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wgc-productions · 1 year

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I Love "The Jack Benny Program" And I Will Talk About And Analyze It At Length: Part II (The Show)

Last week I started talking about my love for the fantastic radio show: The Jack Benny Radio Program which aired on NBC and CBS from 1932-1955. Here is Part I if you want to read up before we get into Part II.

There is a reason that The Jack Benny Program ran for 23 years and then got turned into a TV show that then ran for 15 years and that is because this show is REALLY GOOD!

When we're talking best sitcoms of all time I think that The Jack Benny Program definitely needs to be put in the Top Five, hands down. Now let's get into why.

WHAT IS THE SHOW ABOUT?

The Jack Benny show is a fictionalized account of the life of Jack Benny, the entertainer. As mentioned in Part I, Jack Benny and all of the characters (excluding Rochester) are meant to be exaggerated versions of their actors. You can see this sort of technique used in modern sitcoms like Curb Your Enthusiasm (which can very well be described as a modern Jack Benny Show).

The show follows the life of Jack and the radio show's crew, actors, and writers. This includes Mary Livingston, Dennis Day, Don Wilson, Kenny Baker (an early character that would be replaced by Dennis Day), Phil Harris, Bob Crosby (who replaces Phil), Barbra Stanwyck (who appears in the later seasons) and more.

The episodes take place in the CBS and NBC studios, famous LA locations, or Jack's home.

HOW WAS THE SHOW MADE?

Every Sunday at 7:00PM, the show was recorded in front of a live studio audience who can be heard in all of the episodes. Due to the live nature of the show, the cast often would mess up lines or choose to riff and interact with the audience. The video below is a compilation of some of the bloopers.

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The show featured a number of writers (Bill Morrow, Ed Beloin, Al Boasberg, Milt Josefsberg, John Tackaberry, George Balzar, Cy Howard, Sam Perrin) and unlike other programs of the time, Jack always made it known that the show used writers.

One of my favorite jokes in the whole series reflects this (Broadcast September 9, 1954 Timestamp 03:59-04:28):

Jack: So you were paid every week. What good is that? A man needs a little relaxation. I mean, money isn't everything. You oughta realize that.

Bob: Oh, usher! Usher!

Usher: Yes, sir?

Bob: Can you tell me where Mr. Benny's brodacasting from. I must be in the wrong studio.

Jack: No no, Bob, you're not in the wrong studio. It's just I have a new writer and he hasn't grasped my character yet. That's all.

Bob: Well, when he gets his first check he will.

Jack: I guess so. They all do sooner or later.

The show also featured a live orchestra which was directed by Phil Harris and, in the later seasons, Bob Crosby. The orchestra members were often treated like a character though the members rarely spoke. One exception to this is Remly who was a named orchestra member. Remly would often be engaged in some sort of inappropriate situation. In show, the orchestra was made up of a various group of felons, womanizers, drunks, and curious dressers.

In the show's later years, Mary developed a bought of serious stage fright. During these years a variety of tactics were used in order to ensure she and her character could still have a presence in the show:

She would dub in her lines after the show was recorded and before it came up for broadcast. This ensured she was able to do her lines without being intimidated by an audience.

Mary and Jack's daughter, Joan, would read lines for her mother as they sounded similar.

Friend of the show, Barbra Stanwyck, would be written in for an episode and she would explain why Mary wasn't "in the show" while fulfilling Mary's dry comedic role.

THINGS THAT MAKE THE SHOW GREAT:

Okay, so there's a lot in my opinon that makes this show so good.

One!

The comedy comes from the characters which is why so many of the jokes can still feel fresh and modern. (There are some jokes that are so surprising and well crafted that I honest to goodness laugh out loud at them.) I think that this not only comes from the slickness of the writing but also from the fact that the writers were, in their own ways, trying to be subversive.

Mind you this is a 70 year old American show so there are a number of things that have aged poorly. The fact that Rochester never calls any of his cast mates by their first names because he's Black and a servant leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The way that Don's weight is constantly used as a punchline leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The antisemitic tropes used despite the fact that Jack, Mary, and the majority of the writing staff is Jewish leaves a bad taste in mouth. But it seems clear that the writers and actors are not particularly fond of those tropes either.

For example, Rochester often outsmarts Jack or makes the sharp biting quips. Unlike shows of the time like Amos and Andy, Rochester (especially in the later years) never had humor centering on a mocking of his race nor was he the object of ridicule. Characters did not make fun of Rochester in a way that was really unseen at the time in mainstream media.

Here's an example of a joke that displays some of that of subversive humor that makes it last till today (Broadcast: Febraury 18, 1940 Timestamp: 38:28-38:59).

Jack: Very good, Rochester. Very good. Now sing "Scatterbarained"

Rochester: Now, wait a minnute boss-

Jack: I said sing "Scatterbrained"-

Rochester: I'm tired of singing for you all the time. Why don't you put a radio in this car?

Jack: Because I only want to hear what I want to hear. That's why.

Mary: Oh, Jack let him rest. He's been singing for an hour.

Rochester: I don't mind singing, Ms. Livingston, but at 8 o'clock he wants me to imitate Amos and Andy.

Jack: Well-

Rochester: I can't do that Blackface stuff.

Two!

I love how the show breaks the fourth wall and leans into the zaniness you can get by being all audio. This is something you'll see/hear in my own show (i.e The BookMarks, Retribution, and Small Victories) and I think Jack and the gang do a great job of it.

They are never afraid to lean into the truly absurd elements of the show. For example, Jack canonically has had a man locked in his vault basement since the founding of Los Angeles. His parrot, who is played by Mel Blanc, often has very sharp conversations with him, Mary's sister Babe plays for the Green Bay Packers, and every so often a quartet of barbershop singers will appear to serenade/haunt/mock Jack and the cast. The show is never afraid to be ridiculous and I think that is something that could never go out of style.

Three!

The show isn't afraid to switch it up. When you're on the air for 23 years it'd be easy to get stale, but they manage to find ways to keep the show fresh. Sometimes they do murder mysteries. Sometimes they have focus on different characters. They, despite being a sitcom, find different ways to show off character growth without deviating too much from the establish traits. It's very organic and I think that is something that anyone can appreciate.

Well!

It's getting pretty long down here. I hadn't realized I wrote quite so much. Let me let you go, but before I do here is an episode of The JBP that I have been enjoying. The premise is that Jack Benny's famous movie star neighbor, Ronald Colman (think a 40s version of Hugh Grant) is having a movie premiere and Jack was not invited.

The only thing you need to know before you start the episode is that Ronald and his wife, Benita, find Jack extremely annoying and Jack wants to be their friend very badly.

ENJOY!

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#the jack benny program #jack benny #old time radio #i love this show so much and watching certain sitcoms shows just how impactful it is #like Seinfeld is cut from the same DNA as Jack Benny #Jack is Jerry Seinfeld #The movie premiere episode is so silly I love it.#Youtube

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papermoonloveslucy · 6 years

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LUCY AND CANDID CAMERA

S4;E14 ~ December 13, 1971

Directed by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Al Schwartz

Synopsis

Allen Funt has a criminal impostor who recruits Lucy, Harry and Kim to commit robberies under the pretense that they are doing stunts for his “Candid Camera” television show.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)

Guest Cast

Allen Funt (Himself / Impostor) was born in 1914 in New York City. He is best known as the producer, director, and host of the hidden camera show “Candid Camera.” He produced "Candid Microphone" on radio before moving the format to television in 1948. He died in 1999. After his passing, the “Candid Camera” franchise was taken over by his son, Peter Funt.

