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OUT OF THE ‘RAIN’
June 15, 1944
In his Behind the Scenes: Hollywood column on June 15, 1944, Harrison Carroll reported that Lucille Ball was close to signing to play the lead in the Broadway musical based on the play Rain.
The play version of Rain was written by John Colton and Clemence Randolph, based on the short story “Sadie Thompson” by W. Somerset Maugham. It opened on Broadway in November 1922. It took the summer of 1924 off and re-opened at another theatre racking up more than 700 performances. There were Broadway revivals in 1926 and 1935.
The first actress to play Sadie Thompson in 1922 (as well as in the 1926 revival) was Jeanne Eagels, a former Ziegfeld Girl. Eagels went on to great fame on Broadway and in the emerging medium of sound films. She posthumously was nominated for an Academy Award after dying suddenly in 1929 at the age of 39.
The 1935 revival featured Tallulah Bankhead as Sadie Thompson. Bankhead teamed with Lucille Ball in a December 1957 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” and was mentioned on “I Love Lucy.”
Rain is one of the titles of plays and films that Ethel Mae blurts out when she is serving dinner at the Ricardos.
When Rain was filmed in 1932, the prized role of Sadie Thompson went to Joan Crawford.
Crawford teamed with Lucille Ball in a 1968 episode of “The Lucy Show” and was twice mentioned on “I Love Lucy.”
Prior to that there was another adaptation of the Maugham short story, the 1928 silent film Sadie Thompson, starring Gloria Swanson. This version featured Charles Lane, who often appeared on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.” Swanson and Lucille Ball both appeared in the 1960 special “Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood.” Coincidentally, Swanson was intended to star on “The Lucy Show” in the episode that eventually featured Joan Crawford.
In 1946, just two years after this news item was published, the story was used as the basis for an all-black version titled Dirty Gertie from Harlem USA. Francine Everett played the lead. Francine appeared in the most important films of Black Cinema.
Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, Lucille Ball did not play Sadie Thompson in the musical version of Rain, although the project forged ahead without her. It was titled Sadie Thompson, and featured music by Vernon Duke and lyrics by Howard Dietz. Billed as a ‘play with music’ it opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on November 16, 1944, and ran for 60 performances, closing on January 6, 1945.
Ethel Merman was originally cast to play the role of Sadie Thompson. On September 29, 1944, a week and a half into rehearsals, she withdrew from the production. The role of went to June Havoc. Broadway lovers may remember that she was later the inspiration for Gypsy Rose Lee’s sister, Baby June, in the 1959 musical Gypsy, which would star… Ethel Merman. Ralph Dumke (the husband of the nervous new tenant in “Lucy and Superman”) was in the ensemble of Sadie Thompson. Also in the cast was John (aka Jack) Cassidy, who would become a big Broadway star and even appear on a 1965 episode of “The Lucy Show” with a Hello, Dolly / spy theme.
In 1953, when Lucille Ball was already two years into “I Love Lucy,” Rita Hayworth took on the character in the feature film remake Miss Sadie Thompson. Robert Osborne, a protégé of Lucille Ball’s and the host of Turner Classic Movies, considered Hayworth to be “the definitive” Sadie Thompson. The film was initially released in 3-D! It inserted several of the songs from the failed Broadway musical.
It is no wonder that the character of Sadie had allure for Lucille Ball. She thought herself every bit as good a dramatic actress as Bankhead, Swanson, and Crawford. She was also continually looking for a vehicle to bring her back to Broadway, a venue denied her in her early career. Coincidentally, when she finally got to Broadway in a new musical also based on a hit play, it would be at the very same theatre that had briefly hosted Sadie Thompson. Lucy would just have to wait sixteen years to occupy the Alvin’s star dressing room, finally on the marquee in December 1960 with Wildcat.
In 1997, the story was turned into an opera by Richard Owen. It was produced in New York City in 2003 and recorded.
Sadie Thompson was not the only musical version of Rain. In 2016, the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego premiered a new musical version adapted by Sybille Pearson with music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa. It starred Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa as Sadie Thompson.
So what kept Lucille Ball from playing the role? Perhaps she decided (like Merman) that the script or score were not good enough? We already know that she was not a confident singer and was often dubbed in films. Perhaps despite the allure, she was just not ready to play a gritty prostitute? Or it might have been pressing radio and film commitments that kept her on the West Coast. Broadway runs are generally a six month commitment. We will never know for sure. But it sure would have been fascinating!
