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JOHN WILLIAMS
April 15, 1903

John Williams was born in Chalfont St. Giles in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1903. Williams was educated at Lancing College and began his acting career on the English stage in 1916. He won Broadway’s 1953 Tony Award as Best Supporting Actor for Dial M for Murder, a role that he recreated in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film version. He is also remembered for his role as the chauffeur in Billy Wilder’s Sabrina (1954), and as the second Mr. French on TV’s “Family Affair” in its first season (1967),
taking over for Sebastian Cabot when he was having health problems.
Although credited with a Max Sennett short in 1930, his film career began in earnest in 1942. His television career began in February 1951 with “Valley Forge,” an episode of “Pulitzer Prize Playhouse”.

In 1959, he worked for Desi Arnaz in “Perilous”, an episode of “The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse” starring Joan Fontaine.

In April 1963 he played the title role in “Bub’s Butler” on “My Three Sons,” filmed at Desilu Studios. William Frawley played Bub and Williams was the butler.

His only time appearing with Lucille Ball was in “Lucy and the Great Bank Robbery” (TLS S3;E5) on October 19, 1964.
Lloyd Corrigan (left) plays Gordon Bentley, his partner in crime. Lucy rents out Viv’s room to two gentlemen visiting for the World’s Fair, they turn out to be bank robbers who stash the loot in Viv’s mattress. Williams plays Carter Harrison.

Name Game! On “Here’s Lucy,” Gale Gordon played a character named Harrison Carter! In the end credits, John Williams is listed as playing Bentley and Lloyd Corrigan as Harrison. When the characters introduce themselves to Lucy, they say the reverse.

Bentley calls Harrison the “Bard of the bandits” because he writes his robbery notes in poetry form. Only a few months before this, John Williams (Harrison), had played William Shakespeare, ‘the bard of Stratford-upon-Avon,’ on “The Twilight Zone,” a series first developed by Desilu.

Williams did an episode of “Mission: Impossible” filmed at Paramount, formerly Desilu Studios, where the series was developed.

His final screen appearance was a two-part “Battlestar Galactica” in January 1979. He died on May 5, 1983 at age 80.

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HANS CONRIED
April 15, 1917

Hans Georg Conried Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother was a descendant of Pilgrims, and his father was a Jewish immigrant from Vienna, Austria. He was raised in Baltimore and in New York City. He studied acting at Columbia University and went on to play major classical roles onstage. Conried worked in radio before turning to movies in 1939. During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army in September 1944.

He made his screen debut at MGM in 1938′s Dramatic School.

He first appeared with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942), playing a headwaiter, an uncredited role.

His radio experience led him to Lucille Ball and her radio sitcom “My Favorite Husband” (1948-51) where he was frequently heard playing a variety of roles, including most of Liz Cooper’s teachers, and her neighbor Mr. Wood. He was the first actor to play George’s boss, Mr. Atterbury, the role assumed by Gale Gordon when it became a regular character.
In September 1949 he made his television debut on an episode of “Oboler Comedy Theatre” immediately appearing in the very next episode as well.

In his first appearance on “I Love Lucy” he played used furniture buyer Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8). In real life, Dan Jenkins was the name of a journalist friend of the Arnazes who wrote a column for TV Guide.

DAN JENKINS: “I’m a lousy businessman, but I like the way you sing ‘Babalu’ so I’ll take it.”

He returned to the series five weeks later to play Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13), both in 1952.

The character of the fastidious tutor was based on his many creations on “My Favorite Husband,” where he taught Liz Cooper everything from swimming to history!

In this episode, Ricky and Lucy read books to build their literacy one of which is Peter Pan. Hans Conried had just voiced Captain Hook for the Disney animated feature film of Peter Pan to be released just a month later, in February 1953. In October 1955 he did an episode of Desilu
Productions’ “Cavalcade of America.”
That same year he forged a relationship with another TV comedy star, Danny Thomas, appearing in his first of 23 episodes of the Desilu
Studios-filmed “Make Room For Daddy” aka “The Danny Thomas Show”. In his fourth episode he created the role of Uncle Tonoose, which he played from then on.
In August 1957, he did an episode of Desilu’s helicopter series “Whirlybirds”. In 1958 he did an episode of “The Californians” (above) as ‘Painless’ Peter Pepper, filmed at Desilu Studios.
On “The Lucy Show” he made two appearances as Dr. Gitterman, a drama / music coach. Again, this character was inspired by those he first did on “My Favorite Husband.”

The first was in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) in 1963. He gave her singing lessons in preparation for a state-wide competition.

Dr. Gittereman returned the following season in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). This time he coached Lucy in Drama to prepare her to play Cleopatra for The Danfield Community Theatre.

He even gets into the act as Marc Anthony! This was the first episode filmed in color, although it was aired in black and white.

In 1964 Conried did two episodes of the Desilu game show “You Don’t Say”.

For Desilu Distributing, Conried hosted “Fractured Flickers” – a show that added its own soundtrack to old movies. He did all 26 episodes of this one-season wonder.