Although Allen Funt plays two characters here, the impostor is never given a name.

James Millhollin (Mr. Ponsonby) appeared on Broadway between 1955 and 1960 including in 1955's No Time for Sergeants, which he also filmed in 1958. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Robert Carson (Police Sergeant Lou Holmes) was a busy Canadian-born character actor who appeared on six episodes of “The Lucy Show.” This is the fourth of his five appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Although his name is not spoken in the dialogue or listed in the credits, it is written on his office door!

Fred Festinger (Bank Guard) makes one of his only six screen appearances here.

Vanda Barra (Bank Teller) was Lucille Ball’s cousin-in-law and married to frequent day player Sid Gould. This is just one of her over two dozen appearances on “Here’s Lucy” as well as appearing in Ball’s two 1975 TV movies “Lucy Gets Lucky” (with Dean Martin) and “Three for Two” (with Jackie Gleason). She was seen in half a dozen episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

Maurice Kelly (Bank Teller, left) was an English-born actor who played a student in “Lucy and Viv Take Up Chemistry” (TLS S1;E26). This is his third and last appearance on “Here’s Lucy.” He died at the age of 46 in 1974.

Peter Leeds (First Cop) was born in Bayonne, NJ and starred with Lucille Ball in the films The Long, Long Trailer (1953) and The Facts of Life (1960). He also appeared in “Lucy and Bob Hope” (ILL S6;E1) as well as playing a reporter in “The Publicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31). This is his only appearance on “Here's Lucy.”

Paul Sorensen (Second Cop) played policemen on many television shows during his long career. He appeared with Lucille Ball in 1967's The Guide for the Married Man. This is his only appearance on “Here's Lucy.”

Shirley Anthony (Bank Customer, uncredited) makes the second of her 13 (mostly uncredited) appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Jack Berle (Bank Customer, uncredited) was the older brother of Milton Berle. This is one of his eleven uncredited appearances on the series. He previously did two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

Walter Smith (Bank Customer, uncredited) made 14 mostly uncredited appearances on the series. He also did one episode of “The Lucy Show.”

The other policeman and the other bank customers are played by uncredited background performers.

“Candid Camera” began on radio as “Candid Microphone” and moved to television in 1948. Although aired on all three major networks and in syndication, the radio program was originally aired on CBS and sponsored by Philip Morris, just like “I Love Lucy.”

Allen Funt grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Funt wanted to be a writer and his friend and next door neighbor wanted to be an actor. It turned out that Funt's friend was Milt Josefsberg, the script writer for this episode!

This episode was originally sponsored by Lever Brothers. The DVD includes commercials for Wisk, the 1971 Lady Remington shaver, and Lux, including one starring Sandy Duncan and Christopher Hewett (“Mr. Belvedere”).

On the series DVD, the episode is introduced by Jim Bates, who choreographed the musical comedy bank robbery.

Lucy initially mistakes Allen Funt for Ralph Edwards. Ralph Edwards (1913-2005) was primarily known for hosting “This is Your Life” (1953-1992).

Thinking they are pulling off a Candid Camera stunt, Lucy, Harry, and Kim rob the Supreme Fur Salon, posing as posh shoppers named Sherwood (Harry), Penelope (Kim), and Mumsy (Lucy).

Thinking they are pulling off a second Candid Camera stunt, Lucy, Harry and Kim rob the City Bank. This time their crime is done using a song and dance medley especially written for this episode:

“Stealin' the Jack” aka “Ballin' the Jack” was written in 1913 by Jim Burris and Chris Smith.

“Hello, Dollar!” aka “Hello, Dolly!” is the title song of the 1964 musical of the same name written by Jerry Herman.

“Whatever Lucy Wants” aka “Whatever Lola Wants” is by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross from the 1954 musical Damn Yankees.

“We Got the Money” aka “We're in the Money or The Gold Diggers Song” was written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren for the film The Gold Diggers of 1933. It is now part of the stage musical 42nd Street.

“The Impossible Dream or The Quest” was written by Joe Darien and Mitch Leigh for the 1964 musical Man of La Mancha.

“Please Don't Talk About Us When We Go” aka “Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone” was written by Sidney Clare and Sam H. Stept in 1930.

“Hey Look Me Over” written in 1960 by Cy Coleman for the Broadway musical Wildcat and introduced by Lucille Ball.

The police officer (Peter Leeds) tells Allen Funt “I don't care if you're Spiro Agnew, get your hands up!” Spiro Agnew (1918-96) was the Vice President of the United States under Richard Nixon. Agnew was previously mentioned in “Lucy's Wedding Party” (S3;E8).

Lucy Carmichael also got involved in a hidden camera television show in “Lucy and the Beauty Doctor” (TLS S3;E24). In that show, the TV program was called “The Boiling Point.”

Van Johnson also had a criminal doppelganger in the episode “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (S1;E11).

Harry (as Sherwood) mentions using one of the fur coats for a bath mat. In “Lucy Cries Wolf” (ILL S4;E1) Fred Mertz jokingly says that he might use Lucy Ricardo's lynx stole as a bath mat.

While “Here’s Lucy” has the Supreme Fur Salon, Lucy Ricardo visited Henderson's Furs in in “Lucy Changes Her Mind” (ILL S2;E21).

In Danfield, Lucy Carmichael shopped at Madam Fifi's in “Lucy Gets Amnesia” (TLS S3;E4).

Lucy Carmichael and Vivian Bagley pretend to be bank robbers in “Lucy Takes a Job at the Bank” (TLS S2;E21).

In “Lucy and the Great Bank Robbery” (TLS S3;E5), Lucy and Viv took in two gentlemen boarders who turned out to be crooks looking to rob the same bank.

Where the Floor Ends! Once again, the camera pulls back too far and the viewers can see where the office carpet meets the cement soundstage floor.

“Lucy and Candid Camera” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

Lucy, Lucie and Gale are a lot of fun to watch as the posh fur thieves, but there seems little reason to make the second “stunt” a musical number. Besides being awkward and unfunny (with ugly costumes), it uses up time that might have been better spent on a satisfying ending. Allen Funt was not an actor, and his line readings are no different than when he was introducing his television show. Needless to say, he doesn't even try to make the impostor different from himself.

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papermoon4 · 5 years

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“The Lucy Show” ~ Season 3

A handy dandy guide to helping you find your favorite episode blogs here at Papermoon Loves Lucy. Click on the hyperlinks to be taken directly to that episode’s trivia, background, and bloopers!

