-
Lucille Ball and Gene Kelly Perform “Friendship”
1943 vs. 1978
“Friendship” – 1953
-
MOTHER OF THE BRIDE
S1;E8
~ November 15, 1986
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Bruce Bilson ~ Written
by Linda Morris and Vic RauseoSynopsis
When
Ted and Margo decide to renew their wedding vows, Lucy’s sister
Audrey (Audrey Meadows) drops by for a visit and starts to take over
the entire event.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
Cast
Audrey
Meadows
(Audrey Everett, Lucy’s Sister) was a television legend, thanks to
her portrayal of Ralph Kramden’s long-suffering wife Alice on “The
Honeymooners” and “The Jackie Gleason Show.” The role won her
an Emmy Award in 1955, winning over Vivian Vance of “I Love Lucy.” Meadows died in 1996 at age 73.Meadows
is granted ‘special guest star’ status in the opening credits.
The character says she is the social director on a cruise ship, but
the engine broke down. Audrey is Lucy Carter’s only sister. She has
never been married or had children.Jim
Hackett (Minister)
was a classically-trained actor who made just a dozen big and small
screen appearances before moving his career to the technical side of
the industry.Jacque
Lynn Colton
(Cousin Florence) was a stage actor off-Broadway and in LA who had
four films released in 1986, as well as appearing a month earlier
on TV’s “Silver Spoons.”Others at the wedding are played
by uncredited background performers.
This
was the twelfth episode filmed, although it was aired eighth, on
November 15, 1986. It was the last episode to be aired by ABC, who
canceled the series for low ratings. It earned a 6.6 share, only four
tenths of a point above its follow-up, “The Ellen Burstyn Show,”
which also aired its final episode that night and was the lowest
rated show across the three major networks.
This
was Lucille Ball’s final performance as scripted character on television. She would
continue to appear as herself on TV until her death in 1989, with her
final live appearance at the 61st Annual Academy Awards on March 29, 1989 (above). She died a month later.There
was talk about changing the show’s format and adding Audrey Meadows to the
permanent cast, but by that time the network had canceled the show.
This
the first of two episodes directed by Bruce
Bilson.
Unfortunately, his second episode, “World’s Greatest Grandma,”
never aired. Bilson had won a 1968 Emmy for directing “Get Smart”
the same year Lucille Ball won for her final year as Lucy Carmichael
on “The Lucy Show.”The
entire action of the episode is set in the McGibbon home. There are
no scenes set in M&B Hardware.
The
cover page for the revised first draft of the script (dated October
20, 1986) states “Story by Laura
Levine,”
but Levine does not actually receive screen credit in the episode’s
credits.
Lucy’s last television appearance starts with Lucy
fretting about dirty dishes in the dishwasher. In her very first
television appearance in 1951, Lucy Ricardo was also washing dishes. In 1952’s “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), Lucy figures out that she’s washed 219,000 dishes
in her ten years of marriage.
Going by Lucy’s math, in 1986 she’d have washed her 1,051,200th dish!Oops! When greeting the children, Audrey Meadows mistakenly calls Becky ‘Jenny,’ the actor’s real name! Meadows stops herself halfway: “Oh, hi Jen—” and quickly moves to Kevin, calling him “sweetheart.”
We
learn that Curtis’s late wife (Ted’s mother) was named Josephine.
They eloped at a cost of $2.50 – each!Kevin:
“Wait’ll
I tell the kids at school my parents are finally getting married!”
When
Ted and Margo decide to re-new their vows, Lucy hums “Here
Comes The Bride (aka Bridal Chorus)” written by Richard Wagner in
1850.
The song is heard on the organ during the ceremony that ends the
episode.Audrey:
“Darling,
nobody but nobody serves Swedish meatballs anymore.”
Lucy:
“Not
even the Swedes?”The
Swedish furniture store Ikea
is famous for serving Swedish meatballs to shoppers, but the company
only opened its first US store in June 1985 in Philadelphia, so their
reputation was yet to be the source of humor.When
the studio audience feels that Audrey has left Lucy out of the
wedding plans, Lucy earns an audible “Awwww” from the audience!
She then angrily kicks Audrey’s suitcase across the room earning a
laugh that ends the scene.
Curtis
gets a phone call from Doc Severinsen’s agent, declining to play at
the McGibbon wedding. Curtis sarcastically asks Lucy if Johnny Carson
is going to perform the ceremony. Doc
Severinsen
was bandleader on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson” on
NBC from 1967 to 1992, when Carson retired. Carson and Ed McMahon
played themselves on an episode of “Here’s Lucy” centered around
“The Tonight Show.” Although Lucy Carter played ‘Stump the
Band,’ one of Severinsen’s usual segments, he did not appear and was
not mentioned.
The
guest list for the wedding includes Ron and Nancy Reagan (to see what
gift they’ll send). Former actor Ronald
Reagan
was half-way through his second term as the 40th president of the United States. He was mentioned on “Here’s Lucy”
shortly after being elected Governor of California. Lucille Ball met
Reagan at the White House when she was named one of the Kennedy
Center Honorees on December 6, 1986, just after “Life With Lucy”
was canceled and four days after the death of Desi Arnaz.Ted
says that the Barker Twins didn’t make the cut on the revised guest
list in order to make room for “two chairs” Florence.
Ted:
(about Audrey) “She’s
dating some guy who owns a winery up in the Napa Valley.”
Lucy:
“Ernest?
Julio? Or both?”Ernest
and Julio Gallo were brothers who founded Gallo Wines in 1933. Gallo is the largest exporter of California wines.
Lucy:
(holding
her wedding gown)
When
Margo was little she found my dress in the attic and she called it
‘the most bootiful dwess in the world’! When she was little she
talked a lot like Elmer Fudd.”Arthur Q. Bryan, the actor who originally did the voice of Elmer
Fudd
in the Warner Brothers cartoons, appeared as Mr. Chambers in “Ricky
Loses His Voice” (ILL S2;E9) in 1952.
Audrey: “Ah, Pasadena. A hundred thousand people; a dozen stories.”
Lucy
says that when she was picked to play saxophone in the Rose
Parade
in high school, when Audrey got chosen a Rose Princess. Audrey rode
on a float while Lucy marched behind Cowboy Pistol Pete and his
Prancing Palominos. Lucy then mimes playing the sax while marching
and trying to kick horse manure off her shoes. If the city of
Pasadena is famous for anything, it is the annual Rose Parade.
Originally
started on January 1, 1890 the Rose Parade is watched in person by
hundreds of thousands of spectators on the parade route,
and
is broadcast on multiple television
networks in
the United States. It is seen by millions more on television
worldwide in more than 100 international territories and countries.
In
the kitchen scene, Lucy and Audrey mention their father,
something rarely done on a Lucille Ball sitcom. Ball’s father died
when she was a child and she was raised by her mother and
grandfather. Consequently, mothers figure prominently in Lucille
Ball’s characters while fathers are virtually non-existent. The one
notable exception is a mention of Lucy Carter’s father singing
“Snoops the Lawyer” (above) to her when she was a child.
Some
publicity stills of the episode show Curtis also being covered in
cake icing. However, Gale Gordon is not in the finished scene, so the
scene may have been staged for the cameras to include Gordon, or his
part of the scene was left on the cutting room floor.Curtis: “Lucy, the way your mind works scares me.”
Lucy: “Thank you.”
“Lucy’s
Sister Pays a Visit” (TLS S1;E15) in order to get married on “The Lucy Show” in 1964. Lucy Carmichael’s sister’s name is Marge and she
was played by Janet Waldo (aka Judy Jetson).
That
same episode also contains a kitchen scene where Lucy and Viv end up
covered in icing from a wedding cake.
Lucy
Carmichael also pulls her wedding dress out of mothballs for her
daughter in 1964′s “Chris Goes Steady” (TLS S2;E16) just as Lucy Barker does for Margo in 1986.
Margo
puts a big circle around the date of their wedding anniversary so her
husband Ted won’t forget it. Lucy Ricardo did the same thing to jar Ricky’s memory in “The
Anniversary Present” (ILL S2;E10).
Lucy
Bicardi (as their marriage license mistakenly read) got out her old
wedding gown to get re-married to ‘Mr. Bicardi,’ duplicating their
first wedding at the Byram River Beagle Club on a 1952 episode of “I Love Lucy.”
Like “I Love Lucy,” “The Honeymooners” was one of the sitcoms of the 1950s that has earned classic status. Its star, Jackie Gleason, made a wordless cameo appearance as Ralph Kramden in the second episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1968.
Prior to that, Ralph’s sewer-working pal Ed Norton was visually suggested by a nameless character on a 1964 “The Lucy Show” who pops out of a manhole to chastise Lucy Carmichael. This role could have been originally meant for Art Carney!
