April 24, 1968

Producer: Robert F. Blumofe
Director: Melville Shavelson
Screenplay: Melville Shavelson and Mort Lachman, with story by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis, based on the book ‘Who Gets The Drumsticks?’ by Helen Eileen Beardsley

SYNOPSIS

Frank Beardsley (Henry Fonda) is a Navy Chief Warrant Officer. Helen North (Lucille Ball) is a civilian nurse working in the dispensary at the Navy base to which Frank is assigned. Frank meets Helen when he brings his teen-age daughter for treatment at the dispensary. They hit it off and go on a date, shying away from admitting their respective secrets: Frank has ten children and Helen has eight, from previous marriages ended by their spouses’ deaths.

Frank: “I don’t quite understand. Am I being stupid?”
Helen: “No, you’re being a man. Which is sometimes the same thing.”

They initially resist their mutual attraction due to the logistics of having 18 children between them, but Frank’s friend Chief Warrant Officer Darrell Harrison (Van Johnson) is determined to bring them together. Eventually, Frank invites Helen to dinner at his home. Most of the children at first oppose the union. Eventually, however, they slowly bond into one large blended family, about to increase when Helen becomes pregnant. The subsequent birth finally unites the children, who agree  to adoption under a common surname. The film ends with the eldest sibling, Mike Beardsley (Tim Matheson), going off to to begin his stint in the United States Marine Corps.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball (Helen Brandmeier North Beardsley) 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.

Henry Fonda (CWO Frank Beardsley USN) first worked with Lucille Ball in the 1935 film I Dream Too Much. They also teamed for The Big Street (1942, above). When Lucy first got to Hollywood, the two actually briefly dated. Fonda was nominated for three Oscars, winning in 1982 for On Golden Pond. He also won an honorary Oscar in 1981.

On television, Ball and Fonda first teamed for “The Good Years” (above) a special based on the book by Walter Lord about life in the early part of the 20th century.  During the 1970s, Fonda and Ball often turned up on the same awards and tribute shows. Not completely comfortable with Lucy’s brand of comedy, he never appeared on any of Lucille Ball’s TV sitcoms. Fonda died in 1982 at age 77.

Van Johnson (CWO Darrell Harrison USN) co-starred in Too Many Girls (1940), the film that introduced Lucille Ball to Desi Arnaz. He was also seen with Lucy in the films Easy to Wed (1946). He played himself on one of the most popular episodes of “I Love Lucy,” “The Dancing Star” (ILL S4;E27), a show originally intended for Ray Bolger.

On “Here’s Lucy” he played himself (and his doppelganger) in “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50″ (HL S1;E11). He died in 2008 at age 92.

Walter Brooke (Howard Beardsley, Frank’s brother) started screen acting in 1942. He is probably best remembered for playing Mr. McGuire in The Graduate (1967), the character who famously advises Dustin Hoffman to go into  ‘plastics’.

Nancy Howard (Nancy Beardsley, Frank’s sister-in-law) made four appearances on “Here’s Lucy” starting in 1968, including the episode featuring Van Johnson (above) where she played Johnson’s secretary.

Sidney Miller (Dr. Ashford, Helen’s Date) appeared in a 1968 episode of “The Lucy Show” and in “Lucy Moves To NBC” (1980). He died in 2004 at age 87.

Louise Troy (Madeleine Love, Frank’s date) was nominated for three Tony Awards for her work on Broadway. She married Werner Klemperer in 1969 after making several appearances on “Hogan’s Heroes” (1965-69). For the last two years of her life she was married to actor Douglas Seale.

Tom Bosley (Family Doctor) is best remembered as Howard Cunningham in the hit TV series “Happy Days” (1974-84) and also won a Tony Award for the Broadway musical Fiorello (1959). Except for two TV specials, this is his only dramatic appearance with Lucille Ball.