In 1973 he appeared with Lucille Ball for the last time on an episode of “Here’s Lucy” starring Danny Thomas, who he was then most associated with because of “Make Room for Daddy.”

He played an art studio owner at odds with an eccentric artist played by Danny Thomas.

Towards the end of his life he did extensive voice work in animation.
Conried died on January 5, 1982 at the age of 64. He was married to Margaret Grant since 1942; the couple had four children.
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HORSEBACK RIDING
April 15, 1949

“Horseback Riding” (aka “Liz Takes Horseback Riding Lessons”) is episode #39 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on April 15, 1949 on the CBS radio network.
Synopsis ~ George’s female co-chair for his horseback riding club’s upcoming weekend breakfast ride has Liz so jealous that she’s determined to overcome her fear of horses and learn to ride herself.

“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 Cooper. 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.
MAIN 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 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 and Bea Benadaret do not appear in this episode.
Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz (above right), 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 also played 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

Frank Nelson (Salesman) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”. This is one of his 11 performances on “My Favorite Husband.” On “I Love Lucy” he holds the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring roles: Freddie Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey, as well as six one-off characters, including the frazzled train conductor in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5), a character he repeated on “The Lucy Show.” Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs.
Whenever there was a salesman role, Nelson was top of the casting list. He perfected the ingratiating and infuriating salesperson on Jack Benny’s radio and television shows. “Yeeeees?”

Doris Singleton (Audrey Peters) 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” and four appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Alan Reed (Mr. Lloyd aka ‘Little Ole Lloyd’ / Farmer / Land-Owner) is probably best remembered as the voice of Fred Flintstone. He started his acting career in 1937. In 1963 he played a café owner in “Lucy Visits the White House” (TLS S1;E25). In 1967, he made an appearance on the Desi Arnaz series “The Mothers-in-Law”. He died in 1977 at the age of 69.
Coincidentally, Reed’s only appearance with Lucille Ball on television also had Lucy on horseback!

Pinto Colvig (Gulliver) was the original voice of Disney’s Pluto and Goofy, until his death in 1967. In 1993, the Walt Disney Company honored him as a ‘Disney Legend.’ On May 28, 2004, he was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He provided the dog barks for “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (TLS S2;E23) in 1964.
EPISODE
ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers, we find Katie the maid serving Liz her breakfast. George is upstairs getting into his riding habit as this is the day he meets with his horseback riding club.”
Katie wants to know why Liz never goes with George to his horseback riding club. Liz says she had an incident with a horse as a child. They had to stop the merry-go-round. George comes down to breakfast and tells Liz that he is getting a ride to the stables by Audrey Peters. They are chairing next weekend’s breakfast ride. Liz is instantly jealous.
Audrey rings the bell. Liz is icy toward her, at best. Audrey asks Liz why she won’t come with them.
AUDREY: “Are you afraid of horses?”
LIZ: “No dear, I’m allergic to cats. It’s too bad I won’t get to see you ride, though. George says you look like part of the horse.”
GEORGE: “Audrey’s been riding since she’s a child and she’s never lost her seat. Can you believe it?”
LIZ: “Believe it? I can see it!”When George and Audrey have gone, Liz tells Katie she’s going to learn to ride a horse.

Liz is shopping and asks the salesman (Frank Nelson) to show her some riding clothes.
FLOORWALKER: “A habit?”
LIZ: “No, I’m just starting.”Liz gives her sizes as “thirty around the withers” and “seven along the fetlocks.” He shows her some English riding clothes. Although he suggests a size seven boot, Liz insists on a six.

At the stables, he meets with Mr. Lloyd aka ‘Little Ole Lloyd’ (Alan Reed). She tells him she wants to talk lessons. He suggests a swayback, toothless horse named Gulliver. Liz is afraid of Gulliver.
She insists she can mount him on her own, but gets on backwards! Gulliver falls asleep before they take their first trot!

Next day, Liz returns for her second lesson. It seems Gulliver has developed an affection for Liz, perking up as soon as she comes in the stall. Gulliver sighs in love when Liz smiles at her.
At her sixth lesson, Lloyd says Gulliver won’t eat unless Liz is there, and he won’t allow anyone else to ride him. Liz still hasn’t even gone once around the ring without falling off. She finally masters walking once around the ring on her twelfth lesson. Now if she can only do it with Gulliver.
On the day of the breakfast ride, Liz is anxious for Audrey to come pick up George and take him to the stables. Audrey honks the horn.
GEORGE: “I’d better go.”
LIZ: “Yes. She mustn’t keep her broomstick running.”ANNOUNCER: “George is out on a breakfast ride with his horseback riding club. Liz, to surprise him, has secretly learned to ride and is going to make a grand entrance by galloping up to greet them.”
Lloyd lets Gulliver out of the trailer about a half mile from the breakfast ride location. Gulliver trots up to the spot but a farmer (Alan Reed) tells them they rode on another ten miles to Hickory Falls.

