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LUCY’S TENANT
S6;E7
~ October 22, 1973
Synopsis
Lucy’s
rental agent mistakenly lets Kim’s old room to Kermit Boswell (Jackie
Coogan), an obnoxious used car dealer. Lucy schemes to get rid of
him, first by making the woman-hating Boswell think she’s in love
with him and, when that doesn’t work, by pretending Harry is her long
lost husband.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter / “Captain Lionel Carter”)Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter) does
not appear in this episode, nor does she receive credit in the
opening titles. Kim is mentioned in the dialogue. Despite her
absence, the final credits do state “Lucie Arnaz Wardrobe by
Alroe.”Guest
Cast
Jackie
Coogan
(Kermit Boswell) was
a child actor. In “Ricky’s
Screen Test” (ILL S4;E6) Lucy
Ricardo hopes Little Ricky will be “the
next Jackie Coogan.” Coogan
was once married to Flower Parry, who was a frequent extra on “I
Love Lucy.” He is, of course, best remembered as Uncle Fester
on TV’s “The Addams Family” (1964-66). He made two
appearances on “The Lucy Show” and will make his final appearance
with Ball in the 1975 TV film “Lucy Gets Lucky.” He died in 1984
at age 69.Mr.
Boswell is a used car dealer.
Mary
Jane Croft (Mary
Jane Lewis) played Betty Ramsey during season six of “I Love Lucy.
” She also played Cynthia Harcourt in “Lucy
is Envious” (ILL S3;E23) and
Evelyn Bigsby in “Return
Home from Europe” (ILL S5;E26).
She played Audrey Simmons on “The Lucy Show” but when Lucy
Carmichael moved to California, she played Mary Jane Lewis, the
actor’s married name and the same one she uses on all 31 of her
episodes of “Here’s Lucy. Her final acting credit was playing
Midge Bowser on “Lucy Calls the President” (1977). She died in
1999 at the age of 83.Mary
Jane’s uncle sells cars.
Reta
Shaw
(Mrs. Witherspoon) started her career on the stage in such hits
as Picnic (1953)
and The
Pajama Game (1954),
for which she also did the film versions. She is best known for
playing maids, such as in Disney’s Mary
Poppins (1964)
and TV’s “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” (1968-70). She made three
appearances on “The Lucy Show” and three on
“Here’s Lucy.”
Rhodes
Reason
(Keith Davidson) marks the last of his five episodes of “Here’s
Lucy” having previously appeared in “Lucy,
the Matchmaker” (S1;E12) and “Lucy
and the Gold Rush” (S1;E13). He
also appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1974 TV movie “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye.”Mr.
Davidson is a rental agent.
To
tease the prim and proper Mrs. Witherspoon, Lucy calls
Harry “Cuddles, her Monday night boyfriend”. “Cuddles”
was the name given to Vivian Vance’s character in the musical revue
in “Lucy and the Lost Star” (TLS S6;E22). Before that, it was
the nickname of one of Lucy’s old college girlfriends played by
Dorothy Konrad in “Lucy’s College Reunion” (TLS S2;E11). “Monday
night” was not chosen by accident. Lucille Ball’s sitcoms always
aired on Mondays, and she was known as “the Queen of Monday
nights.”
The above line actually gets a smattering of applause of approval from some in
the studio audience – probably men. It is worth noting that 1973
saw the signing of the landmark Roe v Wade case by the Supreme Court,
and the self-proclaimed “battle of the sexes” between tennis
players Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. During 1972, a total of 22 state legislatures ratified the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) and eight more joined in early 1973, although the amendment never finally earned enough votes to be ratified nationally.
Boswell
calls Lucy “Mary Poppins” probably due to her proper
attitude. Lucy was compared to the magical nanny (originally from the
novels of P.L. Travers and later from the 1964 Disney film) in
“Lucy’s Mystery Guest” (TLS S6;E10) and “Lucy Saves Milton
Berle” (TLS S4;E14). Coincidentally, Reta Shaw (Mrs. Witherspoon) played maid Katie Nanna
in the Disney film. Later, Lucy sarcastically calls Mary Jane “Peter
Pan” when she brings up Lucy’s age!
Lucy
wonders why guys like Clint Eastwood don’t rent rooms. The
ruggedly handsome actor was previously mentioned as someone Lucy
would like to get stuck on a desert island with in “Lucy and the
Group Encounter” (S5;E14).
When
Lucy tries to convince Mr. Boswell that she’s in love with him, the
background music plays “A Fine Romance”
by
Jerome
Kern, composed for the movie Swing
Time
(1936).
Mary
Jane remembers seeing a movie starring Mary
Astor, Jack Oakie and
Don Ameche
where a long-lost husband comes back to stop a wedding. While Astor and Ameche
did a film together (Midnight
in 1939) and Oakie and Ameche also did a film together (Something
To Shout About
in 1943), the three stars were never in the same film. Lucille Ball starred with Oakie in The Affairs of Annabel (1938) and three other films. Lucy did “Lucky Partners,” a 1944 radio telecast with Don Ameche.
The
plot of the last act of this episode is very similar to “The Quiz
Show” (ILL S1;E5), where Lucy Ricardo will win a
thousand dollars if she pretends a complete stranger is her first
husband in front of Ricky.
A
fast talking (and bald) Milton Berle played purveyor of
used conveyances Cheerful Charlie in “Lucy and the Used Car Dealer”
(S2;E09).
Getting
rid of an unwanted tenant has been a staple of “Lucy” sitcoms.
The best examples are “The Sublease” (ILL S3;E31, above) starring Jay
Novello as the tenant who won’t move out…
and “Viv Moves Out”
(TLS S2;E22), where Lucy Carmichael rents Viv’s room to a mother and
son musical act (Roberta Sherwood and Robert Lanning) who rehearse –
loudly – at all hours of the day and night.
Script Consistency! This episode seems to settle the question of “Where is Kim living?” At the end of season 4, Kim moved into an apartment in Marina Del Rey. The episode was designed as a pilot for a spin-off series for the character, but it was not picked up. Kim’s whereabouts were kept deliberately vague for all of season 5. Here, Harry finally says that she “has her own apartment.”
“Lucy’s Tenant” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
A great supporting cast and a good (though unsurprising) script. The costumes epitomize the tacky 1970s, even considering the ‘used car salesman’ chic worn by Coogan.
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LUCY GIVES EDDIE ALBERT THE OLD SONG AND DANCE
S6;E6
~ October 15, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn DavisSynopsis
When
producing a charity show, Lucy asks Eddie Albert to star in it. At
the same time, a woman meeting Lucy’s description has been stalking
Albert.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter)Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter) does
not appear in this episode, nor does she receive credit in the
opening titles. Despite her absence, the final credits do state
“Lucie Arnaz Wardrobe by Alroe.”Guest
Cast
Eddie
Albert
(Himself) began his TV career years
before electronic television was introduced to the public. In June of
1936 Eddie appeared in RCA’s first private live performance for
their radio licensees in New York
City, a very early experimental television system. He first
worked with Lucille Ball in the 1950 movie The
Fuller Brush Girl. Today
he is perhaps best known for playing lawyer turned farmer Oliver
Douglas on CBS’s “Green Acres” (1965-71). He was nominated for
two Oscars as Supporting Actor, in 1954 for Roman
Holiday
and 1972 for The
Heartbreak Kid.
He died in 2005 at age 99.
Mary
Jane Croft (Mary
Jane Lewis, left) played Betty Ramsey during season six of “I Love Lucy.
” She also played Cynthia Harcourt in “Lucy
is Envious” (ILL S3;E23) and
Evelyn Bigsby in “Return
Home from Europe” (ILL S5;E26).
She played Audrey Simmons on “The Lucy Show” but when Lucy
Carmichael moved to California, she played Mary Jane Lewis, the
actor’s married name and the same one she uses on all 31 of her
episodes of “Here’s Lucy. Her final acting credit was playing
Midge Bowser on “Lucy Calls the President” (1977). She died in
1999 at the age of 83.Vanda
Barra (Vanda Barra, right) makes one of over two dozen appearances on
“Here’s Lucy” as well as appearing in Ball’s two 1975 TV
movies “Lucy Gets Lucky” and “Three for Two”. She was seen in
half a dozen episodes of “The Lucy Show.” Barra was Lucille
Ball’s cousin-in-law by marriage to Sid Gould.
Doris
Singleton (Patty) created the role of Caroline Appleby on “I
Love Lucy,” although she was known as Lillian Appleby in the first
of her ten appearances. She made two appearances on “The Lucy
Show.” This is the second of her four appearances on “Here’s
Lucy.” She was originally intended to be a series regular but was
written out after the first episode.The
character’s name is not used in the dialogue but is listed in the
final credits.
Jerry
Hausner
(Jimmy) was
featured as Jerry, Ricky’s agent in the
pilot and
first three seasons of “I Love Lucy.” He left the show
after a disagreement with Desi Arnaz. He
returned to work with Lucille Ball in “Lucy is a Soda Jerk” (TLS
S1;E23), shortly after Desi Arnaz resigned as Executive Producer and
President of Desilu. This is is his only “Here’s Lucy”
appearance and his last time on screen with Lucille Ball. He was
seen in three episodes of “Green Acres” with Eddie Albert.