Norton’s wife, Trixie, was played by Jane Kean in the hour-long color “Honeymooners” of the 1960s. She guest-starred on a 1966 episode of “The Lucy Show.”
Audrey Meadows’ real-life sister Jayne (Mrs. Steve Allen) made a guest star appearance on a 1970 “Here’s Lucy.”
This
Day in Lucy History
~ November 15th
“Ricky’s
Screen Test” (ILL S4;E7) – November 15, 1954
"Lucy and
the Sleeping Beauty” (TLS S4;E9) – November 15, 1965
“Lucy
and the Celebrities” (HL S4;E10) – November 15, 19711986, Ann Dusenberry, Audrey Meadows, Bruce Bilson, Doc Severinsen, Donovan Scott, Elmer Fudd, Gale Gordon, Gallo Brothers, Here Comes the Bride, Jacque Lynn Colton, Jenny Lewis, Jim Hackett, Johnny Carson, Larry Anderson, Laura Levine, Life With Lucy, Linda Morris, Lucille Ball, Pasadena, Philip Amelio, Ronald Reagan, Rose Parade, Swedish Meatballs, The Honeymooners, tv, Vic Rauseo, Wedding, Wedding Cake, Wedding Gown -
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
Unaired
Episode {originally
scheduled for broadcast December 13, 1986}
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Marc Daniels ~ Written
by Richard Albrecht and Casey Keller ~ Story by Laura LevineSynopsis
Curtis
wants to retire so he sells his half of the store to Lucy. Lucy’s
extravagant spending threatens the store with bankruptcy while Curtis
gets bored with making birdhouses at home. When Lucy interviews
prospective new partners, Curtis swallows his pride and asks her to
take him back again.Regular
Cast
Lucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
CastEddie
Barth
(Mr. Lawrence Mulgrew) was best known for his raspy voice and
growling the catchphrase “Everything
you want from a beer and less“
in the Miller Lite TV commercials. From 1981 to 1983 Barth played the
recurring character of Myron Fowler on “Simon & Simon.” He
died in 2010.According
to Leonard, Mr. Mulgrew is from Tarzana and enjoys water skiing, tree
surgery, and making prank phone calls. Leonard, who is imitating a
game show host, may be kidding.Dick
Winslow
(Customer)
appeared in the films Thousands
Cheer (1940)
and Easy
To Wed (1943)
with Lucille Ball. He appeared in two episodes of “The Lucy Show”
and two of “Here’s Lucy.” This is his penultimate TV appearance.
He died in 1991.Brad
Gorman (Clerk)
was previously seen in “Lucy Gets Her Wires Crossed” (S1;E4). He
began
his TV acting with an episode of “Alice” in 1977 and also was
briefly seen in the Steven Spielberg film 1941.Other
customers are played by uncredited background performers.
This
was the eleventh episode filmed, although it was scheduled to air
tenth on December 13, 1986 had the series not been canceled. The
final cut of the episode was finished on November 17, 1986.
This
is the second of two episode written by Executive Story Editors
Richard Albrecht and
Casey Keller.
This time, they work from a story by Laura
Levine.
A year prior, Levine had written an episode of “The Lucie Arnaz
Show,” which, like “Life With Lucy,” was pulled off the air
before its entire initial order of 13 episodes were broadcast.
”Breaking
Up Is Hard to Do“
is also the title of a song recorded by Neil
Sedaka
and written by Sedaka and Howard
Greenfield.
Sedaka recorded this song twice, in 1962 and 1975, in two different
arrangements, and it is considered to be his signature
song.
Although it may have been the inspiration for the title, the song is
not heard or referred to during the episode.Curtis: “Lucy has a brilliant business mind.”
Ted: “Are we talking about the same Lucy?”
A
key prop in this episode, used at the beginning and end of the show,
is a yellow Toysmith Pusterfix Bubble-Blowing
Bear.
Made
in Germany, it was the recipient of the Spiel Gut Toy Award.
As
the episode opens, Leonard is in the hardware store listening to a
tango on the radio and dancing with a feather duster. The song
playing is called “La
Cumparsita,” probably
the world’s most famous tango tune. It was also the same song
playing on the phonograph in the Ricardo living room when “Lucy
Does the Tango” (ILL S6;E27) with her pockets full of contraband
eggs. This dance, with its soggy climactic clinch, resulted in the
longest laugh ever recorded on “I Love Lucy.”Lucille
Ball makes her entrance from the back room of the hardware store using Tango moves and the
studio audience applauds wildly.Lucy:
(to Curtis) “I’m
where it’s at and you’re where it used to be.”Curtis
returns from a hardware convention in San Francisco telling Lucy a
colleague named Merrill
Ferguson
retired and is sailing around the world with an all-girl crew. Curtis
says Merrill may give new meaning to the term “Yo
Ho Ho.”
This is a rather racy joke for Lucille Ball’s shows, which were
generally more family oriented.
In
the second scene, Lucy comes down the stairs of the living room
singing “Hey
Look Me Over,”
a song Lucille Ball introduced to the world in the Broadway musical
Wildcat in 1961. The song by Cy Coleman was often sung by Ball on
“The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”
In
his first week of retirement, Curtis goes bird watching and sees a
swallow-tailed fly catcher, rarely seen west of Texas.Lucy:
“I’ve
got to open up the doors of B Hardware.”
Curtis:
“B
Hardware?”
Lucy:
“Oh,
didn’t I tell you? We scraped the M off the door.”
Curtis:
“Oh,
yes. M isn’t there anymore. M retired and is having the T of his L.”
This
is the first time viewers see the back office of the hardware store.
Lucy: (to a framed photo of her late husband) “I really messed things up. I know, I can’t believe it either.”
Lucy
talks to a framed photograph
of her late husband Sam, although viewers only see the photograph from the back. Audiences will never know who – if anyone
– Lucille Ball is looking at. It could be Desi Arnaz, who was quite
ill with cancer and would only live another three weeks after this
episode finished production. It also could also be Lucille Ball’s
current husband, Gary Morton.
Although
the episode finishes on a comic note, there is a heartfelt hug
between Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon that clearly goes deeper than
the script. This is not the final episode produced, but by this time
Lucy doubtless knew of the show’s fate. Her voice breaks as she talks
to the framed photograph and Curtis.
On
“Here’s Lucy” Harrison Carter (Gale Gordon) decided to retire and
sell the business not once, but twice. The first time was in “Lucy
and Harry’s Memoirs” (HL S5;E24), which was intended to be the
final episode, until CBS convinced Ball to do a sixth season…
…then
again in “Meanwhile, Back at the Office” (HL S6;E16), which was
the last episode shot, but not the last one actually aired.
This
Day in Lucy History
{had this episode aired as planned on December 13th}
"Getting
Ready”
(ILL S4;E11) – December 13, 1954
“Lucy
the Choirmaster”
(TLS S4;E13) – December 13, 1965
“Lucy
and Candid Camera”
(HL S4;E14) – December 13, 19711986, ABC, Ann Dusenberry, bird houses, birdwatching, Brad Gorman, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Casey Keller, Dick Winslow, Eddie Barth, Gale Gordon, Hey Look Me Over, Jenny Lewis, La Cumparsita, Larry Anderson, Laura Levine, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Marc Daniels, Neil Sedaka, one man band, Philip Amelio, Pusterfix, retirement, Richard Albrecht, Tango, The Lucie Arnaz Show, tv -
LUCY, LEGAL EAGLE
S1;E7
~ November 8, 1986
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Marc Daniels ~ Written
by Richard Albrecht and Casey KellerSynopsis
At
a yard sale, Kevin’s favorite Teddy Bear is accidentally sold. When
Lucy offers a $50 reward for its return, the woman who bought the
bear asks for $500, so Lucy takes her to small claims court.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
Cast
Dena
Dietrich (Mrs.
Hilda Loomis) is probably best
known for her Chiffon Margarine commercial (inset photo) in which she utters the
famous line: “It’s
not nice to fool Mother Nature!”
She had recurring roles on such series as “Adam’s Rib” (1973),
“Karen” (1975), “The Practice” (1976-77), “The Ropers”
(1979-80), and “Philly” (2001-02).
Allan
Rich
(Judge Cameron Potter) was a stage actor who began his screen career
in 1963. He also played judges on “Mallory” (1976), “Kojak”
(1978), “Baby…I’m Back” (1978), “Kaz” (1979), “ChiPs”
(1980), “The Ordeal of Bill Carney” (1981), “Gimme a Break!”
(1983), “Hill Street Blues” (1981-83), “Hardcastle and
McCormick” (1983), “We Got it Made” (1983), “Sledge Hammer!”