Arriving at Hickory Falls, Gulliver is winded. The land-owner (Alan Reed again) warns her that the breakfast riders were trespassing and he shooed them off to Buzzard’s Roost. He charged them ten dollars for trespass and does the same to Liz. She rides on to Buzzard’s Roost but ends up back where she started from!
Back at the Cooper home, Katie answers the doorbell and finds Liz lying on the welcome mat exhausted.
LIZ: “What a wild ride. I felt like Paul Revere. Come to think of it, we probably had the same horse!”

Paul Revere (1734-1818) was a silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, and Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for his midnight ride to alert the colonial militia in April 1775 to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord. In a 1964 “Jack Benny Special” Lucy and Benny played Mr. and Mrs. Paul Revere. In the sketch, it is Mrs. Revere who makes the famous midnight ride, not Paul.

Liz asks Katie to help her get her riding boots off – but they don’t budge. Liz’s feet have swollen and the boots won’t come off. Katie she suggests Liz go down to the store and ask the salesman for help. Once she gets there, the salesman gloats that he warned her to buy sevens. He thinks he knows the trick to getting them off, but he can’t do it. He struggles and the boot finally comes off – but he has shattered the store window in the process!
Liz comes home. The boots are off but her feet look like two thermometers. George comes home. He says that Audrey was thrown, when as a joke she attempted to mount an old swayback named Gulliver!
LIZ (laughing): “I’ll have to send over a nice bouquet of flowers.
GEORGE: “Audrey will appreciate that.”
LIZ: “Who said anything about Audrey? I’m gonna send them for the horse!”End of Episode
The announcer reminds listeners that Lucille Ball will soon be seen in the Paramount Picture Sorrowful Jones.

Coincidentally, Sorrowful Jones was also about horses!
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JOE RUSKIN
April 14, 1924

Joseph Ruskin was born Joseph Richard Schlafman in Haverhill, Massachusetts. After graduating high school in Cleveland, he served in the US Navy and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University and began acting at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. He continued his theatre work on the west coast, and served as officers in the acting unions.

He made his screen debut on a 1955 episode of “The Honeymooners” playing a member of Ralph’s lodge.

For Desilu, he did six episodes of “The Untouchables” from 1961 to 1963 playing various characters.

In August 1962 he did an episode of “Kraft Mystery Theatre” filmed at Desilu Studios.

He first worked opposite Lucille Ball on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10) on November 21, 1966. He played John Wayne’s director, Joe.

In 1968 he played Galt in “The Gamesters of Triskelion”, an episode of Desilu’s hit series “Star-Trek”.

Ruskin played Ambassador Korlik of the Slobtoni Embassy (above right) in “Lucy’s Impossible Mission” (HL S1;E6) on “Here’s Lucy” in October 1968. A parody of Desilu-filmed “Mission: Impossible” on which Ruskin appeared as various foreign operatives in six episode (two of which were two-parters) from 1966 to 1972.

His final screen appearance was on an 2006 episode of “Bones” (above, second from right).
Ruskin died on December 28, 2013 at age 89. He was survived by his wife Barbara, daughter and three step-daughters.
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HOWARD KEEL
April 13, 1919

Harold Clifford Keel, known professionally as Howard Keel, was born in Gillespie, Illinois. It was stated that Keel’s birth name was Harold Leek. After his father’s death in 1930, Keel and his mother moved to California, where he graduated from high school at age 17. He worked various odd jobs until settling at Douglas Aircraft Company as a traveling representative. At age 20, Keel was overheard singing by his landlady and was encouraged to take vocal lessons. His first public performance took place in the summer of 1941.

In 1945, he briefly understudied for John Raitt in the Broadway hit Carousel before being assigned to Oklahoma! both by Rodgers and Hammerstein. He once performed the leads in both shows on the same day.

While performing on stage in England, Keel made his film debut in The Small Voice (1948), released in the United States as The Hideout. His first American role was playing Frank Butler in the film version of Annie Get Your Gun. From then on Keel was showcased in several of MGM’s biggest extravaganzas, with Show Boat (1951), Calamity Jane (1953), Kiss Me Kate (1953) and (reportedly his favorite) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). This film was also mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy in the Swiss Alps” (ILL S5;E21).

Keel’s television debut featured Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz: “MGM’s 30th Anniversary Tribute” on February 14, 1954. In addition to appearing live, clips of Keel in his MGM films were included. Lucy and Desi were there to promote The Long, Long Trailer.

His only acting appearance with Lucille Ball was on a 1969 episode of “Here’s Lucy” titled “Lucy’s Safari” (HL S1;E22), where he played a big game hunter named Stanley Livingston.

According to the Unique Employment Agency’s file card on Livingston, he is 6’4” tall, 220 lbs, dark hair, blue eyes, and single. He has spent many years living in Africa.

Later in his career he played Clayton Farlow on “Dallas” (1981-91).