“Green
Acres” is
mentioned in the dialogue of the episode. Eddie Albert’s co-star on
“Green Acres,”
Eva
Gabor, guest-starred in two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Many other
“Lucy” actors appeared in Hooterville. Among them, Barbara
Pepper (30 episodes), Eleanor Audley (19 episodes), Robert Foulk (16
episodes), Jonathan Hole (7 episodes), Shirley Mitchell (4 episodes),
Parley Baer (4 episodes), Jerry Hausner (3 episodes), Jesse White (2
episodes), John J. Fox (2 episodes), Roy Roberts (2 episodes),
Maurice Marsac, Lou Krugman, Bob Jellison, Norman Leavitt, Romo
Vincent, Elvia Allman, Gail Bonney, Ray Kellogg, Irwin Charone,
Bernie Kopell, Charles Lane, Alan Hale Jr., Robert Carson, Jerome
Cowan, William Lanteau, Paul Bradley, Leoda Richards, Hans Moebus,
and Rich Little.
An
office scene between Lucy and Harry was originally written for “Lucy,
the Peacemaker” (S5;E3) but deleted for time. It was re-staged for
this episode.
Lucille
begins to wear longer wigs again after having worn shorter styles
earlier in the season.
Lucy,
Mary Jane, and Vanda are having a lunch meeting to plan their annual
“Girl Friday Follies,” a show that raises money to send
underprivileged kids to camp. Taking
Lucy’s suggestion to find a “big name”, Mary Jane suggests
Engelbert Humperdinck – the ‘biggest’ name she’s ever heard. The
English singing sensation was previously mentioned on “Lucy and
Liberace” (S2;E16) and “Lucy and Ann-Margret” (S2;E20) where
Lucy mispronounced his name as ‘Pumpernickel’ and ‘Dumperhink.’
Looking at his desk, littered with food items from the girls’ lunch, Harry laments that he “missed the Iowa State Picnic.” The Iowa State Picnic is an annual event that started in 1900 and was held in Long Beach, California, which was nicknamed “Iowa by the Sea.” They were attended by Iowans who had transplanted to the area in order to share their common roots. With attendance dwindling, in 2014 the picnic moved from Long Beach to San Pedro where the USS Iowa is docked.
To
find a star, Lucy looks at Joyce Haber’s column in the newspaper.
Joyce
Haber was
the gossip columnist of the Los
Angeles Times.
She made an appearance (above) as a member of the Hollywood Press when “Lucy
Meets the Burtons” (S3;E1) in 1970.
Haber’s
column mentions that Frank
Sinatra is
coming out of retirement. In 1970, the singer went into a
self-imposed retirement that lasted until 1973 with the release of
the album “Ol’ Blue Eyes is Back.” Sinatra was first mentioned
on “I Love Lucy” in 1955 and his named has been dropped on both
“The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.” Sinatra inadvertently
appeared on “I Love Lucy” when a clip of him in the film Guys
and Dolls
was inserted into the MGM Executives Show in “Lucy and the Dummy”
(ILL S5;E3) when it was running short. The clip has since been
removed and has never been seen in the context of the episode after
its initial broadcast.
Lucy
says she saw Eddie Albert in The
Music Man.
In
1959, Albert replaced Robert
Preston in
the Broadway production of The Music Man. Coincidentally,
the show’s author Meredith Willson was from Iowa, where the musical
is set, and attended the 1959 Iowa State Picnic to lead the Long
Beach Band playing the show’s rousing anthem “76 Trombones.”
When
a preoccupied Lucy is idle at her desk, she tells Harry she’s worried
about Eddie Albert. Harry tells her to get busy and let Margo worry
about Eddie Albert. Margo Albert was a Mexican-American actress born
as María Marguerita Guadalupe Teresa Estela Bolado Castilla y
O’Donnell – so she simply went by the singular moniker Margo.
Coincidentally, he
was related by marriage to band leader Xavier
Cugat,
as niece of his first marriage to Carmen Castillo.
Cugat was a mentor of Desi Arnaz’s and often mentioned as a rival of
Ricky Ricardo. Margo appeared in a 1958 installment of “The
Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse” with Eddie Albert which was hosted
by Desi Arnaz. The following year, she was seen in another
installment with Arnaz as a co-star.
Margo’s
black and white photo is behind the sofa of Albert’s living room.
Next to it is a photo of Albert’s son, Edward
Laurence Heimberger
(aka Eddie
Albert Jr.),
age 23. In 1972, he was launched to fame from his portrayal of blind
Don Baker in Butterflies
are Free,
for which he won a Golden Globe. He died of Alzheimer’s Disease in
2006, one year after his father’s passing.
When
Lucy unexpectedly arrives on Eddie Albert’s doorstep he believes her to be his stalker, so Patty is sent
to phone for the police. She rushes from the room saying “I
feel like I’m on ‘Mannix’!” “Mannix”
(1967-75)
was a Desilu-produced TV show that was saved from cancellation after its first season by
Lucille Ball. “Here’s Lucy” hosted a cross-over episode with
“Mannix” in 1971 that also featured Mary Jane Croft and Gale
Gordon. It, too, was written and directed by Ruskin, Davis, and
Carroll.
Trying
to convince Eddie to change his conflict date and do the show, Lucy
breaks into “There’s
a Long, Long Trail”
and then Albert joins in, harmonizing. At the end of the scene Harry,
Mary Jane, and Vanda all join in. The song was written by Stoddard
King and
Alonzo
Elliott
in
1913. In
an episode of “The
Lucy Show,”
Lucy Carmichael and Viv sing the first two lines of the chorus in a
failed attempt to entertain their kids after their TV set breaks
down. The song’s title may have also influenced the title of the Lucille Ball / Desi Arnaz film The Long, Long Trailer (1953).“The Girl Friday Follies”
Mary Jane: “Nostalgia’s so old fashioned.”
The
Girl Friday Follies opens with Mary Jane and Vanda taking their bows
as the team of “Crime and Punishment”. We never see what the act consists of, but it is likely not connected to Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s 1866 novel of the same name.
Eddie Albert: “To know Harry is to love him!”
Lucy: “I don’t think we’re talking about the same Harry.”
For the finale, Lucy and Eddie Albert
perform “Makin’
Whoopee” written
by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson. The song was first
popularized by Eddie
Cantor in
the 1928 musical Whoopee!
For the first time since her skiing accident, Lucy dances on
television.
In
her DVD introduction of the episode, Shirley Mitchell calls the show
“old home week.”
Aside from Lucy’s reunion with Eddie Albert from The Fuller Brush Girl,
she also shares the sound stage with three members of the cast of “I
Love Lucy”…
Shirley Mitchell (Carolyn Appleby)…
Mary Jane Croft
(Betty Ramsey)…
and Jerry Hausner (Jerry the Agent).
The episode is
written by the “I Love Lucy” scribes Madelyn (Pugh) Davis and Bob Carroll Jr.
Lucy
says she saw Eddie Albert’s house on a
tour of the movie stars
homes.
Mary Jane asks Lucy if that was the tour where she sneaked into Rock
Hudson’s backyard to steal an orange. This is a variation on when
Lucy Ricardo took a tour of the movie stars homes and sneaked over
Richard Widmark’s wall to steal a grapefruit in “The Tour” (ILL
S4;E30).
Rock Hudson played himself on an episode titled “In Palm
Springs” (ILL S4;E26). Rock Hudson is mentioned again later, when
Patty reveals that the same woman who has been stalking Eddie Albert
has also been bothering Rock Hudson.
Vanda
asks if it is the same tour where she saw Dean Martin in his bathrobe
dumping empty bottles in the trash? Although this even never
happened on screen, Lucy Carmichael did date Dean Martin on “The
Lucy Show.”
Where
the Floor Ends! In the office, the camera pulls back for a wide shot that exposes where the wall-to-wall carpet ends and the cement stage floor begins.
“Lucy Gives Eddie Albert the Old Song and Dance” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
This episode is enjoyable for “I Love Lucy” (or Eddie Albert) fans. It is good to see so many folks from Lucille Ball’s past in one episode!
1973, Bob Carroll Jr., CBS, Coby Ruskin, Crime and Punishment, Dean Martin, Doris Singleton, Eddie Albert, Eddie Albert Jr., Engelbert Humperdinck, Frank Sinatra, Gale Gordon, Green Acres, Here’s Lucy, Iowa State Picnic, Jerry Hausner, Joyce Haber, Lucille Ball, Madelyn Davis, Making Whoopee, Mannix, Margot, Mary Jane Croft, Rock Hudson, The Music Man, There’s a Long Long Trail, tv, Vanda Barra -
THE BOW WOW BOUTIQUE
S6;E5
~ October 8, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Fred S. Fox and Seaman JacobsSynopsis
Harry
buys a pet shop in order to turn a profit. But when the staff quits, it falls to Lucy and Kim to shampoo the pups!Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter), Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter)Guest
Cast
Bob
Williams (Himself)
had a comedy act with his (seemingly) uncooperative dog Louie that
played Las Vegas and was seen on “The Colgate Comedy Hour”
(1955), “The Hollywood Palace Christmas Show” (1965), “The Jack
Paar Show” (1965), and many others.
