PANAMA LADY

May 12, 1939

Directed by Jack Hively
Produced by Cliff Reid for RKO Radio Pictures

Written by Michael Kanin, based on a story by Garrett Fort

Synopsis ~ 

A weary dance-hall girl in a Panama saloon hooks up with a rough-and-tumble oil driller, who takes her to his oil-field in the jungle to show her what “real” life is like.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball (Lucy) appears in her 45th film since coming to Hollywood in 1933. 

LUCY: “You know what I always say?”
MCTEAGUE: “No.”
LUCY: “That’s right.”

Allan Lane (Dennis McTeague) is probably best remembered as the voice of Mr. Ed, the talking horse. He also appeared with Lucille Ball in Having Wonderful Time (1938) and Twelve Crowded Hours (1939).

Donald Briggs (Roy Harmon) played Eddie Collins, Viv’s boyfriend on seven episodes of “The Lucy Show” (1962-63).  He also did one episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1970.

Steffi Duna (Cheema)  also appeared with Lucille Ball in The Marines Fly High (1940). 

Evelyn Brent (Leonore) makes her only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Bernadene Hayes (Pearl) appeared with Lucille Ball in The Whole Town’s Talking (1935). 

Abner Biberman (Elisha) 

also appeared with Lucille Ball in The Marines Fly High (1940).

William Pawley (Bartender) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Earl Hodgins (Foreman) appeared with Lucille Ball in Next Time I Marry (1938), and A Girl, A Guy, And a Gob (1941).  

UNCREDITED CAST

• Lynton Brent  (The Masher)
• Joe
  Devlin (Joe, New York Bartender)
• Joe
  Dominguez (Jose, Waiter)
• Billy
  Franey (Drunk)
• Martin
  Garralaga (Panama Policeman)
• Julian
  Rivero (Main Gun Smuggler)
• Mickey
  Simpson (Rodrigo)
• Larry
  Steers (Cantina Table Extra)
• Joe Devlin (Second Bartender)

PANAMA TRIVIA

The working title of this film was The Second Shot.

Panama Lady is a cleaned-up remake of the 1932 Helen Twelvetrees vehicle Panama Flo.

When the film was re-released in the 1950s, the marketing materials took advantage of Lucille Ball’s popularity through “I Love Lucy”.

During the summer of 1962, Donald Briggs (Roy Harmon) was cast to play Eddie Collins on Lucille Ball’s new television series, “The Lucy Show.” Eddie Collins was Vivian Bagley’s on-again / off-again boyfriend.  Briggs did seven episodes of the series before the character was written out early in season two.

• “Lucy Digs Up a Date” (TLS S1;E2) October 8, 1962
• “Lucy Builds a Rumpus Room” (TLS S1;E11) December 10, 1962 
• “Chris’s New Year’s Eve Party” (TLS S1;E14) December 31, 1962
• “Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower” (TLS S1;E18) January 28, 1963
• “Lucy and Viv Become Tycoons” (TLS S1;E20) February 11, 1963
• “No More Double Dates” (TLS S1;E21) February 18, 1963
• “Lucy Goes Duck Hunting” (TLS S2;E6) November 4, 1963

His final appearance with Lucille Ball was on “Here’s Lucy” in “Lucy The Crusader” (HL S3;E5) on October 12, 1970.

The film was previewed on May 5, 1939 at the Hillstreet Theatre in Los Angeles.

It seems that Lucille Ball playing a character named Lucy confused a parrot named Lucy, and the bird was unemployed from its role in the film!