His final screen role was in the film My Father’s House (2002).
He died on November 7, 2004, of colon cancer. He was 85 years old.
Keel was married four times: Judy Keel (1970–2004), Helen Anderson (1949–1970), and Rosemary Cooper (1943–1948). He had four children.

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CRITIC’S CHOICE
April 13, 1963

- Directed by Don Weis
- Produced by Frank P. Rosenberg for Warner Brothers
- Written by Jack Sher, based on the play by Ira Levin
Synopsis ~ Parker Ballantine is a New York theater critic and his wife writes a play that may or may not be very good. Now Parker must either get out of reviewing the play or cause the breakup of his marriage.
PRINCIPAL CAST
Lucille Ball (Angela Ballantine) marks her 80th feature film since coming to Hollywood in 1933. This is her fourth and final film with Bob Hope.

Bob Hope (Parker Ballantine) was born Lesley Townes Hope in England in 1903. During his extensive career (in virtually all forms of media) he received five honorary Academy Awards. He died at the age of 100. In 1945 Desi Arnaz was the orchestra leader on Bob Hope’s NBC radio show. Lucille Ball and Hope made four films together: Sorrowful Jones (1949), Fancy Pants (1950), The Facts of Life (1960), and Critic’s Choice (1963). In between the first two and the second two, he appeared on “I Love Lucy” in
“Lucy and Bob Hope” (ILL S6;E10) in1956. Hope made a cameo appearance in a 1962 episode of “The Lucy Show” that starred Jack Benny. Lucy and Hope appeared together in dozens of television programs, including Ball’s final appearance at the 1989 Oscars.
Marilyn Maxwell (Ivy London) appeared with Bob Hope in “The Colgate Comedy Hour” (1950, 1951, 1953, 1953), The Lemon Drop Kid (1951), Off Limits (1952), “The Bob Hope Show” (1954) and with Lucille Ball in DuBarry Was A Lady (1943), Thousands Cheer (1943), Forever Darling (1956), as well as “Here’s Lucy: Lucy The Co-Ed” (1970).
Rip Torn (Dion Kapakos) was nominated for an Oscar in 1983. This was his only film with Lucille Ball.
Jesse Royce Landis (Charlotte Orr) makes her only appearance with Lucille Ball.
John Dehner (S.P. Champlain) also appeared with Hope and Ball in the television special “Mr. and Mrs.” in 1964.
Jim Backus (Dr. von Hagedom) is most famous for playing millionaire Thurston Howell III on “Gilligan’s Island.” He appeared in Easy Living (1949) with Lucille Ball and was heard on her radio show “My Favorite Husband.”
Ricky Kelman (John Ballantine) was a child actor who later appeared as a teenager on “Here’s Lucy” in “Lucy and Andy Griffith” (HL S6;E8) in 1973.
Dorothy Green (Mrs. Champlain) makes her only appearances with Lucille Ball.
Marie Windsor (Sally Orr) also appeared with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942).
Evan McCord aka Joe Gallison (Phil Yardley) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball.
Richard Deacon (Harvey Rittenhouse) is probably best remembered as Mel Cooley on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (1961-66). He appeared as Tallulah Bankhead’s butler in “The Celebrity Next Door,” a 1957 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” He was employed again by Desi Sr. as a regular on “The Mothers-in-Law” (1968). He made two appearances on "Here’s Lucy.”
Joan Shawlee (Marge Orr) also appeared with Lucille Ball in Lover Come Back (1946).
Jerome Cowan (Joe Rosenfield) appeared with Lucille Ball in The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). He was featured in such films as 1947’s Miracle on 34th Street (with William Frawley) and as Miles Archer in 1941’s The Maltese Falcon. He appeared in one episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1966 and one episode of “Here’s Lucy.”
Donald Losby (Godfrey) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball.
Lurene Tuttle (Mother) played the president of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “The Club Election” (ILL S2;E19) on February 16, 1953.
Emestine Wade (Thelma) makes her only appearance with Lucille Ball.
Stanley Adams (Bartender)
made three appearances on “The Lucy Show.”

