Same Actor / Different Character ~ Part 1: “I Love Lucy”
It used to be quite common for actors to be cast in multiple roles on the same series. Not in principal parts, certainly, but in supporting and minor characters. Lucycoms were no exception. Although the world created by these shows was representative of reality, the characters who populated them often gave viewers Deja vu.
For the purposes of this discussion, we won’t include background performers (aka extras) as they were nearly always drawn from the same pool of actors. Also, those who played multiple characters need to have at least two of them identified by name. We will, however, include “the “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hours” in our discussion of “I Love Lucy”.
FRANK NELSON
A busy character actor, Frank Nelson has the distinction of being the only performer to play more than one recurring character (a character seen in more than one episode) on “I Love Lucy”: Quizmaster Freddie Fillmore and Westport neighbor Ralph Ramsey. In addition, he played a nearsighted waiter, a TV host, a policeman, a talent scout, a customs officer, a cruise director, and (perhaps most famously) a train conductor. His comic turn as the conductor was so memorable that he reprised it on “The Lucy Show” in 1963. Lucy had worked with Nelson on her radio show (also as a quizmaster) and knew that audiences loved him – so she had no problem engaging him time and time again.
CHARLES LANE
Another familiar face was veteran character actor Charles Lane. Instead of radio, Lane came from the world of film, having done several pictures with William Frawley. He played a total of six characters, including Mr. Stanley, father of nine girls when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital.” He followed as “The Business Manager”, a casting director, a passport office clerk, a uranium claims officer, and (like Nelson) a customs official, this time at the Mexican border. Lucille Ball created a role for him on “The Lucy Show”, only to let him go when Gale Gordon finally became available. But that didn’t stop Lane, who kept acting until he died at the age of 102!
MARY JANE CROFT
Before settling into the role of Betty Ramsey (with Frank Nelson as her husband Ralph), Croft played the role of Lucy Ricardo’s old chum Cynthia Harcourt, whose request for a charitable donation forces Lucy to take a job as a Woman from Mars. She returned to play new mother Evelyn Bigsby, who sits next to Lucy on the flight home from Europe. Interestingly, Frank Nelson is also in this episode. Just a few months later the pair are back together again as the Ramseys. Viewers didn’t need long memories to think they looked familiar.
ELIZABETH PATTERSON
Viewers fondly remember Patterson as Mrs. Trumbull, the lovable spinster who babysits Little Ricky. On her first episode in 1953, the character was irascible, but grew more likeable over the seven appearances that followed. Many forget that when Lucy and Ricky renewed their vows in Greenwich, Connecticut, Patterson played the Justice of the Peace, Mrs. Willoughby! Mr. Willoughby was played by….
IRVING BACON
Bacon wore many hats (literally) as the man who greeted the Ricardos in Greenwich. But he must’ve done something right because he was asked back to play Will Potter when the gang drove through “Ethel’s Hometown” on their way to Hollywood.
KATHRYN CARD
Best remembered as Mrs. McGillicuddy, the Mrs. Malaprop of Jamestown, Card was nearly unrecognizable when she was first seen on the series, as Minnie Finch’s slovenly neighbor in “Fan Magazine Interview” (1954). Mother (she never had a first name) was seen in seven episodes in 1955 and 1956.
HERB VIGRAN
Busy character man Herb Vigran started on “I Love Lucy” playing Jule, Ricky’s music agent in two 1952 episodes. But when Lucy’s washing machine goes on the fritz, Vigran shows up as Joe, a repairman who also happens to be Mrs. Trumbull’s nephew. He also was seen as Hal Sparks, the publicity man who convinces Lucy and Ethel to dress as women from Mars at the top of the Empire State Building.
PARLEY BAER
Baer’s first collaboration with Lucille Ball was playing MGM’s Mr. Reilly in “Ricky Needs an Agent” (1955). He returned to the series as Connecticut furniture salesman Mr. Perry when “Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors” (1957).
SHEPARD MENKEN
Menken did four different characters from season one to season six. He adopted a French accent to teach Lucy to Apache dance as Jean Valjean Raymond, sold Lucy clay as art store salesman William Abbott, examined Lucy’s vision as an eye doctor, and reverted to his French accent again to sell mass-produced art as a Parisian con-man named Charpontier.
