LUCY’S THIN BLUE LINE

Lucy and Law Enforcement ~ Part 3

On “Here’s Lucy,” Lucy Carter not only had multiple run-ins with the police – she actually became Sheriff for a day! Here’s a look at Carter and Cops!

“Lucy’s Impossible Mission” (1968) ~ In this “Mission:Impossible” spoof, even the police are in on the caper. John J. “Red” Fox was best known for playing policemen, which is what he did on five of his eight appearances on “The Lucy Show” as well as three of his five episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” The policeman has no lines, but is kicked by Lucy to get his attention and says “Ouch!”  

“Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (1969) ~ Van Johnson plays himself and his evil doppelganger.Orwin C. Harvey plays the Security Guard (right). Harvey has one line, spoken off screen. A second Security Guard goes uncredited and has no lines.

“Lucy and the Ex-Con” (1969) ~ Lucy and a safecracker (Wally Cox) go undercover as Little Old Ladies at a dive bar. Vince Howard played the policeman on the extreme left. Many of his 125 TV and film credits were as law enforcement officials. Howard also played a policeman on “Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage” (1971). Larry J. Blake (policeman on right) is making the first of his eight “Here’s Lucy” appearances.

“Lucy Goes on Strike” (1969) ~ Harry refuses to give Lucy a raise so she goes on strike with the other secretaries in the building, including Isabel (Mary Wickes). John J. ‘Red’ Fox returns as the cop on the beat in front of the Bradshawe Building. 

“Lucy and the Great Airport Chase” (1969) ~ Government Agent Bill (Morgan Jones) appears to investigate international epsionage in an episode shot on location at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The G-Man is never addressed by name but listed in the end credits.

“Lucy Helps Craig Get His Driver’s License” (1969) ~ A motorcycle cop (Ray Kellogg) faces off with driving test examiner Wibur Hurlow (Jack Gilford).  

Inside the police station, the officers issuing licenses are played by (left to right): Herkie Styles, Joseph Mell, and Sid Gould. 

“Lucy’s Burglar Alarm” (1969) ~ Detective Harvey Gaynes is played by Elliott Reid, who also appeared on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.” 

“Lucy, the Cement Worker” (1969) ~ Lucy disguises herself as a construction worker to find a valuable ring she’s lost. She encounters the cop on the beat, played by Harry Hickox in the first of his three episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

“Lucy and Viv Visit Tijuana” (1970) ~ At the border, Harry is questioned by a customs officer played by Don Megowan, perhaps best remembered as the Sheriff in The Wolfman (1956). His final role was as a police sergeant in the 1979 TV movie Mrs. R’s Daughter. 

“Lucy and Wall Cox” (1970) ~ Lucy helps Wally Manley (Wally Cox) get a job as a warehouse security guard where they encounter armed criminals. 

“Lucy and Ma Parker” (1970) ~ Carole Cook plays an eccentric master criminal. The police convince Lucy to take her place in order to nab her criminal cohorts. Harry Hickox (Lieutenant L. Hickox, left) makes the second of his three episodes of “Here’s Lucy,” all as policemen. Stafford Repp (Police Detective Halloran,  right) made a career of playing policemen even before he became famous as Police Chief O’Hara on TV’s “Batman” (1966-68). He played two different officers of the law on “Dennis the Menace” in 1962 and 1963. 

“Lucy and the Raffle” (1971) ~ The Baliffs in the courtroom are played by Emile Autuori and John J. ‘Red’ Fox. 

“Lucy and Carol Burnett aka The Hollywood Unemployment Follies” (1971) ~ Lucy and Carol stage a musical revue featuring a tribute to the operetta Rose Marie (1930 & 1940). Four Mounties (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) sing “Stout-Hearted Men”. From left to right: Sid Gould, Kay Kuter, Johnny Silver and Mike Wagner.

“Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage” (1971) ~ In this cross-over with the Mike Connors private eye series “Mannix” (saved from cancellation by Lucille Ball), the policemen are played by Vince Howard (left) and Robert Foulk (right). 

“Lucy and the Celebrities” (1971) ~ Sid Gould plays the Security Guard at the gate of Morton Pictures. Impressionist Rich Little stars with Jack Benny. 

