EXECUTIVE SESSION

January 12, 1957

Lucille Ball was on the cover of TV Guide (volume 5; number 2) on January 12, 1957. This is Ball’s 7th (of 39) covers of the National TV Guide. Before 1957 is done, she will grace her 8th cover.  The close-up photo is by John Engstead (1909-83).  Engstead had photographed Lucille Ball for the cover of Time Magazine in 1952. 

Coincidentally, the previous week Arthur Godfrey was on the cover. In 1951, Arthur Godfrey’s “Talent Scouts” was the lead-in to “I Love Lucy,” airing just prior to the new sitcom, which he promoted on the air. Ball would later credit Godfrey for much of the show’s success. In 1957, “Talent Scouts” is still “Lucy’s” lead-in. 

The inside article was titled “Lucy and Desi’s Million Dollar Corporation”. 

DESI: (looking at his awards) “It’s ridiculous!  Just plain ridiculous!”

The article includes a list of the 1957 Desilu shows:

• “I Love Lucy” (1951-57)
• “December Bride” (1954-59)
• “The Sheriff of Cochise” (1956-59)
• “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp” (1955-61)
• “The Lineup” (1954-60)
• “The Brothers” aka “The Box Brothers” (1956)
• “The Danny Thomas Show” (1953-65)
• “Wire Service” (1956-57)
• “DuPont Theatre” aka “Cavalcade of America” (1952-57)
• “The Adventures of Jim Bowie” (1956-58)

Partly Owned by Desilu:

• “Willy” (1954-55)
• “Those Whiting Girls” (1955-57)

Audition (aka Pilot) Films made by Desilu – as of January 12, 1957:

• “Just Off-Broadway” (1955) – did not go to series
• “Adventures of a Model” – did not go to series; pilot aired in 1960
• “Country Doctor” (1954) – did not go to series
• “Mr. Tutt” – did not go to series; pilot aired in 1958
• “Mystery Theater” – anthology series pilot later aired under another title
• “Orson Welles Theater” aka “The Fountain of Youth” (1956) – aired in 1958 
• “Whirlybirds” (1957-60) – series premiered one month after article was published. 

Filmed at Desilu Studios:

• “Our Miss Brooks” (1952-56)
• “The Loretta Young Show” (1953-61)
• “Ray Bolger Show” (1958)
• “The Jimmy Durante Show” (1954-56)
• “Red Skelton Show” (1951+)
• “It’s Always Jan” (1955-56)
• “My Favorite Husband” (1953-55)
• “Hot Stove League”
• “Date With the Angels” (1957-58)
• “The George Gobel Show” (1954-60)
• “The Jack Benny Program” (1950-65)
• “A Christmas Carol” (1954)
• “High Tor” (1956)
• “Official Detective” (1957)

Audition (aka Pilot Films) made at Desilu Studios – as of January 12, 1957:

• “The Aldrich Family” (1949-53)
• “Father Duffy at Hell’s Kitchen” (1956)
• “The Long Highway”
• “The Web”
• “Buckley” 
• “Hart of Honolulu” (1956)
• “Beesemeyer’s Bungalow” (1956)

The photo feature “Do You Remember?” includes a photo from the “I Love Lucy” pilot episode filmed in June 1951, despite the fact that the program was not aired until 1990!

This TV Guide contains the listing for “The Jackie Gleason Show: At 65" airing Saturday, January 12, 1957 – a tribute to Eddie Cantor on his 65th birthday (which is actually a few weeks later) in which Lucille Ball participates. 

This TV Guide contains the listing for “Lucy and Superman” (ILL S6;E13) ~ first aired on Monday, January 14, 1957.

On April 8, 2013 TV Guide’s 60th anniversary reprised this cover in a digital format, one of six commemorative covers.