DAYTON LUMMIS
Also in “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (1953) we see dapper Dayton Lummis for the first time as producer Bill Parker (“Parker Preps Prod for Pittsburgh Preem”). He returned the following year as prissy publisher Mel Eaton when “Lucy Writes a Novel” (1954), and yet a third time as MGM producer Mr. Sherman in “LA at Last!” (1955).
LOU KRUGMAN
Viewers didn’t meet Lou Krugman until season four, when he played the film director coping with Lucy and her unwieldy headdress. Ball was so impressed that she immediately cast him as the FBI agent on the train back to New York. When Lucy reprised her heavy headgear routine on a TV special, Krugman was again at her side. In season six, he was cast as the manager of the Club Babalu, (formerly the Tropicana). The job lasted just two episodes before the action of the show shifted to Connecticut.
JAY NOVELLO
Novello was one of Lucille Ball’s favorite performers from her radio show, playing Mr. Negley the postman and other quirky characters. On “I Love Lucy” he was first (perhaps best) remembered as theatrical producer Mr. Merriweather, who longs to talk to his beloved Tilly in “The Seance” (1951). He returned to play Mr. Beecher, the skittish tenant in “The Sublease” (1954), and “The Visitor From Italy” (1956), who arrives looking for his brother Sam Franchesca. Or maybe it was San Francisco.
JOHN HART
Another actor who scored a trifecta was John Hart. Producer Jess Oppenheimer didn’t want to pay too much for the actor who would play Tom Henderson in “Lucy Changes Her Mind” (1953), a character who only says two words at the very end of the show. He wrote in the script that he wanted “the most handsome hunk of man anyone ever saw for $15.56.” Hart was cast. He returned (hopefully with a pay raise) to play the lifeguard who saves Lucy (despite her best efforts) in “The Hedda Hopper Story,” and to play Jim Stevens, a suave studio executive meeting with Dore Schary poolside (the same pool he guarded in the previous episode) in “Don Juan is Shelved” (1955).
ELVIA ALLMAN
Another of Lucy’s favorites from her radio sitcom was Elvia Allman. Even the most casual fan of “I Love Lucy” will recognize her as the barking foreperson at the chocolate factory (“Speed it up a little!”) but she also returned to play one of Minnie Finch’s neighbors (“Do you wanna see Minnie or don’t ya?”). In a change of pace, she played natty Nancy Graham, the columnist who thinks Lucy should “cherish” Ricky. She also encountered Lucy Ricardo as Ida Thompson of the Westport PTA, and as Milton Berle’s officious secretary.
HANS CONRIED
Perhaps no other performer was as beloved by Lucy as Hans Conried. He was seen on all of Lucy’s TV and radio shows, as well as in a film with her. On “I Love Lucy” he had time to do just two roles: the foppish English tutor Percy Livermore, and the unscrupulous used furniture dealer Dan Jenkins. These two diverse characters showed Conried’s range as an actor, so viewers can be forgiven for not noticing that they were the same performer – even though their airdates were just a month apart!
BOB JELLISON
Most viewers remember Jellison as the bellhop at the Beverly Palms Hotel. He played the portly luggage jockey for six episodes in 1955. Jellison was so convincing in the role that in “Lucy Hunts Uranium” (1958), he was once again cast as the bellboy, this time named Henry. But few remember him in his first series appearance, as the milkman (or “cow juice peddler”, as Bill Foster called him) in “The Gossip” (1952).
JOSEPH KEARNS
Kearns was another veteran of Lucille Ball’s radio series. He later found fame as Mr. Wilson on “Dennis the Menace”. For Desilu, he played Dr. Tom Robinson, a psychiatrist, in “The Kleptomaniac” (1953). He returned to the show in its final season as the Theatre Manager in “Lucy’s Night in Town” (1956). “If four people are seeing the show, then four have got to pay!” He died while still playing Henry Wilson, so instead of recasting, George’s brother arrived in town, played by…
GALE GORDON
Gordon’s relationship with Ball goes back to 1938 on radio. She spent the rest of her career casting him on her various shows. She had intended for him to play Fred Mertz, but he was too busy – and too expensive – so Desi cast William Frawley instead. But Lucy despeately wanted Gordon on the show, so the role of Mr. Littlefield, manager of the Tropicana, was created. Mr. Littlefield appeared in just two episodes. Gordon wasn’t seen with Lucy again until 1958, when he played a Judge that deciding a case between the Ricardos, the Mertzes, and Danny Williams’ (Danny Thomas), in “Lucy Makes Room for Danny”.