(1987), “Equal Justice” (1990-91), Armistad (1997), and A
League of Old Man (1998).Potter
was also the maiden name of Ethel Mertz on “I Love Lucy.”Eddie
Carroll (Customer
at Yard Sale) is probably most famous as the voice of Disney’s Jiminy
Cricket. In the 1960s he appeared in many Desilu-produced television
shows. He died in 2010.Nora
Boland (Little
Old Lady) was
one of a host of endearing character ladies who fell into their
careers quite late in life, making her screen debut at age 48. Born
Nora Madeleine Webb in 1929 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, she had
pursued theater here and there for much of her life before coming to
the US.Despite her final credit billing, Boland is neither ‘little’ nor all that ‘old’!
Charles
Walker
(Bailiff) appeared in 140 TV shows and films. He also played a
Bailiff on “L.A. Law” (1986) a month before this episode aired,
as well as on “Tracy Takes On” (1997). He also played quite a
few judges and security guards.Brandon
Call (Max)
also played Max in “Lucy is a Sax Symbol” (S1;E5). Call was born
in 1976 and was a regular on “The Charmings” (1987-88),
“Baywatch” (1989-90), and “Step By Step” (1991-98). He was
originally cast as Kevin in “The Wonder Years,” but was replaced
at the last minute by Fred Savage.Robin
Bach
(Litigant #1) was
born on December 28, 1947 in New Jersey. He made his big screen debut
in 1970 as the Gay Boy in Beyond
the Valley of the Dolls.Don
Diamond
(Litigant #2) is
probably best remembered as the scheming Crazy Cat in the western
comedy series “F
Troop” (1965-67).
He retired from acting in 1987, one year before this episode aired,
and passed away in 2011.Steven
A. Fredrick (Courtroom
Spectator, uncredited)The
other courtroom spectators and yard sale shoppers are played by
uncredited background performers.
This
was the tenth episode filmed, although it was aired seventh, on
November 8, 1986. Although the ratings had improved a tenth of a
point (from 8 to 8.1), “Life With Lucy” still lost its time slot.
This is the second to last episode to air before the show is
canceled.Kevin: “I guess it was a mistake. A tragic, tragic mistake!”
This
is the first of two episode written by Executive Story Editors
Richard Albrecht and
Casey Keller.
Their second episode, “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do,” was not
aired. The title of this episode is sometimes mistakenly listed as “Lucy, Eagle Beagle” and “Lucy, Leagle Beagle.”
The
episode opens with the McGibbon family having a yard sale inside the
house. Lucy comes down the stairs wearing a foam Statue
of Liberty
crown, holding a book in one hand and a lamp in the other.Lucy:
(wearing a Statue of Liberty crown) “Remember
the lady who had her hundredth birthday last summer?”
Mrs.
Loomis:
“Did
you get a lot of presents?”On
July 4, 1985 the Statue of Liberty celebrated its centennial. In
1970, Lucille Ball gave voice to the interior thoughts of the Statue
of Liberty in an NBC special called “Swing Out, Sweet Land.”
To
cover for Kevin in the presence of his friend Max, Lucy says that
Charlie is hers and that she’s taken him to Disneyland. She says he especially loved the Country Bear Jamboree. This is the second mention of
Disneyland on “Life With Lucy” but it was first mentioned by Lucy
Carmichael in “Lucy the Bean Queen” (TLS S5;E3, above) in 1966.
Disneyland is located in Anaheim, about 35 miles from Pasadena.
Kevin’s
Teddy Bear is named Charlie. We later learn that Leonard has a
stuffed animal named Fido and Ted had one named Binkie.
Curtis
objects to the sale of his vinyl record “Swing and Sway with Sammy
Kaye.” Curtis says he used to dance to Kaye’s band when he went to
school in Boston. Sammy
Kaye (1910-
87) was a bandleader and songwriter,
whose tag line, “Swing
and sway with Sammy Kaye”,
became one of the most famous of the Big
Band Era.
His signature tune was “Harbor Lights”.
In the mid-1950s Kaye had a television show on ABC. He died six
months after this episode aired.Lucy
posts a $50 reward for Charlie, which brings some odd results.Lucy:
(examining
a plush bunny) “This
isn’t even a bear. It’s a rabbit.”
Little
Old Lady:
(rips the ears of the bunny) “Now
it’s a bear.”Curtis
throws the Little Old Lady scammer out of the Hardware Store. She
exits shouting “What
do you expect for fifty bucks? Winnie the Pooh?”
On
the witness stand, Curtis is forced to recall times when he thought
Lucy didn’t have “both oars in the water.” This being only the
ninth episode filmed, Curtis resorts to citing the time Lucy got her
hand caught in a saxophone (“Lucy is a Sax Symbol” S1;E5), the
time they got glued together on a TV show (“Lucy Gets Her Wires
Crossed” S1;E4), and the time she flooded the hardware store with
foam (“One Good Grandparent Deserves Another” S1;E1).
In
addition to this appearance in Pasadena small claims court before
Judge Potter, the Lucy character has been in the courtroom many times
over the past 35 years:
“The
Courtroom” (ILL S2;E7) 1952;
Ricardo v Mertz, in the matter of a broken television set; the
Honorable Judge Moroni Olsen presiding
“Lucy
Takes a Cruise To Havana” (LDCH) 1957;
Ricardo & MacNamara v City of Havana, Cuba, in the matter of
disorderly conduct and damages to a sidewalk cafe; the Honorable
Judge Jorge Trevino presiding
“Lucy
Makes Room for Danny (LDCH) in
December 1958; Ricardo v Mertz v Williams, in
the matter of bodily injury complaints; the Honorable Judge Gale
Gordon presiding
“Lucy
and the Runaway Butterfly (TLS S1;E29) in
1963, in which Lucy
pursued a rare runaway butterfly into a courtroom; the Honorable
Judge Ernest Sarracino presiding
“Lucy
is Her Own Lawyer” (TLS S2;E23) in
1964; Carmichael v Mooney, in a matter of disturbing the peace with
Lucy as her own lawyer cross-examining herself and Nelson the sheepdog; the
Honorable Judge John McGiver presiding
“Lucy,
the Meter Maid” (TLS S3;E7) in
1964; Bagley v the City of Danfield, NY, in the matter of a parking ticket issued by Officer Carmichael;
the Honorable Judge Parley Baer presiding
“Lucy
and the Soap Opera” (TLS S4;E19) in
1966; in which Lucy
Carmichael gets herself cast as a juror to affect the outcome of the
case, and save her favorite character from being written out; the
Honorable Judge Sid Gould presiding
And
“Lucy and the Raffle” (HL S3;E19) in 1971; Carter v City of Los
Angeles, CA, in the case of running an illegal raffle; the Honorable
Judge Hayden Rorke presiding
At the inside yard sale, Lucy demonstrates a vacuum cleaner and accidentally vacuums off Mrs. Loomis’s skirt. In 1953 Lucy Ricardo also had a difficult time with her Handy Dandy vacuum cleaner in “Sales Resistance” (ILL S2;E17).
Lucy Carmichael sucked up Mr. Mooney’s necktie with her Handy Dandy vacuum cleaner in a 1966 episode of “The Lucy Show.”
This
Day in Lucy History –
November 8th
“Ricky’s
Movie Offer”
(ILL S4;E6) – November 8, 1954
“Lucy
Helps the Countess”
(TLS S4;E8) – November 8, 1965
“Won’t
You Calm Down, Dan Dailey?”
(HL S4;E9) – November 8, 1971
Ann Dusenberry, Brandon Call, Casey Keller, Charles Walker, Court, Courtroom, Dana Dietrich, Disney, Disneyland, Don Diamond, Donovan Scott, Eddie Carroll, Gale Gordon, Jenny Lewis, Jiminy Cricket, Judge, Larry Anderson, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Marc Daniels, Nora Boland, Philip Amelio, Richard Albrecht, Robin Bach, Sammy Kaye, Statue of Liberty, Steven A. Fredrick, Teddy Bear, Winnie the Pooh, Yard Sale -
LUCY’S GREEN THUMB
Unaired
Episode
{originally scheduled for broadcast December 6, 1986}
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Marc Daniels ~ Written
by Mark TuttleSynopsis
Lucy’s
energy drink breakfast is so unpalatable that the entire family dump
it into a potted plant. When they come home, the plant has tripled in
size. Realizing that Lucy may have invented a new miracle fertilizer,
the pressure is on for her to recreate the concoction. But when Lucy
can’t recall the recipe, Curtis’s dreams of fame and fortune wilt.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
CastJerry
Prell
(Reporter) was seen on television in “The Bold and the Beautiful”
and “The Young and the Restless.” Off screen he was active with
New
England Academy of Theater
and the Hartford Conservatory.Doris
Hess
(Woman with a Sick Swedish Ivy) played Tina on three episodes of
“Happy Days” and small roles on “Laverne and Shirley.” Hess
was particularly busy in ADR
(automated
dialogue replacement).The
woman’s Swedish Ivy is named Helga.Stuart
Shostak
(Stuart, Photographer) took
a class taught by Lucille Ball in 1979 and subsequently went to work
as her personal film archivist from
1981 until her death in 1989. This is his only screen acting credit.
