APPENDICITIS, RENO & FULL CONFESSIONS!

June 9, 1939

Lucille Ball’s appendectomy prevented her from doing RKO’s Full Confession. The role went to Sally Eilers, who had been in Carnival with Lucille Ball in 1935. Before her illness, Ball did Five Came Back for RKO. Both films were directed by John Farrow, Mia Farrow’s father.  The RKO art department obviously wasn’t working overtime to make each film look distinct!  

For reasons that are not clear, Ball did not do Reno. The role went to Gail Patrick, who had been seen with Lucille in Murder at the Vanities (1934) and Stage Door (1937).  Again, John Farrow was the director. I suspect his indicates that Farrow was a fan of Miss Ball.  

Instead, Ball did That’s Right – You’re Wrong with Kay Kyser.