GEORGE IS DRAFTED ~ LIZ’S BABY

January 27, 1951

“George is Drafted ~ Liz’s Baby” (aka “Liz Thinks George is Being Drafted”) is episode #116 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on January 27, 1951.

This was the 18th episode of the third season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 31 new episodes, with the season ending on March 31, 1951.  

Synopsis ~ George gets a letter asking him to serve on the local draft board, and Liz thinks he’s been drafted.  George thinks Liz’s emotional state is because she is having a baby! 

Note: This program was a basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “Drafted” (ILL S1;E11) filmed on November 2, 1951 and first aired on December 24, 1951.   

“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 Cooper) 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. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which 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 Cooper) 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.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on “Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) 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 Ricardo’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.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid)

was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz (above right), 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.

THE EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers, it’s morning and we find Liz Cooper in the living room. Katie the Maid has just brought in the mail.”

Liz sorts through the mail – all of which seems to be for George. Liz is surprised to see a letter from the War Department. Both Liz and Katie immediately jump to the conclusion that he has been drafted. Liz is so curious, she tries to see through the address window on the envelope. Katie thinks that is unethical. 

LIZ: “If they didn’t want people to peek in, they would have put a shade on it!”

Liz can’t stand the suspense and opens the envelope and read the letter. 

LIZ (reads): “Katie! George is being drafted! That’s the thanks you get for doing a good job. George won the last war for them, now they want him to do it all over again!”

This line implies that George Cooper served during World War II. The Korean war began on June 25, 1950. By July, American troops had entered the war on South Korea’s behalf. As far as American officials were concerned, it was a war against the forces of communism.

Meanwhile, George asks to speak to his boss, Mr. Atterbury, privately. He would like a day off to substitute for his friend Dave Janus, who serves on the Draft Board.  Mr. Atterbury thinks that his volunteering is commendable, but warns that he shouldn’t tell Liz about it. When he volunteered during the last war, the women of Iris’s bridge club all wanted favors – to station their sons near home or make them four-star generals!

Back at the Cooper home, Iris visits and Liz breaks the news that George has been drafted.  Soon, both the women are awash in tears: Liz because George has been called, and Iris because Rudolph hasn’t been. 

When George comes home from work, Liz and Katie make a big fuss over him. Once he’s comfortable in his favorite chair, he asks to see the mail. Liz watches him anxiously, but after reviewing all the envelopes, he isn’t the least concerned. In the kitchen, Liz tells Katie that George is being brave for her. Katie serves dinner – all George’s favorite foods: turkey, dressing, and sweet potatoes.  

GEORGE: “What’s for dessert?”
LIZ (wailing): “Jell-Oooooooooooooooo!” 

Liz runs out of the dining room in tears, the perfect cue for the end of Act One and a Jell-O commercial by announcer Bob LeMond. 

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers once again, Liz mistakenly thinks George has been drafted and is trying to be brave about the whole thing. Well, all she’s succeeded in doing so far is completely confusing George, as Mr. Atterbury is finding out.”

At the bank, Mr. Atterbury asks to have a word with George, who has been so distracted that he filed his lunch and put a file in his lunchbox. George is worried about Liz’s behavior at dinner last night.  When George explains her erratic behavior, Mr. Atterbury immediately comes to the conclusion that she’s going to have a baby!  He tells George that she’ll probably play coy and be knitting little things. 

Back at the Cooper home, Iris comes over to ask Liz if George has broken the news to her yet. He hasn’t but Liz has started knitting him some socks to take with him, although she isn’t very good at knitting. Iris promises not to tell Rudolph but hopes that the cat is out of the bag by the time they all play canasta that evening. 

As Iris leaves, George comes home, surprising Liz who tries to hide her knitting behind her back. Mr. Atterbury’s hunch was correct!  When the phone rings, George tells Liz she should get off her feet and relax, even calling her mother!

LIZ: “Well!  You don’t have to get nasty about it!” 

In the next room, George takes a call from Mr. Atterbury, confirming that Liz has indeed been knitting! George warns Mr. Atterbury not to tell Iris about Liz’s baby so she can do it herself – perhaps at their canasta night. 

Later that evening, Iris and Rudolph arrive at the Coopers for canasta. Rudolph is shocked to see Liz up and around ‘in her condition’!  Liz and Iris whisper between themselves. George and Rudolph whisper between themselves. No word from George about being drafted. No word from Liz about having a baby. 

MR. ATTERBURY: “I’ll start the ball rolling. Liz? Do you know when it’s going to be?”
LIZ: “Well, I don’t know why you ask me, but yes, I know. Tomorrow morning.”
MR. ATTERBURY & GEORGE (shocked): “Tomorrow morning?! Oh, Liz, sit down. You have to rest!”

At Iris’s suggestion, Liz gives George the socks she has knitted. George and Rudolph immediately assume they are little sweaters for infants!  Liz wants to know why George is so glad. 

GEORGE: “Well, certainly I’m glad. Aren’t you?”
LIZ: “I should say not. I’m mad! You know who’s to blame for the whole thing, don’t you? Those darn Chinese Communists!“

On October 1, 1949, Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) also known as ‘Red China’. In the above political cartoon from 1951, the octopus of Communist China reaches from Tibet to Malaya, to Indo China, to Korea. 

At the height of confusion, George denies he’s been drafted and Liz admits she’s not having a baby!  George accuses her of snooping, and Liz is upset. 

LIZ: “It’d be just like you to run away and join the army and leave me with our only child! (crying) Waaaaaaaa!”

End of Episode

In the live Jell-O commercial between Bob LeMond and Lucille Ball, Bob plays an explorer lost in the jungle, and Lucille Ball a shy, native flower.

Blooper Alert!  Lucille Ball seems momentarily taken aback after LeMond’s use of the word ‘transpires’!  She stops and repeats the word questioningly. 

BALL: “I was brought up by the animals. My mother was a marmoset… my father was a papaset.”

ANNOUNCER: “Be sure to watch for Lucille Ball as a would-be cosmetic dealer in her latest Columbia picture, ‘The Fuller Brush Girl.’”