He also served as Assistant to the Producers and warm-up comedian for
the series.The
reporter calls Stuart by his real first name.Melvin,
Agnes, and
Helga (Potted
Plants)Others
at the press conference are played by uncredited background
performers.
This
episode was filmed ninth, but scheduled to be the eleventh one
broadcast. It went before the cameras on October 21, 1986.This
is the only episode written by Mark
Tuttle,
who was also a writer on “Three’s Company,” one of Lucille Ball’s
favorite shows. His career started in 1963 writing for “The
Beverly Hillbillies.” He had worked with director Mark Daniels on
two episodes of the TV series “Private Benjamin” (1981-82).
On
December 2, 1986, just two weeks after “Life Was Lucy” was
canceled, Desi
Arnaz Sr.
died from lung cancer at the age of 69. His final screen appearance
was on “The David Letterman Show” in 1983. These two events
devastated Lucille Ball and she became despondent.Lucy: “I’m just a big flop.”
On
December 6, 1986, “Life With Lucy” (and ABC’s entire Saturday
night line-up) was replaced by Christmas specials.
Curtis: “I’m just going to be a small businessman with a small store.”
In
this episode,Curtis becomes obsessed with making money, just like his
previous “Lucy” characters Alvin Littlefield (“I Love Lucy”),
Mr. Mooney (“The Lucy Show”), and Harrison Carter (“Here’s
Lucy”, above).
The
very first time Lucille Ball was seen on “Life With Lucy” she was
carrying a potted plant (a schefflera).
Lucy was afraid it had spider mites.Lucy: (To Melvin) “The
free ride is over! You either get growin’ or get goin’!”
The
living room now is home to two potted plants: Agnes (on the coffee
table) and Melvin (on the table behind the sofa). Lucy begins the
episode saying good morning to Agnes. Hearing Lucy say “Agnes”
reminds us of Mame, the 1974 film in which one of the major characters was named Agnes Gooch (Jane Connell).Lucy: “My mind is a blank!”
Curtis: “We know that!”
Unbeknownst
to Lucy, the entire family dumps Lucy’s healthy breakfast (a
super-strength organic energy drink) into Melvin’s pot rather than
swallow it. When they come home, Melvin has tripled in size!
It
is worth noting that a man named Melvin Frank directed Lucille Ball
in the 1960 film The
Facts of Life. [The plant behind Lucy is mere coincidence!]Margo:
(about
Melvin’s growth spurt) What
could have made it grow so fast?”
Kevin:
“I know. (pointing
up) Aliens!”
This
episode slightly resembles the 1960 film (and stage and screen
musical) Little
Shop of Horrors,
in which a plant mysteriously grows to enormous size. The plant’s
origins are also attributed to aliens! In this case, instead of
blood, its life-force is derived from Lucy’s energy drink. The
musical film was released on December 19, 1986, just two weeks after
this episode was scheduled to air, but the stage musical had been
playing off-Broadway since 1982 and would out-last “Life With Lucy”
by a full year.
Curtis comes up with the name Gigant-a-Grow for Lucy’s miraculous growth potion.
Curtis:
“From
now on, when you hear the name McGibbon, you’ll think fertilizer!”
Margo
tells her mother that thanks to her discovery she’ll be in the
encyclopedia next to Luther Burbank. Luther
Burbank
(1849-1926) was a pioneering horticulturalist who developed more than
800 varieties of new plants in his career. A Californian, many
schools and public buildings have been named after him. In 1986 he
was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Curtis
promises Leonard three weeks paid vacation. He plans to go to Hawaii
to lie on the beach. This is the third mention of Hawaii
in the series. In the first episode, Curtis had just returned from
vacationing there and in the second episode guest star John Ritter
says that his wife is Hawaii with
the kids. Hawaii was a popular destination with Lucille Ball and her
sitcom characters. It
was also a
favorite get-away destination of the Arnaz family, has been mentioned
since the early days of “I
Love Lucy”,
even before it officially became a state!
On
the telephone, Curtis asks a reporter if they’ve got a connection
with “60
Minutes.”
He thinks the story of Lucy’s Gigant-a-Grow would be perfect for
Morley Safer. The CBS TV prime time news magazine show began airing
in 1968, the same year as “Here’s Lucy.” Safer was a host of “60
Minutes” from 1968 until his death in 2016.
Lucy
briefly does her famous ‘spider’ face “ewww” when Curtis
threatens to get the formula out of her head “one
way or another.”
Unfortunately, the moment is obscured by background music fading out
to commercial and the omnipresent laugh track.
The
recipe for Lucy’s 11th attempt at duplicating Gigant-a-Grow:- 1 ounce of ginseng
extract - 3
drops of lecithin - gobs
of garlic powder - wonderful
(God-given) wheat germ - yeast
to rise it to heaven - blend
on high
In
“Ethel’s Home Town” (ILL S4;E15) a old vaudeville gag makes it
appear that a potted plant grows into a tall tree – all behind the back of Ethel Mae Potter (we never forgot her)!
When
the Ricardo’s rent their Connecticut home to the Williams family in
“Lucy Makes Room for Danny” (LDCH 1958), Lucy is worried if they
will take care of her houseplants. When Ricky finds out she’s been
rescuing them against his wishes, she physically demonstrates how
badly wilted they’d become.
In
“Lucy’s Mystery Guest” (TLS S6;E10) Lucy
Carmichael is plant-sitting for a neighbor when her health nut Aunt (Mary Wickes) sprays the plant for bugs, and it promptly
wilts.
In
“Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage” (HL S4;E4) Lucy Carter
suddenly starts naming and talking to her plants. Their
names are Ruthie, Hugo, and Priscilla. Ruthie meets an untimely end
when she is tossed out a window in an attempt to stop a robbery.
This
Day in Lucy History {had
this episode aired as planned on December 6th}
“Ricky’s
Contract”
(ILL S4;E10) – December 6, 1954
“Lucy
Saves Milton Berle”
(TLS S4;E12) – December 6, 1965
“Lucy
in the Jungle”
(HL S4;E13) – December 6, 19711986, 60 Minutes, ABC, Agnes Gooch, Ann Dusenberry, desi arnaz sr., Donovan Scott, Doris Hess, Gale Gordon, Hawaii, Health Drink, Jenny Lewis, Jerry Prell, Larry Anderson, Life With Lucy, Little Shop of Horrors, Lucille Ball, Luther Burbank, Marc Daniels, Mark Tuttle, Melvin Frank, Morley Safer, Philip Amelio, plants, Stuart Shostak, tv - 1 ounce of ginseng
-
LUCY MAKES CURTIS BYTE THE DUST
S1;E6
~ November 1, 1986
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Marc Daniels ~ Written
by Bob Fisher and Arthur MarxSynopsis
Lucy’s
attempt to computerize M&B Hardware results in a a shop full of
lawnmowers and with Curtis listed in the obituary column.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
Cast
Dave
Madden
(Stanley Bigelow) is probably best remembered for playing Reuben
Kincaid, the manager of “The Partridge Family” (1970-74). He was
a regular performer on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In,” which (for some
seasons) was programmed opposite “Here’s Lucy.” Madden died in
2014 at age 82.Stanley
is a sales representative selling lawnmowers. His last name is only
listed in the final credits but is not spoken aloud in the episodes.Billy
Van Zandt
(Delivery Guy) is an actor and writer of more than 25 plays with Jane
Millmore. A native of Red Bank, New Jersey, he is married to
Adrienne Barbeau. In 1990, Van Zandt won an Emmy Award for “I Love
Lucy: The First Show,” which introduced the long-lost pilot to TV
viewers.
This
was the eighth episode filmed, but it was aired sixth. “Life With
Lucy” loses its time slot with an 8 share, the lowest to date and
the second lowest of all those aired.
When
Lucy activates the leaf blower and scatters seed packets all over the
Hardware Store, Curtis says “We
were hit by Hurricane Lucy.”
In 1957’s “Building a Bar-B-Q” (ILL S6;E24), Ricky says that he
thinks the re-built monstrosity of a brick barbecue was caused by
Hurricane Lucy.Curtis:
“You
know me, always keeping up with the times.”
Lucy:
“Yeah,
he’s almost up to 1956.”
In
1956,
Gale Gordon had finished playing Osgood Conklin on “Our Miss
Brooks” and started a playing Harvey Box in “The Brothers” (aka “The Box Brothers”), a Desilu series that lasted just one season on CBS. Lucille Ball began 1956
with “I Love Lucy” touring Europe and ended it with the Ricardos and Mertzes visiting Cuba.
Bigelow (Stanley’s credited surname) was the name of a Department Store in Jamestown, New York, Lucille
Ball’s hometown that it is said rejected a teenage Ball when she applied for a job in their ribbon department! One of Lucille Ball’s distant relatives was also
named Bigelow. In the 1950s Lucy and Desi promoted Bigelow carpeting.