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HUSBAND & WIFE OF THE YEAR
June 15, 1953
Desi Arnaz and his wife Lucille Ball have, as if by national acclamation, been chosen the “Husband and Wife of the Year.“ In making this known at its award luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on May 28th, Alvin Austin, director of the National Father’s Day Committee, said that this was the only choice the committee could have made without bringing the wrath of the whole country upon its head.
For Lucy and Desi belong to America today. Their comic antics in their TV hit show “I Love Lucy” have not only endeared them to the nation as actors, but their private lives, the birth of their new baby on Jan. 19, 1953, their every move, are front-page news thruout the United States.
No other American father and mother in memory (excepting in the White House itself) have ever been spotlighted to the public to the extent and degree that have the beloved Desi & Lucy and their new-born youngster, Desiderio junior.
The committee stated that it is happy to bestow this honor upon a naturalized American (Desi was born in Cuba in 1917 and fled to America with his family when 16 years old during, the Cuban revolution of 1933) and a lovely native-born American girl (Lucy was born in Montana). (1)
Mr. and Mrs. Arnaz were deeply touched when they heard they won this award. They said that since the National Father’s Day Committee awards are designed to stress the American ideals of democracy and freedom, they were proud to play some part in this program by receiving this high honor. “We hope we shall always be worthy of your faith and your respect" they informed the committee.
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FOOTNOTES FROM THE FUTURE
(1) The myth that Lucille Ball was born in Montana, started by Lucille herself, still persists halfway through 1953. It is difficult to determine if the media are relying on outdated background information or if Lucille Ball had begun to admit that she made up being born in Butte.
Although he did not ‘invent’ Father’s Day (that distinction is usually given to Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910), Alvin Austin, an advertising executive, is credited with bringing the celebration into the forefront, starting about 1938. Austin was determined to make sure that amongst the commercial opportunities, there was a social conscience, celebrating fatherhood.
Lucy and Desi were not the only ones cited by the Father’s Day Committee in 1953.
The article mentions that ceremonies were held at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. In 1954′s “Lucy is Envious” (ILL S3;E23), wealthy socialite Cynthia Harcourt (Mary Jane Croft) took digs at the Waldorf-Astoria while canvassing for donations. Lucy also took a room at the Waldorf, a popular hotel for visiting dignitaries, when she pretended to be the Maharincess of Franistan in 1952′s “The Publicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31).
Meanwhile, on the same day, it seems that Robert Sylvester’s “Dream Street” was becoming a nightmare from too much Lucy & Desi! Ouch!
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PERSONAL APPEARANCE
June 14, 1945
Personal Appearance (1934) is a stage comedy by playwright and screenwriter Lawrence Riley (1896–1974), which was a Broadway smash and the basis for the classic Mae West film Go West, Young Man (1936). Personal Appearance opened in 1934 at New York’s Henry Miller Theatre starring the famed stage and screen actress Gladys George (now remembered especially for her role as Miles Archer’s spouse in the film The Maltese Falcon). Her comic performance contributed to making Personal Appearance a Broadway hit that lasted for 501 performances. It launched Riley’s career as a playwright and remains his most famous play. The original Broadway cast featured Philip Ober, who later appeared on “I Love Lucy” and was married to Vivian Vance.
Why would Lucy travel across the country to do a play in summer stock? Theatre had always proved elusive to Lucille Ball. She was fired from the road company of Rio Rita by Florenz Ziegfeld. Her 1937 Broadway-bound comedy Hey Diddle Diddle was canceled on the road when the leading man got ill. She did a few plays at the RKO Little Theatre under the direction of Lela Rogers, but the audience was limited. Until 1960, her only moderate success on stage was in a tour of Edgar Rice’s Dream Girl in 1947. When she finally got to Broadway in 1960 with the musical Wildcat, the rigorous eight-performance week was nearly her undoing, damaging her physical health for years to come and forcing the premature closing of a sold-out show.
She had just finished Abbott and Costello in Hollywood, and had a short break before beginning filming of Two Smart People and The Dark Corner in September 1945. However, for reasons unknown, Lucille Ball never went to Stamford to do stock.