Jonathan
Hole
(Mr. Dinwiddie) previously played a department store floorwalker in
“Lucy a Process Server” (S1;E3) and was also seen in a similar
role in
“Lucy
Bags a Bargain” (TLS S4;E17).
He was
seen in eight Broadway plays between 1924 and 1934. His screen career
began in 1951.Mr.
Dinwiddie is the (former) manager of the Bow Wow Boutique.
Sid
Gould (Sid)
made
more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background
characters. This is one of his nearly 50 episodes of “Here’s
Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin
by marriage to Gary Morton.Sid
is the dog groomer for the Bow Wow Boutique.
Andy
Albin
(Joe)
began
his vaudeville career after winning a Charleston contest in
Philadelphia. His first screen role was as a farmer (uncredited) in
Hitchcock’s North
By Northwest (1959).Joe
is the in charge of boarding and feeding at the Bow Wow Boutique.
Albin was likely cast because he is nearly bald.
Eve
McVeagh (Mrs.
Gordon) played Roberta (Bert), Lucy Ricardo’s hairdresser, in “The
Black Wig” (ILL S3;E26). The character was named after Lucille
Ball’s hairdresser during the series’ first season, Roberta French.
McVeagh
worked with Alfred Hitchcock on seven of his television projects.
Her
contributions in film and television spanned 33 years.The character’s name is not spoken aloud, but is listed in the final credits.
Canine Cast
Louie, Bob Williams’ dog, a French Spaniel.
Louie appeared on many television shows with Williams.
Winston, Mrs. Gordon’s dog, a Bloodhound.
Mrs. Gordon has another dog, Dolly, a Fox Terrier, that stays “in the car.” It is Dolly’s birthday!
Teddy,
an English BulldogTeddy
(or Ted) is short for Theodore, which was the first name of Mr.
Mooney (and his son) on “The Lucy Show.”
Tiger,
a Yorkshire TerrierTiger
was also the name of the neighbor’s dog featured on the very first
episode of “The Lucy Show
Tinkerbell,
a St. BernardIn “Vivian
Sues Lucy” (TLS S1;E10), Lucy
Carmichael calls Vivian ‘Tinkerbell’ due to her propensity for
ringing her bedside bell while (supposedly) incapacitated.
An
unnamed Dachshund
Listening
to Harry and Mr. Dinwiddie’s “Due / Do” conversation, Lucy says
she hasn’t heard anything like it since Abbott
and Costello.
Lucy is referring to Bud Abbott (1897-1974) and Lou Costello
(1906-59), a comedy duo and their most famous routine “Who’s on
First?” Lucille Ball was featured in their 1945 film Abbott
and Costello in Hollywood
playing herself.
Easter
Egg! On
the counter of the Bow Wow Boutique are bongo drums and maracas. The
plush dog adjacent to the instruments is dressed in a Flamenco
outfit! These are possibly a silent tribute to the Arnaz musical
heritage.
Bob
Williams tells Lucy and Kim that he communicates with Louie via ESP.
Williams tells Lucy and Kim that Louie wants to be a statue. Louie keeps his head
down and Williams declares it “The End
of the Trail,” a
statue (and originally sculpture) by James Earl Fraser. It stands in
Waupun, Wisconsin, as
a tribute to Native Americans.
Before
bathing him, Lucy asks Louie if he wants a Henna
Rinse.
Henna Rinse was the hair dye that Lucille Ball (and all her TV
incarnations) used to make her hair that unique shade of red. It was
comically portrayed on “I Love Lucy” as the first thing Lucy
Ricardo would grab in case of a fire!
Bathing
Teddy, Lucy says he’ll be the “Winston
Churchill of the century.”
Winston
Churchill (1874-1965)
was a British Prime Minister who was known as “the British Bulldog”
and known for his “bulldog spirit.” At
age 17 Winston Churchill sold his bicycle to buy a bulldog he named
Dodo. A 1941
photographic portrait of Churchill by Yousuf Karsh (used on the five
pound note since 2013) was informally known as the “Bulldog
Portrait.” Churchill
often called his depression his “dark dog.” Later in the
episode, Lucy says Harry looks like a bulldog.
The
electronic hum of the temperamental blower and suds hose is actually
the sound of an amplifier being turned on and off. Cam McCulloch was
the series’ Sound Engineer.
Commenting
on the size of St. Bernard Tinkerbell, Lucy says “I
think I bet on her once at Santa Anita.” Santa
Anita is
a horse racetrack in Southern California that was frequently visited
by Lucille Ball. It was first mentioned by Fred (William Frawley)
in “Ricky
Minds the Baby” (ILL S3;E14) in
1954. More recently, it was mentioned during the Secretary
Beautiful Contest in “Lucy Competes With Carol Burnett” (S2;E24).
Hearkening
back to early episodes of “Here’s Lucy,” comedy was often derived
from the fact that Lucy was incapably of handling hoses without
getting Harry wet. Here, Harry gets his revenge – but not for long!
Lucille Ball (as Lucy Barker) also did a comedy scene involving soap suds in “Life With Lucy” (1986).
Kim
and Craig pet-sit the entire contents of a pet shop in Lucy’s living
room in “Lucy
the Helpful Mother” (S2;E15).
Lucy
Carmichael and Vivian Bagley visited a pet store in “Lucy Gets the
Bird” (TLS S3;E12) where a piranha eats Lucy’s handbag!
Kim
pulls on Winston’s sagging skin the same way Lucy Carmichael did to
Thunderbolt in “Kiddie Parties Inc.” (TLS S2;E2).
Although
there are six live dogs in this episode, that is not the most dogs to
ever appear with Lucy on television. That distinction belongs to
1963’s “Lucy and Viv Learn Judo” (TLS S1;E22) where more than a dozen
assorted pooches stormed the Carmichael home.
Name Game! It’s a bit confusing that Eve McVeagh’s bloodhound is named Winston, but the bulldog in the second half of the show is named Teddy. The bulldog is traditionally associated with Winston Churchill and Lucy even mentions the Churchill’s name while bathing Teddy. It would have been clearer to have the dogs’ names reversed. If these were the dogs real names, it might have been feared they wouldn’t respond to commands if they were given a “stage name.”
Recycling!
The large plush pink poodle in the Bow Wow Boutique was previously
seen underneath the jungle gym when “Lucy Sublets the Office”
(S4;E21) to a toy vendor.Editing!
There is an obvious jump cut edit when Lucy is drying off Teddy the
bulldog that occurs right after Lucy says “Doesn’t
that feel good?”
“The Bow Wow Boutique” rates 2 Paper Hearts out of 5
Enjoyment of this episode relies purely on how cute you find these various dogs and their interactions with Lucy. Now mostly forgotten, Bob Williams’ funny dog act is reduced to two (not very exciting) stunts. This could have been a five heart episode with a better script.
1973, Abbott and Costello in Hollywood, Andy Albin, Bloodhound, Bob Williams, CBS, Coby Ruskin, dog grooming, dogs, English Bulldog, Eve McVeagh, Fred S. Fox, French Spaniel, Gale Gordon, Henna Rinse, Here’s Lucy, Jonathan Hole, Lucie Arnaz, Lucille Ball, pet store, Santa Anita, Seaman Jacobs, Sid Gould, St. Bernard, tv, Winston Churchill, Yorkshire Terrier -
RIP Jean Porter ~ Actress who was popular in “B” movies of the 1940s and 50s. As such, she did two films with Lucille Ball: ABBOTT & COSTELLO IN HOLLYWOOD (1945), in which Porter had a leading role while Lucy basically played herself; and EASY TO WED (1946), in which Lucy was the star and Porter went uncredited in a small role. Porter retired in 1961 and died at age 95.
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LUCY, THE WEALTHY WIDOW
S6;E4
~ October 1, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Robert O’BrienSynopsis
Harry
needs a loan to help keep the Unique Employment Agency open. Under
the impression that banks only lend money to those who don’t need it,
Lucy invites a loan officer (Ed McMahon) over and poses as a wealthy
widow, with Kim and Harry popping in and out as her domestic help.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter)
Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter / “Harrison, the Butler”/ “Luigi, the Chauffeur)
Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter / “Chiquita, the Downstairs Maid” / “Mimi, the Upstairs
Maid”)Guest
Cast
Ed
McMahon (Ed
McAllister) was
born in 1923 in Detroit, Michigan. He was a comedian, actor,
singer, game show host, and announcer. He is most famous for his
thirty year run as Johnny Carson’s sidekick, announcer, and second
banana on “The Tonight Show.” He acted with Lucille Ball on “Lucy
Calls the President” (1977) as well as “Lucy and Johnny Carson” (S2;E11) in which he
played himself. He died in 2009.Ed
McAllister is Vice President of the Loan Department of West State
Bank.
Henry
Beckman (Truck
Driver) was a busy character actor who is probably best remembered as
Clancy on the TV series “Here Come the Brides” (1968-70). This
is his only time working with Lucille Ball.