She used the name Bigelow on both “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show” (above).Stanley:
[To
Curtis] “We’ve been through a lot together. From the pot-bellied
stove to the microwave. Then back to the pot belly.” [Pats Curtis’s
belly]
When
Curtis compares the extinction of wild animals to the human race
being replaced by computers, Lucy says he’s been watching too much
“Wild Kingdom.” “Mutual
of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” was
an educational series about the lives of wild animals that aired on
NBC from 1963 to 1988. Until 1984 it was hosted by zoologist Marlin
Perkins.Lucy:
“Change
is hard on everybody.”In
the episode, Lucy attaches file cards to the computer using magnets,
which wipes out the inventory data. In reality, refrigerator magnets
placed on the computer would not be strong enough to have caused any
harm.Curtis:
[To Leonard, furious] “You
gave our trash to the trash man?!?”
Using
the computer, Lucy orders a lawnmower. She accidentally presses the
‘1′ key three times and orders 111 lawnmowers for a cost of
$4,192.67! This means the push lawnmowers were wholesale priced at
$37.77. Adjusting for inflation, that would be nearly $90 today.Curtis:
[To
Lucy]
“I’m dead!”
Lucy:
“You’re
not dead, you’re just not a lot of fun.”
To
straighten out Curtis’s obituary, Lucy calls her friend at the
newspaper, Carol.
The name may be an homage to any or all of Lucille Ball’s friends
Carol Burnett, Carole Lombard, or Carole Cook. The unseen Carol
tells Lucy she learned of Curtis’s passing from the bank. Lucy used
the computer to stop the check to Chadwick Mowers with the phrase “CM
decreased” but types “CM deceased.” The bank interprets CM as
Curtis McGibbon. [Only on television, folks!]
Lucy
returns the computer, but buys a Robot
named
Rupert! In 1928, British schoolboys built a robot named Rupert which
contained mechanical representations of human organs!Curtis: [To Lucy] “Listen to me!”
Lucy: “I don’t have to, you’re dead!”
On
“The Lucy Show,” Mr.
Mooney (Gale Gordon) installed a computer at the bank in “Lucy,
the Superwoman” (TLS S4;E26)…
and
again in “Lucy
and Bob Crane” (TLS S4;E22). Both aired in 1966!
On a 1972 “Here’s Lucy” Harry Carter (Gale Gordon) installed a giant
computer named EXMO III in the office as “Lucy’s Replacement” (HL
S4;E19).
Prior
to that Lucy Carter tried her hand at computer dating in 1968′s “Lucy
the Matchmaker” (HL S1;E12).
The comic payoff of most episodes featuring computers was having them
short-circuit and run amok!
Lucy
Carmichael encountered robots played by mime Larry Dean in “Lucy
and the Ceramic Cat” (TLS S3;E16)…
and
again in “Lucy and the Robot” (TLS S4;E23).
This
Day in Lucy History
~ November
1st
“Mr.
and Mrs. TV Show” (ILL S4;E5) – *November 1, 1954* This
episode’s original broadcast was pre-empted. It eventually aired
Monday, April 11, 1955.
“Lucy
Helps Danny Thomas” (TLS S4;E7) – November 1, 1965
“Lucy
and Her All-Nun Band” (HL S4;E8) – November 1, 19711956, 1986, ABC, Ann Dusenberry, Arthur Marx, Bigelow, Billy Van Zandt, Bob Fisher, Carol Burnett, Carole Cook, Carole Lombard, Computer, Dave Madden, Donovan Scott, Gale Gordon, Jenny Lewis, Larry Anderson, Lawn Mower, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Marc Daniels, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, November 1 1986, Philip Amelio, Robot, tv, Wild Kingdom -
LUCY AND CURTIS ARE UP A TREE
Unaired
Episode {originally scheduled for broadcast November 29, 1986}
[Photos © Getty Images]
Directed
by Mark Daniels ~ Written
by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn DavisSynopsis
Curtis
is building a tree house for Kevin and Lucy is buying Becky fancy
clothes. Ted and Margo come to the conclusion that their parents are
spoiling the kids. When Kevin overhears his grandparents’ solution is
to move out, he removes the ladder to the tree house stranding them
in a rain storm.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon)Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner) does not appear in this episode, although he does
appear in the opening titles with screen credit.[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
CastJune
Whitley Taylor
(Ramona, Voice Over) had
appeared as Sally, one of Lucy and Ethel’s bridge-playing friends
in both “No
Children Allowed” (ILL S2;E22)
and
“The
Camping Trip” (ILL S2;E29).
Taylor also played Lucy Carter’s Nurse in “Lucy’s
Big Break” (HL S5;E1)
and “Lucy and Eva Gabor are Hospital Roomies” (HL
S5;E2).Ramona
is a character in peril on “Mystery Matinee.”Tom
Williams
(Announcer, Voice Over)
is
an actor and voice artists who worked extensively on “Adam-12”
(1968-71). This is one of his four voice roles on “Life With
Lucy.” He also provided a dog bark and the honk of a wounded
goose! Williams retired in 2010.Williams
is heard as the voice of “Mystery Matinee.”
This
unaired episode was the seventh one filmed but was scheduled to air
tenth on November 29, 1986. It went before the cameras the last week
in September, shortly after the airing of “Lucy Makes a Hit With
John Ritter” (S1;E2). The ratings had dropped off dramatically from
a 14.6 to a 10.1 share, which was not good news to Ball and producer Aaron
Spelling.Curtis: (to Lucy) “On Sunday morning, I would like a few Lucy-free minutes!”
When
the episode begins, Lucy is exercising on a stationary bike watching the TV show
“Mystery Matinee.” She turns off the TV just before the killer
is revealed saying she doesn’t want to know until the summer
re-runs.
“I Love Lucy” is credited with developing the concept of the
re-run. In order to capitalize on the show’s success, CBS
experimented with re-airing episodes during the summer months while
the production was on hiatus. It has since become the industry
standard.
Had
this episode aired as scheduled, it would have been broadcast on the
same day that Hollywood legend Cary
Grant (right) died. Although he never acted opposite Lucille Ball, his name was
dropped numerous times on all of Ball’s sitcoms. Herb
Vigran (left) also passed way on November 29, 1986. Vigran began his association
with Lucille Ball playing Jule, Ricky’s music agent and a couple of
other characters on “I Love Lucy.” He also acted in half a dozen
episodes of “The Lucy Show.”Margo: (to Ted) “Ever since you started law school, you’ve been dying to ipso somebody’s facto!”
The
action is set in and around the McGibbon home. No scenes are set at
M&B Hardware and the character of Leonard does not appear.For
dinner, health-conscious Lucy says she’s made tofu with cabbage loaf
supreme!
Lucy
wears the same powder blue exercise outfit she wore on the cover of
the October 4, 1986 TV Guide. The photo was likely taken from or
during this episode.Using
walkie-talkies while helping his grandson build a tree house,
Curtis’s handle is ‘Groovy Grandpa’ and Kevin’s is ‘Little Dude’.Lucy:
“Sniggly
sniggly snaggly snog! I’m turning you into a frog!”
Lucy tells Kevin a fairy tale for a bedtime story. She takes on the voices of a wicked witch, a British prince, and a frog!
When
Lucy tells Curtis they’ve been competing for their grandchildren’s love,
Curtis says she’s been “watching
Phil Donahue again.”
“Donahue” was
a syndicated talk show hosted by Phil Donahue from 1967 to 1995. He
is considered one of the innovators of the format. Donahue is married
to Marlo Thomas, daughter of Danny Thomas, one of Lucille Ball’s
friends and frequent co-stars. Lucille Ball appeared on “Donahue” in 1974.
Although
not seen on camera, Ted takes Margo and the kids to Griffith Park for
a ride on the merry-go-round. Everyone wants to ride the white horse! Located
near the Los Angeles Zoo, the
Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round was built in 1926 and brought to Griffith Park in 1937. Lucille Ball rode a white horse on the merry-go-round sequence of the film Ziegfeld Follies (1946).
Stuck
up in the tree house after Kevin has removed the ladder, Curtis says
to Lucy “Me
Tarzan, you Jane.” This
is one of the most famous misquotes in Hollywood history. The line is
not in any of the Tarzan movies nor
does the line appear in any of the original Tarzan stories or books
written
by Edgar
Rice Burroughs. Johnny Weissmuller, the actor who played Tarzan, did
say it in jest during an interview in 1936.
When
Lucy is sad about having to move out, her trademark “Waaaaaaa”
earns a round of applause from the studio audience.Kevin:
“My
memory is slipping. I must be getting old.”
In
1964’s “Chris Goes Steady” (TLS S2;E16) Lucy Carmichael and Mr.