“Lucy and the Good Skate” (S3;E1) ~ September 21, 1964

“Lucy and the Plumber” (S3;E2) ~ September 28, 1964

“Lucy and the Winter Sports” (S3;E3) ~ October 5, 1964

“Lucy Gets Amnesia” (S3;E4) ~ October 12, 1964

“Lucy and the Great Bank Robbery” (S3;E5) ~ October 19, 1964

“Lucy, the Camp Cook” (S3;E6) ~ October 25, 1964

“Lucy, the Meter Maid” (S3;E7) ~ November 2, 1964

“Lucy Makes a Pinch” (S3;E8) ~ November 9, 1964

“Lucy Becomes a Father” (S3;E9) ~ November 16, 1964

“Lucy’s Contact Lenses” (S3;E10) ~ November 23, 1964

“Lucy Gets Her Maid” (S3;E11) ~ November 30, 1964

“Lucy Gets the Bird” (S3;E12) ~ December 7, 1964

“Lucy, the Coin Collector” (S3;E13) ~ December 14, 1964

“Lucy and the Missing Stamp” (S3;E14) ~ December 21, 1964

“Lucy Meets Danny Kaye” (S3;E15) ~ December 28, 1964

“Lucy and the Ceramic Cat” (S3;E16) ~ January 11, 1965

“Lucy Goes to Vegas” (S3;E17) ~ January 18, 1965

“Lucy and the Monsters” (S3;E18) ~ January 25, 1965

“Lucy and the Countess” (S3;E19) ~ February 1, 1965

“My Fair Lucy” (S3;E20) ~ February 8, 1965

“Lucy and the Countess Lose Weight” (S3;E21) ~ February 15, 1965

“Lucy and the Old Mansion” (S3;E22) ~ March 1, 1965

“Lucy and Arthur Godfrey” (S3;E23) ~March 8, 1965

“Lucy and the Beauty Doctor” (S3;E24) ~ March 22, 1965

“Lucy the Stockholder” (S3;E25) ~ March 29, 1965

“Lucy the Disc Jockey” (S3;E26) ~ April 12, 1965

SEASON SUMMARY

Regular Cast: Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Gale Gordon (Theodore J. Mooney), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael), Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley), Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael)

Recurring Characters: Keith Andes (Bill King), Ann Sothern (Rosie Harrigan, the Countess Frambois), Carole Cook (Mrs. Valance)

Guest Cast playing Characters: Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Fifi D’Orsay, Max Showalter, Sid Gould, Havey Korman, Madge Blake, Parley Baer, Joe Mell, Kathleen Freeman, Norma Varden, Mabel Albertson, Herb Vigran, Gary Morton, Louis A. Nicoletti, Reta Shaw, Norman Leavitt, Pat Harrington Jr.

Guest Cast playing Themselves: Danny Kaye, Arthur Godfrey, Dick Patterson

Live Animal Cast: Bear (Brownie), Cockatiel (Greenback), Cow (Bossie), Horse (Fury), Mouse (”Lucy and the Monsters”), Whippet (”My Fair Lucy”)

There were 26 new episodes

Episodes Written by Bob Weiskopf, Bob Schiller, Garry Marshall, Jerry Belson, Milt Josefsberg, Bob O’Brien, Ray Singer, Dick Chevillat, Leonard Gersche, Vic McLeod, Iz Ellinson, Fred S. Fox, Bob O’Hallaren, David Braverman, Bob Marcus

All episodes Directed by Jack Donohue

All episodes filmed in color, but originally aired by CBS in black and white

Filmed at Stage 21, Desilu Studios, Hollywood

Total Binge Hours: 13 hours (with commercials)

Papermoon’s Full Moon Pick: “My Fair Lucy” (E20)

Papermoon’s Half Moon Pick: “Lucy and the Ceramic Cat” (E16)

Season 2 was #8 in the ratings (down from #6) with a 26.6 share (down from 28.1). This was the lowest rated season of the series.

The opening credits changed again, introducing the kaleidoscope title sequence using clips of previous episodes.

Season 3 was released on DVD on November 30, 2010

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oldshowbiz · 2 months

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During afternoon dress rehearsals at CBS Television City, Red Skelton horsed around, inserting “fuck,” “shit,” and “motherfucker” into sketches at random. CBS employees crowded the soundstage to watch.

“Those were legendary dress rehearsals,” says comedienne Pat Carroll. “People would come from all over the building because they were filthy. Martha Raye was the only woman who could stand toe to toe with him and match him filth for filth … He was a naughty, naughty man, but God was he funny. Red knew it and he played to it. The place was jammed. You couldn’t find a seat if you came in late. People came in from the other side of town for those dress rehearsals. There was nothing too filthy. It was called the Dirty Hour.”

Red Skelton was much beloved by those who didn’t have to work for him. His much beleaguered writing staff never minced words.

“He was crazy,” said Skelton writer Bob Schiller. “We would do a run-through on Monday night, and then do a rewrite; he’d come and do the show on Tuesday night. But Skelton would bring in a whole bunch of his old jokes – and really ruin it. We had good writers on that show. It was disappointing and heartbreaking to see a good sketch fucked up with old jokes.”

“He fancied himself a writer because he remembered old jokes,” concurred comedy writer Sherwood Schwartz. “Frequently he would introduce them into a script, which bothered us. Some evenings he was responsible for ten percent of the jokes or thirty percent or whatever he happened to change. But he was never involved in a writer’s meeting.”

“Skelton was mean-spirited,” said comedy writer Charlie Isaacs. “Insulting, autocratic. Skelton just thought you were nothing. He hated to have to talk to you, even. Skelton was really the one who felt that he should get all the writing credit.”

Comedy writer Milt Josefsberg said, “There is no doubt that he did make contributions to his program. But whether it was sufficient to entitle him to writing credit, and thus to sharing writing residuals on reruns, is debatable.”

He refused to have a conversation or make eye contact with his writers.

“Skelton’s writing staff rarely saw or conferred with him,” said Josefsberg. “When the script was finished it was delivered to him by messenger. Moreover, there were no discussions or conferences on the telephone, since Red had a phone phobia and refused to talk to his writers on that instrument. And most of the time, he never communicated with them in any other way.”

#red skelton #comedy writers

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oldshowbiz · 5 years

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Milt Josefsberg spent a generation writing for Jack Benny and Lucille Ball

#Milt Josefsberg #Lucille Ball #comedy writers

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY AND WALLY COX

S2;E21 ~ February 9, 1970

Directed by Jay Sandrich ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

Harry's old friend Moose has a shy son who Lucy helps bring out of his shell – until a plan to help him bravely foil a robbery goes awry!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter)

Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter) and Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter) do not appear in this episode, although they are billed in the opening credits.

Guest Cast

Wally Cox (Wally Manley) was a character actor best remembered for being a panelist on TV's “The Hollywood Squares” (1965-73) as well as his hit series “Mr. Peepers” (1953-55). He played a nervous musician on “Lucy Conducts the Symphony” (TLS S2;E13) and a reformed safe cracker in “Lucy and the Ex-Con” (S1;E15). He will make two more guest-star appearances on “Here's Lucy.” Cox died of a heart attack in 1973 at age 48.

Cox was known for playing less-than-masculine characters, so the name ‘Manley’ is a bit of an inside joke. Despite being billed in the title by his real name, Cox never played himself on his many guest appearances with Lucille Ball. Cox’s character doesn’t enter the story until 10 minutes into the 24 minute program and receives a warm round of applause from the studio audience.

LUCILLE BALL: “I adored Wally Cox. I worked with him every chance I got!”

Alan Hale Jr. (Moose Manley, Wally’s Father) is best remembered as the Skipper on “Gilligan's Island” (1964-92). Hale previously appeared as a Fire Captain on “Lucy Puts Out a Fire at the Bank” (TLS S2;E9) the year before he started playing the Skipper. Hale made his film debut at age 12. He died in 1990 at age 68.

