on the General’s uniform and gets close enough to read one: “Jubilee Sale Sears and Roebuck” implying that he got the medal from a catalog.  

Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears, was founded in 1893 as a mail ordering catalog company and began opening retail locations in 1925. They celebrated their 50th Jubilee in 1936. 

The General confesses that he’s been ‘keeping company’ with the librarian Winifred Higgins, but they had a quarrel due to an overdue library book. Liz remembers her as the gray-haired librarian. 

GENERAL: “Don’t let that gray hair fool ya, though. She may be an old edition, but she’s still got a beautiful table of contents!” 

The General gets teary-eyed at his loneliness and Liz, feeling sorry for him, invites him over that afternoon for tea. 

Liz tells Katie the Maid that the General is coming over. Katie says the General never remembers her. 

KATIE: “The other day I was sitting in the upstairs window mending Mr. Cugat’s striped pajamas and he said ‘Well, Barbara Fritchie!’ I shouted back ‘Shoot if you must, this old gray head, but spare Mr. Cugat’s pajama bottoms’!” 

Barbara Fritchie (or Frietchie) is the title (and the heroine) of an 1863 Civil War poem by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-92). Katie is paraphrasing its most famous line, “Shoot if you must, this old gray head.” 

The very last line of the “I Love Lucy” series in 1957 also paraphrased the famous quote. Lucy replaces the word “gray” with “red,” removing her tricorn hat and wig as she does so. Painted completely gray to resemble a statue, the reveal of Lucy’s flaming red locks (her trademark despite the hit series never being broadcast in color) gets a laugh from the studio audience. 

Katie remember that her first husband Clarence fought on dozens of battles.

LIZ: “With Pershing?”
KATIE: “No. With me!”

General John Joseph “Black Jack” Pershing (1860-1948) was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Forces on the Western Front in World War I.  He died six weeks before this episode was aired. Millburn Stone will play Pershing in the 1955 film The Long Gray Line starring Lucy’s lifelong friend, Maureen O’Hara.

The General arrives and Liz’s offer of tea immediately launches him into a tale of his fracas at the Boston Tea Party. 

LIZ: “General, the Boston Tea Party was 150 years ago. Don’t tell me you were there.” 
GENERAL: “No. But it makes a colorful story, doesn’t it?”

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1773. The target was the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying taxes. Demonstrators, some disguised as Native Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea by dumping it into Boston Harbor.  

The Boston Tea Party will be joked about on a 1964 “Jack Benny Program.”  When Betsy Ross wonders where Paul is, his wife (Lucy) says that a few weeks ago he told her he was at a tea party in Boston, but she found out he was on a wild wing-ding on a boat.

The General convinces Liz to restage the Battle of San Juan Hill in the living room with Liz as Teddy Roosevelt. This is the start of a continuing theme of “My Favorite Husband”. In future, Liz will learn to swim and to play baseball without ever leaving the house – all under the tutelage of characters played by Hans Conried.  

The Battle of San Juan Hill (July 1, 1898) was a major battle of the Spanish–American War (April – August 1898). Teddy Roosevelt (later President) was leader of the Rough Riders who prevailed that day. 

Later, they re-enact the battle between Generals Lee and Sherman. Liz plays the outskirts of Atlanta. 

LIZ: “What do you do? Get a match and set me on fire?”

During the Civil War, the city of Atlanta, Georgia, became a target for the Union army. General William Tecumseh Sherman and his troops captured the city in 1864. In order to weaken the Confederate military organization, Union troops burned Atlanta to the ground before they moved on. The act was famously depicted in the 1939 film Gone With the Wind.

Next up, the General wants Liz to take Bunker Hill (the living room lamp). He charges at the lamp, which is noisily destroyed. 

LIZ: “So long, Bunker Hill.”

The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the early stages of the Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in the battle. Liz’s sentiment “So long, Bunker Hill” may be referring to the USS Bunker Hill, a battleship that survived a kamikaze attack during World War II and was finally decommissioned in 1947, just 18 months prior to this broadcast.

LIZ: “My troop is pooped!”

Liz decides to re-enact the Ride of Paul Revere with Katie as the North Church and the General charging right out the front door.

Lucy and Jack Benny play Paul and Rachel Revere on a 1964 “Jack Benny Program.”  When Paul gets word that the British are coming, he tries to sneak out without Rachel knowing. To keep him home, Rachel knocks him out cold. She then realizes he is telling the truth. She has no choice but to make his famous ride for him. Paul revives just as Rachel goes off shouting “The British are coming! The British are coming!” 

LIZ: “If he comes back, tell him Molly Pitcher deserted.”

Molly Pitcher is a nickname given to a woman said to have fought in the Revolutionary War. Many historians now regard “Molly Pitcher” as folklore rather than history, or suggest that Molly Pitcher may be a composite image inspired by the actions of a number of real women. The name itself may have originated as a nickname given to women who carried water to men on the battlefield during War.

That evening George comes home from work and notices Liz is lethargic. 

LIZ: “I’m so tired I can barely move my rear echelon.”

GEORGE: “Sit on my lap, Scarlet O’Hara!”

George compares Liz to the heroine of the book and film Gone With The Wind. Coincidentally, when the 1939 film was being cast, Lucille Ball would actually be considered for the role. It eventually went to Vivian Leigh. Ball subsequently played the role in September 1971, during a sketch on “Lucy and Flip Go Legit” (HL S4;E1). 

The General phones to invite Liz to go to the museum with him tomorrow. She volunteers George to go along!  If they don’t go, the General wants to reenact the burning of Rome, with George as Nero! 

The Great Fire of Rome occurred in July, 64 AD. In the aftermath of the fire, two thirds of Rome had been destroyed. Emperor Nero blamed the devastation on the Christian community in the city, initiating the empire’s first persecution against the Christians. Legend has it that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. 

After their exhausting day at the museum and target practice in the backyard, Liz and George reconnoiter to plan their next move. Liz decides that the only way to pre-occupy the General is to patch up his romances with Librarian Winifred Higgins. She contrives to invite them both to dinner. 

GEORGE: “Give them one ear of corn between them, and they’re bound to get together.” 

The dinner doesn’t go well. The two barely talk to one another, despite Liz’s best efforts. Conversation is at a standstill. Winifred is still angry because The General tends to leave food in his library books.

WINIFRED: “How does it look when you open a history book and find the Pilgrims setting foot on a piece of salami?”

Rather than talk to Winifred, the General would much prefer to spend time with Liz. Miss Higgins leaves in tears. 

Later, The General drops by to tell the Cugats that he’s patched up with Miss Higgins. He confesses, that his attentions to Liz were all to make Miss Higgins jealous.  

A final tag has Liz and George in bed wondering which of them will get up and open the window. George gives in, but the window is stuck. George sees a burglar in striped pajamas trying to get in!

LIZ: “George, you’re trying to raise the mirror!” 

The couple kiss goodnight.

Although this installment has no direct corollary to the television series “I Love Lucy,” there are similarities to

“Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15).

The General is similar to Mr. Ritter and Miss Higgins similar to Miss Lewis, with Liz / Lucy trying to get the couple together.