Sid
Gould (Telephone
Man / “Rodney”) made
more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background
characters. This is one of his nearly 50 episodes of “Here’s
Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin
by marriage to Gary Morton.Tommy
Farrell
(TV Director) was
on Broadway in three plays between 1942 and 1947. He was seen on “The
Lucy Show” twice. This is the fourth of his six episodes of
“Here’s Lucy.”
Orwin
C. Harvey (Mike,
Bank Guard) was
an actor and stuntman who played one of the singing and dancing
teamsters in “Lucy
Helps Ken Berry” (TLS S6;E21).
This is one of his nine appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”Ed
McAllister calls the character Mike, but the name is not listed in the
credits.Jay
Fletcher (Bank
Teller) was a stage actor making first television appearance.The
other bank customers, tellers, and TV crew are played by uncredited
background performers.
Ed
McMahon mentioned this episode on the August 1, 1973 installment of
“The Tonight Show.” One of Johnny Carson’s guests that night was
Ricardo Montalban, who was featured in “Lucy and Her Prince
Charming” (S5;E12) in 1972.
From 1968 to 1985, Lucille Ball was a guest on “The Tonight Show” 19 times, although not all with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon as hosts. Some were with Joan Rivers, who will appear on “Here’s Lucy” a few weeks later. The above photo was from March 1974 to promote the release of Mame.
Ed
McMahon has the distinction of being the only man, aside from Desi
Arnaz, to ever play Lucy’s husband on television. It happened in the
1977 special “Lucy Calls the President” (above).
The
TV camera in the bank is labeled KBEX COLOR. KBEX were
the call letters for fictional TV and radio stations. They were used
in many TV shows and films, including in Desilu’s “Mannix” and
“Mission: Impossible.” They were first used on “Here’s Lucy”
in “Lucy Is Really in a Pickle” (S5;E15). Starting in 2005, the
FCC (Federal Communications Commission) started using KBEX for actual
broadcast stations.
The
script makes jokes about Ed McMahon’s drinking. He was spokesman for
Budweiser Beer (above) and was often known to take a drink himself. After
offering the Truck Driver a glass of water, he remarks “You
can’t trust a guy who drinks water.”
McAllister later says that he frowns on drinking except on special
occasions – like when someone asks him to have a drink!Background
Music: As Harrison the Butler enters, the soundtrack briefly pays
“Rule
Britannia.”
When Lucy comes down the stairs in her expensive jewels and a long
cigarette holder, the music plays a few bars of “Too
Marvelous for Words” (1937)
by Johnny Mercer.
When Lucy suggests to Ed that they dance, the song
is “Brazil”
(“Aquarela
do Brasil”)
by written
by Ary
Barroso in
1939.
When the
Telephone Man (Sid Gould) comes to the door, Kim changes the music to
“The
Mexican Hat Dance” (“El
Jarabe Tapatio”).
“The Mexican Hat Dance” was previously heard on “I Love Lucy” in
“Breaking the Lease” (ILL S1;E18).
The
long cigarette holder is something Lucille Ball recently used in the
film Mame,
which Ball had just completed and was actively promoting. She incorporates some of Mame’s mannerisms in Lucy Carter’s “wealthy
widow” persona.
Lucy
compares Ed McAllister to Rex Harrison, who she calls “sexy Rexy.”
Rex Harrison was mentioned in “Won’t You Calm Down, Dan Dailey?”
(S4;E9) when Harry and Dailey recite the lyrics to one of Rex
Harrison’s songs from My
Fair Lady.
After
Ed McAllister downs a huge glass of brandy, Ed McMahon interjects his
familiar “Hiyoooo!” so often heard on “The Tonight Show.”
Ed
McAllister does an impression of W.C.
Fields
and calls Lucy “My
little chickadee” and
his
“precious petunia.” Ed McMahon loved W.C. Fields and did an impersonation of him in his Las Vegas act when opening for Frank Sinatra. He also wrote the introduction for the book Drat!, a collection of Fields’ wit and wisdom. McMahon’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is adjacent to Fields’.
Harry
lectures Lucy and Kim about banking procedures, which is reminiscent
of Gale Gordon’s role as banker Theodore J. Mooney on “The Lucy
Show.” Even the names of the banks are similar. Here it is the
West State Bank while on “The Lucy Show” it was the Westland Bank
(Los Angeles).
Lucy
wants a loan of $10,000 for “mad money.” When Ed questions the
large amount, Lucy replies “I have a terrible temper.” In “The
Kleptomaniac” (ILL S1;E27) Ricky finds a large sum of money in
Lucy’s purse and questions her about it. She claims it is her mad
money and says “I get awful mad.”
Character
Consistency!
Lucy’s posh accent goes in and out throughout the scene. It is
difficult to tell if it is because Lucy Carter is forgetting or
Lucille Ball is!
Where
the floor ends!
When the cameras pull back in the living room, the edge of the
wall-to-wall carpet can be seen in the foreground.Stereo
Stereo! For
this episode, the dining table has been removed and there is a
console stereo next to the kitchen door. There is also a console
stereo just under the landing on the other side of the room.
“Lucy, the Wealthy Widow” rates 2 Paper Hearts out of 5
There are times this episode is funny, but in a very farcical way – like Lucy meets Benny Hill. The premise is weak. But at least Lucie Arnaz has returned after her long absence! Heyoooo!
bank loan, Brazil, butler, CBS, chauffeur, Coby Ruskin, Ed McMahon, Gale Gordon, Henry Beckman, Here’s Lucy, Jay Fletcher, Johnny Carson, KBEX, Lucie Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Lucy Calls The President, Maid, Mame, Orwin C. Harvey, Rex Harrison, Robert O’Brien, Rule Brittania, Sid Gould, The Mexican Hat Dance, The Tonight Show, Tommy Farrell, Too Marvelous for Words, tv, w.c. fields, Wealthy Widow -
LUCY, THE PEACEMAKER
S6;E3
~ September 24, 1973
Directed by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Robert O’Brien
Synopsis
Lucy moonlights as personal assistant to Steve Lawrence while he is having a spat with his wife, Eydie Gormé. Instead, Lucy sets her sights on getting the two back together again.
Regular Cast
Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter)
Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter) and Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter) do not appear in this episode, although Gordon does receive opening title screen credit. The character of Kim will not return to the series until the fourth episode of season six. Despite her absence, the final credits do state “Lucie Arnaz Wardrobe by Alroe.” Kim is mentioned by Lucy in the dialogue.
Guest Cast
Steve Lawrence (Himself) was born Sidney Leibowitz in 1935. Between 1958 and 1960 he served in the US Army and was a vocalist with the US Army Band and Orchestra. After he was discharged, he started his singing career on television, night clubs, and recordings, often with his wife Eydie Gormé, who he married in 1957. He appeared in the 1964 Broadway musical What Makes Sammy Run? (Tony nomination) and returned to Broadway in 1968 for The Golden Rainbow. His screen acting career began in 1963. In 1979 he won an Emmy Award for “Steve and Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin.”
Eydie Gormé (Herself) was born Edith Gormézano in 1928. She began singing straight out of high school, with various big bands. Her big break came after she joined the TV variety show “Tonight!” in 1953. She often sang with the up-and-coming Steve Lawrence. The two performed on the show for five years, and married in 1957. The pair won an Emmy Award in 1979. In 1986 Eydie Gormé sang the theme song for Lucille Ball’s last (short-lived) sitcom “Life With Lucy.” She died in 2013.
Steve and Eydie sang “The Facts of Life” over the closing credits of the 1960 Lucille Ball film of the same name. Written by Johnny Mercer, the song was nominated for an Oscar.
On September 16, 1973, Lucille Ball appeared on “Steve and Eydie on Stage” from Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. It was seen on NBC. Caesars Palace is also mentioned in this episode.
A big fan of Eydie’s, Lucille Ball interviewed her on her CBS radio show, “Lets Talk to Lucy” (1964-65).
Lucille Ball was a guest star on the very first “The Steve Lawrence Show” (1965) a variety hour on CBS.
A scene filmed for the beginning of the show was edited out due to time constraints. Set in the office, it involved Harry fretting about paying the bills. Because of this, Gale Gordon is not in this episode, making one of only three of the 144 episodes not to feature Gordon, albeit unintentionally. Rather than waste a good scene, it was re-staged in “Lucy Gives Eddie Albert the Old Song and Dance” (S6;E6).
In his book, I Had A Ball: My Friendship with Lucille Ball, author Michael Z. Stern recounts attending the filming of this episode on his twelfth birthday and then going backstage to meet Ball.
Lucille takes an opportunity to plug her upcoming movie Mame by singing a bit of “If He Walked Into My Life” while typing. Coincidentally, Eydie Gormé recorded the song in 1966. It won her a Grammy Award. The song was written for the 1966 Broadway musical. Steve thinks Eydie may be having an affair with Herman, their musical arranger. The name Herman was probably a tribute Jerry Herman, who wrote the music and lyrics for Mame, including “If He Walked Into My Life.”