Moose and Harry are old college buddies. He runs a detective agency with branch offices in 30 big cities.

Chuck Hicks (First Stuntman, left) was a stunt man and actor who was seen in “Lucy the Stunt Man” (TLS S4;E5). Hicks was a long-time stunt double for Brian Dennehy. This is his only time on “Here’s Lucy.” Boyd Red Morgan (Bruce, Second Stuntman, right) is an actor and stunt man who was last seen in “Lucy and John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10), with whom he did eleven films. This is the first of his four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

In the 1970s, the first name Bruce was the generic name of a stereotypical gay man (complete with limp wrist and a lisp) in jokes about homosexual males. Here, Harry twice questions the name incredulously, having a hard time associating it with a masculine stunt man. The 1969 studio audience laughs, indicating they also make the connection.

Gil Perkins (Baby Face Johnson, First Crook, right) was aboard the train when Lucy and Ricky headed home from California in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5). Prior to that he was seen in The Big Street (1942) and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) with Lucille Ball. This is his only appearance on “Here's Lucy.” X. Brands (Lefty Logan, Second Crook, left) was his real name! A family tradition held over from when an ancestor added the letter ‘X’ to his name to differentiate himself from another man of the same name in town. X Brands was known for playing American Indians, despite not being one. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Harvey Stone (Waiter) was born just three weeks after Lucille Ball in 1911. He had appeared in two plays at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in 1968. He will be featured in one more episode, also directed by Jay Sandrich. In 1974 Stone died of a heart attack while performing on a cruise ship and was buried at sea.

The waiter has no dialogue, but his face says it all!

There are a few diners in the background of the Cafe George, but their faces cannot be seen.

This is the first of three episodes to be directed by Jay Sandrich. The year after this episode, Sandrich won an Emmy Award for his writing on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” He won again for the same show in 1973 and earned two more Emmys for his writing on “The Cosby Show” in 1985 and 1986. Sandrich first joined the Desilu team in 1956 as Assistant Director of “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” Sandrich remembers:

“I was so young and caught in the middle of America's favorite couple breaking up. Psychologically, I didn't know how to handle it because I was in the middle. They all were wonderful people but naturally there was tension.”

In April 1968, Gale Gordon joined Wally Cox as one of “The Hollywood Squares.” Host Peter Marshall had played Lucy Carmichael’s brother-in-law on “The Lucy Show,” so Marshall and Gordon had that in common! Marshall would also star in “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye” in 1974. Also in the grid that week was Jack Cassidy, who had guest starred on “The Lucy Show” in 1965.

Although Hale and Cox play father and son, they were only three years apart. Moose Manley says that his son is 33 years old. In reality, this episode was aired a week before Wally Cox celebrated his 45th birthday.

Moose says that in college, Harry was known as ‘Blubber’ because he was overweight and adds that Harry still holds the college record for swallowing 86 goldfish in ten minutes. Goldfish swallowing was a fad of the 1920s and ‘30s college students probably during initiation rituals or on dares. This unusual trend has been previously mentioned on other “Lucy” shows. Harry later recalls that they went on panty raids, another college stunt popular with fraternity boys during the '20s and '30s.

When Harry thinks Moose is using blackmail to allow Lucy time off to help his son with his girl problems, Moose replies “You bet your bippy it is!” The word “bippy” means “ass” and the euphemism was used as early as 1880, but was re-popularized by “Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In,” “Here's Lucy's” competition on ABC. In May 1969 a song titled “You Bet Your Sweet Bippy” was released. This is just one of many “Laugh-In” references on “Here's Lucy.”

Story Time with Hilda & Madge - When Lucy hears that Wally is afraid of girls, she relates a story of a high school friend named Hilda who had a girl-shy brother. Moose blackmails Harry by threatening to tell Lucy a salacious story about a girl in Harry’s past named Madge.

Moose gets a phone call from his secretary, Miss Hurlow. Miss Hurlow was also the name of Robert Goulet's secretary who was played by Mary Wickes in “Lucy and Robert Goulet” (TLS S6;E8, above).

After the two stunt men completely destroy Harry’s office, one of them says “We’ve got to get it out of our systems. We’re not allowed to be violent on TV anymore!” In 1969, the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence submitted a report that brought television violence under careful scrutiny. That same year, Senator John Pastore requested that the Surgeon General appoint a committee to conduct an inquiry into television violence and its effect on children. Clearly this topic was in the news, and as a result gets a laugh from the studio audience.

The warehouse seems to be stocked with children's toys and games (as well as lamps and boxes of nylon). The Ideal board game Seven Keys can be seen on the table near the door. It was based on the TV game show of the same name (which, in turn, was based on Chutes and Ladders) that ran from 1961 to 1965 on ABC and was hosted by Jack Narz.

There is also a Roadmaster V gold wagon by AMF. American Machine and Foundry (AMF) Roadmaster division was primarily known for bicycles, but also created many wheeled children’s toys. This is the fifth iteration of their gold pull toy wagon, manufactured in the 1960s.

As usual, Lucy has no control of hoses and Harry ends the episode soaking wet! To be fair, so does Lucy!

Episodes featuring stunts recall when Lucy Carmichael took a job as a stunt person named Iron Man Carmichael on “The Lucy Show.” In “Here's Lucy,” however, Lucille Ball leaves the stunt work to others!

The gag of Harry’s glass door shattering was previously done to Mr. Mooney on “Lucy Gets Involved” (TLS S6;E17).

Oops! Picking up the menus, Lucille Ball knocks over the salt and pepper shakers. Nothing spills out (likely they were empty) and Lucy doesn't bother to right them, knowing that the entire contents of the table will soon end up on the floor anyway!

What Month Is It? Although the episode aired in February, the calendar in the storage room shows artwork of a line of graduating students in black cap and gown holding diplomas, usually indicative of May or June. The calendar year remains in soft focus throughout.

What's My Line? Moose says he runs a detective agency, but is here supplying security guards for a warehouse, quite a different business!

Wanted Dead or...? Moose recognizes Baby Face and Lefty as “the most notorious killers in the country.” If that is so, why are they robbing toy warehouses? Also, they are armed with guns yet are easily overpowered by Wally and Lucy who only have toys to defend themselves!

Redecorating! The model ship that usually sits on the shelf next to the office doors has been replaced by colorful vases and feathers. This is because the stunt men are going to wreck the office and need breakaway glass for their demonstration. The water cooler has also been removed for this episode.

Where The Floor Ends! During the destructive demo, the camera pulls back a bit too far revealing where the edge of the wall-to-wall carpeting meets the cement of the soundstage floor.

Gimme a Break (but not yet)! The glass in the door shatters while Harry is opening the door to leave, instead of when he shuts it, slightly marring the timing of the gag.

“Lucy and Wally Cox” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

This is a moderately enjoyable episode, if only to see TV favorites Cox and Hale play an unlikely father and son. It isn't particularly funny, however, and the outcome is predictable. There are also dated jokes about masculinity that haven’t aged very well.

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY AND JACK BENNY’S BIOGRAPHY

S3;E11 ~ November 23, 1970

Directed by Herbert Kenwith ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

Jack Benny needs a private secretary to help him write his autobiography. Naturally, Harry volunteers Lucy. Through a series of flashbacks we meet many of the women in Benny's life – all played by Lucy.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter / 'Mother' / 'Zelda' / 'Debbie' / 'Mary' / 'Lola'), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter)

Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter) and Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter) do not appear in this episode, although they do receive opening title credit.