Instead, Stamford produced a very different play with a very different star: Clare Booth (Luce) in George Bernard Shaw’s Candida. Naturally, Hedda Hopper reported on it, too, (without mentioning Lucy).
At the time, Luce was also serving in the US House of Representatives for Connecticut’s Fourth District, which included Stamford. A theatre critic begged her to stay out of acting and stick to politics! As an author, Luce (married to publisher Henry Luce) was best known for her play (and film) The Women in 1936. The controversy of having a sitting Member of the House in summer stock boosted ticket sales and forced an extension through August.
When Personal Appearance was filmed in 1938, it featured a familiar face to Lucy lovers, Elizabeth Patterson (Mrs. Trumbull), as well as a name that was frequently mentioned, Xavier Cugat playing a bandleader. Background player Dick Elliott was also in the film as a reporter. On “I Love Lucy,” he played the paunchy tourist from Kansas on top of the Empire State Building.
Lawrence Riley penned a follow-up to Personal Appearances titled Return Engagement in 1940. It lasted only a week on Broadway.
In 1963′s “Lucy Becomes a Reporter” (TLS S1;E17) Lucy is anxious to write the Danfield Tribune’s society column.
Lucy says that she was called ‘Clare Boothe Lucy’ in high school. Coincidentally, the episode also mentions Hedda Hopper!
Luce was also the author of the 1938 play Kiss The Boys Goodbye, which starred Vivian Vance in its Chicago production. On Broadway it featured Vance’s third husband, Phil Ober. The 1941 film version also featured featured Elizabeth Patterson (Mrs. Trumbull). Also in the film were “Lucy” players Sam McDaniel, Jerome Cowan, James Conaty, and Paul McVey. The storyline of the play / film was inspired by the search for Scarlett O’Hara. Lucille Ball was one of the many actors who was considered for the role.
As for Personal Appearance, it, too, found its way to Hollywood, but was re-titeld and re-cast. Mae West took the role originated on stage by Gladys George (and that Lucy would have played in Stamford), and sported a new title Go West Young Man. Directed by Henry Hathaway for Paramount, it also featured Elizabeth Patterson (aka Mrs. Trumbull), who specialized in maiden aunts, and also starred Lyle Talbot, who would years later do a couple of episodes of “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”
Although Lucille Ball never played the lead in Personal Appearance, she did get to play Mae West in a 1977 episode of “Donny & Marie” (with Paul Williams as W.C. Fields).
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LYDIA LANE on LOVELY LUCY
June 14, 1953
By LYDIA LANE
Five years ago Lucille Ball was one of the unhappiest girls in Hollywood.
Her career was sick and her marriage was shaky. I remember we were on our way to visit wounded soldiers when Lucille expressed a wish: To see so little of Desi, but I can’t sing, and he doesn’t act – if only we could work together!“
How beautifully this dream has materialized. I mentioned this to Lucille on the set where she was rehearsing her famed TV series, "I Love Lucy.” Her voice was ripe with emotion as she murmured, “I’m so grateful!"
Lucille is not glamorous in the conventional sense, but as I sat chatting with her in her dressing room there was a beautiful glow about her.
"What’s your top beauty secret?” I asked.
“Happiness,” she answered. “I love working with Desi and being myself instead of feeling silly in a glamour-gal part. When I was making pictures I used to tell them I didn’t want to compete with professional beauties.”
“But you’re going to make a picture soon, aren’t you?"
Lucille smiled. "Yes, and it’s so wonderful This time it will be just what you want."
At this point Desi came in and asked what we were up to and suggested with a mischievous grin, "Would you like to know my beauty secrets?"
"You can tell me what you dislike in a woman,” I said.
After a thoughtful pause he said with his cute accent: “I dislike women to wear too much perfume. Lucy uses perfume but I never know it she blends it with herself. Perfume is like background music for a picture. The moment you become aware of it, it is in bad taste."
Desi left as suddenly as he had come, and I asked Lucille how she perfumed herself.
"I am a great sachet user. I like everything I have like undies, hose, and gloves, to be scented. I even have sachet covers for my hangers.
"After my bath I spray my whole body with cologne, and when I am dressed, I use perfume as a finishing touch."
"This way you’ve built an aura of fragrance,” I remarked, “instead of having perfume concentrated here and there."