UNCREDITED CAST (who shared credits with Lucille Ball)
Leon Alton (Audience Member)
appeared with Lucille Ball in The Facts of Life (1960), two episodes of “The Lucy Show” and three episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”
Walter Bacon (Audience Member) was seen in “Lucy Wins a Racehorse” (LDCH 1958) and “Lucy Puts Main Street on the Map” (TLS S5;E18) in 1967.
Paul Bradley (Audience Member) made six appearances on “The Lucy Show” and two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”
Charles Cirillo (Audience Member) was also an uncredited extra in 1968 film Yours, Mine and Ours. He did a 1971 episode of “Here’s Lucy” and a 1968 episode of “The Lucy Show.”
Paul Cristo (Audience Member) was seen on an episode of “I Love Lucy,” two episodes of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” and two of “The Lucy Show.”
George DeNormand (Party
Guest) appeared in three films with Lucille Ball from 1937 to 1963. He also appeared on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”James
Flavin (Security Guard) played Sgt. Wilcox two episodes of “The Lucy Show” including “Lucy and the Safe Cracker” (TLS S2;E5). He appeared in four films with Lucille Ball, including playing a police sergeant in Without Love (1945).Bess
Flowers (Audience Member at ‘Sisters Three’) was hailed as Queen of the Extras in Hollywood. She appeared in more films with Lucille Ball than any other performer. She often was seen on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.”Sid Gould (Cab Driver) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton. He appeared in more than forty episodes of “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy” in small roles.
George Holmes (Spectator) was in the studio audience in “Lucy and Art Linkletter” (TLS S6;E4). He also did an episode of “Here’s Lucy” and two more films with Lucille Ball: The Facts of Life (1960), and Mame (1974).
Shep Houghton (Audience Member) made three films with Lucille Ball, including Too Many Girls. He did two episodes of “The Lucy Show” and one episode of “Here’s Lucy.” Houghton was one of the Winkie Guards in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz and a Southern Dandy in Gone With the Wind (1939).
Breena Howard (Girlfriend) also played a waitress in “Lucy Goes to Vegas” (TLS S3;E17) in 1965.
Joseph La Cava
(Bellhop) did an episode of “I Love Lucy” and returned to work with Lucy in an episode of “Here’s Lucy.” He was also seen as a restaurant patron in Mame (1974).Mike Lally (Audience Member at ‘Sisters Three’) was seen in two episodes of “I Love Lucy,” one “The Lucy Show,” and eight films starring Lucille Ball.
William Meader (Audience Member) appeared as an airport extra in “The Ricardos Go to Japan” in 1959. He made many appearances on “The Lucy Show,” most times as a clerk in Mr. Mooney’s bank.
Harold Miller (First
Nighter in Audience) did eight films with Lucy and two episodes of “I Love Lucy”.Monty
O’Grady (Audience Member) was first seen with Lucille Ball in The Long, Long Trailer (1953) and played a passenger on the S.S. Constitution in “Second Honeymoon” (ILL S5;E14). He was a traveler at the airport when “The Ricardos Go to Japan” (1959). He made a dozen appearances on "The Lucy Show” and a half dozen more on “Here’s Lucy.”Murray Pollack
(Audience Member) was one of the party guest in “Country Club Dance” (ILL S6;E25). Like Monty O’Grady, he was at the airport when “The Ricardos Go to Japan” (1959). He made two appearances on “The Lucy Show” and returned for three episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”Paul Power (Audience Member) was seen in two episodes of “I Love Lucy” and two films with Lucille Ball.
Beverly Powers
(Girl with Dion) played Mimi Van Tysen in “Lucy Goes to a Hollywood Premiere” (TLS S4;E20) in 1966. In that episode, she had a gorilla on her arm, not Rip Torn!Alan Ray (Hotel Doorman) was seen on “I Love Lucy” as the clapstick boy at “Ricky’s Screen Test” (ILL S4;E6), a Brown Derby waiter in “Hollywood at Last” (ILL S4;E16), and a male nurse in “Nursery School” (ILL S5;E9). He made four appearance on “The Lucy Show,” including once as a hotel doorman! In 1950 Ray was also in the film A Woman of Distinction in which Lucille Ball had a cameo.
Frieda Rentie (Audience
Member) made two appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”Victor Romito (Audience Member) was seen as the Bartender in “Lucy Meets John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10) as well as one more episode of “The Lucy Show.” He appeared in four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”
Bernard Sell (Audience
Member) made three appearances on "The Lucy Show”. He was also an extra with Lucille Ball and Bob Hope in their film The Facts of Life (1960). He turns up on a 1971 two-part episode of “Here’s Lucy.”Hal Smith (Drunk) is probably best known around the Desilu lot for playing Otis the drunk on “The Andy Griffith Show”.
He made three appearance on “The Lucy Show” including the role of Mr. Weber in “Main Street U.S.A.” (S5;E17). He did one episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1972.
Norman Stevans (Clerk) was in the audience of “Over The Teacups” during “Ethel’s Birthday” (ILL S4;E8) and at the airport when “The Ricardo’s Go To Japan,” in 1959. He appeared in two episodes of “Here’s Lucy” and in the 1974 Lucille Ball film Mame.
Arthur Tovey (Audience
Member) did one episode of “The Lucy Show” and the TV special “Swing Out, Sweet Land” in 1970 in which Lucille Ball is the Statue of Liberty.Ralph Volkie (Audience
Member) is best remembered for playing John Wayne’s masseuse in “Lucy and John Wayne” (ILL S5;E2) in 1955. As Wayne’s trainer, he also appeared in sixteen films with the Duke.‘CRITICS’ TRIVIA

Lucille Ball’s costumes for the film were designed by Edith Head. Irma Kusely, Lucille’s long-time hairdresser, did her hair design.
Lucille Ball and Bob Hope break the fourth wall and appear as themselves in the film’s trailer.