Lucy rattles off other hit songs by Eydie Gormé: “I Wish You Love” (1957), “How Did He Look” (1955), and “Tell Him I Said Hello” (1966). The first two also had lyrics by Gormé. All were included on her 1960 album “Don’t Go To Strangers.”
Lucy says she knows how to keep a secret…and so does Mary Jane.. and so does Kim…and so does Sally, her hairdresser. Of these three, we have never met or previously heard of Sally. Lucille Ball’s real life hairdresser was Irma Kusely.
Steve and Eydie are staying in separate suites at the Wilshire Park Hotel. In order to reunite the couple, Lucy rents suite 901 under the pretense that their manager, Mr. Walker, is back from Europe and needs to see them.
Steve says it will take more than a yellow ribbon tied around an old oak tree to get him back with Eydie. This is a reference to the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” written by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown in early 1973. It was a number one hit for Tony Orlando and Dawn.
Getting over their anger at one another, Steve and Eydie break into “Together (Wherever We Go)” a song by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim written for the stage musical Gypsy in 1959 and included in the 1962 film as well. Steve and Lucy rehearse the song for her possible Las Vegas debut.
When Lucy Carter rehearses a song with Steve Lawrence, her singing and dancing are terrible. This running gag first began on “I Love Lucy” and was also used during the first season of “The Lucy Show.”
Fighting again, Steve tells Lucy to call Las Vegas and have Caesars Palace change the marquee. The Las Vegas casino hotel was glimpsed in the opening location footage of “Lucy and Wayne Newton” (S2;E22). In that episode, the headliner was Frank Sinatra.
Signs! Signs! Everywhere a Sign! At the start of the episode, Lucy is posting a sign over the filing cabinets, which are now built in after several episodes of being out of the wall: “Carter’s Unique Employment Agency. All Kinds of Jobs for All Kinds of People.” This, despite the fact that there is already a sign in the office behind Lucy that says “Unusual Jobs for Unusual People. Carter’s Unique Employment Agency.” Why do they need two signs inside the office? There is yet a third sign laying on the table that does not get used or referred to.
Recycling! Suite 901 and Steve Lawrence’s suite were actually the same sets, redressed with different furnishings. There are a couple of items, however, common to both rooms. Fore example, the palm tree backdrop outside the window is exactly the same in both rooms. Can you spot the other commonalities?
Cut! The door to Steve Lawrence’s suite has trouble closing. In Michael Stern’s book “I Had A Ball” he recounts that it didn’t close properly for Lawrence and Ball called “Cut!” in order to do the entrance again. At the end of the episode, Eydie enters and immediately poses dramatically with her back against the door to assure that it stays closed!
“Lucy, the Peacemaker” Rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
It is wonderful to see the dynamic between the inimitable Steve and Eydie. Lucy is on her own here due to Gale Gordon’s scene being eliminated and Lucie being MIA.
1973, Caesars Palace, CBS, Coby Ruskin, Don’t Go To Strangers, eydie gorme, Here’s Lucy, I Had A Ball, If He Walked Into My Life, Jerry Herman, Let’s Talk To Lucy, Lucille Ball, Mame, Robert O’Brien, Steve and Eydie, Steve Lawrence, The Facts of Life, The Steve Lawrence Show, Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree, Together Wherever We Go, tv -
THE BIG GAME
S6;E2
~ September 17, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Robert O’BrienSynopsis
Football
great O.J. Simpson speaks at Harry’s Chamber of Commerce luncheon and
passes on a couple of free passes to a sold out game. At first,
Harry sells the tickets for a nifty profit, but then has to buy them
back when he discovers that Simpson’s wife will be there. When she
cancels, Simpson gives Harry her tickets, which he tries to scalp
outside the stadium.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter)Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter) does not appear in this episode, nor does she receive screen
credit. The character will not return to the series until the fourth
episode of season six.
Despite her absence, the final credits do state “Lucie Arnaz
Wardrobe by Alroe.”Guest
Cast
O.J.
Simpson
(Himself)
was born Orenthal James Simpson in 1947. An alumni of the University
of Southern California and winner of the Heisman Trophy, he is is
former NFL running back for the Buffalo Bills (1969-77) and the San
Francisco 49’ers (1977-78). Simpson parlayed his success on the
gridiron into a career as an announcer and actor. He was inducted
into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 1985. Once a popular figure with
the public, he is most well known today for his trial and acquittal
for the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and
her friend Ron Goldman. In
2007, Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged
with the felonies of
armed robbery and kidnapping. He was convicted and sentenced to 33
years imprisonment, but granted parole on July 20, 2017.
Mary
Jane Croft (Mary
Jane) played Betty Ramsey during season six of “I Love Lucy. ”
She also played Cynthia Harcourt in “Lucy
is Envious” (ILL S3;E23) and
Evelyn Bigsby in “Return
Home from Europe” (ILL S5;E26).
She played Audrey Simmons on “The Lucy Show” but when Lucy
Carmichael moved to California, she played Mary Jane Lewis, the
actor’s married name and the same one she uses on all 31 of her
episodes of “Here’s Lucy. Her final acting credit was playing
Midge Bowser on “Lucy Calls the President” (1977). She died in
1999 at the age of 83.
James
E. Brodhead
(Tilford) makes his third screen appearance in a career that lasted
until 1995. He will appear on one more episode of “Here’s Lucy.”Tilford
and Harry are friends and neighbors who play golf together.
Sid Gould (Man at Luncheon) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show” and nearly as many on “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.
Gould is in the audience of the Chamber Luncheon but has his back to the camera and has no lines.
Tom
Kelly (Himself,
Sportscaster) first
called play-by-play of college football and men’s basketball games in
1961. He did so on radio from 1961 to 1988, then on TV from 1989
until 2003. He described the action of five USC national championship
football teams, five Heisman Trophy winners, and 92 first team
All-American footballers.
Kelly will do one more episode of “Here’s Lucy.”
Cliff
Norton
(Billy Ray, left) played Sam the Plumber in “Lucy Meets the Burtons”
(S3;E1) whose coveralls were later worn by an incognito Richard
Burton and turn up when Lucy is packing up the office in “Lucy and
Harry’s Memoirs” (S5;E24). This is the second of his three
appearances on the series.Al
Checco (Bobby
Joe, above right) was previously the comedy partner of Don Knotts entertaining US
troops stationed overseas. This is the first of his two appearances
on the series.Billy
Ray and Bobby Joe are undercover detectives pretending to be Sooner
fans from Oklahoma.
Frank
Coghlin
(Fan #1) has only one other screen credit (according to IMDB) – a
1984 episode of “Newhart.”
Robert
Foulk (Fan
#2) played
the policeman on the Brooklyn subway platform in “Lucy
and the Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12) and
a Los Angeles Detective in “Lucy
Goes To A Hollywood Premiere” (TLS S4;E20).
This is last of his six characters on “Here’s Lucy.”
Jerry
Jones
(Policeman)
founded
the Chicago-based theatre company Actors of America until the summer
of 1968 when he abruptly moved to Hollywood. Prior to this he played
a policeman on “The Doris Day Show” and “The Brady Bunch.”
This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.Eugene
Molnar
(Student Usher) makes the last of his four appearances on “Here’s
Lucy.” The series was his only screen credit.Sig
Frohlich (Vendor,
uncredited) makes
this final (of six) background appearance on the series.Eddie
Garrett (Fan,
uncredited) is probably best remembered for playing Ed, the crime
photographer on “Quincy M.E.” from 1976 to 1983. He will do one
more episode of “Here’s Lucy.”Robert
Hitchcock
(Fan, uncredited) was
seen in in one episode of “The Lucy Show.” This is the fifth
of his six appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”Walter
Smith
(Fan, uncredited) made
14 mostly uncredited appearances on the series. He also did one
episode of “The
Lucy Show.”Other
attendees at the luncheon and other fans at the stadium are played by
uncredited background performers.
This
script was submitted on July 3, 1973. The day before Betty
Grable,
one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, died. Grable and Lucille Ball
appeared in three films together. Grable also appeared with husband
Harry James in “Lucy Wins a Racehorse” in 1958.
The script was
revised on July 10, 16 and 17, 1973.
Ironically,
“Here’s Lucy” was aired opposite “Monday
Night Football” on
ABC. Fortunately for Simpson and his fans, the evening of September
17, 1973 the game was between the Green Bay Packers and the New York
Jets. The day before, Simpson and the Buffalo Bills won against the
New England Patriots. Simpson
rushed for 250 yards on 29 carries, setting a new NFL
single-game rushing record.
The 1973-74 season would be a banner year for Simpson.
In
1973 a film titled The
Big Game
was
released starring Stephen Boyd and Ray Milland. It had nothing to do
with football or any other ball game.
In
the DVD introduction to the episode, James
E. Brodhead
(Tilford) recalls that O.J. Simpson was very deferential and in awe
of the other actors.
To
get into the spirit of the occasion, Mary Jane brags she is wearing
her Tommy
Trojan pendant.
The University of Southern California (USC) was known as ‘The
Trojans’ and was represented by the profile of a Trojan warrior
wearing a helmet. It was emblazoned on a variety of items, from
apparel to jewelry to show school spirit. Unfortunately, the
reference might be lost on those not from Southern California as well
as those who do not follow sports.