Frank’s Children

• Tim Matheson (Mike) credited as Tim Matthieson, was seen as Kim Carter’s boyfriend in “Kim Moves Out” (HL S4;E20). Of all 18 young actors in the film, Matheson has had the greatest success in Hollywood.
• Gil Rogers (Rusty)
• Gary Goetzman (Greg)

• Nancy Roth (Rosemary) appeared in “Mod, Mod Lucy” (HL S1;E1), also in 1968.
• Morgan Brittany (Louise) credited as Suzanne Cupito, later appeared with Lucille Ball in two TV specials.
• Holly O’Brien (Susan)
• Michele Tobin (Veronica)
• Maralee Foster (Mary)
• Tracy Nelson (Germaine), the daughter of Ricky Nelson, was a performer at the 1989 Academy Awards, Lucille Ball’s last television appearance.
• Stephanie Oliver (Joan)

Helen’s Children

• Jennifer Leak (Colleen)
• Kevin Burchett  (Nick)
• Kimberly Beck  (Janette)
• Mitch Vogel  (Tommy)
• Margot Jane (Jean)
• Eric Shea  (Philip)
• Greg Atkins (Gerald)
• Lynnell Atkins (Teresa)

Others

• Ben Murphy (Larry, Colleen’s Boyfriend)
• Jennifer Gan (Young Lady In Coffeehouse) as Ginny Gan
• Larry Hankin (Harry, Supermarket Clerk)
• Mary Gregory (Sister Mary Alice)

• Harry Holcombe (Adoption Judge) was seen in the final episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1974.
• Ysabel MacCloskey (Frank’s First Housekeeper)
• Pauline Hague (Mrs. Anderson, Frank’s Second Housekeeper)
• Marjorie Eaton (Mrs. Ferguson, Frank’s Third Housekeeper)
• Richard Angarola (French Actor on TV)
• Lilyan Chauvin (French Actress on TV)
• Robert P. Lieb (Happy San Franciscan)
• Eve Bruce (2nd Young Lady)
• Susan Carr (3rd Young Lady)
• Paul Potash (Hippie)
• Stuart Nisbet (Man of the Cloth)
• Patty Elder (Waitress)
• George Jue (Chinese Store Proprietor)
• Arthur Peterson (Priest)
• Lawrence Heller (Medical Assistant)
• Marti Litis (Hospital Nurse)

Wedding Guests (uncredited)

• Leon Alton also appeared with Lucille Ball in The Facts of Life (1960) and Critic’s Choice (1963). He was in several episodes of “The Lucy Show”  and “Here’s Lucy.”
• George Boyce appeared in five episodes of “The Lucy Show”.
• Charles Cirillo played a singing and dancing truck driver in “Lucy Helps Ken Berry” (TLS S6;E21) as well as two appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”
• Joseph La Cava played a Bartender on the S.S. Constitution in “Second Honeymoon” (ILL S5;E14) as well as “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (HL S2;E6). He was also seen in Mame (1974).

• Leoda Richards made at least three background appearances on “I Love Lucy.”  She was in four episodes of “The Lucy Show” and was also in two “Here’s Lucy” episodes.
• Jeffrey Sayre makes the last of his eight film appearances with Lucille Ball starting in 1942.

Other Background Players

• Billy Beck (Short Man in Cafe)
• Paul Bradley (Club Patron) made at least six appearances on “The Lucy Show” and two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”
• Marla Gibbs (Movie Patron) is best known as Florence the maid on “The Jeffersons” (1975-85) and was seen with Lucille Ball in three TV specials.
• Paul King (Club Patron) made five background appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”
• Esther Ying Lee (Club Patron) was seen in “Lucy and the Star Maker” (TLS S6;E4).
• Al Roberts (Club Patron)
• Norman Stevans (Club Patron) 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,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  He did twp episode of “Here’s Lucy” and appeared in the 1974 Lucille Ball film Mame.
• Kevin Tighe

Desilu production staff that worked on Lucille Ball’s sitcoms that were also a part of the film include Kenneth Westcott, Renita Reachi, Frank Cardinale, Hal King, Irma Kusely, Louis A. Nicoletti (uncredited AD).

FILM FACTS

On November 12, 1964 Daily Variety announced that Lucille Ball’s Desilu Productions planned to produce a motion picture titled The Beardsley Story, to be written by Leonard Spigelgass.

To produce the film, Desilu partnered with Walden Productions. Their only other effort as a production company was the 1957-58 NBC TV series “The Court of Last Resort” which sought to reveal whether someone already found guilty might really be innocent. The show was produced by Elliott Lewis (husband of Mary Jane Croft), who also served as executive producer of “The Lucy Show.”