Mooney also got stranded in a tree house!
On “The Lucy Show”
(set in New York) it starts to snow. In “Life with Lucy” (set in
California) it is raining.
Speaking of rain, “The Hollywood Unemployment Follies” (HL S3;E22)
starring Carol Burnett also ends with everyone singing “Singin’
in the Rain.” Although written in 1931, the song was most famously
featured in the 1952 film Singin’
in the Rain.
Lucille
Ball previously used her wicked witch voice in “Little Ricky’s School Pageant” (ILL S6;E10) and “Lucy and the Monsters” (TLS S3;E18).
Like
Lucy Barker does for her grandson, Ricky Ricardo also acted out a
fairy tale bedtime story (in Spanish yet!) for his infant son in
“Ricky Minds the Baby” (ILL S3;E14) in 1954.
Due
to the open walkie-talkie in the tree house, Kevin overhears Curtis
and Lucy talking about moving out. Similarly, Lucy Ricardo overheard
what she thought were Ethel’s plans to throw her a surprise
housewarming party because of an open intercom in a season six
episode of “I Love Lucy” set in Connecticut.
This
Day in Lucy History {had
this episode aired as planned on November 29, 1986}
“Ethel’s
Birthday” (ILL S4;E9) – November 29, 1954
“Lucy
and the Return of Iron Man” (TLS S4;E11) – November 29, 1965
“Lucy
Helps David Frost Go Night-Night” (HL S4;E12) – November 29,
19711986, ABC, Ann Dusenberry, Bedtime Story, Bob Carroll Jr., Cary Grant, Fairy Tale, Gale Gordon, Griffith Park, Herb Vigran, Jenny Lewis, June Whitley Taylor, Larry Anderson, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Madelyn Davis, Marc Daniels, merry-go-round, Philip Amelio, Singing in the Rain, Tarzan, Tom Williams, Tree House, Treehouse, tv, TV Guide, unaired episode, Walkie-Talkies -
LOVE AMONG THE TWO-BY-FOURS
S1;E3
~ October 4, 1986
[Photo © Getty Images]
Directed
by Mark Daniels ~ Written
by Linda Morris and Vic RauseoSynopsis
Lucy’s
old flame Ben comes to town looking to enlist M&B Hardware as a
supplier. Lucy and Ben rekindle their old romance, which causes Lucy to have to make a difficult decision about her future.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
Cast
Peter
Graves
(Ben Marshall) is perhaps best remembered for playing Jim Phelps in
the Desilu-produced spy drama “Mission: Impossible” from 1967 to
1973. His screen acting career began in 1951, the same year “I
Love Lucy” premiered. Graves won an Emmy Award as the host and
narrator of “Biography” (1987-2002). In 1980, he turned to comedy
with the film Airplane!
and
its sequel.
Graves
died of a heart attack on March 14, 2010, just four days before his
84th birthday.Although
the final credits list the character’s surname as Marshall, he is
referred to throughout the episode as Ben Matthews. Ben is president
of the Beechwood Construction Company. He is a widower who has three
grandchildren and lives in Beverly Hills.Curtis
Taylor
(Joe) started acting on television in 1980. He played Arnie on five
episodes of “Knotts Landing” in 1988. More recently, he appeared
on a 2017 episode of “NCIS: Los Angeles.”Ed
Bernard (Tony)
was born on Independence Day in Philadelphia in 1939. He played
Detective Styles on “Police Woman” (1974-78) and Principal Willis
on “The White Shadow” (1978-80).Joe
and Tony are construction workers for Beechwood Construction Company.
Although given names in the final credits, only Tony’s is used in the
dialogue. The two characters are there to establish the tarp over the
hole in the floor that Lucy and Peter Graves will sink into at the
end of the show.
This
was the sixth episode filmed but was the third aired. After John
Ritter’s appearance the previous week, Ball hoped to continue to woo
viewers with the star-power of Peter Graves.
The
title of the episode is a variation of Robert Browning’s 1855 poem, “Love
Among the Ruins.”
Browning’s
poem inspired or gave its title to many
subsequent works,
including a painting by Edward
Burne-Jones (above),
a 1975
TV movie with Katharine
Hepburn and Laurence
Olivier,
an episode of the TV series “Mad
Men,”
and an album and
song by the band 10,000
Maniacs.
The
title of the poem is also made the title of a
1953 novella by
British satirist Evelyn
Waugh.
Lucillle
Ball was featured on the cover of TV
Guide
the day this episode first aired. She shared the cover with Andy
Griffith, who returned to series television with “Matlock.”
Griffith’s show fared much better than “Life With Lucy,” running
nine seasons on NBC. Griffith had played Andy Johnson on an episode
of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973. “The Andy Griffith Show” was shot
on the Desilu backlot.
This
episode lost its time slot earning a 10.2 share behind “The Facts
of Life” on NBC with a 15.2.Although
they are supposed to be playing characters of the same age, Lucille
Ball was actually 15 years older than guest star Peter Graves.
This
is the first of six “Life With Lucy” episodes directed by Marc
Daniels,
who directed the very first episode of “I Love Lucy” and 38
subsequent episodes. He is credited with suggesting to Desi Arnaz
that Vivian Vance might be right for the role of Ethel Mertz. In
a 1977 interview, Daniels noted that he left “I
Love Lucy” to
take another job that paid more. “Maybe
it was a stupid thing to do but then we didn’t know we were creating
history. We were just doing a show.” Daniels
died at age 77, just three days before Lucille
Ball,
who also died at age 77 from a heart-related illness.
This
is the only time on the
series that
Lucille Ball
wears a dress,
rather than slacks, a housecoat or bathrobe.
At
the start of the episode, Leonard is fooling around with a shower
head display in the hardware store, pretending he is Scotty (James
Doughan) on “Star Trek”: “Captain
Kirk! Captain Kirk, it’s Scotty here. Captain, the hardware ship
Enterprise – it’s losing power!” “Star
Trek”
(1966-69) was a Desilu-produced show that owes its existence to
Lucille Ball.Curtis:
“I
may become the bathroom king of Pasadena!”
We
learn that Lucy Barker’s maiden name is Everett. This is the first
of her TV character that did not have the maiden name McGillicuddy.
However, on “The Lucy Show” Lucy Carmichael first said she was
originally Lucy Taylor. Later in the series she inexplicably claimed
it was McGillicuddy.
Lucy
calls Ben Matthews ‘Goofy,’ his high school nickname because he had
an overbite and his ears drooped. This is a reference to the Disney
animated dog Goofy, who shared these physical characteristics. Perhaps Ben had plastic surgery, because the description doesn’t match the handsome Peter Graves.Lucy:
“I
feel like a kid again!”
Lucy
and Ben first met during a dance called the Big
Apple. The
dance dates back to the African American ritual dances of the
mid-1800s. The name comes from its revival in the 1930s at The Big
Apple Club in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1937 it became a national
dance craze. It
was mentioned in the films You
Can’t Take it With You
(1938), Vivacious
Lady
(1938), and The
Big Broadcast of 1938.
The dance was first mentioned on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy Becomes a Reporter” (TLS S1;E17) in 1963 which dealt with Lucy Carmichael and
Viv Bagley’s high school days.Later
in the episode, Lucy and Ben demonstrate the Big Apple. After their
‘performance’ (to one of Lucy’s old records), Kevin mentions the
dance craze of the 1980s, break dancing, while Margo and Ted
demonstrate ‘The Monkey’ and ‘The Swim’, two dances that were popular
with teens in the 1960s.Lucy
and Ben dated for a year, until his family moved East.Lucy:
(gazing
at herself in a mirror)
“I still have it!”Lucy
says Ben was her first kiss, which prompts Margo to remember that her
first kiss with Randy Fargo, whose lips were all spongy; like two
Twinkies.
When
Becky is practicing kissing with a hand mirror, she says she looks “a
little like Madonna, but a lot like a fish.”Margo:
(To
Lucy) “Do
you remember when I was 13, and all my girlfriends were going stead.
Finally Randy Fargo asked me to go steady. Do you remember what you
told me?”Lucy:
“Yeah, I told you there was no future in the name Margo Fargo.”
Ben
brings Lucy to a construction site for their date, packing a picnic
with their favorite bubbly, chateau de Dr. Pepper. Ben brings along a
mini-tape player to play their favorite song, “Too
Marvelous for Words.”
The song was written in 1937 by Johnny Mercer, with lyrics (that we
don’t hear) by Richard Whiting. Lucy and Ben dance among the
two-by-fours, fulfilling the title!Lucy:
(eating a chocolate chip cookie) “If
this gets around my name’ll be mud at the Happy Fig Health Food
Store.”
In
two episodes of “The Lucy Show” Lucy Carmichael dated Frank
Winslow (Clint Walker) who owned a construction company and also took
Lucy on a date to a construction site.