Because of poor audience reaction at test screenings, this film sat unreleased for a year before being sent to theaters. The delay did not help, as it received generally unfavorable reviews.
"It is pleasing to look at in its expensive décor, color and scope, ably played by its experienced stars and ingratiating in its quieter insights into a sophisticated marital relationship. So long as it meanders modestly through some above-average repartee, it provides an agreeable way to pass an evening. Instead of leaving well enough alone, unfortunately, the director, Don Weis, has tried to upholster the shaky plot with slapstick and broad burlesque…Both stars, old hands at this sort of thing, go through their paces with benign good humor, but their subtler comic talents remain untapped. At this rate, the critics’ popularity seems unlikely to improve.” ~ The New York Times

Angela’s play opens at the 46th Street Theatre. This is an actual Broadway theatre, though it has since been renamed the Richard Rodgers Theatre and since 2015 has been home to Hamilton. At the time of filming it was host to the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical How To Succeed in Business…Without Really Trying. Lucille Ball was on Broadway just one year earlier at the Alvin (now the Neil Simon) Theatre in Wildcat.

The collage of stylized posters for Broadway plays (The Music Man, Life With Father, Fanny, Gypsy, Camelot) that appeared under the opening credits, were all productions that had (or in the case of Camelot, would later be) filmed by Warner Bros.

Ira Levin’s original play had been produced on Broadway in 1960, when it enjoyed modest success under the direction of Otto Preminger. The play starred Henry Fonda in the Bob Hope role of Parker Ballantine, and also featured Georgann Johnson (in Lucille Ball’s role).

Angela and Dion fly from New York to Boston in an American Airlines Lockheed Electra, registration number N6102A. By the time the movie was released in 1963, the plane no longer existed – on August 6, 1962 (Lucille Ball’s 51st birthday) it was wrecked in a landing accident during a thunderstorm at the Knoxville, Tennessee airport. Fortunately, all aboard the plane survived.

The casting of Marilyn Maxwell as Hope’s first wife was a kind of ironic joke, as their long-time affair was well enough known in the industry for her to be often referred to as “the second Mrs. Hope.”

The Ballantines were based on renowned theatre critic Walter Kerr and his playwright wife Jean Kerr. As an inside joke, Hope mentions one of her plays, “Mary, Mary.”

The film’s music orchestrations are credited to Arthur Morton (inset photo). Not only is Morton Ball’s married name, Arthur Morton was the name of the character played by Richard Crenna who had a crush on Lucy Ricardo in “The Young Fans” (ILL S1;E20)!

The film is mentioned on “What’s My Line?” featuring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball on May 5, 1963. Lucy and Bob are on a promotional tour, New York being the eleventh of their 19 cities. They had just come from being on “The Ed Sullivan Show” earlier that evening, also to promote Critic’s Choice.

Lucille Ball mentions the film on “Dinah!” featuring Bob Hope on April 15, 1977.
About Critic’s Choice (1963), it is clear that this was a film Lucy didn’t want to do. Lucy and Hope were obliged to do a 11-theatre promo tour to “sell” the film. Hope calls it their only flop.
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QUICK: 8 MILLION DOLLAR BABY!
April 13, 1953

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Jr. appeared on the cover of Quick Magazine on April 13, 1953. The inside article was titled “Eight Million Dollar Baby: Lucy & Desi IV”.
Quick Magazine was published by Cowles Magazines, Inc., from 1949 to 1953. They also published Life. Readers were encouraged to “Get Quick on your newsstand an carry it in your pocket or your purse… and read it wherever you are”. A new version of Quick Magazine was first published in November 2010.

When this magazine hit the newsstands, America hadn’t seen a new “I Love Lucy” episode on television since March 30, 1953, with the first airing of “Lucy Changes Her Mind” (ILL S2;E21) and were anxiously awaiting the next new episode, “No Children Allowed” (ILL S2;E22) on April 20, 1953. In real life, the “I Love Lucy” cast had just finished filming “Lucy’s Last Birthday” (ILL S2;E25) and was preparing to rehearse “The Ricardos Change Apartments” (ILL S2;E26).

The issue appeared ten days after the very first national edition of TV Guide, also featuring Lucille Ball and Desi Jr. The photos of the baby were from the same shoot. Desi Jr. is dressed in the same yellow ruffled outfit in both photos, and they both feature pale blue backgrounds. The major difference is in the baby’s estimated value! TV Guide says he’s worth $42 million more than Quick!