According to Bob Dorian, host on AMC, Ball made this movie because she thought there was too much sex and violence in films at the time and wanted to do a wholesome family film.

Before its release, it had three other working titles: The Beardsley Story, Full House, and His, Hers, and Theirs.

It was based on Helen Beardsley’s autobiographical book Who Gets the Drumstick? The film departs in various ways from the actual lives of Frank and Helen Beardsley and their children, although the main facts remained true to life.

Screenwriters Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll wrote several “I Love Lucy”-style stunts that in most cases had no basis in the actual lives of the Beardsley family. When Melville Shavelson and Mort Lachman took over primary writing duties some of these were cut.

Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball take turns providing voice-over narration throughout—and in at least one scene, Van Johnson talks directly to the camera, as does Fonda.

A long line of distinguished actors were considered (although not tested or actually auditioned) for the role of Frank Beardsley. They included James Stewart, Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, and John Wayne.  Fred MacMurray was cast, but withdrew. Henry Fonda finally accepted. Ball, who had worked with Fonda  in The Big Street, readily agreed to the casting.

Production suffered multiple interruptions. In 1963, production was halted after the box-office failure of her film Critic’s Choice (with Bob Hope). Later, she was unhappy with the script presented by Pugh and Carroll, precisely because their script overly resembled an “I Love Lucy” television episode, and commissioned another writer to rewrite the script. Producer Robert Blumofe hired yet two more writers. When this failed, Blumofe hired Melville Shavelson, who eventually directed. All further rewrite efforts came to an abrupt end at the insistence of United Artists, the film’s eventual distributor.

Shooting finally began in July 10, 1967. Filming was done largely on-location in Alameda and San Francisco, California, with Mike’s high-school graduation being filmed at Grant High School in southern California.

The total budget is estimated at $2.5 million (equivalent to about $18.4 million in 2019). Although audiences loved it, the film received lukewarm critical reviews, earning nearly $26 million ($182 Million adjusted for inflation) at the box office.

The film premiered in New York City on April  24, 1968 at the Astor Theatre and 86th Street East Cinema. The Los Angeles opening was on May 8, 1968 at the Fox Wilshire Theatre.

“YOURS, MINE AND OURS” which opened yesterday at the Astor and the 86th Street East, is a leering, uncertain, embarrassing, protracted little comedy—neatly divided into television inter-commercial periods, each terminated by an abysmal, inevitable joke—quite anti sex and pro compulsive procreation. ~ New York Times, April 25, 1968

In 1968 United Artists Records released a film soundtrack featuring the music of Fred Karlin.

In the liner notes producer Blomofe talks about the selection of Karlin and mentions that Lucille Ball was not immediately onboard with the choice.

Yours, Mine and Ours was released on VHS by MGM/UA Home Video in 1989, 1994, and again in 1998. A Laserdisc version was released in 1994, featuring noise reduction applied to the film soundtrack.

The film was released on DVD on March 6, 2001. While the DVD was released in full frame, the original film was a widescreen release; this, therefore, was a pan and scan version. The film was released on Blu-ray on September 13, 2016. The sole bonus feature is the original movie trailer.

The film was released worldwide and dubbed into numerous foreign languages:

Japanese…

French…

German…

and Danish, to name a few.

A remake of the film was released in 2005 starring Randy Quaid and Rene Russo in the roles created by Fonda and Ball.

Both films were released on Bluray disc in some markets.

RECOGNITION

• Lucille Ball received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
• The film itself was a candidate for the Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy Picture of 1968.
• Lucille Ball won the Golden Laurel award for Best Female Performance in a Comedy. Henry Fonda placed third in the Golden Laurels for Best Male Performance in a Comedy.
• The film won the Golden Laurel for Best General Entertainment Film.
• Melville Shavelson and Mort Lachman received a nomination for the 1969 Writers Guild of America Award for Best-written American Comedy.

TRIVIA

Lucie Arnaz, Lucille Ball’s real-life daughter, and co-star of “Here’s Lucy,” screen tested for the role of Colleen. Desi Jr. also made a screen test. The footage is included in the “Here’s Lucy” DVD bonus features.

