TV GUIDE: STILL IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

December 10, 1955

TV GUIDE ~ Volume 3, no. 50, issue #141, week of December 10 – 16, 1955. This was Lucille Ball’s sixth of 39 covers. Image by Paul Hesse. 

Paul Hesse (1896-1973) was born in New York City. While attending Pratt Institute he experimented with photography. After World War I he became a poster illustrator, but grew impatient with its time-consuming aspects. After reading all the photography books in the New York Public Library, he set out on a photographic career. In the mid-1920s, he established a successful commercial photography studio. Later he resettled in Los Angeles, where his Sunset Strip studio became a gathering place for advertising and motion picture industry notables.

“STILL IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT” discusses that “I Love Lucy” is still popular, despite the cancelation of many sitcoms. 

On Monday, December 11, 1955, “I Love Lucy” aired “Ricky’s European Booking” (ILL S5;E10) filmed on November 10, 1955.  At 8:30pm, Desilu’s “December Bride” aired. 

In the episode, Ricky sang “Forever Daring” with the Pied Pipers, promoting the upcoming film of the same title starring Lucy and Desi. 

Also on December 10, 1955, Hedda Hopper’s syndicated column reported that Forever Darling would premiere on Valentine’s Day 1956. 

On the December 10, 1955 TV News column by Bob Chess, it was announced that Desilu would produce a new series titled “Father Duffy of Hell’s Kitchen” starring Lloyd Nolan. Before filming, Nolan withdrew over script changes and Karl Malden stepped in. The title was changed to “Danny Violin” but never went before the cameras. 

Saturday evening, December 8, 1955, in Shreveport, Louisiana, TV station KSLA ran rebroadcasts of “I Love Lucy” at 5:30, although they called it “The Lucy Show.” 

This Casper, Wyoming, newspaper predicted the demise of the half-hour “I Love Lucy.”