In
“Milton Berle Hides out at the Ricardos” (LDCH 1959), a
construction site also figures into the comic finale.
Margo
stays up and waits for Lucy to come home from her date just the same
way Lucy Carmichael stayed up and waited for her daughter in the very
first “The Lucy Show” “Lucy Waits Up for Chris” (TLS S1;E1).
This
Day in Lucy History ~ October 4th
“The
Business Manager”
(ILL S4;E1) – October 4, 1954
“Lucy
and Mannix Are Held Hostage”
(HL S4;E4) – October 4, 19711986, ABC, Andy Griffith, Ann Dusenberry, Big Apple, Construction Site, Curtis Taylor, Donovan Scott, Ed Bernard, Gale Gordon, Goofy, Hardware Store, Jenny Lewis, Larry Anderson, Life With Lucy, Love Among the Ruins, Lucille Ball, Peter Graves, Philip Amelio, Star Trek, Too Marvelous for Words, tv, TV Guide -
LUCY IS A SAX SYMBOL
S1;E5
~ October 25, 1986
[Photo © Getty Images]
Directed
by Peter Baldwin ~ Written by Bob Fisher and Arthur MarxSynopsis
While
clearing out the basement, Lucy finds her old saxophone. She wants to
teach her granddaughter to play, but Becky isn’t very enthusiastic
and doesn’t know how to tell Lucy the truth.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Barker), Gale
Gordon (Curtis
McGibbon), Ann
Dusenberry
(Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry
Anderson
(Ted McGibbon), Jenny
Lewis
(Becky McGibbon), Philip
Amelio
(Kevin McGibbon), Donovan
Scott
(Leonard Stoner)[For
biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves
Another” (S1;E1)]Guest
CastBrandon
Call
(Max) also plays Max in “Lucy is a Legal Beagle” (S1;E7). Call
was born in 1976 and was a regular on “The Charmings” (1987-88),
“Baywatch” (1989-90), and “Step By Step” (1991-98). He was
cast as Kevin in “The Wonder Years,” but was replaced at the last
minute by Fred Savage.Max
lives next door to the McGibbons and has a dog who doesn’t like the
sound of saxophone playing.Tom
Williams (Voice
of Max’s Yelping Dog, uncredited) is an actor and voice artists who
worked extensively on “Adam-12” (1968-71). This is the last of
his three voices on “Life With Lucy.” He also provided a goose
honk and the buzzing of a fly. Williams retired in 2010.
This
was the fifth episode aired as well as the fifth episode filmed.
The
day this episode aired (October 25, 1986) Forrest
Tucker
(“F-Troop”) died. Although Tucker and Lucille Ball never acted
together, his second wife Marilyn Johnson appeared on “I Love Lucy”
as one of the Hollywood wives in 1955’s “The Fashion Show” (ILL
S4;E19). She was only identified on the episode as ‘Mrs. Forrest
Tucker.’ Johnson died in 1960.This
episode of “Life With Lucy” earned the second lowest rating of
the night and lost its time slot. Unfortunately, it was up against
the pre-game show of the 1986 World Series, which earned more than
double “Life With Lucy’s” share. This was a deciding game between
the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox. The Mets won the game in 10
innings after four hours of play. They won the series in the seventh
game on October 27, only the second time they have won the series.
This
is the first of three episodes written by Arthur Marx and Bob Fisher.
Arthur
Marx was
the son of Groucho Marx, whose brother Harpo appeared with Lucille
Ball in a now iconic episode of “I Love Lucy.” Ball appeared with
Groucho in the 1938 film Room
Service.
It is ironic that his son should now be writing for Lucy since
Groucho once was quoted as saying “Lucille
Ball is not funny without a script!”
In 1965 Marx and Fisher collaborated on the stage play The
Impossible Years.
Bob
Fisher
previously wrote for the Desilu sitcom “Make Room for Daddy” and
for Desi Arnaz Productions on “The Mothers-in-Law.”Lucy: (Blowing one note on the saxophone) “Boy am I hot!”
When Lucy pulls the saxophone from the trunk, the audience immediately applauds due to their memory of when Lucy Ricardo played sax on “I Love Lucy.” The first time Lucy pulled a saxophone from a trunk on “I Love Lucy” the trunk was located in the attic. Here, in a three story home, it is in the basement.
This episode takes place entirely in the McGibbon / Barker home. There are no scenes set at M&B Hardware.
In
the basement, it is Leonard (Donovan Scott) who is assigned the
physical comedy, not Lucy. He stumbles around while trying to pick up
magazines and knocks a loaded-down shelf on his head. Ouch!
Lucy
Barker says she learned to play the sax while a member of the
Pasadena High School Bulldog Marching Band, which is also where she
met her husband Sam, who played the flugelhorn. This indicates that
Lucy and her husband were both raised in Pasadena. Founded in 1874,
Pasadena High School’s colors are red and white and their mascot is
indeed the bulldog. Notable alumni include General George S. Patton,
Eddie Van Halen, and Bob Eubanks, among many others.
Lucy: “Sometimes a lip skips a generation.”
Lucy says it is a family tradition to play the sax, but that Margo did not have “the lip” for it. She thinks Becky is a good candidate for sax lessons. Donning
her old marching band cape and hat, Lucy manages to squeak out the
melody of “Marines’
Hymn" which
was originally written by Jacques Offenbach.
When
Becky reads the inscription her grandmother had placed on her
saxophone for her, she at first reads “made
in Elkhart, Indiana.” The Buescher
Band Instrument Company was
a manufacturer of musical instruments in Elkhart,
Indiana,
from 1894 to 1963.
Buescher
became the main supplier of student-grade saxophones to the H&A
Selmer Company. The Buescher brand was retired by Selmer in 1983.Margo
mentions that Lucy and Becky sat through a six-hour Three Stooges
Film Festival.
Max
(Brandon Call) presents Lucy her saxophone and says “If
it’s not too much trouble, would you favor us with a selection?”
This
sort of dialogue does not sit well in the mouth of a six year old
actor!
When
Lucy discovers that Becky has hidden a recording of her sax playing
so that she can go out and play, Lucy says “I’m
trying to decide if it’s real or it’s Memorex.” In
1972, Memorex, makers of audio tapes, launched their
now-familiar “Is
it live? Or is it Memorex?”
advertising campaign. This
would become the company slogan which was used in a series of
ads released through the 1970s and 1980s.
The joke earns a big laugh and round of applause from the studio
audience.
Lucy:
(about her hand being stuck in the saxophone) “It’s
the old story of a man, his mousse, and a tone-deaf dog.”
As
the episode fades out, Becky (Jenny Lewis) says to Lucy, “I
Love you. I only wish you played the electric guitar.” In
1998, 22 year-old Lewis and friends formed the rock band Rilo
Kiley
in
which she sings lead and plays – among other things – the
electric guitar! The band does not, however, include a saxophone!Lucy:
“It’s time that I started to make some new memories instead of
re-living my old ones…”
Lucille
Ball learned to play the saxophone in 1952 for “The
Saxophone” (ILL S2;E2, inset left) and
the skill was interpolated into several “I Love Lucy” episodes of
the series after that. Lucy Ricardo only seemed to know two songs:
“Sweet Sue” and “Glow Worm.”
Even Lucy Carmichael on “The Lucy Show” knew how to play saxophone (although she also dabbled with the violin).
Lucy Carter played the sax during the talent
portion of the Miss Secretary Beautiful competition in “Lucy
Competes with Carol Burnett” (HL S2;E24)…
…as well as when subbing on sax for a sick sister in “Lucy and Her
All-Nun Band” (HL S4;E8).
On
her morning jog, Lucy Barker passes a garage sale where she buys a
mask from Africa. African masks were part of “Lucy Goes To The
Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). Ricky Ricardo also
briefly wore an African mask in “Cuban
Pals” (ILL S1;E28) before
singing “Similau.” His
son, Desi Arnaz Jr., also briefly wore an African mask he obtained on
a scavenger hunt in “Lucy and Liberace” (HL S2;E16).
Lucy’s
grandchild’s off-key sax practice drives everyone crazy, just like
Lucy Ricardo’s son’s incessant drumming did in 1956’s “Little Ricky
Learns To Play the Drums” (ILL S6;E2).
When
Lucy says that Becky should read the inscription she had engraved on
her newly-polished saxophone, Becky reads “Made
in Elkhart, Indiana.”
Lucy draws her attention to the real inscription: “To
darling Becky, with all my love, Grandma”.
Similarly, when Fred Mertz gave pregnant Lucy Ricardo a signed
baseball for her new baby, she reads the inscription: “Spalding!”
Fred then tells her to read the real autograph “Joe
DiMaggio.”
