Tag: The Lucy Show
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JOHN BUBBLES
February 19, 1902 John William Sublett (known by his stage name John W. Bubbles) was a tap dancer, vaudevillian, and actor. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky but soon moved to Indianapolis. There he formed a partnership with Ford L. “Buck” Washington and they became known as “Buck and Bubbles.” Buck played piano and sang while Bubbles tapped…
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REMO PISANI
February 17, 1919 Remo Pisani was born on February 17, 1919 in Trenton, New Jersey. Coincidentally, infant Lucille Ball spent some time in the city of Trenton (NJ’s capitol) a few years earlier. He made his screen debut on November 27, 1950, on the television anthology series “Lights Out”. In January 1966, Pisani made an appearance…
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KATHLEEN FREEMAN
February 17, 1919 Kathleen Freeman was born in Chicago. She began her career as a child, dancing in her parents’ vaudeville act. After studying music at UCLA she went into acting full-time, working on the stage, and finally entering films in 1948. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers,…
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HARVEY KORMAN
February 15, 1927 Harvey Korman was born in Chicago, Illinois. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. After being discharged, he studied at the Goodman School of Drama and at HB Studio. Korman is best known as a cast member of “The Carol Burnett Show” (1967-77), four episodes of which featured Lucille Ball. But…
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LUCY & THE PRESIDENTS
Presidents’ Day On a November 1, 1971 episode of “Here’s Lucy”, When Lucy asks Harry to move up payday to Tuesday, he replies “Not a chance! They can shove Washington’s birthday anywhere they want to, but my payday remains Friday.” In June 1968, a bill was enacted that consolidated Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays into one…
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JACK BENNY
February 14, 1894 Jack Benny was born Benjamin Kublesky in Chicago, Illinois, on Valentine’s Day 1894. He had a successful vaudeville career, and an even greater career on radio with “The Jack Benny Program” which also became a successful television show. Benny was a Beverly Hills neighbor of Lucille Ball’s and the two were off-screen…
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TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD
February 13, 1919 Ernest Jennings Ford (known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford) was born in Bristol, Tennessee. He was a singer and television host who enjoyed success performing country and Western, pop, and gospel music. He was known for his rich bass-baritone voice and down-home humor. He is remembered for his hit recordings of “The Shotgun Boogie”…
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LUCY’S ‘PARACHUTE’ FAILS TO OPEN!
February 12, 1941 The RKO film Parachute Battalion was released on September 12, 1941, directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Robert Preston, Edmond O’Brien, Harry Carey, and Buddy Ebsen. Lucille Ball was NOT cast. The role went to Nancy Kelly, who married Edmond O’Brien just a week after this item was published. The movie was filmed on…
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JIMMY DURANTE
February 10, 1893 James Francis Durante was born on the Lower East Side of New York City. He was the youngest of four children. His distinctive gravelly voice, New York accent, and prominent nose helped make him one of America’s most popular personalities from the 1920s through the 1970s. He often referred to his nose as ‘The…
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BURT MUSTIN
February 8, 1884 Burton Hill Mustin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1884. Mustin graduated from Pennsylvania Military College with a degree in civil engineering, in 1903. He worked as an engineer but later decided to go into sales. In 1921, he became the first announcer for Pittsburgh’s then newly established KDKA radio station. He appeared…