Guest Cast

Jack Benny (Himself) was born 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. His screen persona was known for being a penny-pincher and playing the violin. Benny was a Beverly Hills neighbor of Lucille Ball’s and the two were off-screen friends. Benny previously appeared on “The Lucy Show” as Harry Tuttle (a Jack Benny doppelganger) in “Lucy and the Plumber” (TLS S3;E2), did a voice over cameo as himself in “Lucy With George Burns” (TLS S5;E1), and played himself in “Lucy Gets Jack Benny’s Account” (TLS S6;E6). This is the second of his three episodes of “Here’s Lucy,” all playing himself. Benny and Ball appeared on many TV variety and award shows together. He died in 1974.

George Burns (Himself) was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City in January 1896. He married Gracie Allen in 1926 and the two formed an act (Burns and Allen) that toured in vaudeville. They had their own hit show “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” first on radio then on CBS TV from 1950 to 1958, airing concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” After Allen’s death in 1964, Burns reinvented himself as a solo act. Burns played himself on a 1966 episode of “The Lucy Show” (TLS S5;E1). In 1976 he won an Oscar for playing one of The Sunshine Boys. He was also known for playing the title role in Oh, God! (1978) and its 1984 sequel Oh, God! You Devil. He died at the age of 100.

Mary Livingstone (Herself, uncredited voice) married Jack Benny in 1927 and the pair remained together until his death in 1974. Initially an actor who appeared on Benny's radio and television programs, she retired from show business in 1958, at the same time as Gracie Allen, wife of George Burns. She died in 1983.

Michael Barbera (Jack Benny as a Boy) was a child actor who was 12 years old at the time of filming. He accrued 18 screen credits before leaving the industry.

Ben Wrigley (Lola's Butler) played Liberace’s Butler in “Lucy and Liberace” (S2;E16). He was a British actor who appeared in My Fair Lady (1964) and Bednobs and Broomsticks (1971). Wrigley previously appeared as a ticket agent in “Lucy Flies to London” (TLS S5;E6). This is the second of his three episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Florence Lake (Trixie, right) did four films with Lucille Ball between 1936 and 1938. She will do one more episode of the series as well as the 1974 TV movie “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye” starring Lucille Ball.

Ginger (left), Trixie's friend, goes uncredited and has no dialogue.

Louis Quinn (Sailor) started out as a comedy writer for Milton Berle on radio and moved to acting in 1954. He is best remembered as Roscoe in “77 Sunset Strip” (1958-63).

It is possible that this character is based on Pat O'Brien, who was also a sailor and friends with Jack Benny.

Sig Frohlich (Sailor, uncredited) makes the second of his uncredited background appearances on the series.

Walter Smith (Sailor, uncredited) made a total of 13 mostly uncredited appearances on the series. He also did one episode of “The Lucy Show.”

The other sailors and patrons of the café are played by uncredited background performers.

Writer and Script Supervisor Milt Josefsberg was a writer on Jack Benny's television program for a decade. Josefsberg wrote all three of the “Here's Lucy” scripts that featured Benny.

This episode was shot without the presence of a studio audience. In her DVD introduction to the episode, Lucie Arnaz says that this episode didn't 'wrap' until the early hours of the morning.

The evening this episode first aired (November 23, 1970) Desi Arnaz Sr. (above with Ann Elder) guest-starred on “Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In,” the second half hour of which aired opposite “Here's Lucy.”

At the start of the episode, Harry is on the telephone with Jack Benny's manager Irving Fein (inset). In real life, Fein was Benny's manager and publicity director from 1947 to 1975. Fein also managed George Burns later in his career.

Jack Benny's present-day living room is a re-dressed version of Lucy Carter's living room. The front door, fireplace, and kitchen door are all in the same location in both sets.

The title of Jack Benny's autobiography is...

“The Women in My Life or I am Curious Jell-O”

Jell-O was a long-time sponsor of Jack Benny's radio and television programs. I Am Curious (Yellow) is a 1967 Swedish art film that was controversial and censored in many US cities due to sexual content.

Chapter 1 ~ MOTHER

The first flashback is set in Jack Benny's childhood home in Waukegan, Illinois where Lucy plays his mother. In reality, Benny’s mother was named Emma Sachs Kubelsky, although it is not mentioned here.

Little Jackie practices “Love in Bloom” on the violin. “Love in Bloom” by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin was published in 1934 and became the signature song of Jack Benny.

When Mother (Lucy) says Jackie walks like her, he shouts “Now cut that out” which was one of Jack Benny's common replies in his comedy routines. He says it later on in this episode.

Mother gets a telephone call from next door neighbor Mrs. Heifetz to complain about Jackie's violin playing. Mother claims that Jackie plays much better than her son Jascha. Jascha Heifetz (1901-87, inset photo) is considered to be the greatest violinist of all time. Coincidentally, Lucille Ball was neighbors with Jack Benny and often could hear his violin practicing from her yard!

Chapter 2 ~ ZELDA

In the second flashback, Jack is in the navy and meets a waitress named Zelda. Benny really did serve in the US Navy during World War I. The name Zelda was also used as a former girlfriend on a 1957 episode of “The Jack Benny Program.” The character was played by Sandra Gould, who had appeared on two episodes of “I Love Lucy” and one “The Lucy Show” but is probably best remembered as the second actor to play Mrs. Kravitz on “Bewitched.”

Jack's sailor friend wants to go to Roseland and dance instead of visiting another museum. Roseland was a popular New York City dance hall that opened in 1922 and closed in 2014.

Chapter 3 ~ DEBBIE

The third flashback is set during Jack Benny's vaudeville days. Lucy plays Debbie Fink, his comedy partner. Fink was a surname Benny used in a 1961 episode of “The Jack Benny Show.”

On stage, Benny plays “Sweet Georgia Brown” on the violin while Debbie dances the Charleston. The song was first written in 1925 by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard.

Chapter 4 ~ MARY

In the fourth flashback, Jack Benny is a radio star broadcasting with Mary Livingstone. In this sequence, Lucille Ball lip synchs to the voice of the real Mary Livingstone, who became Mrs. Jack Benny in 1927. She frequently performed with her husband on radio and television.

As part of the 'radio show' Mary (Lucy) reads a letter from her mother who lives in Plainfield, New Jersey. Jack calls her “the midnight cowboy of New Jersey.” Benny is probably referencing the 1969 Oscar-winning film Midnight Cowboy. In reality, Mary Livingstone was born Sylvia Marcowitz in Seattle, Washington.

Chapter 5 ~ LOLA

In the fifth flashback, film star Jack Benny breaks up with blonde bombshell Lola Lavere (Lucy).

In retaliation, Lola threatens to get the studio to re-issue The Horn Blows at Midnight. The 1943 film was a financial failure at the box office and Benny would often make fun of the fact on his TV and radio shows.

The striped wallpaper in the first flashback is the same as was seen in the first sequence in “Lucy and the Generation Gap” (S2;E12).

Continuity! Lucy says she never thought she'd meet a big star like Jack Benny when in fact the two met in the second episode of the series when the Carters stayed at his Palm Springs home – for a fee!