I wanted to know what was the biggest thing Lucille had had to overcome. "What we were talking about – not being beautiful. It was very difficult to be working at a studio where the accent was on appearance more than ability.
"This conditioned my personality, and the way you feel about yourself has a lot to do with the impression you create,” she added.
“How did you overcome this?
“I had to learn to have an individual approach to myself,” Lucille explained, “not to compete on glamour standards. As soon as I felt differently about myself I changed the color of my hair. My hair was a nothing-brown, and I decided to dye it a gay red. It was the lift I needed at the time, and this was the turning point in my career – in fact my life."
"Then you advocate changing the color of one’s hair?"
"If it has a psychological impact, yes,” Lucille agreed, “but the color of hair is not everything. It has to be healthy to be attractive. I take very good care of my hair. I never sit under a hot air dryer nor have permanent waves."
"What is the top glamour trick you’ve learned in Hollywood?” I asked.
Lucille laughed, “How much hair can contribute to the impression you make. My forehead is low but with bangs I’m able to give a necessary height to balance my face."
Lucille was wearing slacks which revealed how successfully she had gotten her figure back after Desi Jr., was born.
"What is your secret for regaining your girlish figure?” I asked.
“I went down from a size 16 to a size 12 by dieting,” she explained. “As I had had a Caesarean I couldn’t exercise. The diet is an old favorite of mine it really works, and it doesn’t starve you."
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Syndicated columnists like Lydia Lane did not write their own headlines. Newspapers made up their own headlines, added (or not) photographs, published on various dates, and had the ability (depending on contractual agreements) to edit the text for space or content. Here are some of the different headlines that various papers used for the same article. Which one would get your attention?
Although Season Two of “I Love Lucy” still had two episodes to air, it would not be seen on June 15, 1953, the day after this article’s publication. The Ford Motor Company bought two hours of time on both CBS and NBC to celebrate the past 50 years of progress thanks to the automobile. It would be a musical and dramatic celebration of progress – courtesy of Ford.
That Monday, America would have to be satisfied with their dose of “I Love Lucy” in comic strip form. In real life, “I Love Lucy” was already on hiatus for the summer. They returned to work on September 11, 1953.
Lydia Lane was born Audrey Young in 1904. She was a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Mirror from 1938 to 1980. Miss Lane interviewed Hollywood film stars and wrote about their secrets for controlling weight or enhancing their hair, skin or makeup. In her column, titled simply “Beauty.” Miss Lane’s column (titled simply “Beauty”) was syndicated by The Times to 387 newspapers, and was the leading feature in 1951. She died in 1994.
Lane returned to interview Ball in October 1960 and November 1962.
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LIFE WITHOUT VIVIAN
June 13, 1965
(Editor’s Note: Next season it will be “Life Without Vivian” on “The Lucy Show”. Vivian Vance is enjoying life hugely as a Connecticut housewife. She’s dressing and speaking as herself, and cutting a wide swath through the game shows. For summer “vacation” she’ll play stock.)
By CYNTHIA LOWRY, AP Television-Radio Writer
NEW YORK – Lucille Ball was looking for a sturdy foundation upon which to build a new comedy series. The ideal building blocks turned up in a funny, semi autobiographical book called “Life Without George” by Irene Kampen.
Mrs. Kampen described life in one of the New York City exurbs after her amicable divorce from her husband. To help out with the household expenses she joined forces with another divorcee with a child.
For television purposes, some changes were made: The heroine became Lucy Carmichael, a widow. She was given an extra child. Vivian Vance, Lucy’s old comical sidekick from the “I Love Lucy” days, was cast as her divorcee housemate.
As the successful seasons went by, other changes occurred. A bachelor neighbor played by comedian Dick Martin disappeared and banker Gale Gordon was added. “The Lucy Show” sailed along, almost always in Nielsen’s top ten.
Guest Stars Appear
During the past season, Vivian appeared in fewer than the season’s quota of programs and her absence has been covered by an assortment of guest stars including Ann Southern and Ethel Merman. Next season, however, it will really be “Life Without Vivian” on “The Lucy Show."
Plans have already been announced that the show’s policy will shift to weekly guest stars. And now it has been decided to move the locale of the comedy series to Southern California.
This all stems from Miss. Vance’s determination to stop trying to be, at the same time, a Connecticut housewife and a Hollywood television star. It resulted in tiring weekly commuting between the two coasts and a feeling of being unsettled and pressed at both ends of the country.
