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SIDEKICKED
August 7 – September 20, 2019
Cape May Stage, Cape May, New Jersey
It’s the last night of filming “I Love Lucy” and America’s favorite sidekick – Ethel Mertz, played by Vivian Vance – has a lot to get off her chest. This new play gives a glimpse into the behind the scenes drama of “I Love Lucy” as well as incredible unheard stories from Vivian Vance’s extraordinary career.
Starring Broadway star Sally Mayes as Vivian Vance
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RIP HERMAN WOUK
1915 – 2019
Herman Wouk was the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the 1951 best-seller THE CAINE MUTINY. In 1954 he turned the book into a Broadway play titled THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL. A feature film followed a few months later.
In “Lucy Writes A Novel” (ILL S3;E24), Lucy plans to name the sequel to her novel “Sugar Cane Mutiny,” a pun on Cuba’s main export and the title of Wouk’s book.
On “I Love Lucy” the play was mentioned by Miss Hannah (Ellen Corby), Lucy’s high school drama teacher in “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3).
In the episode, Miss Hanna mentions that she is directing The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. Unfortunately, Friday night is the drama class’s opening night and she can’t make it.
MISS HANNAH: “Oh, I’m sorry my dear. One of the boys is sick and I may have to play Captain Queeg.”
But in the end, Miss Hannah makes it to New York City to see Lucy perform. She brings along the enitre cast.
LUCY: “What happened to ‘The Caine Mutiny’?”
MISS HANNAH: “We postponed it until Captain Queeg gets over the chicken pox.”
The film version (with the titled shortened back to The Caine Mutiny) opened in June 1954 starring “I Love Lucy” guests ‘dancing star’ Van Johnson, ‘giant native’ Claude Akins, and ‘uranium hunter’ Fred MacMurray.
The book was mentioned again in “Lucy and Eva Gabor” (HL S1;E7). When a famous novelist (Eva Gabor) is hiding out at the Carter home, Lucy’s bridge club friend Dolores (Gail Bonney) asks Eva for her autograph – on a copy of The Caine Mutiny! It seems Dolores didn’t want to buy Eva’s book just in case she didn’t like it – so she grabbed Wouk’s novel off her shelf.
In “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (HL S1;E11) Van Johnson orders security guards to escort Lucy Carter out of the studio. A bitter Lucy says that now she’s glad he got court martialed The Caine Mutiny.
[Thanks to Mark Itzkowitz for reminding me of this reference!]
Wouk died on May 17, 2019 at the age of 103.
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RIP Tim Conway
1933-2019
Thomas Daniel “Tim” Conway is perhaps best known for his portrayed of bumbling Ensign Parker in the 1960s World War II situation comedy “McHale’s Navy,” as well as his wide array of comic characters created on the “The Carol Burnett Show". Before he became a series regular, he guest-starred on the same show as Lucille Ball on October 2, 1967. Tim played a mild-manner traveler at an airport who becomes the victim of a power struggle by two airline representatives (Lucy and Carol) vying for passengers.
Naturally, both Lucille Ball and Conway were present when the Variety Arts Clubs honored Burnett with an “All-Star Party” on December 12, 1982. Lucy hosted the special while Tim performed a sketch using a bank of telephones for viewers to call in to pay tribute to Carol. Much to Tim’s chagrin (and the audience’s delight), despite the large number of phones and open lines – no one calls.
The last time that Lucy and Tim appeared on the same broadcast was the “36th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards” (1984) in which Tim Conway joined Harvey Korman to present the comedy writing award, but couldn’t fathom why they weren’t recipients themselves. Lucille Ball was honored as one of the first inductees to the brand new Television Academy Hall of Fame. That ceremony took place several months earlier.
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Happy Birthday To Us!
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RIP Doris Day
“I’m really in awe of Doris Day. I adore her.” ~ Lucille Ball
Surprisingly, Lucille Ball never acted opposite Doris Day in films or television, but she did interview her for her CBS radio show “Let’s Talk To Lucy” #144 on the set of Do Not Enter (1965) on March 22, 1965. The film was directed by Ralph Levy, who had also done the original “I Love Lucy” pilot.
In the interview, it was revealed that unlike Lucy, Doris did not like to rehearse. Doris liked wearing hats off screen, while Lucy says she never does. Doris says she loves ice cream with salty pretzels. The brief interview was cut short by Day being called to the set by her husband to do re-takes.
In 1971, Doris Day starred in “The Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff Special” (her birth name) and Lucille Ball complimented her on it. Day wrote back a personal note addressed to “Mrs. Gary Morton” saying how much she appreciated Lucy’s kind words.