“Lucy and the Candid Camera” (1971) ~ Allen Funt plays himself and an evil imposter, getting the Carters to participate in criminal capers under the impression they are on “Candid Camera”.  Law enforcement is played by (left to right): Peter Leeds, Robert Carson as Sergeant Lou Holmes, and Paul Sorenson, who played policemen many times during his career. 

“Lucy and the Chinese Curse” (1972) ~ When Lucy saves a laundry owner (Keye Luke) from a safe falling in the street, reporters and the police are on the scene. Frequent background performer Walter Smith plays the policeman. He had appeared with Lucille Ball in Forever Darling (1956), as well as in Desilu’s “The Untouchables” and “The Lucy Show.” 

“The Case of the Reckless Wheelchair Driver” (1972) ~ Lucy, in a wheelchair due to her broken leg, is set-up by a conman (Jesse White). Law enforcement officials are (left to right): Officer Rafferty (Robert Foulk), Sergeant Montgomery (Hal Hickox), and Officer Egan (Ed Hall). 

“Dirty Gertie” (1972) ~ Lieutenant Egan is played by Craig Stevens, who is probably best remembered for playing the title role in the private eye series “Peter Gunn” (1958-61). Egan questions Lucy and says he’s “just trying to get the facts, ma’am.” This is a paraphrase of a quote from another famous TV detective, Joe Friday on “Dragnet” played by Jack Webb. The role of Lieutenant Egan was originally written with Webb in mind. Stevens even imitates Webb’s deadpan delivery.

“Lucy Goes to Prison” (1973) ~ Lucy goes undercover in jail to discover where Mumsie Westcott (Elsa Lanchester) hid her stolen loot. Matron Wilson is played by Jody Gilbert, who also played a prison matron on “The Lucy Show.” 

Two uniformed policemen are played by uncredited actors and have no lines.

“The Big Game” (1973) ~ Jerry Jones plays a policeman on the prowl for ticket scalpers at the stadium. Prior to this, Jones played a policeman on “The Doris Day Show” and “The Brady Bunch.” 

“Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers” (1973) ~ On the side of the law are Officers Spencer and Riggs, played by Dick Sargent and Gary Crosby. Rumor has it that the police officers were supposed to be played by “Adam-12” (1968-75) co-stars Martin Milner and Kent McCord. Like “Here’s Lucy,” the NBC police drama was filmed on the Universal lot. Gary Crosby played a recurring role on “Adam-12.” In the script, one officer says to the other “I think we’ve been riding together too long” which would have been even funnier had it been an already famous pair of policemen like Milner and McCord. The episode features Al Lewis, who famously played Officer Schnauser on “Car 54 Where Are You?” (1961-63). 

“Lucy the Sheriff” (1974) ~ Lucy finds out that her grandmother was the first woman sheriff of a Montana town that is celebrating its centennial. She is asked to play her grandmother at the celebrations, which include the recreation of a bank robbery. Lucy is enjoying playing lawmaker until a couple of genuine robbers interrupt the celebration and take her hostage!

Flora Belle Orcutt (the fictional one) is supposedly the first lady sheriff in the West. In real life, the distinction of first woman sheriff has been disputed. Some say it was Texan Emma Banister (1918), but others claim it was Mary Roach (1922-27) because Emma had inherited the position from her husband. Still others believe the title belongs to Kansan Mabel Chase (1926). Mrs. James Latty of Burlington, Iowa, was known as the first “Unofficial Woman Sheriff” as far back as 1870.

Lucy the Sheriff meets Sheriff Bart Thomas, played by Orwin C. Harvey. 

“Lucy Calls the President” (1977) ~ In the CBS special, Lucy Whittaker (Lucille Ball) is scheduled to get a visit from President Jimmy Carter. In advance of the visit, the Barker home is scoped out by Secret Service Agents Thatcher (Joey Forman) and Stockley (Stack Pierce). 

Stone Pillow (1985) ~ Lucille Ball plays a homeless woman living on the streets of Manhattan. When another homeless woman dies on her corner, the police are called. Pat McNamara (Officer Daggett) played Sheriff Perkins in Silence of the Lambs (1991).

“Lucy and the Guard Goose” (1986) ~ This unaired episode of “Life With Lucy” was originally scheduled for broadcast November 22, 1986. When crime hits M&B Hardware, Lucy enlists the help of a guard goose. Charles Levin plays one of Pasadena’s finest, Sergeant Green. Levin played a policeman on two episodes of “Punky Brewster” (1987-88).