Reel Life! The episode ignores the fact that Benny and Livingstone were married in order to play up the women in his life. The final scene has Benny double dating with George Burns and calling themselves swingers!

“Lucy and Jack Benny’s Biography” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

This is more of a Jack Benny Program than a Lucille Ball show, but it is enjoyable none-the-less. There is a silly running gag that concerns Benny splitting his trousers and connected to the lyric “can it be the breeze” from his signature song, “Love in Bloom.” There is a surprising joke at the end of the show that implies that the elderly ladies are taking birth control pills. Not the usual kind of humor for Lucille Ball, but she was trying to keep pace with the times. Silly, but enjoyable – and Lucy never looked better in her various wigs and costumes.

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY AND THE DIAMOND CUTTER

S3;E10 ~ November 16, 1970

Directed by Herbert Kenwith ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Al Schwartz

Synopsis

An eccentric rich old lady wants her valuable but cursed diamond cut so Harry offers Lucy's home for the diamond cutter (Wally Cox) to work. But the Carter house is full of dangerous distractions that threaten to fulfill the curse!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter) and Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)

Guest Cast

Wally Cox (Gustav Vandemeer) was one of Lucille Ball's favorite character actors and best remembered for being a panelist on TV’s “The Hollywood Squares” (1965-73) as well as his hit series “Mr. Peepers” (1953-55). He played a nervous musician on “Lucy Conducts the Symphony” (TLS S2;E13) and a reformed safe cracker in “Lucy and the Ex-Con” (S1;E15). This is the third of his four guest-star appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” Cox died of a heart attack in 1973 at age 48.

Cox uses a German accent for the character and peppers his lines with phrases like “ach du lieber!”

Ruth McDevitt (Mrs. Cornelius Whitmark III) was one of Hollywood's most endearing 'little old lady' character actors. She was born in 1895 and didn't start acting until age 54. She made appearances in The Birds (1963), The Parent Trap (1961), and played Edith Bunker's friend Jo on “All in the Family.” In 1974 she was seen as Cousin Fan in Mame starring Lucille Ball. She died in 1976 at the age of 80.

Harry says Mrs. Whitmark is a billionairess. When McDevitt makes her first entrance the studio audience lets out an audible “Awwww” like they are witnessing the first steps of a newborn kitten.

Mary Wickes (Mrs. Whitmark's Maid) was one of Lucille Ball’s closest friends and at one time, a neighbor. She made a memorable appearances on “I Love Lucy” as ballet mistress Madame Lamond in “The Ballet” (ILL S1;E19). In her initial “Lucy Show” appearances her characters name was Frances, but she then made four more as a variety of characters for a total of 8 episodes. This is one of her 9 appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” Their final collaboration on screen was “Lucy Calls the President” in 1977.

This episode was aired on the same night as “Jack Benny’s 20th Anniversary TV Special” on NBC. The star-studded program featured Lucille Ball as the Benny maid, Janet.

During blocking rehearsals for this episode, Ruth McDevitt (Mrs. Whitlock) had trouble hitting her marks. Allegedly, after several attempts to get it right, Lucille Ball went over to Ruth and kicked her foot attempting to move her into place. Ruth fell to the floor screaming with pain. It was at this point that director Herbert Kenwith decided that if his friendship with Lucille Ball was going to survive, he would no longer be able to direct any of her shows. The incident with McDevitt was likely resolved amicably because she was later cast in Mame (1974).

As usual with any 'little old lady' character on the show, Mrs. Whitmark is dressed in lots of lace and frills and a out-of-date hat. The fact that her purse and hat don't match her dress indicates that she is supposed to be eccentric. That, and the fact that she collects bits of string. And that she collects used teabags. And that she laughs like a lunatic.

Mrs. Whitmark's Casbah Diamond is said to be worth 5 million dollars and is cursed. The nature of the curse is not revealed until the last minute of the episode.

When the Maid goes to spray Harry with the disinfectant a second time, she apologizes and says already been sprayed so he's sterile. Harry widens his eyes and the audience laughs at the naughty (for 1970) double entendre.

Craig talks to Steve on the telephone about a part for his motorcycle. It turns out to be a candy apple red air horn. Steve is probably a reference to Steve March, who was featured on two previous episodes and is often referenced by Craig.

Gustav calls Kim and Craig “the Katzenjammer Kids.” The Katzenjammer Kids was a comic strip created by German immigrant Rudolph Dirks which appeared from 1897 to 2006. Dirks was said to be the first to use 'thought balloons' in a comic strip.

The Carter living room has a wood floor instead of the green wall-to-wall carpeting previously seen.

The first episode of season three “Lucy Meets the Burtons” (S3;E1) also concerned itself with a large and valuable diamond. It was set into a ring that Richard Burton gave to Elizabeth Taylor and Lucy got stuck on her finger.

This is not the first time Harry has fallen through the floor of the Carter home.

He ended “Lucy's Burglar Alarm” (S2;E7) going through a trap door in the same exact location! Gale Gordon also went down a trap door as Mr. Mooney in “Lucy Takes a Job at the Bank” (TLS S2;E21).

Fact Check! To keep the diamond cutter's identity secret while he's at the Carter home, Lucy tells Kim and Craig that Gustav is their uncle. In previous episodes, however, Kim and Craig have acknowledged Harry as their only uncle.

Props! The disinfectant spray used by the Maid has had the label covered in blue tape.

Props! Motorcycles don't usually have air horns!

Sitcom Logic Alert! It is unclear why Mrs. Whitcomb and Harry don't use his own homes and save having to compensate Lucy. For practical reasons, of course, the Carter home was the show's main set and already in existence in the studio, saving the cost of constructing a new set.

Recycling! Mrs. Whitmark wears the same dress that Lucy wore as Abigail Throckmorton in LUCY AND THE EX-CON (S1;E15) aired on January 13, 1969.

Title Trouble! Due to the outcome of the plot, this episode would be more aptly titled "Harry the Diamond Cutter.” Of course, it then wouldn't have “Lucy” in the title!

“Lucy the Diamond Cutter” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

This is a rather contrived premise but it greatly benefits by sharp comedy writing from Josefsberg and Schwartz. The idea of Lucy's home being riddled with termites is introduced early on and is nicely connected to the episode's big gag ending. I also like the symmetry of the repeated joke about the injuries caused by the curse. Good gags always seem to come in threes!

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LUCY GOES HAWAIIAN: PART TWO

S3;E24 ~ February 22, 1971

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg, Ray Singer, and Al Schwartz

Synopsis

Lucy and Harry have to put a 'Farewell Show' for the final night of their cruise. It's a good thing that Viv, Harry, Kim and Craig are along to help her to produce a Hawaiian extravaganza.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Vivian Vance (Vivian Jones) was born Vivian Roberta Jones in Cherryvale, Kansas in 1909, although her family quickly moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was raised. She had extensive theatre experience, co-starring on Broadway with Ethel Merman in Anything Goes. She was acting in a play in Southern California when she was spotted by Desi Arnaz and hired to play Ethel Mertz, Lucy Ricardo’s neighbor and best friend. The pairing is credited with much of the success of “I Love Lucy.” Vance was convinced to join the cast of “The Lucy Show” in 1962, but stayed with the series only through season three, making occasional guest appearances afterwards. This is the fourth of her half a dozen appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” She also joined Lucy for a TV special “Lucy Calls the President” in 1977. Vance died two years later.