PHIL OBER
Ober was Vivian Vance’s husband, so it makes sense that he would make at least one appearance – and he did – as the fake husband sent to the Ricardo apartment by “The Quiz Show” (1951). Ober’s marriage eventually ended when Vance accused him of cruelty, but before that could happen, he was a last minute replacement for Dore Schary when “Don Juan is Shelved” (1955). Schary was a real-life MGM movie producer who was scheduled to appear as himself. He either got sick or (more likely) got cold feet. So Ober played Schary instead, leaving many unsavvy viewers thinking that Ober was Schary! Speaking of bad marriages and “The Quiz Show”…
JOHN EMERY
…played Harold the Tramp that was confused for Ober’s character. Emery had been married to tempestuous Tallulah Bankhead from 1937 to 1941. Their four short years together were compared by Emery to “the decline of the Roman Empire”. He played a Doctor in Lucy and Desi’s 1956 film Forever Darling. It wasn’t long before he was back at “I Love Lucy” to play the pet-hating Mr. Stewart when “Little Ricky Gets a Dog” (1957).
MADGE BLAKE
Blake is best remembered as Batman‘s Aunt Harriet, but after her notable role of the gossip columnist in Singin’ in the Rain (1952), she was cast on “I Love Lucy” as Mrs. Mulford, the owner of the hat shop when “Ricky Loses His Temper” (1954). Lucy and Desi were introduced to her talent when she played Aunt Anastacia in The Long, Long Trailer. She was asked back in late 1956 to play Martha, the dizzy prospective tenant for apartment 3B in “Lucy and Superman” (1957).
VERNA FELTON
Felton is probably best remembered as Lucy’s demonstrative maid Mrs. Porter, but she first appeared as Mrs. Simpson, a housewife living without electricity – but lots of “Sale Resistance” (1953). The two roles aired just three months apart. A few months later, Lucy and Desi cast her as series regular Hilda Crocker on their new sitcom “December Bride” (1954-57).
HAZEL BOYNE
A former dancer, Boyne was born on Independence Day 1883 and was 68 years old when “Men Are Messy” (1953) was filmed. She charmed audiences as Maggie, the Tropicana’s Irish cleaning woman, dancing with Ricky during rehearsal. She would go on to play one of Minnie Finch’s neighbors in “Fan Magazine Interview” (1954) and (don’t blink) a passenger on “The Great Train Robbery” (1955).
HAL MARCH
March had been an original cast member of “My Favorite Husband.” In the first season of “I Love Lucy” he played an actor named Hal March who Ricky asks to masquerade as a doctor when “Lucy Fakes Illness” (1951). At the end of the show, announcer Johnny Jacobs says “The part of Hal March was played by Hal March.” March returned to the show to play womanizing lingerie salesman Eddie Grant in “Lucy Is Matchmaker” (1953).
WILL WRIGHT
Wright did two films and a radio show with Lucille Ball before being seen on “I Love Lucy.” First, he played Mr. Walters, the locksmith from Yonkers, in “The Handcuffs” (1952). He returned to play the Bent Fork Sheriff (and father of Teensy and Weensy) in “Tennessee Bound” (1955).
ALBERTO MORIN
Morin was Carlos, one of Ricky’s “Cuban Pals” (1952). He had appeared in some of Hollywood’s most cherished films: Gone with the Wind (1939), Casablanca (1943), and Key Largo (1948). He was invited back to play Robert Dubois, a waiter turned tutor in “The French Revue” (1953).
HY AVERBACK
Averback played two different Charlies on “I Love Lucy”: Appleby and Pomerantz. Charlie Appleby was seen twice on the series, but was only played by Averback in “Baby Pictures” (1953), the character’s first appearance. Two years later Charlie Pomerantz was Ricky’s press agent in Hollywood, coming up with the brilliant idea for Ricky to save Lucy from drowning in the hotel pool.
Naturally, there were many other actors whose did double (or triple or more) duty on “I Love Lucy”, chief among them Bennett Green and Hazel Pierce, Lucy and Desi’s camera and lighting stand-ins and were omnipresent throughout the series, although not always with specific character names.
Papermoon Loves Lucy 
Leave a comment