The popular success of the film led to Lucy being rumored to play Mrs. Brady in “The Brady Bunch” a TV sitcom with a similar story of a blended family. Lucy decided to do her own sitcom, “Here’s Lucy,” instead, knowing she could finally cast her real-life children. The filmmakers threatened to sue Sherwood Schwartz for stealing their concept. He’d been trying to sell the idea for the show for years and had the notes to prove it.

Lucille Ball’s facial expression when she tastes the over-spiked screwdriver are reminiscent of Lucy Ricardo’s first taste of Vitameatavegamin.  Just like candy!

Frank: [narrating] It was a typical wedding: enemies of the bride on the right, enemies of the groom on the left.

The wedding invitation that appears midway through the film is the actual North-Beardsley wedding invitation.

The names of Frank and Helen Beardsley and their children are real although their age order differed in real life, just like the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music (1964), also a film about a blended family.

Jane Fonda claimed that her father was deeply in love with Lucy and that the two were “very close” during the filming of Yours, Mine and Ours but that Lucy wasn’t in love with him.

Lucille Ball became very close to the real Beardsleys (above) and even treated the whole family to a vacation at Disneyland.

A piece of “I Love Lucy” set decor can be spotted in the film. A wall hanging in Helen’s bedroom is a match for one of a pair the Borghese oval fashion prints over the fireplace of the Ricardo apartment.

Tim Matheson (Mike) and Jennifer Leak (Colleen) married the year the film was released. They divorced in 1971.

Action was filmed aboard the USS Enterprise, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Coincidentally, Enterprise was also the name of the starship on Desilu’s hit series “Star-Trek” (1966-69).

The Enterprise seen in the film was commissioned in 1958, the same year Desilu set some of the action of “Lucy Goes To Mexico” aboard the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier then docked in San Diego, but now decommissioned in South Carolina. The scenes set aboard the Yorktown were actually done on the Desilu soundstage, although establishing footage of the ship was used.

Lucille Ball hadn’t anticipated the film’s huge box-office success and failed to provide a tax shelter for her personal profits, resulting in most of her earnings going toward taxes. It is said this caused the redhead a good deal of consternation.

In 1968, Van Johnson guest starred on “Here’s Lucy” as both himself and an impostor look-alike in “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50” (HL S1;E11). The dialogue contained references to Yours, Mine and Ours and Henry Fonda without actually stating the film’s title.

Van Johnson (Impostor): “I loved working with that kooky redhead.”
Lucy Carter: “Personally, I thought she was much too young for Henry Fonda.”

Exterior shots of the home they newlyweds buy were shot at the Blankenhorn-Lamphear house in Pasadena. The house was built in 1901 and has 6 bedrooms and 2 baths.

Coincidentally, in her final sitcom “Life With Lucy,” Lucy Barker also lives and works in Pasadena – South Pasadena.

The house was also used in the 1999 movie Teaching Mrs. Tingle but looked very different, painted blue and surrounded by bushes, hedges, and trees.

GOOFS, GAFFES & BLUNDERS

• In their first night at the new house the Beardsley’s lose power completely. When the doctor arrives (Tom Bosley) he rings the electric doorbell!
• In the scene after Frank talks to Helen in the dispensary about Louise, Frank decides to look Helen up in the phone book and ask her to dinner. Considering Helen had only recently moved to San Francisco, it’s amazing how quickly she became listed!
• You can see a cameraman reflected in the school bus window as it drives off.
• When Helen loses her slip in the bar, Frank retrieves it, but where does it go for the remainder of the date?  Helen’s purse is too small for her to have jammed it in there. Did she toss it in an available trash bin?
• When Helen and Frank are walking home after their first date you can see that they are surrounded by people. When the shot changes all the people have disappeared and Helen and Frank are almost completely alone.
• Mail to Helen is shown with an address of 1034. But in scenes showing the front door, the address is 346.
• During the blackout, Helen and Frank hand out candles and Helen asks Greg to take some downstairs. After he heads downstairs, a voice is heard remarking, “Where’s 6-blue-B?” According to Frank’s chart, Greg is 6-blue-B so who is asking and why?
• During Helen’s dinner date with Frank’s family, a bottle of ketchup on the lazy Susan keeps appearing and disappearing between shots, prior to the dinner starting.
• When Mike is leaving to join the Marines he is in full uniform. Uniforms are not issued to new recruits until after they are processed in. They arrive at Camp Pendleton in civilian clothing.