Lucille Ball previously appeared on the cover of Quick on November 27, 1950, and with Desi Sr. on October 13, 1952.
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TIGHT SHOES
April 12, 1942

The Gulf Screen Guild Theater present Damon Runyon’s comedy Tight Shoes, which was a 1941 Universal Pictures success.
- Directed and Hosted by: Roger Pryor
- Music by: Oscar Bradley
- Written by: Damon Runyon

The Screen Guild Theater (aka The Screen Guild Players), was one of the most popular drama anthology series during the Golden Age of Radio. At this point it is being sponsored by Gulf Oil. From its first broadcast in 1939, up to its farewell in 1952, it showcased radio adaptations of popular Hollywood films. Many Hollywood names became part of the show, including Bette Davis, Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and many more. The actors’ fees were all donated to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, an organization that provides aid to retired actors. Screen Guild Theater was heard on different radio networks, beginning with CBS from 1939 to 1948, NBC from 1948 to 1950, ABC from 1950 to 1951, and back to CBS until its last episode on June 29, 1952. Throughout its run, a total of 527 episodes were produced.

Tight Shoes was a 1941 comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell based on the 1936 story of the same name by Damon Runyon. The film was produced by Universal Pictures. It was re-released in November 1947.
The Daily Variety review called the film “…the closest interpretation of the Damon Runyon humor that has yet been brought to the screen."

The story was again broadcast on radio as part of “The Damon Runyon Theater” on October 30, 1949. The cast included Alan Reed, Gerald Mohr, Frank Lovejoy, Herb Vigran, Sheldon Leonard, William Conrad, Jeff Chandler, Lionel Stander, Sidney Miller, Olive Deering, and Joe De Santis.
RADIO CAST
Lucille Ball (Sybil Anderson) plays the role originated in the film by Binnie Barnes. She had just released her film Valley of the Sun, which was her 54th film since coming to Hollywood in 1933.
Sylvia Ash is the self-described “Biggest Star on Broadway”. In the film version, Sybil’s last name is Ash.

Red Skelton (Swifty Miller) plays the role originated in the film by Broderick Crawford. He also starred with Lucille Ball in the films Having Wonderful Time (1938), Thousands Cheer (1943), Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). On TV he appeared on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in “Lucy Goes To Alaska” (1958). Ball and Skelton appeared in numerous TV specials together.
In the film version, the character is known as Speedy.
George Tobias (Blooch) plays the role originated in the film by Edward Gargan. He later appeared with Lucille Ball in the film The Magic Carpet (1951).
SYNOPSIS
Shoe store owner Amalfi is forced by crook Swifty Miller to allow the business to be a front for illegal gambling.
Jimmy Rupert is a clerk in the store and sells a pair of shoes to Miller that are too small and hurt his feet. Distracted by his pinched feet in the tight shoes, Swifty places a losing bet on the horse named Feet First. A fight ensues with his girlfriend Sybil and she leaves him. He blames his loss on Rupert and gets him fired from the shoe store. In response, Rupert complains about crooked politicians who allow crime to flourish, and successfully runs for office. He is opposed by the newspaper, but supported by Miller’s ex-girlfriend Sybil. On the day he wins the election, Rupert and Sybil are engaged to be married.
“TIGHT” TRIVIA

This is not Lucille Ball’s only time appearing in a script by Damon Runyon. She often said her favorite performance of hers was in The Big Street (1946), based on the Runyon story “Little Pinks”.
Lucille Ball did another Damon Runyon story, Sorrowful Jones in 1949, based on his 1932 story “Little Miss Marker,” which had previously been filmed in 1934. Damon Runyon also created the source material for the hit Broadway musical Guys and Dolls (1950), which starred Robert Alda, who went on to make several appearances on “The Lucy Show.” When the film version was made by MGM in 1955, Lucy and Desi were also under contract to the studio. A brief clip of the film was inserted into the middle of an episode of “I Love Lucy” called “Lucy and the Dummy” (S5;E3), although the clip was removed after its initial airing.

Because it was wartime, the Gulf commercials stressed using high-grade gas and motor oil to reduce waste and conserve.
The story is told in flashback, starting with Swifty Miller in the Army, giving advice to a soldier who wants to burn his shoes because they are hurting his feet.

“He bet fifty thousand dollars on a nag called Feet First to come in head first, but it was dead first, and carried out feet first.” ~ Sybil
Like most characters in Runyon stories, Swifty and Sybil are gamblers, and like going to the racetrack. Lucy and Desi also were fond of horse racing, and frequently attended racing at Del Mar in California. Several episodes of Lucy sitcoms were modeled around racing and racehorses.

Mr. Amalfi wonders if the government still prints $10,000 bills. He is correct! The bill was last printed in 1934. Even in 1942 there were not many in circulation. Today they are very rare, and the highest value US bill to be accepted for a transaction.

Swifty says he has bought a new victory suit. Sybil wonders if the victory was at Bull Run? The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the American Civil War. The battle was fought on July 21, 1861. Sylvia is intimating that his suit is woefully out of style.

Swifty says he’d do anything for Sylvia, even tear up his autographed picture of Roger Pryor. Pryor was a leading man of Broadway and Hollywood, doing 50 films between 1930 and 1945. He was married to Lucille Ball’s friend and co-star Ann Sothern, but the couple divorced the same year this radio show aired.
“I’m off my onion for ya, sweet pea. Or maybe it’s just gas pushin’ up under my heart.” ~ Swifty

When Sybil entertains at the political rally, the orchestra plays “My Heart Belongs To Daddy” written by Cole Porter for the 1938 Broadway musical Leave It to Me. Marilyn Monroe would sing it in the 1960 film Let’s Make Love. Lucille Ball sings it on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy the Gun Moll” (TLS S4;E25) on March 14, 1966. In this radio show, Lucille Ball does not sing, we merely hear the orchestra playing.