Vivian’s husband, John Dodds, is a publisher whose work keeps him in New York most of the time. She has been – a real Stamford housewife now since the last "Lucy Show” of the season was filmed several months ago. She has never been busier in her life.
“But it’s been one of the happiest times of my life,” she bubbled. “I’ve been working on these game shows which are the greatest thing in the world for performers. They tape them during the day, and I’m, home when John gets home at night. The miracle is that you can work about 52 weeks out of the year if you want to and they like you."
After all these profitable years in television, Vivian is as thrilled as a beginner that she’s again getting "show offers."
"I’m essentially a stage actress,” she says, “and I think sometimes producers’ forgot it wasn’t always comedy. And, after those "I Love Lucy” years, I think everybody had the impression I was that dowdy woman Ethel – not that I want to be known as a fashion plate.“
Image Has Changed
At any rate, the game shows have changed that image by giving Vivian a chance to dress smartly and speak intelligently as herself. During the summer she expects to enjoy life with a busman’s holiday – playing some stock.
"But right now I’m having such a good life, I don’t think I want to sign up for a new play.” She laughed, almost shyly. “This sounds ridiculous for an actress, but although I’d love to do a Broadway show, I really don’t want to get involved in anything that might tie me up for a long time. What I suppose I’d really like would be a big, fat, beautiful part in a flop."
Delighted with Retirement
Vivian seems genuinely delighted with her own retirement from a regular television series.
But whether Lucille Ball will miss the nicely balanced support of her old partner in comedy is still to be discovered. Perhaps, as hostess to assorted guest stars, her uninhibited style will be stifled, and perhaps the best comedy and funniest lines will go to the transients.
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REDEMPTION OF LOTTIE MOON
June 13, 1950
The Cavalcade of America ran on NBC Radio from 1935 to 1953. It featured events from American history, usually dramatizing the positive aspects of the nation’s past. Additionally, the show attempted to end criticism of its sponsor, the Du Pont Company due to negative publicity from profiting by producing gunpowder during World War I. Throughout the years, actors and actresses from Broadway and Hollywood were featured.
In 1952, the series was transferred to NBC television and lasted until 1957, nearly identical to the run of “I Love Lucy” on CBS. For six months the radio and television versions also overlapped. Lucille Ball previously appeared on “Cavalcade” in “Skylark Song” on June 21, 1948.
Synopsis ~ In 1863, General Ambrose Burnside of the US Army has bitter memories of the the fascinating Lottie Moon, who is sought by the Union Army and Pinkerton Detectives. He knew her well 18 years earlier when she was a headstrong, quick-tempered Southern belle. Now, through an astonishing coincidence, he has an ideal opportunity for his long-delayed revenge.
Written by George Faulkner, based on “General Burnside’s Prisoner” by Walter Havighurst, and a portion of the book “The Ohio Story” by Frank Siedel
Directed by John Zoller
Music composed by Arden Cornwall, conducted by Donald Vorhees
The show was broadcast live from the Belasco Theatre in NYC and repeated later in the day.
Cynthia Charlotte “Lottie” Moon Clark (1828–1895) was best known for her role as Confederate spy during the Civil War. Along with her sister Ginnie, Lottie smuggled information and medicine from North to South. Moon performed in amateur plays, often using her skills as a ventriloquist. As a young woman, she was engaged to a young officer whom she left at the altar. Later, she was engaged to sixteen Confederate soldiers at once in an effort to allow them to at least die happily.
CAST
Lucille Ball (Lottie Moon) was just finishing her second season on radio as Liz Cooper on “My Favorite Husband”.
Berry Kroeger (Ambrose E. Burnside) starred as Michael Waring, the title role in radio’s “The Falcon” (1943).
Les Damon (Hanson) was one of five actors to star as Nick Charles on radio’s “The Thin Man”.
Staats Cogsworth (James Clark) was a classically-trained actor who frequently appeared on Broadway in Shakespeare.
CREDITS
Lucille Ball will soon be seen in the Columbia Picture The Fuller Brush Girl.
A ‘LOTTIE’ TRIVIA!
