BEHIND THE WHEEL!

Lucy & Cars ~ Part Two

In the 1960s America took to the open road. Everyone owned a car – and Lucy and Viv were no exception. In Danfield and Los Angeles, “The Lucy Show” was motorized! 

“Lucy Buys a Sheep” (1962) ~ When Lucy goes to pick out a sheep to act as a lawn mower, she drives a 1949 Packard Super Deluxe 8 convertible. Packard started making automobiles in 1899 and went out of business in 1958, four years before the series premiered. Future episodes indicate that Lucy doesn’t own a car, so the Packard may belong to Viv.

“Lucy and Viv Are Volunteer Firemen” (1963) ~ As the Chief, Lucy gets to drive the fire truck!  This is a Moreland Truck, a company based in Los Angeles. 

“Lucy Drives a Dump Truck” (1963) ~ The title tells it!  Lucy and Viv drive a 1956 Ford F-Series dump truck to deliver recycled newspapers for cash. The  truck has ‘Roy Long’s Rental’ written on the doors. In reality, Roy Long was Desilu’s construction superintendent. This is a huge production for the series, using more than a dozen extras, 160,000 newspapers, an enormous sound stage dressed as a city street, and six vehicles.

Parked on the street is a 1961 Chevrolet Apache light-duty truck with a Fleetside bed option. [More about motorcyles in a future blog.]

The dump truck passes a 1956 De Soto Fireflite Four-Door Sedan.

“Lucy Decides to Redecorate” (1963) ~ When they redecorate the house, Lucy and Viv must sleep in the car!  Viv’s car is a 1953 Ford Crestline Sunliner convertible. This is the first time we have seen inside the Carmichael’s garage.

A close-up of the interior of the vehicle and Lucy’s feet!  

In her sleep, Lucy’s foot hits the gear shift and the car crashes through the living room wall. 

“Lucy, the Camp Cook” (1964) ~ Mr. Mooney drives to the camp in a 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint. The Sprint was overshadowed by the Mustang and was discontinued after 1965. When the car runs out of gas, they must hitchhike. 

“Lucy the Meter Maid” (1964) ~ Is another exterior street set featuring lots of vehicles. A 1965 Ford Mustang may also be the same car used in an October 1964 episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” also filmed on the Desilu lot.

Lucy tickets a 1962 Triumph TR4. In court, the Judge admits to owning a “1964 blue convertible” which may be a reference to this car, despite the difference in the actual model year. The license plate is a 1964 NY World’s Fair commemorative plate. Behind it is the 1953 Ford Crestline Sunliner previously seen in “Lucy Decides to Redecorate”.  

“Lucy Makes a Pinch” (1965) ~ On a stake-out, Lucy and Detective Baker park on Lover’s Lane in a 1964 Lincoln Continental convertible.

When Lucy and Viv are on their own stake out, they are sitting in a customized Jeep CJ-5. It is never stated where or how they acquired a lavender jeep!  

“Lucy at Marineland” (1965) ~ When the show relocates to California, the first episode opens with location footage of Marineland in Rancho Palos Verdes, California . Mr. Mooney agrees to leave work at the bank and drive Lucy and Jerry to Marineland in his light colored Ford Falcon convertible.  

“Lucy and the Undercover Agent” (1965) ~ Lucy, Mr. Mooney, and the Countess go undercover. Mr. Mooney is the chauffeur of a Rolls-Royce 25/30 HP Park Ward swept-tail saloon car. 

In 1965, Lucille Ball and her husband Gary Morton filmed a home movie while vacationing in Monte Carlo. The film takes place on the streets and features many vehicles. 

“Lucy and the Submarine” (1966) ~ Before sneaking onto the submarine, Lucy hides out in a parked Laundry van. 

“Lucy and the Ring-A-Ding Ring” (1966) ~ In this episode Mr. Mooney drives a red Volkswagen convertible bug, a somewhat unusual choice for a middle-aged banker during in the mid-1960s.  

“Lucy in London” (1966) ~ The special was shot on location. Footage of Picadilly circus includes many vehicles, including a white VW Beetle. 

“Lucy Puts Main Street on the Map” (1966) ~ A news crew operates out of a blue hatchback station wagon. The camera is mounted on the roof. 

“Lucy Gets Involved” (1968) ~ Lucy moonlights as a carhop at a drive-in burger joint.  The episode features the light blue 1962 Triumph TR4 convertible previously seen in “Lucy, the Meter Maid”.

The scenes feature a blue Ford Convertible, a vintage 1920s Roadster, a blue Sports Car, a red VW Beetle with Moon Roof, and a Police Car.

“Lucy and the Stolen Stole” (1968) ~ Buddy Hackett plays a con-man who drives a little red sportscar.

“Lucy and the Lost Star” (1968) ~ Before arriving at Joan Crawford’s mansion, Lucy and Viv’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.