THE ELVES

September 2, 1949

“The Elves” is episode #52 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on September 2, 1949.

This was the first episode of the second season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND which concluded on June 25, 1950.  

Synopsis ~ Liz and George arrive home from vacation to find that someone has been ordering strawberry ice cream from the milkman every day, and the pink trail leads to the doorstep of their new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Wood, and their ten children.

“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.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury, Liz’s Best Friend) 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.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury, George’s Boss) 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.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) does not appear in this episode

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

Hans Conried (Mr. Wood, New Neighbor) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942). He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13) – both in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan. On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) and in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was filmed on the Desilu lot. He joined Thomas on a season 6 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973. He died in 1982 at age 64.

Conried plays Mr. Wood in several other episodes. His first name is Benjamin, and his wife – who we never meet – is named Gertrude. They were both only children and want to make up for it by having a large family. 

Frank Nelson (Mr. Stevens) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”.  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs. His trademark was playing clerks and other working stiffs, suddenly turning to Benny with a drawn out “Yeeeeeeeeees?” Nelson appeared in 11 episodes of “I Love Lucy”, including three as quiz master Freddy Fillmore, and two as Ralph Ramsey, plus appearance on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” – making him the only actor to play two different recurring roles on “I Love Lucy.” Nelson returned to the role of the frazzled Train Conductor for an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1963. This marked his final appearance on a Lucille Ball sitcom.

Anne Whitfield (Joanne Wood, Nearly 7) is best remembered for her signature role as the younger daughter of Phil Harris and Alice Faye on their hit radio show.  Although she never appeared on screen with Lucille Ball, she did a 1962 episode of Desilu’s “The Untouchables.” She is best known for playing Susan in the 1954 film White Christmas. She was 11 years old in 1949 when this episode of “My Favorite Husband” was broadcast. As of this writing she is 82 years old and living in Washington state.

Joanne Wood is one of the many children of the Coopers neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wood. She will also appear as Joanne Wood, without Conried, but with Nelson, in “Liz’s Superstitions” in October 1949. 

THE EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on lazy little Sheridan Falls, the hometown of the Coopers, we find many signs that summer is over. The leaves are turning red, the Coopers are turning their faces toward home after summer vacation, and Liz is hoping that all her friends will turn green when they see how she’s turned brown. Let’s pick them up as their drive into town…”

Liz is anxious for people to see her summer tan. She spots the Atterburys and wants to stop the car to talk.  They also just got back from vacation at Moosehead Lodge.  Every time Liz tries to talk about her sunny stay, Iris and Rudolph interrupt about their Lodge at the lake.  Liz and Iris tug at her blouses and slacks to reveal their tans.  

Mr. Atterbury tells George that he may be getting a promotion.  They say their goodbyes.

LIZ: “Goodbye, Paleface!”
IRIS: “See you later, Snow White!”

The Paleface was a Bob Hope / Jane Russell film released at the very end of 1948 and still in cinemas at the time of the broadcast. The Paramount western also featured future “Lucy” cast members Iris Adrian, Iron Eyes Cody, Olin Howland, Nestor Paiva, George Chandler, Fred Aldrich, Oliver Blake, George Bruggerman, Dick Elliott, and Bert Stevens. 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a 1937 animated Disney film based on the classic fairy tale. It featured the voices of future “Lucy” cast member Pinto Colvig and Moroni Olsen. 

Upon arriving home, the Coopers notice that their porch has been painted white. Upon closer inspection, they realize it isn’t paint – but milk.  Their ‘milk card’ has been tampered with to order strawberry ice cream while they were away – yet none is found.  

During the early part of the twentieth century, dairy products were usually delivered to homes, rather than shopped in a market.  The milkman was part of daily life.  Housewives would leave notes (or cards, as above) to request items outside their standing delivery order: Milk, eggs, yogurt, butter, and ice cream, were all offered.  It was not uncommon to see back porches with milk boxes and or empty bottles ready to be returned to the dairy.  This service has all but disappeared in favor of supermarkets. 

