THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE BLACK EYE

February 10, 1951

“The Misunderstanding of the Black Eye” (aka “Liz’s Black Eye”) is episode #118 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on February 10, 1951.

This was the 20th episode of the third season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 31 new episodes, with the season (and series) ending on March 31, 1951.

Synopsis ~ When the Atterburys ask how Liz got her black eye, Liz jokingly answers “Oh, George slugged me,” and now they won’t believe any other explanation.

This radio program was the basis for the “I Love Lucy” TV episode “The Black Eye” (ILL S2;E20), filmed on  September 15, 1952 and first aired on March 9, 1953.

“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.

GUEST CAST

Robert ‘Bobby’ D. Jellison (Mr. Benton, Florist) will play the recurring character of Bobby the bellboy throughout the Hollywood episodes of “I Love Lucy.” Prior to that, he was the milkman in “The Gossip” (S1;E24). He made one more appearance as another luggage jockey in “Lucy Hunts Uranium,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” set at the Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. He died in 1980.

Lester Jay (Delivery Boy) was a child actor who appeared extensively on ”Let’s Pretend” for CBS-Radio. He was one of three actors to play Chester on “The Gumps” (1935-37), Robinson Brown, Jr. on “Robinson Crusoe, Jr.” (1934-35) and Terry on “Terry And Ted” (1937-48).

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers tonight, dinner is over and Liz is curled up in the living room with a good book. George enters.” 

George is looking for the book he was reading, only to find Liz is reading it. She refuses to give it up and insists that they sit close and read it together. Liz mumbles when she reads, distracting George, so she reads passages about Madge and Gordon, and their fateful love affair, aloud.

Liz gets carried away acting out the story.

Outside the Cooper home, the Atterbury’s are approaching the front door, but Iris is uncomfortable about not calling first.

IRIS: “Emily Post wouldn’t do it!”

Emily Post (1872-1960) was a writer who’s name has become synonymous with proper etiquette and manners. More than half a century after her death, her name is still used in titles of etiquette books.  Her name was invoked by Kim in “Lucy’s Houseguest, Harry” (HL S3;E20) in 1971, twenty years after this mention on “My Favorite Husband”!

Before they can ring the doorbell, Iris and Rudolph hear Liz acting out violent passages of the book and think that they are overhearing real violence between Liz and George!

The dialogue for the television script is nearly identical to the radio version, with Fred and Ethel (William Frawley and Vivian Vance) taking the lines originally spoken by Rudolph and Iris. A few lines about Ricky (Desi Arnaz) and his hot Latin temper are added for TV.

They decide to hurry down to the drugstore and call the Coopers to tell them they are coming over – so they are prepared.  When Liz answers the phone, she cryptically acts as if Liz might have something to tell her, but Liz is clueless.

LIZ: “Iris, have you been nipping at the cooking sherry?”

On television, Lucy is more direct. Cooking sherry, a fortified wine for culinary use, was something housewives might have in their pantry.  To say a woman sipped cooking sherry was a polite way of saying that a woman drank, usually unbeknownst to her husband.

IRIS: “Anything we can bring over? Ice cream? Candy? Bandages?”

On television, Ethel offers iodine in lieu of bandages!

LIZ: “And put your shoes on!”
GEORGE: “Why? They know we have feet.” 

This exchange was used in “Men Are Messy” (ILL S1;E8) in 1951, so it was not repeated in “The Black Eye” in 1952:

LUCY: “Put your shoes on and pick up those papers. Company is coming.”
RICKY: “It isn’t company, it’s Fred and Ethel.”
LUCY: “Well, put your shoes on.”
RICKY: “They know I have feet.”

Cleaning up, George tosses the book to Liz and it hits her in the eye. She quickly develops a black eye!  The Atterburys arrive and are dismayed to see Liz with a shiner.  Liz jokingly says that “George slugged me!” and George laughingly plays along. The Atterbury’s are appalled!

LIZ: (laughing) “Nobody ever believes the real story of a black eye so I made one up!” 

IRIS: “Another man?”
LIZ: “No, a Shetland pony. I couldn’t tell you his name.”
IRIS: “It wouldn’t be cricket, would it?”
LIZ: “No. It’s somebody else.” 

At the bank, Mr. Atterbury calls George in to his office for a private conversation about George striking Liz. He admits that he struck Iris once. In return, she beat him to a pulp!  George finally tells Mr. Atterbury the full truth about the book.  Mr. Atterbury still doesn’t believe him.  He tells his secretary Miss Roberts that he is going down to the florists.

At the flower shop, Mr. Atterbury orders two dozen rose from Mr. Benton, the florist (Bobby Jellison) to be delivered to Liz. Since the delivery truck is just about to depart, Mr. Atterbury rushes to fill out the card.  Mr. Benton assumes Rudolph is sending the flowers to a paramour.  To prove he is just trying to save George’s marriage, he recounts the message he just put in the box:

“Dearest Sweetheart. Nothing that happens can dim my love for you. Signed, adoringly, Rudolph.” 

Saying it out loud, Mr. Atterbury suddenly realizes his error and rushes to the Cooper home to intercept the delivery.

On television, the small role of the florist is played by Bennett Green, Desi Arnaz’s camera and lighting stand-in.

Katie the maid shrieks when she sees Mr. Atterbury lurking in the bushes. Iris and Liz are about to go shopping so Katie hides Mr. Atterbury in the hall closet until they leave. The doorbell rings. It is a delivery boy (Lester Jay) with the flowers. Iris assumes they are from M.L. – Liz’s ‘Mystery Lover’.  To show her that she is being silly, Liz invites Iris to read the card for herself, fully expecting them to be from George.  When Iris reads that the roses are from Rudolph, she is aghast!

LIZ: “You think these flowers are from Rudolph Atterbury?”
IRIS: “They aren’t from Rudolph Valentino!” 

On “I Love Lucy” silent film heartthrob Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) was a favorite of Lucy’s mother, Mrs. McGillicuddy. In Hollywood, she couldn’t wait to go see the house where once Valentino lived.

On television, however, this exchange necessitated another big name star be substituted.

• LUCY: “Oh, now, Ethel, you certainly don’t think that these are from Fred Mertz, do you?”
• ETHEL: “Well, this card certainly wasn’t written by Fred MacMurray.”

In 1958, MacMurray would guest star on “Lucy Hunts Uranium”, an episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.” Starting in 1960, William Frawley (Fred Mertz) would co-star with MacMurray on the family sitcom “My Three Sons.”

Liz calls Mr. Atterbury ‘fat’ and Iris calls him ‘an old goat’!  Furious, Iris gets her coat to leave and finds her husband hiding in the closet!

IRIS (to Rudolph): “You can explain, but there’s something I want to do first!”

Iris punches Rudolph in the eye! Just then, George comes home. Mr. Atterbury accuses George of starting the whole thing by hitting Liz and hauls off and punches him in the eye!  Liz is adamant that George never hit her and shows them exactly what happened by re-enacting the book toss – hitting Iris square in the eye!

END of EPISODE