Mary
Jane and Lucy ponder who will win the big game between the USC
‘Trojans’ and
the
University of Oklahoma ‘Sooners’,
the #1 and #2 college teams in the country. USC did indeed play a
home game against the OU on September 29, 1973. On the luncheon dais,
Harry says that O.J. will be in the booth with sportscaster Tom Kelly
on Saturday. This likely means the episode (filmed in the summer)
was probably targeted to air on Monday, September 24 but was moved up
a week. Mary Jane thinks that USC will prevail, but in actuality, it
turned out to be a rare tie score!
Mary
Jane says she learned a lot about football because of her crush on
Howard Cosell. Howard
Cosell (1918-95)
was one of television’s most famous and enigmatic sportscasters. He
was nominated for an Emmy in 1974. Cosell appeared with Lucille Ball
on two “Bob Hope Birthday” specials in 1978 and 1983.
When
Harry notices Lucy has spelled ‘Commerce’ with only one ’M’ she says
they ran out of ’M’s’ because her girlfriend needed them for the
Marymount Mother of the Month membership meeting.
It
is usually Gale Gordon who ends up all wet on “Here’s Lucy” but
here, O.J. Simpson gets the honors when a decorative football falls
into the punch bowl in front of him.
Simpson
mentions his wife Marguerite. Marguerite
L. Whitley
and Simpson divorced in 1979. Simpson shows Lucy a photo of his 5
year-old daughter, who he says is in a dance recital. Although she
is not mentioned by name, he is referring to their firstborn,
Arnelle.
The
face value of the tickets that Simpson gives Harry and Lucy (on the
50 yard line, Row 22) are $6.50 each. But Tilford says they are
worth more than that and buys them from Harry for $50. When Harry
finds out that Simpson’s wife will be seated next to them, he buys
them back for $100.
When Mrs. Simpson must cancel, O.J. gives Harry
her pair of tickets as well. To recoup his losses, Harry tries to
sell them outside the stadium and is arrested for scalping! The
exterior scene of the ticket gates and the refreshment stand is
supposed to represent Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the venue’s
name is never mentioned.
Outside
the stadium, Billy Ray and Bobby Joe enter singing “Oklahoma!”
the title song from the 1943 musical and 1954 film by Richard Rodgers
and Oscar Hammerstein II. They are apparently out-of-towners there to
route for the away team, the Oklahoma Sooners. In “Lucy Tells the
Truth” (ILL S3;E6) Lucy Ricardo claimed to have been in Oklahoma,
but it turns out she meant Tulsa, not the Broadway musical!
In
his holding cell, Harry hears O.J. mention his name on the radio and
breaks into a spirited rendition of “Fight
On!”
the USC fight song. It
was composed in 1922 by USC dental student Milo Sweet with lyrics by
Sweet and Glen Grant.
Another
professional football player turned celebrity actor guest starred on
“Here’s Lucy” in “Lucy and Joe Namath” (S5;E5) in 1972.
Lucy,
Harry and Mary Jane also staged an event for the Chamber of Commerce
in “Lucy and Jim Bailey” (S5;E9). Harry is president of the
Chamber in both episodes.
Brand
X!
The brand name of Lucy’s manual typewriter has been covered with blue
tape. At the stadium snack bar, the menu board features the red
Coca-Cola logo (the dynamic ribbon) but the actual product name is
covered in red tape.
Props!
Although
Lucy is clever to turn a ‘W’ upside down to be an extra ’M’ to spell
‘Commerce’, there is no reason why the hanging letters would have
hooks on the bottom of the ‘W’. The close-up reveals that it is the
only letter to have hooks on both ends.
“The Big Game” Rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
Yes, it is O.J. It’s hard to watch this episode without thinking of the horrific murders in 1994 and all that followed. The plot of this episode is actually quite clever – and is unusually styled around a real-life, much-anticipated event. I’m sure no one at the time thought the game would end in a tie!
Al Checco, Coby Ruskin, Eddie Garrett, Eugene Molnar, Football, Frank Coghlin, Gale Gordon, Here’s Lucy, James E. Brodhead, Jerry Jones, Los Angeles Coliseum, Lucille Ball, Mary Jane Croft, O.J., O.J. Simpson, Oklahoma!, Robert Foulk, scalping, Sid Gould, Sig Frohlich, Sooners, tickets, Tom Kelly, Tommy Trojan, Trojans, University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, UO, USC, Walter Smith -
LUCY AND DANNY THOMAS
S6;E1
~ September 10, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Robert O’BrienSynopsis
Lucy
befriends a gruff painter (Danny Thomas) who says that most artists
only sell their work after they die. Lucy decides to go into mourning
to help his work sell – until the artist wants to paint Lucy
herself – nude!Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter)Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter) does not appear in this episode, nor does she receive screen
credit. The character will not return to the series until the fourth
episode of season six.
Despite her absence, the final credits do state “Lucie Arnaz
Wardrobe by Alroe.”Guest
Cast
Danny
Thomas
(Danny Gallupi) was
born Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz in 1912. His screen career began in
1947 but he was most famous for appearing on television in the
long-running show “Make Room for Daddy” (1953-1964), which was
shot at Desilu Studios. When the series moved from ABC to CBS
in 1957, Thomas and the cast starred in a rare TV cross-over with
“The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” titled “Lucy
Makes Room for Danny.” In
return, Lucy and Desi turned up on Thomas’s show. Fifteen
years later, Lucy and Danny did yet another cross-over when Lucy
Carter of “Here’s Lucy” appeared on “Make Room for
Granddaddy.” In addition, Thomas also played himself on a
1965 episode of “The Lucy Show.” Thomas is fondly
remembered for founding St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He
is also father to actress Marlo Thomas. He died in 1999.Danny
Gallupi disguises himself as his brother, Giuseppe Gallupi.
Hans
Conried (William
Barkley) first
co-starred with Lucille Ball in The
Big Street (1942).
He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan
Jenkins in “Redecorating”
(ILL S2;E8)
and
later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy
Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13)
–
both
in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by
voicing Captain Hook in Peter
Pan.
On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in in “Lucy’s
Barbershop Quartet” (S1;E19) and
in “Lucy
Plays Cleopatra” (S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle
Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was
filmed on the Desilu lot. He died in 1982 at age 64. This episode was
his final appearance on a “Lucy” show.William
Barkley owns the art studio adjacent to the plaza.Sid
Gould (1st Bidder) made
more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show” and nearly as many on
“Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille
Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.
Shirley
Anthony (2nd Bidder) makes
the sixth of her 13 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” This
is one of only two times where she received screen credit.Bob
Whitney
(3rd Bidder) appeared with Lucille Ball in The
Facts of Life
(1960). This is the first of his five appearances on the series.
Like Danny Thomas, he was born in 1912.Bob
Harks (Auction Spectator / Stand-In for Hans Conried, uncredited) was seen in the
background of Mame
(1974). In 1970 he popped up on his first television show and was
seen in more than a dozen episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” He died at
age 83 in 2010.Frieda
Rentie
(Auction Spectator, uncredited) makes
the second of her three uncredited appearances on the series. Rentie
was in the 1958 film South
Pacific and
1972’s The
Poseidon Adventure.The
artists and gallery spectators are played by uncredited background
performers.
“Here’s
Lucy” opens its 6th season with a slightly newer look. Lucille Ball
has an updated, more contemporary appearance with new make-up and
wigs, and the entire show is shot in soft focus to help downplay
Ball’s age (62). She
is no longer shot in close-up and always filmed through a filtered
lens. This
is generally the complaint about the film Mame,
which was finished and about to be released. Although originally
scheduled for release in late 1973 in time for awards season, poor
early word of mouth led Warner Brothers to move the release date to
Spring 1974.
For
the 1973 Fall Season, CBS moved “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” to
follow “Here’s Lucy.” By the end of the season, both shows will
be canceled.
Shirley
Anthony
(3rd Bidder) introduces the episode on the series DVD and recalls that
Thomas and Ball had great affection for one another and liked to make
each other laugh.
Lucille
Ball dabbled in painting during her rare free time at home.
The
previous episode, at the end of season five, hinted that the series
would continue but how or if Carter’s Unique Employment Agency was
bought back is never mentioned. Neither Lucy’s home nor the
Employment Agency are seen in this episode. Scenes are set in
Danny’s attic studio [TV trope: all artists live in sparsely furnished attics with skylights] or in the plaza adjacent to the Barkley Art
Gallery.
Lucy
says she does paint by numbers because it is for beginners. Paint
by Number kits date back to 1950 and were a cultural phenomenon.
There
are two ‘age’ jokes in the first scene, both directed at Lucy. Danny
tells her to go find a bingo parlor and Harry says she reminds him of
Grandma Moses. Anna
Mary Robertson Moses (1860-1961)
was an American folk
artist who
began painting at the age of 78 and is often cited as an example of a
person who successfully began a career at an advanced age. In
“Nursery School” (ILL S5;E9) Lucy Ricardo is so proud of Little
Ricky’s first drawing, she dubs him the next “Grandpa Moses.”