For much of its run on CBS, “The Doris Day Show” (1968-73) was aired on Monday nights (Lucy’s domain), one half hour after “Here’s Lucy”. The two sitcoms shared many of the same
background players: Jack Berle, Robert Hitchcock, Shep Houghton, Monty O’Grady, Murray Pollack, Clark Ross, and Norman Stevans.
As a big star, Doris’s name was bound to be mentioned on Lucille Ball’s sitcoms.
In 1963′s “No More Double Dates” (TLS S1;E21), Lucy Carmichael chimes in that she heard “that new Doris Day picture is cute”, a reference to That Touch of Mink (1962).
In 1963′s “Lucy is a Soda Jerk” (TLS S1;E23), Lucy’s daughter Chris wonders if Doris Day started out as a soda jerk.
In 1966′s “Lucy Goes to a Hollywood Premiere” (TLS S4;E20), memorabilia crazy Lucy Carmichael says she bought a pink chiffon nightgown that was worn by Doris Day in Pillow Talk (1959).
In 1970′s “Lucy and Lawrence Welk” (HL S2;E18), Viv says she went on a studio tour and saw Doris Day’s bicycle. In real life, Doris Day was an avid bike rider. She rode to the studio on many occasions and pedaled around Beverly Hills until the police finally told her they couldn’t guarantee her safety.
In 1971′s “Lucy’s Bonus Bounces” (HL S4;E16), Lucy Carter says that Harry never had a secret love life and that if they ever made a movie of his life he’d be played by Doris Day. The song “Secret Love” was a #1 hit for Doris Day.
Naturally, big stars like Doris Day and Lucille Ball shared tabloid magazine covers from time to time.
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RIP Barbara Perry (1921-2019) who, in addition to her many other stage and screen credits, appeared in two back-to-back 1966 episodes of “The Lucy Show.” First she played
a cheated on wife, who was actually a performer hired by Art Linkletter in “Lucy and Art Linkletter” (TLS S4;E16) and then an angry shopper fighting Lucy Carmichael for a sweater at a sale in “Lucy Bags a Bargain” (TLS S4;E17). She started acting at the age of 12 with her last credit being in 2017. Perry was 97 years old.
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I Love Lucy
For those who enjoy colorized Lucy, CBS will issue this “DVD” this Fall – of – according to the Walmart link – December 30, 2019. Details about content have not yet been released, but judging by the cover, it may include six colorized episodes:
- “Lucy Does A TV Commercial” (aka Vitameatavegamin)
- “L.A. at Last!” (aka William Holden)
- “Lucy and Superman”
- “Job Switching” (aka Candy Factory)
- “The Million Dollar Idea” (aka Aunt Martha’s Old Fashioned Salad Dressing)
- “The Fashion Show” (aka Don Loper)
Judging by the video, it also may include five more:
- “Lucy and Harpo Marx”
- “Pioneer Women” (aka the long loaf of bread)
- “Lucy’s Italian Movie” (aka Grape Stomping)
- “Lucy Visits Grauman’s”
- “Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (aka the large headdress)
There are still several others that have been colorized, but not represented in either the video or the
- “Bonus Bucks” (aka The Laundry)
- “The Dancing Star” (aka Cornel Wilde)
- “Lucy and John Wayne”
I don’t expect they will include “The ‘I Love Lucy’ Christmas Show,” which has been previously released or “Lucy Goes To Scotland” which was colorized, but previously released on DVD and never broadcast.
UPDATE – August 2019
The 2-disc DVD presents all 16 colorized episodes, including the “Christmas Show” and “Lucy Goes To Scotland”.
- “Lucy and Superman” comes with an audio commentary by Doris Singleton, Keith Thibodeaux, and Steven Kay.
- Bonus Features: “Redhead Tales” – Colorizing “I Love Lucy”
- Bonus Feature: Stick Figure Animation
- Bonus Feature: “Jingle Bells”
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RIP David Winters
1939-2019
David Winters (right) was a dancer, choreographer, producer and director who directed and choreographed Lucille Ball and Ann-Margret in ANN MARGRET: FROM HOLLYWOOD WITH LOVE (1969). He earned a 1970 Emmy nomination for his work.
Prior to that, he did the same chores for LUCY IN LONDON (1966), his first non-performance job in Hollywood after acting in such hits as WEST SIDE STORY, one of the few in the film who also acted in the original Broadway company.
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Kate Luckinbill O’Connor stands in for her mother Lucie Arnaz at the opening of an exhibit honoring her grandmother, Lucille Ball, at the Hollywood Museum. Kate is soon expecting Lucy’s great-grandchild – the next generation in the Arnaz family!
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The rocky relationship between a career-driven redhead and a philandering genius – both competing for career and personal success in the limelight and the bedroom during the golden age of entertainment.
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