NBC casting directors knew what they were about when they tapped Lucille Ball for the role of Lottie Moon, the Confederate spy, on ‘Cavalcade of America’ at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The glamorous, red-headed Lucille – alternately known as fire-ball and screw-ball, will give the story what it takes as the fiery Tennessee lass who jilted a Yankee general at the altar, made herself at home in political Washington society and sent valuable military data to good old Gen. Lee and the Rebel forces.’
Burnside was also the name of the romantic southerner who marries Mame Dennis in the musical Mame (1974). He was played on screen by Robert Preston.
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TV GUIDE: LUCY’S EARLY DAYS
June 12, 1971
Lucille Ball appeared on the cover of TV Guide (volume 19, no. 24) on June 12, 1971. The cover drawing was by Al Parker. The inside article was titled “Lucille Ball’s Early Days” by Dwight Whitney.
The cover illustration of Lucille Ball is by Al Parker, one of the artists that founded the Famous Artists School in 1948. The school was based in Westport, Connecticut, which was also where the Ricardos moved to in 1956 on “I Love Lucy.” Parker also contributed an illustration of Lucille Ball (inset) for the September 5, 1964 TV Guide cover.
The listing for “The Lucy Show” (here titled “Lucille Ball”) is a re-run of “Lucy the Stockholder” (TLS S3;E25) first aired on March 29, 1965.
That afternoon’s “I Love Lucy” was “Lucy’s Club Dance” (ILL S3;E25) first aired on April 12, 1954.
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THE LUCILLE BALL BOMBER!
June 11, 1943
Second Lieutenant Donald A. Gaylord, a pilot of the 351st Bomb Group poses with the damaged fuselage of his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3532) nicknamed “Lucille Ball”.
PILOT RISKS LIFE TO KEEP FLYING FORTRESS FROM CRASHING ON ENGLISH TOWN
It has just been disclosed that a 23-year-old American pilot 2nd Lt. Donald A Gaylord of Waterloo, IA, risked his life to keep his badly damaged Flying Fortress, “Lucille Ball” from crashing into the centre of Ipswich, England, as the bomber returned from an attack on Gelsenkirchen, on November 5. Crossing the coast of England the Fortress was flying on a single engine and at 3,000ft Gaylord ordered the crew to bail out. He then set the bomber on automatic pilot on a course which would take it out over the channel but the automatic pilot was unable to keep the ship in level flight and it started a dive for the centre of the city. Gaylord, however managed to pull the bomber out of its dive at 200ft and belly landed in a field on the outskirts of the city.
In January 1944, a second B-17 Bomber was named for Lucille Ball – Lucille Ball II. It was scrapped due to a fire in August 1944. No injuries were reported.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). The B-17 was primarily employed in the daylight strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial, military and civilian targets. The B-17 dropped more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. As of October 2019, nine aircraft remain airworthy, though none of them was ever flown in combat. Dozens more are in storage or on static display.
In “Lucy and Carol Burnett” (HL S3;E22)
Kim Carter (Lucie Arnaz) pays tribute to Jimmy Cagney does her impression of Cagney saying “You dirty rat.” James Cagney (1899-1986, inset) was a singer, dancer and actor best known in Hollywood for playing tough guys. The only time he ever appeared with Lucille Ball was a 1950 episode of “The Bob Hope Show.”
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HAIR DYED
June 10, 1949
“Hair Dyed” aka “Liz Gets Her Hair Dyed” is episode #48 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on June 10, 1949 on the CBS Radio Network.
Synopsis ~ After George warning Liz about the dangers of idle gossip, Liz’s chatty and absent-minded hair stylist forgets what she’s doing and mistakenly dyes Liz’s hair black. Nobody recognizes Liz, so she decides to flirt with George to test his fidelity. Gossip about Liz and George spreads all over town.
Note: The first part of the script was later the basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Gossip” (S1;E24) in March 1952. The second half inspired “The Black Wig” (S3;E26) from April 1954. This has caused some confusion between “Hair Dyed” and a later episode of “My Favorite Husband” titled “Gossip” that more fully follows the storyline of “The Gossip” but does not included Liz / Lucy having black hair.
REGULAR CAST
Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.
Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born as Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.
Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on “Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.
Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricarodo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.
Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.
Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.
GUEST CAST
GeGe Pearson (Bessie, Liz’s Beautician / Millie) was a veteran radio actress who made her debut on “The Red Skelton Show” in 1945. She guest starred with her real-life husband Hal Gerard as tourists in “Lucy Visits Grauman’s” (ILL S5;E1). She is perhaps best remembered as the voice of Crusader Rabbit.