The Ricardos had two framed prints by Grandma Moses next to their front
door: “So Long” and “The Old Snow Roller.”
Lucy
quotes lyrics from the song “People”
written
by Bob Merrill for the 1964 Broadway musical Funny
Girl.
It was introduced by Barbra Streisand, who also sang it in the 1968
film adaptation.
Danny
cites Van
Gogh, Gaughin,
and Modigliani
as painters who only found fame and fortune only after death.Lucy
rebuffs Danny’s assertion that all great paintings of women were
nudes by citing “Whistler’s
Mother.”
The actual name of the painting is “Arrangement in Grey and Black
No. 1” by American painter James McNeill Whistler. It was painted
in 1871 and is housed at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. Danny
incorrectly claims that the subject is sitting in a rocking chair.
Danny
jokingly says that the reason the “Venus
de Milo” didn’t
have any arms because the sculptor didn’t want her to use them to
cover nude body! One of the most famous pieces of statuary in
history, it is of Greek origin and dates back to between 130 and 100
BC. It currently is on view at the Louvre in Paris.
The (nearly) ‘nude’ painting of Lucy featured in the episode was saved and is now at the
Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown, New York.
In
“Paris at Last” (ILL S5;E18) Lucy Ricardo encountered an artist (Shepard Menken) on the street passing off mass produced paintings as original works of art! [TV Trope: All artists and Frenchmen wear berets!]
Lucy
Carmichael took art class in drawing in order to get close to an
eligible bachelor (Robert Alda) in “Lucy Goes to Art Class”
(S2;E15).
Lucille
Ball and Danny Thomas were together in “Lucy Makes Room for Danny,”
a 1958 installment of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” which also featured Gale Gordon as a Judge…
and
“Lucy Helps Danny Thomas” (TLS S4;E7) where Mrs. Carmichael gets
involved in Thomas’s TV variety show.
Character Consistency! Harry was formerly depicted as a miser, but here he is walking around with $500 cash in his pocket, and spends $5,000 on an unseen painting.
Nautical
Knowledge!
Harry calls the subject of Danny’s painting a ‘boat’ and Danny
corrects him that it is a ‘ship.’ At the start of the series, Harry’s
home and office were decorated with ships and other nautical items. One of Harry’s hobbies
was building ships in bottles. He should know the difference.
Oops!
When Lucy startles Danny while he is hiding behind the door, he
jostles the shelf unit with his arm and a brown bottle falls to the
floor. Danny Thomas appears surprised, but picks it up. It falls with a sound that betrays it is actually empty and plastic.
Wardrobe
Malfunction! When
Danny is disguised as his own brother, Giuseppe, his hat has trouble
staying on his head due to the wig. It falls off twice, but is caught
before hitting the floor.
“Lucy and Danny Thomas” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
Lucille Ball and Danny Thomas have great comic chemistry but the script feels like it could be from any series. Harry behaves uncharacteristically and there is no tie in to the the series’ premise.
1973, Art, auction, Bob O’Brien, Bob Whitney, CBS, Coby Ruskin, Danny Thomas, Gale Gordon, gallery, Gaughin, Grandma Moses, Hans Conried, Here’s Lucy, Lucille Ball, Modigliani, Paint By Numbers, painting, People, Shirley Anthony, Sid Gould, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, tv, Van Gogh, Venus de Milo, Whister’s Mother -
LUCY AND HARRY’S MEMOIRS
S5;E24
~ March 5, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Robert O’BrienSynopsis
Harry
has sold the Unique Employment Agency for $25,000 and plans to retire. While
packing up the office, Lucy and Harry share memories.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter)Archival
Footage CastLucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter) is the real-life daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She
was born in 1951 just before the premiere of “I Love Lucy.”
Lucille Ball was actually pregnant during the filming of the show’s
pilot. Despite rumors to the contrary, Lucie Arnaz never appeared on
“I Love Lucy.” Lucie played Cynthia (as well as other characters)
on “The Lucy Show.” She has been twice married, to actor
Phil Vandervort (1971) and actor-writer Laurence Luckinbill
(1980–present). She has three children with Luckinbill:
Simon, Joseph and Katharine. She now lives in Palm Springs,
California, near the home once owned by her parents.Desi
Arnaz Jr. (Craig
Cartrer) is the real-life son of Lucille Ball. His 1953 birth was
worked into the plot of “I Love Lucy” although Desi Jr. never
played the role of Little Ricky Ricardo. He did, however, appear on
the final half-hour episode of the series “The
Ricardos Dedicate a Statue” (ILL S6;E27) in
a crowd scene. He was occasionally seen as Billy Simmons and other
minor characters on “The Lucy Show.” At the time of filming
“Here’s Lucy” he was part of the band Dino Desi and Billy along
with Dean Martin Jr. and Billy Hinsche. Arnaz was married to actress
Linda Purl from 1980 until 1981. In 1987, Arnaz married Amy Laura
Bargiel. They lived in Boulder City, Nevada, with their daughter, and
own the Boulder Theatre, a cinema converted into a theatre and home
to the Boulder City Ballet Company. Amy died in 2005 after a long
battle with cancer. Desi Arnaz has a daughter, Julia.
This
episode (#120) was intended to be the final episode of the series.
The show had dropped out of the top 10 (#15 with a 21.9 share) so
Lucille Ball wanted to end the series.It was filmed without a studio
audience in one day. But CBS president Fred Silverman convinced Ball
to return for a sixth season. Rather than scrap the episode or undergo costly re-shooting, the
ending was slightly reworked to leave a window of possibility for a
sixth season.
The
night this episode first aired (March 5, 1973) “Here’s Lucy” was
on against a TV movie on NBC, Brock’s
Last Case
starring Richard Widmark. Widmark had guest-starred on “I Love
Lucy” in “The Tour” (ILL S4;E30), in which Lucy Ricardo scaled
the wall of his Beverly Hills estate to get a grapefruit as a
souvenir. The movie also featured character actor Dub Taylor, who
played Rattlesnake Jones in “Lucy Goes to the Rodeo” (ILL S5;E8).
The date of the first airing was also Jack Cassidy’s 46th birthday. Cassidy played Professor Zoorkin in a 1965 episode of “The Lucy Show”. Sadly, in 1976, he died tragically in an apartment fire.
Harry
and Lucy break open a magnum of Champagne vintage 1953.
Lucy says it was a very good year. For Lucille Ball, 1953 was the
year she gave birth to Desi Jr. and Lucy Ricardo gave birth to Little
Ricky. “I Love Lucy” was at the height of its success and
Lucille Ball graced the very first national edition of TV Guide.
Harry
plans to go on a fishing trip to Canada. Lucy suggests they go on
vacation together, which spurs her memory of their road trip to the Colorado River. There are two clips from “Lucy
Runs the Rapids”
(S2;E4) directed
by George Marshall and written by Gene Thompson.
Getting
tipsy, Harry thinks the wall is crooked, but Lucy realizes that it is
just the autographed framed photo of Richard Burton that is crooked,
not the wall. This jars her memory of the time she got Elizabeth
Taylor’s priceless diamond ring stuck on her finger.
The flashback
consists of one clip from “Lucy
Meets the Burtons”
(S3;E1), directed
by Jerry Paris and written by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis.
Although Richard Burton’s headshot and coveralls are seen, the actor
is not in the archival footage.
Lucy
finds the parachute that Harry made to advertise the Employment
Agency when Lucy went skydiving.
There is a clip of Lucy jumping out
of an airplane from “Lucy,
the Skydiver”
(S3;E2) directed
by Herbert Kenwith and written by Larry Rhine and Lou Derman.
Lucy
has saved the cast from her broken leg after her skiing accident.
She plans to make a lamp out of it. When Harry reminds Lucy to pack
his barometer, she approaches it with a hammer. Harry stops her,
remembering the last time he set her loose to do home repair.
A clip
from “Lucy
the Fixer”
(S1;E14) follows, directed
by Jack Donohue and written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer.
During
the last scene, the background music plays “September
Song” (without
lyrics) written by Kurt Weill for the 1938 musical Knickerbocker
Holiday. After
being used in the 1950 film September
Affair,
the
song was recorded by numerous singers and instrumentalists, most
notably Frank Sinatra.
Flashback
episodes were still rare in 1973. The first television ‘clips show’
of a scripted program was “The ‘I Love Lucy” Christmas Show” in
1956 although it wasn’t aired again until 1989.
Near
the end of its run, “The Lucy Show” also had a ‘clips show’ titled “Lucy and Viv Reminisce” (TLS S6;E16) starring Lucille Ball and
Vivian Vance. In this episode, Lucy Carmichael’s broken leg was a plot contrivance, not a reality, as it would be on “Here’s Lucy”.FAST FORWARD!
If Lucille Ball had known what Burton had written about her in his diaries, she might not have praised him as a “great actor” – although his 1970 episode with Elizabeth Taylor was one of the most memorable of the series. The diaries (memoirs) were published in 2012, after his death.
“She is a monster of staggering charmlessness and monumental lack of humor….Milady Ball can thank her lucky stars that I’m not drinking. There is a chance if I had, I might have killed her!”