Robert Alda (Captain MacClay) originated the role of Sky Masterson in Broadway’s Guys and Dolls, winning the 1951 Tony Award. He is the father of Alan Alda of “M*A*S*H” fame. He made one appearance on the “The Lucy Show,” and this is his final appearance on “Here's Lucy.” Alda died in 1986.

The surname MacClay is a tribute to Lucille Ball's long-time publicist Howard McClay, who also loaned his name to characters on “The Lucy Show.” The end credits, however, spell 'McClay' as 'MacClay.'

Anita Mann (Wendy) was assistant to the series' choreographer Jack Baker. This (and Part One) are her only appearances of record on the show. She later choreographed for the Solid Gold Dancers and the Muppets. Mann won an Emmy Award for her work in 1996.

Although credited as 'Wendy,' she is not identified by name and has no dialogue. She does, however, get a kiss on the lips by Craig!

Johnny Ukulele (Himself) was born John Ka'aihue in Kalani, Hawaii in 1901, the son of Prince Koeheo Ka'aihue. He eventually settled in St. Louis to begin a family, playing local clubs and operating an instructional school teaching Hawaiian music. Shortly after World War II ended he joined up with bandleader Harry Owens, remaining with his Royal Hawaiian Orchestra for 15 years, including a nine-year stint on CBS television's “The Harry Owens Show.” He returned to Hawaii headlining a triumphant homecoming gig. When his children became mainstays on the Las Vegas Strip, Ukulele migrated to Sin City himself, playing casino nightclubs throughout the 1960s. He died in Hollywood in November 1971, just nine months after this episode first aired.

“The Boys” go unbilled and uncredited. Johnny Ukulele has no speaking lines.

Jack Donohue (Dancer with Cigar) was the director of this episode and 34 others. He also directed 107 episodes of “The Lucy Show” where he was seen on screen as Man in the Bank in “Lucy and the Bank Scandal” (TLS S2;E7) and “Lucy Conducts the Symphony” (TLS S2;E13). He will be seen on camera in one future episode, which he also directed.

Donohue is cast as a typical American tourist, smoking a big cigar and wearing a Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned to his navel.

The ship's passengers and crew are played by uncredited background performers:

Nick Borgani appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1937 film Stage Door and in one episode of “The Lucy Show.”

George DeNormand appeared in three films with Lucille Ball from 1937 to 1963. This is just one of his many appearances on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”

Chester Jones makes the last of his four background appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Paul King makes the third of his five background appearances on the series.

Bernard Sell was an English-born background player who made three appearance on the “The Lucy Show.” He was also an extra with Lucille Ball and Bob Hope in their films The Facts of Life (1960) and Critic’s Choice (1963).

Lisa Pharren ("Tiny Bubbles” Back-up Singer with Red Hair) gave up performing after only four appearances on screen and became a Hollywood make-up artist eventually earning three Emmy nominations for her work. She was also seen in “Lucy the Co-Ed” (S3;E6) in 1970.

The final draft of the script was dated April 1, 1970. This episode, and the preceding one, are sometimes referred to as “Lucy’s Hawaiian Vacation.”

This is Desi Arnaz Junior's final appearance as a regular cast member. He will make a guest appearance on “Lucy Meets Joe Namath” (S5;E5). He never intended to be on the show more than three seasons, regardless of how successful it was. He was also being offered jobs that he couldn't turn down, including the filming of Red Sky at Morning (1970).

This is the final episode of season 3, which ends as the #3 show of the year with a 25.9 share, the highest of all six seasons.

Originally, the two episodes were to be filmed aboard the SS Lurline and on location in Hawaii. When costs proved prohibitive, Lucille Ball productions had a three-quarter scale model of the ship built on the Paramount lot. At the time it was the second largest ship ever built at the studio. The sets occupied three sound stages. It even included a real swimming pool.

These two episodes were a single-camera shoot and filmed without a live studio audience.

Hawaii was a favorite getaway destination of the Arnaz family. The Season 3 DVD contains home movie footage of the family (and friends) vacationing together in Hawaii. In 2007, Lucie Arnaz remembered their trips to Hawaii fondly:

"It was before my parents were divorced and the time when they were at their happiest. No arguing, no work to take them away, and they just loved being there and with each other.”

The SS Lurline was a real ship sailing from California to Hawaii for the Matson Steamship line from 1932 to 1963, when it was sold to the Chandris Lines and re-christened the RHMS Ellinis. The Matson Line then brought the Matsonia (first known as the Monterey) out of retirement and re-christened it the Lurline, keeping the historic name alive in their fleet. She sailed her last voyage under this name in June 1970, before being sold to Chandris and re-christened Britanis. During the 1980s it was briefly the oldest cruise ship in service. The vessel underwent one more name and ownership change before being deliberately sunk in 2000 after nearly 68 years at sea.

THE FAREWELL SHOW

Captain MacClay acts as the host, introducing the acts:

Vivian sings "Yellow Bird" (aka “Choucoune”) a 19th-century Haitian song composed by Michel Mauleart Monton with lyrics from a poem by Oswald Durand. It was rewritten with English lyrics in the 20th century as “Yellow Bird.” Vance sang it in a high falsetto, with a calypso beat, dressed in yellow with feathers like a canary (including a long tail feather) and perched on a swing decorated as a nest. This is the last full musical solo Vivian Vance sings on a Lucy program.

Kim and Lucy sing “Ukulele Talk.” Lucille Ball learned to play the ukulele for “I Love Lucy,” although the only full song she knew was “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?”

Craig does an impression of Don Ho (inset), singing "Tiny Bubbles" by Martin Denny and Leon Pober. It was released in 1966 by Don Ho (inset) and became his signature song.

Lucy and Viv sing the 1957 novelty song “Mama's Mumu” by Gene Burdette. Harry makes a special appearances as 'Mama', wearing a wig and a padded mumu.

The Captain (Robert Alda) sings “Just Keep Your Eyes on the Hands” while Kim dances a seductive hula. The song was written by Tony Todaro and Liko Johnston and was interpolated into the 1956 film The Revolt of Mamie Stover.

The Carters perform “A Hawaiian War Chant,” written by Johnny Noble, a composer who was a native Hawaiian. The song was previously performed on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show” making it one of the few songs to be performed on all three of Lucille Ball's major sitcoms. The finale is filled out with several of the female extras who previously appeared in the Hula lesson scene.

In 1955 Desilu recreated the SS Constitution on their Hollywood sound stage the same way LBP does the SS Lurline in 1971. Both episodes were filmed with the cooperation of the shipping lines, American Export Lines (1955) and Matson Steamship Lines (1970).

Hawaiian music was featured on “RIcky’s Hawaiian Vacation” (ILL S3;E22)...

...and “Lucy and Carol in Palm Springs” (TLS S5;E8).

Playing his Hawaiian-style conga drum, Desi Jr. bears more than a passing resemblance to his famous father.

Oops! There is a transistor radio next to Harry while he is lounging poolside. There would be no radio reception if the ship was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Wha’ Happen'? Despite the title, just as on “RIcky’s Hawaiian Vacation” we never see the characters in Hawaii - or even learn later if they got there or what they did. Did the Lurline spend any time in Hawaii or did it immediately return to California? Was Lucy aboard, or did she stay on for a vacation and fly back later? We never find out!