Coincidentally, Liz compares Bessie to columnist Drew Pearson (no relation).
Verna Felton (Grace) made her professional stage debut at the age of 10 as ‘Little Verna Felton,’ working extensively on stage.
Felton was one of the most successful performers in radio, and soon went on to television.
She played the persistent Mrs. Day (mother of Dennis) on “The Jack Benny Show” (1955-62).
She received two Emmy nominations for her role in the Desilu series “December Bride,” playing Hilda Crocker from 1955 to 1959 opposite Spring Byington as Lily.
On “I Love Lucy” Felton portrayed Mrs. Porter, the no-nonsense housekeeper in “Lucy Hires a Maid” (ILL S2;E23). She was also featured in “Sales Resistance” (ILL S2;E17), playing Mrs. Simpson, a housewife to whom Lucy tries to sell a Handy Dandy vacuum cleaner – only to find out that she has no electricity! Felton worked extensively for Disney voicing various animated characters in classic films.
“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Coope. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.
EPISODE
ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers tonight…”
The episode opens in the Cooper’s living room where Liz and Iris are gossiping about someone named Grace while George and Rudolph smoke cigars.
IRIS: “She didn’t!”
LIZ: “She did!”
RUDOLPH: “What do you think, George. Did she or didn’t she?”
On “I Love Lucy” Lucy is on the telephone gossiping to Marge about Betty while Ricky reads the paper.
LUCY (to Marge): “She didn’t? She did? She didn’t? She couldn’t!”
RICKY: “Maybe that’s why she didn’t.”To give the girls an idea of how trivial they sound, the boys indulge in some mock gossiping from a feminine point of view. The retort is the same on both radio and television:
LIZ / LUCY: “Thank you, Hedda and Lolly.”
“Hedda and Lolly” are gossip columnists Hedda Hopper (left) and her rival Louella Parsons. Hopper famously played herself in an episode in season five of “I Love Lucy” as well as on the first episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”
George / Ricky admonish their wives about the pettiness of gossip. Liz promises to cut back but will have to cancel her hair appointment, claiming that the beauty salon is where women go to gossip. George is doubtful.
LIZ: “Well, you don’t know Bessie, my beauty operator. She’s the Drew Pearson of the mud packs.”
Andrew Russell Pearson (1897-1969) was one of the best-known American political columnists of his day, noted for his syndicated newspaper column "Washington Merry-Go-Round,” in which he criticized various public persons. He also had a program on NBC Radio titled “Drew Pearson Comments.”
Next day at the salon, Liz stops Bessie mid-gossip about Mrs. Andrews’ marital problems. Taken aback, Bessie refers to Liz as “old funnel ears”. Liz covers her ears and pretends she can’t hear all the juicy gossip. Getting carried away with her mindless chatter, Bessie accidentally dyes Liz’s hair black! She claims she can’t dye it back for two weeks without the risk Liz’s hair falling out!
LIZ: “Great! I’ve got a choice between Black Beauty or Old Baldy.”
Black Beauty is the eponymous horse featured in the 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. Coincidentally, Richard Denning (above with Mona Freeman) starred in a 1946 film adaptation of the book. Old Baldy probably refers to Mount San Antonio, in the San Gabriel mountains outside Los Angeles.
Iris comes into the salon and doesn’t recognize Liz. Things take a turn for the meta when Bessie compares her to actress Lucille Ball!
LIZ: “Oh! She’s pretty! Do I look like her, Iris?”
IRIS: “Nah. Lucille Ball never saw the day she looked as good as you did.”
LIZ: “Thank you, I think.”
Although radio and film star Lucille Ball’s name was never mentioned on “I Love Lucy,” meta comparisons to Lucy Carter and Lucille Ball happened several times on “Here’s Lucy”. In the most memorable example, Ball actually played herself with dark hair.
Liz decides to put George to the test to see if he will recognize her. It is here that the script starts to resemble the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Black Wig” (ILL S3;E26). Like Ricky, George pretends not to recognize her at first. George compares Liz’s new look to Prince Valiant.
Prince Valiant was a comic book character from King Arthur’s court that first appeared in 1937. His hair was a black pageboy cut, which became known as a Prince Valiant haircut. Fred Mertz (William Frawley) dons a Prince Valiant wig for the PTA show in “The Celebrity Next Door” (1957) starring Tallulah Bankhead.