Ironically, Lucy Carter is drunk when praising Burton!
During the sixth and final season, Harry sells the Unique Employment Agency again. The new owner is Ken Richards who immediately changes the name. Harry develops a bad case of seller’s remorse. Like “Memoirs”, it was intended to be the series finale, but was not the last aired, preferring to showcase Lucie Aranz (Kim Carter) in its final episode, “Lucy Fights the System” (S6;E24).
Title Trouble! The word “memoirs” generally refers to a written or otherwise recorded accounting of a person’s past. The title should more accurately have been “Lucy and Harry’s Memories,” unless the title refers to the episode itself being a “memoir”.
Missed
Opportunity!
The most memorable thing in the office, the “Unusual Jobs for
Unusual People” sign, is taken down during the commercial break!
When Harry moved the office to Lucy’s home in “A Home is Not an
Office” (S5;E4) he carried the sign with him to its temporary new
location. This is only the second time that the audience has seen
that the sign covers a wall safe!
Last Minute Loophole! Lucy conveniently has a sign that says “Temporarily” under her blotter! The word is hastily written in the same hand and ink used by those who write the show’s cue cards! Lucille Ball also breaks the fourth wall to wink at the camera, something she rarely does.
Plot Prop! Lucy says she hates to take down the framed autographed photo of Richard Burton, and wants to leave it for last. This is the first and only time we have seen the photo decorating the walls of the Unique Employment Agency.
Door Stop! Although it would have been more poignant and fitting to fade out on the “TEMPORARILY OUT OF BUSINESS” sign, the door will not stay open on its own and swings closed after Lucy has left.
“Lucy and Harry’s Memoirs” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5
The interesting thing about this episode is that the clips were all chosen so as not to have to get permission of any other performers – only Lucie and Desi Jr. are seen. Were there funnier episodes? Possibly, but they would have probably involved tons of paperwork and payments and Lucille Ball wanted to call it quits. Thankfully, she didn’t!
1953, 1973, Brock’s Last Case, CBS, Champagne, Coby Ruskin, Desi Arnaz Jr., Dub Taylor, finale, Fred Silverman, Gale Gordon, Gene Thompson, George Marshall, Herbert Kenwith, Here’s Lucy, Jack Donohue, Larry Rhine, Lou Derman, Lucie Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Milt Josefsberg, parachute, Ray Singer, Richard Burton, Richard Widmark, Robert O’Brien, September Song, tv -
GOODBYE, MRS. HIPS
S5;E23
~ February 26, 1973
Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn DavisSynopsis
Lucy,
Mary Jane, and Vanda all go on a crash diet. To help them succeed,
Lucy invites them to live at her house for two weeks. At the same
time, Harry has been invited to join a prestigious food and wine
society when his refrigerator breaks down. He stores his gourmet
goodies at Lucy’s just when the ladies are at their most ravenous.Regular
CastLucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter)
Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter) does not appear in this episode, nor does she receive screen
credit. Except for the clips seen in the season finale, the character
will not return to the series until the fourth episode of season six.
Black and white photos of Kim and Craig are on the dresser in the
room shared by Vanda and Mary Jane.Guest
Cast
Mary
Jane Croft (Mary
Jane, right) played Betty Ramsey during season six of “I Love Lucy. ”
She also played Cynthia Harcourt in “Lucy
is Envious” (ILL S3;E23) and
Evelyn Bigsby in “Return
Home from Europe” (ILL S5;E26).
She played Audrey Simmons on “The Lucy Show” but when Lucy
Carmichael moved to California, she played Mary Jane Lewis, the
actor’s married name and the same one she uses on all 31 of her
episodes of “Here’s Lucy. Her final acting credit was playing
Midge Bowser on “Lucy Calls the President” (1977). She died in
1999 at the age of 83.In
this episode, Vanda continually calls Mary Jane “Mary” (no Jane).
Vanda Barra (Vanda, above left) makes one of over two dozen appearances on “Here’s Lucy” as well as appearing in Ball’s two 1975 TV movies “Lucy Gets Lucky” and “Three for Two”. She was seen in half a dozen episodes of “The Lucy Show.” Barra was Lucille Ball’s cousin-in-law by marriage to Sid Gould.
This is the largest part Vanda Barra will have on “Here’s Lucy.” In later years, Barra and Sid Gould divorced and she retired from acting.
Sid
Gould (Sam,
the Waiter) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show” and
nearly as many on “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader)
was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.Bob
Harks
(Café Patron, uncredited) was seen in the
background of Mame
(1974). In 1970 he popped up on his first television show and was
seen in more than a dozen episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” He died at
age 83 in 2010.The
cashier and the other diners at the luncheonette are played by
uncredited background performers.
The
title puns on Goodbye,
Mr. Chips,
a 1934 novella by James Hilton that was translated to radio in 1936
and 1939, and an Academy Award-winning film in 1939. It was remade
as a musical film (above) in 1969 starring Petula Clark, who guest-starred in
“Lucy and Petula Clark” (S5;E8). The property was also seen on
stage in 1938 and in 1982 (the musical version). On television, the
story was seen in 1984 (in the UK) and in a 2002 teleplay.
The
date this episode first aired (February 26, 1973) “Here’s Lucy”
guest stars Jackie Gleason (“Lucy Visits Jack Benny”), Robert
Alda (“Lucy Goes Hawaiian” and “Lucy the Co-Ed”), and Tony
Randall (“Lucy and the Mountain Climber”) all celebrated
birthdays!
This
episode was shot earlier in the season when Lucy Carter / Lucille
Ball was still wearing the cast on her leg from her skiing accident during
hiatus. Lucy mentions her leg as an excuse for not exercising with
Vanda and Mary Jane.
Mary
Jane tells Lucy that she has a new boyfriend who has curly brown
hair, blue eyes, and dimples. When Vanda adds that he is only four
feet tall, Mary Jane admits that he is a little bit short. In a
previous episode, Mary Jane was dating a man named Marvin. Vanda does
not mention her relationship with Sam, the waiter. These
inconsistencies could be due to the fact that the episode was filmed
early in the season and aired out of sequence.
Harry
has been invited to join the Encino
Wine and Food Society.
To gain admission, he must cook a gourmet meal for two judges. His
proposed menu includes a lunch consisting of:- asparagus vinaigrette
- poached salmon with black caviar
- roast duckling in aspic
- Chantilly cream cake with toasted hazelnuts
Coming
into the luncheonette, Harry tells Sam to bring him “the usual”:
roast beef, mashed potatoes, and a double order of gravy.
This
is the third episode in a row in which Lucy wears her over-sized blue
check shirt. Both Vanda and Mary Jane wear horizontal stripes, which no doubt help make them look a bit heavier on camera. Stripes may also imply that living with Lucy and being on a diet is like
being in prison!
Lucy
is so hungry she can’t sleep so she tries watching TV but the only
movies on are Breakfast
at Tiffany’s, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and
Animal
Crackers.
Diets
are not new to the Lucy characters, Lucy Ricardo had to slim down to
dance in Ricky’s show in “The Diet” (ILL S1;E3). Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance) acted as Lucy’s coach and
trainer.
In
“Lucy and The Countess Lose Weight” (TLS S3;E19) Mrs. Carmichael
and her pal Rosie go to a health farm where their diet consists of a
lettuce leaf, a
curl of carrot, a sprig of parsley, and a yogurt wafer. Mr. Mooney
(Gale Gordon) was their coach and trainer.
In
“Lucy and Miss Shelley Winters” (S1;E4) it wasn’t Lucy Carter who
was dieting, but movie star Shelley Summers. Lucy acted as her
trainer and coach, just as she does here for Mary
Jane and Vanda.
Mary
Jane is reading in bed, but closes her book because the character
gets a job in a candy factory working with chocolate fudge. This is
undoubtedly a reference to “Job Switching” (ILL S2;E1), the
episode where Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz go to work at Kramer’s
Candy Kitchen. It was written by the same writers who wrote this
episode of “Here’s Lucy.”
Living
in a Barn?
During the kitchen scene, the back door remains open, generally
telegraphing that someone is going to enter with their arms full.
Sure enough, Harry comes in carrying a large silver tray and saying
“Thank
goodness your door was open!”
Roomies!
While staying with Lucy, Vanda and Mary Jane share a room with two
beds pushed together. Since Kim and Craig had their own rooms, who
moved the beds to one room? Why are the beds so close together? And
where is Kim sleeping? It is likely that this early season 5 episode
assumed Kim would be living on her own in her Marina Del Rey
apartment due to the character being spun-off into her own series.
This is also the reason Lucie Arnaz is noticeably absent from so many
episodes.Mystery
Phone Call! Harry
gets a phone call from someone named Jim to cancel Harry’s luncheon interview.
Jim somehow knew that Harry would be at Lucy’s home and also knew
Lucy’s home phone number.
“Goodbye, Mrs. Hips” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
This episode is a showcase for Vanda Barra, who really shines teamed with Mary Jane and Lucy. The only downside to this funny episode is that it was aired out of sequence, with Lucy incongruously still in her cast and Kim’s absence (in her own home) still unexplained!
-
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