KATIE & ROSCOE

November 6, 1948

“Katie & Roscoe” is episode #17 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on November 6, 1948.

Synopsis ~ Katie, the Cugat’s maid, has been telling her long-distance romance that she was rich. Can Liz convince Roscoe that she’s the maid and Katie is her employer? It all depends on whether or not George finds out!

This script was partially used as the basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “Mertz and Kurtz” (ILL S1;E32) first aired on October 11, 1954. 

Note: This episode of “My Favorite Husband” 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 Cooper. 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.

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

Hans Conried (Roscoe Miller) 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. 

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. Cory was a regular character who was eventually written out of the series when the Atterbury’s (Gale Gordon and Bea Bendaret) were introduced. 

Bea Benadaret (Lucy, Party Line Gossip) 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.

Florence Halop (Bessie, Party Line Gossip) was cast to replace Bea Benadaret in a radio show moving to CBS TV called “Meet Millie” when she was hired to play on of the two women on Lucy Ricardo’s party line in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) also featuring Hans Conried. She wouldn’t work for Lucy again until 1974, when she played a Little Old Lady on a Western-themed episode of “Here’s Lucy.” In 1985, she replaced Selma Diamond (who had died of lung cancer) as the bailiff on “Night Court.” Coincidentally, Halop, also a heavy smoker, died less than a year later of the same disease.

Herb Vigran (Newspaper Collection Man / Bank Telephone Voice) made several appearances on “My Favorite Husband.” He would later play Jule, Ricky’s music union agent on two episodes of “I Love Lucy”. He would go on to play Joe (and Mrs. Trumbull’s nephew), the washing machine repairman in “Never Do Business With Friends” (S2;E31) and Al Sparks, the publicity man who hires Lucy and Ethel to play Martians on top of the Empire State Building in “Lucy is Envious” (S3;E23). Of his 350 screen roles, he also made six appearances on “The Lucy Show.”

THE EPISODE

Liz Cugat is in the kitchen doing dishes when Katie the maid comes in, worried about a boyfriend she hasn’t seen in 15 years: Roscoe Miller, a wealthy man from Kansas she’s been corresponding with. Katie has told him she was wealthy, too.  Roscoe is coming to town and now Katie is worried she will be discovered as a maid, not a mistress. 

To rescue Katie, Liz will pretend to be the maid, while Katie poses as Lady of the house!  To accommodate the deception, Liz loans Katie her wardrobe and perfume.  In the process, she tears the dress.

KATIE: “I’m just too fat for your clothes.”
LIZ: “Oh, fiddle-faddle!” 
KATIE: “That’s just it. My fiddle’s okay, I’m just too big in the faddle.”

The doorbell rings and Liz goes into action as the maid to answer it. She admits the man, but it is just the newspaper collection man (Herb Vigran). After he goes, the bell rings again. It is Roscoe Miller, who doesn’t match Katie’s description at all. 

Katie greets Roscoe, but instinctively doesn’t sit down, forgetting she’s no longer the maid. Roscoe is still single.  Katie says she is, too, but Roscoe spots a cigar smoldering in the ashtray.  Katie says it is hers!  Roscoe also sees a photo of a man (George) inscribed “to my wife”!  She says they are her ex-husband. 

LIZ: “Pardon me, ma’am. How do you get the cream and sugar into those little tea bags?” 

Katie asks Liz to explain about the ex-husband in the photo. Thinking quick, Liz says he left and has never been heard of since, taking the children with him. 

LIZ: “And he took her automobile with him.”
ROSCOE: “The cad!”
LIZ: “No, the Buick.”

Liz continues her story, saying that he developed amnesia and is wandering the world somewhere. Katie starts to cry. Liz says his name was Adolph Jensen. When Katie starts to chime in on Liz’s story, they tell conflicting tales, confusing Roscoe. They can’t decide where she met him: bank or country club or whether it was 8 or 10 yeas ago.

The doorbell rings. It is Cory Cartwright (John Heistand). Liz enlists his help by telling him the whole story on the porch:

LIZ: “Roscoe Miller is Katie’s old boyfriend who thinks she’s married to Adolph Jensen. Adolph has amnesia because he embezzled the bank and we’ve got to get rid of Roscoe before George comes home and he finds out the truth. Now, is that clear?”
CORY: “Sure. You just condensed the plot of the last three years of ‘Ma Perkins’.”

“Ma Perkins” was a radio soap opera heard on NBC from 1933 to 1949 and on CBS from 1942 to 1960. Between 1942 and 1949, the show was heard simultaneously on both networks. The series is widely credited with giving birth to storytelling and content-based advertising.

Cory agrees to help Liz by taking Roscoe downtown and drop him somewhere. 

Later, the phone rings and George asks if he can bring a friend home for dinner – a new acquaintance named Roscoe Miller.  

LIZ: “We’ve been held over, Katie. We’ve got to give a repeat show for the West Coast!” 

This inside joke refers to the fact that live radio (and later television) shows had to be done twice to account for the time difference. Once for the East Coast and again for the West Coast. Technology would soon make such reprises unnecessary. 

Katie urges Liz to call George back and tell him the truth. When she tries, the phone is being used by a party line with Lucy and Bessie gossiping non-stop. 

A Party Line is a local loop telephone circuit that is shared by multiple subscribers. Party line systems were used to provide telephone service starting with the first commercial switchboards in 1878. Party lines provided no privacy and were frequently used as a source of entertainment and gossip. Objections about one party monopolizing a line were common and eavesdropping remained an ongoing concern. By the end of the 20th century, party lines had been phased out in the United States.  A party line would also be featured in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) where one of the gabby partiers is also played by Florence Halop!  

If she can just get through on the phone, Liz will tell George she has lockjaw and can’t entertain guests.  When Liz is finally able to get the women to hang up, George has already left the bank. 

Cory comes back to say he’s completed his task, but Liz tells him that they’ve met up and he needs to find them and head them off.  

When George and Roscoe pull up to the Cugat home, Roscoe realizes George is Adolph Jensen!  He tells George that he’s about to be reunited with his long-lost wife!  When he opens the door, Liz and Katie both pretend George is Adolph.  Roscoe asks about Adolph’s six (or seven, according to Katie) children. 

George insists that he’s George Cugat, not Adolph Jensen. Saved by the (door) bell!  It is Cory, answering the door Liz the maid has a moment to whisper in his ear to play along.

LIZ: “Why, Adolph!  Don’t you recognize him?  Your eldest son!”
GEORGE: “Cory!  Say something!”
CORY: “Daddy!” 

Later, George and Liz are relieved that everything ended well. George reports that Roscoe bought a lot of bonds from him. Liz reasons that then he can afford to buy her a new fur coat.  He suddenly fiens amnesia. She does too!

LIZ: “I’m not Liz. I’m Mrs. Jensen. Give me a kiss, Adolph.” 

End of Episode