LUCY CLOWNS AGAIN!

September 29, 1962

On September 29, 1962, Lucille Ball again graced the cover of TV Guide.  This was just one of her 39 TV Guide covers, having appeared on the very first national edition in 1952.  

The unique and memorable cover photo – which seems to capture the 51 year-old Ball leaping in mid air – was taken by Philippe Halsman (1906-1979). In 1951 Halsman was commissioned by NBC to photograph various popular comedians of the time including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Groucho Marx, and Bob Hope. 

He captured many of the comedians in mid-air, which went on to inspire many later ‘jump’ pictures of celebrities including the Ford family, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Marilyn Monroe, and Richard Nixon. His first TV Guide cover was in 1955 and he did more than 30 more.

In 1950, Halsman took this now-iconic photo of Lucille Ball. 

The inside article was written by Edith Efron (1922-2001). She became a writer and, later, senior editor of TV Guide in the 1960s and 1970s, where she wrote celebrity profiles, political columns and editorials.

“She
seems at first to be made up of disparate and clashing bits and
pieces: the absurdly orange hair… the sharp, indifferent blue
eyes… the fringe of black lashes, each standing out spikily… the
unsmiling pink lips, painted heartshape, over the real lines of pain
beneath the heavy make-up… the strong handshake… the cold, shy
manner… the brusque speech… the stiff-legged, almost boyish
stride.”

Efron equates the brand new “Lucy Show” without Desi to Gone With The Wind with Scarlett and no Rhett. Efron assesses the newly minted “corn” as a an “unsettling” and “odd experience.” 

Monday, October 1, 1962 saw the premiere of Lucille Ball’s much-anticipated new sitcom, “The Lucy Show” on CBS. Once again, the Queen is on her throne on Monday nights, this time as a widowed mother of two, sharing a suburban house with her best friend, a divorcee with a child of her own, played by her former partner in crime, Vivian Vance. The first episode aired was titled “Lucy Waits Up for Chris” and featured Lucille Ball on a trampoline!  

The Guide lists that the World Series will begin on NBC on Wednesday in Los Angeles, with a resurrection of the old “Subway Series” between the Dodgers and their old sparring partners the New York Yankees. Except it didn’t start on Wednesday, and when it did, it wasn’t the Dodgers who took on the Yankees, but the San Francisco Giants. It’s also a lesson in what can happen when you’re a publication working under a deadline!  

Going pretty much unmentioned is that on Monday, October 1, 1962, Johnny Carson assumed hosting of “The Tonight Show” for the very first time. Johnny Carson and “The Tonight Show” would be integrated into an episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1969.

Lucille Ball made 20 appearances on “The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson” although a few were with guest hosts. 

Earlier in the day on NBC another famous host made his debut with “The Merv Griffin Show” (1962-86).  Lucille Ball made four appearances on the chatfest between 1971 and 1980. 

Also this week, the Desilu series “The Real McCoys” moved to CBS after five years on ABC. Kathy Nolan had left her role as Kate so Luke was a now a widow. This was the beginning of the end for the once-popular series. Norma Varden appeared in the season opener, directed by its star, Richard Crenna.

Desilu’s other big series (before “The Lucy Show”) was “The Untouchables” – which was then two episodes into its fourth and final season. Gilbert Seides reviewed the series in this issue. 

The entire main cast would join “The Lucy Show” for a satire on the series in 1966. To preserve the show’s integrity, the characters had different names, but were clearly recognizable to viewers.