Liz and George turn into amateur sleuths to track down the trail of strawberry ice cream drippings which lead directly to… the empty house next door.  Liz notices laundry on the line and surmises that the new neighbors moved in while they were away.  

George angrily knocks on the door, which is opened by Mr. Wood (Hans Conried).  He explains that one of his children has brought home strawberry ice cream.  The elves gave it to her.  Mr. Wood goes to find his daughter to explain. 

LIZ (to George): “I think Mr. Wood has snapped his twig!” 

Mr. Wood returns, assured that Joanna, his daughter, isn’t listening.  Mr. Wood explains that he has ten children and one on the way.  Liz is shocked to find out Mrs. Wood is still alive! 

GEORGE: “Well, Mr. Wood, you’ve certainly got a lot of little splinters.” 

The rest of the children stay with relatives in the summer.  Mr. Wood calls for Joanne, who he thought was buying the ice cream from her allowance. Joanne is an imaginative child who thinks she’s a fairy queen, comes in.  She has been feeding her pet dragon, Charlie, the ice cream.  Liz tells her that dragons don’t eat so much ice cream, but Joanne insists that Charlie’s just a small dragon – a dragon-ette.  

LIZ: “Yes. I’ve heard of her sister – Jessica.”

Jessica Dragonette (1900-80) was a singer who became popular on American radio and was active in the World War II effort. She was voted best female singer of the country 1942 and 1943.

Much to Liz and George’s chagrin, Mr. Wood let’s her daughter off without any punishment or admonishment for her ice cream thievery.  Mr. Wood offers to pay their milk bill as compensation.  

End of Part One

Bob LeMond gives listeners a Jell-O ‘dreamy’ recipe for a fluffy orange tart. 

As the second half opens, Mr. Wood has rung the Cooper’s doorbell to report that little Joanne overheard them say that their were no such things as elves. Mr. Wood wants them to pretend to be elves to console her. Liz and George are reluctant, but agree when they see her awash in tears.  

The Coopers will pretend to find Joanne’s lost dragon, Charlie. To prove that they are really elves, Joanne insists that Liz transform into a troll and George into a Brownie Princess. On the way out, Joanne picks up the Coopers telephone and it is Mr. Atterbury, who is bringing over an important client, Mr. Stevens.  Joanne refuses to tell Liz and George who was on the phone – claiming it was the King of the Elves. 

As Joanne waits outside for their transformation, Liz and George plan their outrageous outfits. As a brownie princess, George will wear his brown shoes, socks, and garters, a dried grass-skirt, water-wings, and a brown bathing cap. As a troll, Liz will wear a stocking over her face hanging down like an elephant’s trunk, red rubber gloves on her hands and feet, and will walk on all fours. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Atterbury drives up with Mr. Stevens (Frank Nelson), describing Mr. Cooper as a “dignified, sober, and conservative”.  On the porch is Joanne, who identifies herself as the Fairy Queen.  From inside, Liz bids them open the door and come in.  Liz is hopping about on all fours, spouting gibberish.  Joanne describes the men as ogres “one uglier than the other.”  

In retrospect, this storyline might have inspired the TV series “Bewitched” (1964-72), in which Darrin Stephens’ boss, Larry Tate, was usually bringing home an important client, describing Darrin to him in glowing terms, and then finding Darrin transformed due to a spell, sometimes involving his own daughter, Tabitha. Even the names Stevens / Stephens is the same!  

Liz straightens up immediately when she sees them. Liz realizes that the ‘Brownie Princess’ is still upstairs, waiting to make his entrance. Too late!  George dances on looking for his lily pad!   Mr. Atterbury fires George on the spot.  Mr. Stevens wants to hear George’s explanation. George stands up for himself – he was simply preserving the fantasy life of a child.  Mr. Stevens takes George’s side and Mr. Atterbury immediately grants George his promotion to third vice president!

 End of Episode

In the live Jell-O commercial that ends the show, Bob LeMond is singing “I’ve been working on the railroad…J-E-L-L-O!” Lucy thinks he is talking about having to take a job on the railroad, telling him that radio is a tough business and television is the future.  They both sing the song with lyrics about Jell-O.