A radio reporter talks about the local election using fictional names, but when mentioning the national election, he says “Roosevelt is leading Wilkie.” This places the date of the action on November 5, 1940, when incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt handily defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Wilkie for President of the United States. Swifty talks back to the radio and says “Yeah, we know that.” Due to the war, Roosevelt sought an unprecedented third term, and very few expected him to be defeated in light of his popularity.

When Jimmy objects to Swifty’s tone around Sybil, Swifty calls him “Emily.” This is a reference to well known authority on etiquette, Emily Post (1872-1960). She was an author, whose newspaper columns and radio broadcasts were very popular in the 1940s.

The show ends with a promotion for next week’s show “A Woman’s Face” starring Bette Davis, Osa Massen, and Conrad Veidt. The 1941 film originally starred Joan Crawford in the role taken by Davis. Massen and Veidt reprise their roles from the MGM film directed by George Cukor.

The announcer says that Lucille Ball will soon be seen on screen in Little Pinks, which was the working title for The Big Street, also by Damon Runyon.
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EARLY TO DEATH
April 12, 1951

A fight for $300,000 in stolen loot in the Mexican desert. Early To Death is a story of murder and greed.
- Writers: John Michael Hayes and E. Jack Newman
- Composer: Lucien Morowack
- Producer and Director: Elliott Lewis

“Suspense” is a radio drama broadcast on CBS Radio from 1940 through 1962. One of the premier drama programs of the Golden Age of Radio, it was subtitled “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills” and focused on suspense thriller-type scripts, usually featuring leading Hollywood actors of the era. Approximately 945 episodes were broadcast during its long run, and more than 900 still exist.

At this point, the show is sponsored by Auto-Lite.
The program’s heyday was in the early 1950s, when radio actor, producer and director Elliott Lewis (later married to Mary Jane Croft) took over. Here the material reached new levels of sophistication. The writing was taut, and the casting, which had always been a strong point of the series featured such film stars as Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, Lena Horne, and Cary Grant. Lewis expanded the repertory to include many of radio’s famous drama and comedy stars – like Lucy and Desi – playing against type. “Suspense” was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2011.
‘EARLY TO DEATH’ SYNOPSIS
Ben is a co-pilot on a plane and he and his partner Evie call in that their plane is in trouble. But the plane wasn’t in trouble, it was carrying the company’s payroll and the two of them jumped from the plane with the money and took it as they had planned and buried it in the mountain where they planned to leave it until things had died down. A few days later they strolled in to a nearby town like two plane crash survivors. They knew there would be questions to answer but they had rehearsed for this over the year. When the wreckage was found it was assumed that the money had burnt in it. It seemed that they were clear and all they had to do was wait but then a guy named Rico Sebastian turned up claiming that he had seen them bury the money in the mountains.
“I’d killed, then he’d killed. The way I looked at it, it was my turn again.“
CAST
- Lucille Ball (Evie)
- Desi Arnaz (Rico Sebastian) was also performing on the radio show “Your Tropical Trip” on CBS.
- Tom Holland (Ben Taylor)
- Joseph Kearns played psychiatrist Dr. Tom Robinson in “The Kleptomaniac” (ILL S1;E27) and later played the theatre manager in “Lucy’s Night in Town” (ILL S6;E22).
- Jack Kruschen was heard on “My Favorite Husband” in “Baby Sitting” on November 11, 1949. He later played a mechanic in The Long, Long Trailer (1954).
- Bert Holland (Auto-Lite Commercial Spokesman)
“I’d killed, then he’d killed. The way I looked at it, it was my turn again.” ~ Evie
‘DEATH’ TRIVIA

On April 12, 1951, Lucille Ball had just finished a three-season run on radio as Liz Cooper in “My Favorite Husband.” Her next goal was to prepare for television, with her husband of eleven years, Desi Arnaz. Desi was then playing gigs with his orchestra and hosting CBS radio’s “Your Tropical Trip”. Television would bring them together at work as well as at home. The original pilot for “I Love Lucy” was kinescoped on March 2, 1951, in Hollywood, a month before this broadcast.
Lucille Ball in “Suspense”:
- January 13, 1944 – “Dime A Dance”
- October 24, 1945 – “ A Shroud for Sarah”
- June 22, 1944 – “The Ten Grand”
- October 14, 1948 – “Little Pieces of Rope”
- October 12, 1950 – “The Red Headed Woman” ~ with Desi Arnaz




At then end, the announcer promotes next week’s “Suspense” James Stewart in “The Rescue” and promises future stars Ann Baxter, Charles Boyer, and Rosalind Russell.