George admits he knew it was Liz all along and was just teasing. Back at home Liz gets a telephone from Grace, who gossips that a friend of a friend that George was seen in town with a gorgeous woman with black hair. When Liz admits that the woman was her, Grace thinks she is covering up and refuses to believe her! It seems the rumor of George’s infidelity has swept the town.
LIZ: “This is the biggest news since Ralph Miller’s wife found him downstairs with the upstairs maid.”
Millie calls to tell Liz what Grace has called to to tell her the news of George’s affair. A third caller doesn’t even get to say hello before Liz spills out:
LIZ: “Yes I heard it no it isn’t true and why don’t you mind your own business.”
It turns out to be Iris, who also believes the gossip!
LIZ: “Oh, no! You too, Brutus Atterbury?”
This line is a paraphrase of a line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. When Brutus betrays Caesar, Caesar remarks “Et tu, Brute?” which is Latin for “You too, Brutus?” Caesar is then stabbed to death by the senators, including Brutus, the ultimate betrayal of a friend. The play was recorded on records by Orson Welles in 1939, and reissued in 1953. The album was used as a plot device when Welles played himself on a 1956 episode of “I Love Lucy.”
Iris has heard the woman was a willowy blonde, and Liz realizes how twisted and insidious gossip can be. Iris doesn’t believe it when Liz refutes the gossip. Liz concocts a plan to get even with Iris. She calls Madge to make up a lie about Rudolph, knowing Madge will quickly spread it around.
LIZ (to Madge): “I just heard that last Wednesday afternoon Mr. Atterbury had a Coke with his secretary in the drug store. And that’s not all, one Coke; two straws.”
In the early part of the 20th century, drug stores generally had snack counters that served soft drinks, ice cream and other light refreshments. They were a popular hang out for young people, away from the prying eyes of their parents. Sharing one drink with two straws was the height of intimacy. The corner drugstore was depicted several times on “I Love Lucy,” especially when Ricky and Fred needed to commiserate away from their wives.
Katie doesn’t think very much of the rumor Liz has made up.
LIZ: “Katie, I only planted the seed. By the time the girls get through cultivating it, it’ll be full grown poison ivy.”
George arrives home and Liz tells him what has been happening since their lunch.
LIZ: “George, today our names have been on more lips than Camphor Ice.”
Camphor Ice was an ointment made of white wax, camphor, and castor oil, used for dry, chapped skin, especially lips. It was an early form of Chapstick.
Liz tells George about the rumor he spread about his boss, Mr. Atterbury, telling him that the last time she heard, the rumor had Mr. Atterbury spending Saturday night at the Continental Night Club with a beautiful blonde.
The doorbell rings. It is a despondent Mr. Atterbury, toothbrush and pajamas in hand. Iris has locked him out of the house due to the rumor. Liz confesses that she spread the rumor. Liz volunteers to confess her deception, but Mr. Atterbury confesses that he really WAS at the Continental Nightclub with a beautiful blonde!
Bea Benadaret, Black Beauty, Bob LeMond, Camphor Ice, CBS, Drew Pearson, Gale Gordon, Gege Pearson, Hedda Hopper, Here’s Lucy, I love lucy, Julius Caesar, Louella Parsons, Lucille Ball, Mount Baldy, My Favorite Husband, Prince Valiant, Radio, Richard Denning, Ruth Perrot, The Black Wig, The Gossip, Verna Felton -
APPENDICITIS, RENO & FULL CONFESSIONS!
June 9, 1939
Lucille Ball’s appendectomy prevented her from doing RKO’s Full Confession. The role went to Sally Eilers, who had been in Carnival with Lucille Ball in 1935. Before her illness, Ball did Five Came Back for RKO. Both films were directed by John Farrow, Mia Farrow’s father. The RKO art department obviously wasn’t working overtime to make each film look distinct!
For reasons that are not clear, Ball did not do Reno. The role went to Gail Patrick, who had been seen with Lucille in Murder at the Vanities (1934) and Stage Door (1937). Again, John Farrow was the director. I suspect his indicates that Farrow was a fan of Miss Ball.
Instead, Ball did That’s Right – You’re Wrong with Kay Kyser.
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