This
Day in Lucy History ~ October 25th
"The
Matchmaker”
(ILL
S4;E4) – October 25, 1954
“Lucy
and the Countess Have a Horse Guest”
(TLS S4;E6) – October 25, 1965
“Someone’s
On the Ski Lift with Dinah”
(HL S4;E7) – October 25, 19711986, ABC, African Masks, Ann Dusenberry, Arthur Marx, Bob Fisher, Brandon Call, Buescher Band Instruments, Donovan Scott, Elkhart Indiana, Forrest Tucker, Gale Gordon, Jenny Lewis, Larry Anderson, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Marine’s Hymn, Memorex, Pasadena High School, Peter Baldwin, Philip Amelio, Rilo Kiley, Sax, Saxophone, Tom Williams, tv -
LUCY MAKES A HIT WITH JOHN RITTER
S1;E2 ~ September 27, 1986
[Photo © Getty Images]
Directed by Peter Baldwin ~ Written by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis
Synopsis
John Ritter wanders into the Hardware Store to buy doorknobs and ends up with multiple injuries, thanks to a star-struck Lucy. She brings the star home to rest and then escorts him to a rehearsal for his new play. When Ritter’s co-star suddenly quits, Lucy naturally wants to get into the act.
Regular Cast
Lucille Ball (Lucy Barker), Gale Gordon (Curtis McGibbon), Ann Dusenberry (Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry Anderson (Ted McGibbon), Jenny Lewis (Becky McGibbon), Philip Amelio (Kevin McGibbon), Donovan Scott (Leonard Stoner)
[For biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves Another” (S1;E1)]
Guest Cast
John Ritter (Himself) was the son of country singing sensation Tex Ritter. He is best known for playing Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom “Three’s Company” which finished its run two years before his appearance on “Life With Lucy” but was widely syndicated. The role earned him an Emmy and a Golden Globe. He also starred in the ABC cop series “Hooperman” from 1987 to 1989. Ritter was also active in theatre and films. He died suddenly in 2003 at the age of 54.
Ruth Buzzi (Mrs. Wilcox) is probably best known for her many characters on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” which was competition for “Here’s Lucy” for several seasons. This did not stop Lucille Ball from creating a guest-starring role for her in “My Fair Buzzi” (HL S5;E13) in 1972. She was nominated for five Emmy Awards and won a Golden Globe in 1973.
Greg Mullavey (Randy Van Adams) is probably best remembered for playing hapless husband Tom on “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” (1976-77). He made his screen debut in 1964 in the Desilu series “Gomer Pyle: USMC.”
Randy Van Adams is the director of “The Soldier’s Song.”
Sally Kemp (Mary) had played Marcia on “Dynasty” from 1982 to 1984. In October 1981 she appeared on an episode of “Three’s Company” with John Ritter. She died in 2017 at age 84.
Mary plays the Nurse in “The Soldier’s Song.”
Lucy Barker: “It’s kind of an ugly little story.”
The final draft of the script for this episode was dated August 13, 1986.
This was the fourth episode filmed, but it was decided to air it second in the belief that John Ritter’s appearance would help fight a ratings slump after the premiere. It did not work. The show earned a 10.1 share, down from 14.6 the week before. “Life With Lucy” also failed to beat “Downtown” on CBS which earned an 11.9 share, and a two-part “The Facts of Life” on NBC, which won the time slot with 15.6. This was likely due to the fact that it was the first episode for Cloris Leachman, who replaced Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett) as when she quit the hit show. Although not competition for “Life With Lucy,” the evening of September 27th also saw the debut of NBC’s new sitcom “Amen” starring Sherman Hemsley.
John Ritter: (to Lucy) “I just don’t think you have enough experience.”
Of all the current [1986] comedic performers, perhaps Lucille Ball’s favorite was John Ritter. Ritter died in 2003 of the same heart ailment (an aortic dissection), the same malady that took the life of his father, Tex Ritter, and Lucille Ball in 1989.
Lucille Ball was such a fan of John Ritter that she agreed to host a clips show retrospective called “Best of Three’s Company” which aired on May 18, 1982.
John Ritter: “What difference does age make?”
This episode combines Lucy’s love of physical comedy with her usual tropes of causing mayhem and wanting to get into show business.
During the filming of the scene where Lucy force-feeds Ritter a concoction of tofu, wheat germ, and sauerkraut juice (aka “health in a bowl”) Ritter ad-libbed “This is real sauerkraut juice!” His pained expression breaks Ball up, and the scene had to be re-shot. Lucille Ball later said that this was only the third time in her entire career that she had to yell cut because she was laughing. She called Ritter’s propensity to make her crack-up ‘Ritter-itis’!
In the book With Love and Laughter, John Ritter author Amy Yasbeck recalls that Ritter called his black knee socks ‘Mr. Mooneys’ because he once saw Gale Gordon’s character on “The Lucy Show” wearing them.
Lucy: (to John Ritter) “I’m Lucy….er… Barker. I almost forgot my own name!”
Lucy Barker is a big fan of John Ritter. To demonstrate her devotion, she says the names of his wife (Nancy) and his children (Jason, Tyler and Carly). She didn’t, however, know that his dog’s name is Mikey. Actress Nancy Morgan and Ritter were married from 1977 to 1996. At the time of filming Jason was 6, Carly was 4, and Tyler was a year and a half. In 1999, Ritter married actress Amy Yazbeck with whom he had a fourth child Stella, who is now living life as a trans man named Noah.
Mrs. Wilcox (Ruth Buzzi) says she has tickets to John Ritter’s play “A Soldier’s Song” at the Pasadena Playhouse where he was an alumnus from 1969. Like his mother, Dorothy, Ritter trained at the famed Pasadena Playhouse. Ruth Buzzi was also an alumnus of the Playhouse, a real life venue.
Ritter says “A Solider’s Song” was first produced at the Playhouse in 1926. The play is set during World War I with Ritter playing the title character, a wounded doughboy. A sign mounted on the wall of the set for “A Soldier’s Song” sets the action at an American Red Cross Base Hospital in Contrexéville, France. Unfortunately, “Life With Lucy” sign makers misspelled the name of the town as ‘Contrexville.’ Contrexéville was known as a health resort from as far back as 1864.
Ritter says that his wife is Hawaii with the kids. Hawaii is a popular destination with Lucille Ball and her sitcom characters. Curtis returned from a vacation in Hawaii in the previously aired episode.
Randy: “Look at John. He’s a big star and he never knows what he’s doing.”
Sitting onstage at the Pasadena Playhouse, Lucy tells the director (Greg Mullavey) that she was in her high school play “The Girl Next Door” where she didn’t play the girl next door, but played the girl next door to the girl next door.
As the doughboy in “A Soldier’s Song” John Ritter plays “Oh! Susanna” on the harmonica. One of the most familiar songs in America, it was written by Stephen Foster in 1848.
When Mary (the Nurse) quits the play, Randy says that Joan Collins will do the part as a favor to John. Lucy, however, wants to play the part herself. Collins was the star of the tremendously popular nighttime soap “Dynasty” (also on ABC) from 1981 to 1989. In 1984, she hosted “All Star Party for Lucille Ball” (above). Coincidentally, Sally Kemp (Mary, the actress that quit), played Marcia, Blake Carrington’s secretary on “Dynasty” for several years.
John Ritter: “It’s an ugly little story.”
In “Lucy Goes to the Rodeo” (ILL S5;E8) Ricky Ricardo is listing possible acts for his western act at Madison Square Garden and mentions Tex Ritter, who is John Ritter’s father. The episode aired in November 1955 when John Ritter was just seven years old.
While feeding him a home-made meal, Lucy calls John “Mr. Ritter.” Lucy Ricardo also fed a man named Mr. Ritter (Edward Everett Horton) in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in 1952. Both Mr. Ritters find Lucy’s food pretty awful!
Lucille Ball played nurses in the films: Carnival (1935), Room Service (1938), Look Who’s Laughing (1941), and Yours, Mine and Ours (1968).
Lucy Carmichael and Carol Tilford (Carol Burnett) were in a show-within-the-show in which they also played World War I Red Cross nurses in France. “The Lucy Show” episode was aired in 1967.
Lucy Carmichael donned nurses whites and wreaked hospital-wide havoc in “Lucy Plays Florence Nightingale” (TLS S2;E14) in 1964.
This Day in Lucy History ~ September 27th
“Lucy in the Music World” (TLS S4;E3) – September 27, 1965
“Lucy and Harry’s Italian Bombshell” (HL S4;E3) – September 27, 1971
1986, ABC, Ann Dusenberry, Bob Carroll Jr., Contrexeville, Donovan Scott, Gale Gordon, Greg Mullavey, Jenny Lewis, Joan Collins, John Ritter, Larry Anderson, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Madelyn Davis, Nurses, Oh Susanna, Pasadena Playhouse, Peter Baldwin, Philip Amelio, Red Cross, Ruth Buzzi, Sally Kemp, Three’s Company, tv, World War I
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Papermoon Loves Lucy 