“Lucy Goes Hawaiian: Part Two” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

This is one of those cases where one 45-minute episode would be better than two 30-minute installments. The fist 15 minutes of this show are basically filler for the Hawaiian-themed musical revue that ends the show (and the season). Gale Gordon and Desi Arnaz Jr. are completely bare-chested for the first time in three seasons! Ratings soared!

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY AND ANN-MARGRET

S2;E20 ~ February 2, 1970

Directed by Herbert Kenwith ~ Choreography by Jack Baker ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

A chance meeting with Ann-Margret leads to songwriter Craig performing with her on television.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter)

Guest Cast

Ann-Margret (Herself) is one of Hollywood's most enduring sex symbols, singers, and actors. She made her screen debut in 1961's A Pocketful of Miracles and followed up with the critically acclaimed film musicals State Fair and Bye Bye Birdie. After this episode of “Here's Lucy” she was nominated for Oscars for Carnal Knowledge (1971) and Tommy (1975). In February 1969, she appeared on “The Jack Benny Birthday Special”, which also featured Lucille Ball, although the two did not share screen time. At the end of 1969, Lucille Ball guested on her special “From Hollywood With Love.” In 2010, Ann-Margret won her first Emmy Award for her guest appearance on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

John O'Neill (Walter, Ann-Margret's Pianist)

Although billed as ‘Walter’ in the final credits, Ann-Margret calls him ‘Wally’ in the dialogue.

Gary Morton (Voice Introducing Ann-Margret) was a comedian who worked the famed ‘Borscht Belt’ in the Catskills Mountains. He met Lucille Ball shortly after her divorce from Desi Arnaz and they married in November 1961. At her request, Morton gave up his nightclub career and became a producer of “The Lucy Show.” Morton also served as a warm-up comic for the show’s studio audience. He played the Emcee in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (S2;E6) and will make two more on-camera appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” Morton passed away in 1999.

Throughout the episode, Morton’s loud guffaw can be heard on the soundtrack.

Ann-Margret's back-up dancers (3 men and 3 women) perform uncredited.

The much anticipated episode was the subject of a TV Guide "Close Up”. It mentions that the singer was repaying Ball for appearing on her earlier special...

“Ann-Margret: From Hollywood With Love” in December 1969. In it, Ball played herself and an autograph hound named ‘Celebrity Lu’ (above).

The date this episode first aired (February 2, 1970) the 27th Annual Golden Globe Awards was held. Lucille Ball was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series, but lost to a tie between Carol Burnett and Julie Sommars in “The Governor and J.J.” John Wayne also won for True Grit. Both Burnett and Wayne were guest stars of Lucille Ball’s on her sitcoms. Joan Crawford (who guest-starred on “The Lucy Show”) received a life-time achievement award.

Two days later, on February 4, 1970, Lucie and Desi Jr. appeared with their father on NBC’s “Kraft Music Hall”. Vivian Vance and Bernadette Peters were also part of the cast. Desi Sr. performed "Babalu" and "Cuban Pete" and teamed with his children on "The Straw Hat Song”. Lucille Ball does not appear.

In the DVD introduction to the episode, Desi Arnaz Jr. says that he had a crush on Ann-Margret since he was ten years old. At the beginning of the episode, Kim says her brother is “barely seventeen.” This was true for Desi Jr. when the show was being filmed, but he celebrated his 17th birthday two weeks before the show first aired.

Lucy Carter describes her aspirations for her children:

KIM: “Mom wants me to be a wife and a mother.” LUCY: “Yes. And in that order.”

Lucy wants Craig to be a doctor, while he wants to be a songwriter.

LUCY: “We’ll compromise. You’ll be the only songwriter in the world to make house calls.”

In the early part of the 20th century, physicians often visited the home to treat patients, a practice that is virtually unheard of in most parts of the country today.

The ad soliciting new songs Craig finds in the newspaper gives an address of 718 North Gower. In reality, this is the address of Paramount Studios (formerly Desilu) where the show was filmed.

Lucy hopes Craig becomes as famous as Simon & Carbunkle. Kim corrects her: Simon & Garfunkle. In 1970 Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle released the album “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Lucy later says Craig sings as well as Engelbert Pumpernickle. Craig corrects her: Engelbert Humperdinck. In a previous episode, Lucy pronounced the English pop singer's name “Englebert Dumperhinck.” Lucy is turning into a regular Mrs. Malaprop!

Craig calls himself “this generation's Cole Porter.” Cole Porter (1891-1964) was a songwriter who wrote both lyrics and music. He was responsible for the score of DuBarry Was A Lady, a Broadway musical that was filmed in 1943 with Lucille Ball. The show included the Cole Porter song “Friendship,” which Lucy Ricardo later sang with Ethel Mertz in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3, above).

When Craig needs $100 for his song to be published, he wants to ask his Uncle Harry.

LUCY: “Uncle Harry wouldn't have given Francis Scott Key $100 for 'The Star Spangled Banner.'”

“The Star Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States. On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) wrote a poem which was eventually set to music by John Stafford Smith. It was adopted as the anthem in 1931.

Wally, Ann-Margret’s arranger, suggest she sing Craig’s song as a duet - perhaps with Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin. Frank Sinatra’s hit single from 1969 called “My Way” re-entered the charts in 1970, spending nearly a hundred weeks in the top forty. In 1970 singer Dean Martin, who was one of Lucille Ball’s favorite performers, was still producing new episodes of “The Dean Martin Show” (above) as well as starring in the feature film Airport.

On her coffee table is a copy of the December 1966 issue of House & Garden Magazine. Ann-Margret obviously doesn’t have much time for reading!

Lucy Carter seems to have no qualms about leaving her 16 year-old son alone in the apartment of a 28 year-old woman known to the world as a ‘the original sex kitten’! Offstage, however, Lucille Ball was not quite as understanding when Desi Jr. took up with 23 year-old divorcee Patti Duke, whose onscreen reputation was considerably more wholesome. In tabloid press, Lucille Ball was quoted as saying “Leave My Son Alone...He’s Only 17″ and “Patti Duke Used My Son and Victimized Us”.

When Ann-Margret is slipping into “something more comfortable” (an age old film and TV trope intimating seduction), Craig practices his dancing alone to the strains of “I'm in the Mood for Love” written by Jimmy McHugh in 1935. Ann-Margret covered the song in 1962 on her album “On the Way Up.” While Ann-Margret’s version of the song was on RCA Records and had lyrics, the LP Craig selects has the Capital Records label (the rainbow ring) and is instrumental only. Coincidentally, Guy Lombardo included the song on his 1958 release on Capitol Records, although the version heard is not that cover.

While Ann-Margret is off changing, Craig has three wordless minutes on screen alone to imagine his evening with the noted sex symbol. Here, Desi Jr. does some very funny and charming silent acting depicting the nerves of a first romantic encounter. Until she breaks the spell by appearing in a chenille robe, fuzzy slippers, and curlers!

Craig and Ann-Margret perform the song "Country Magic" which in reality was not by Craig or Desi Arnaz Jr. but by Steve March, the son of Mel Torme and adopted son of Arnaz family friend, Hal March.

Steve March appeared onscreen as one of Craig's high school friends in “Lucy and the Bogie Affair” (S2;E13) and will appear in a future episode guest starring Sammy Davis Jr. When Craig referred to his friend Steve in past episodes, this is likely who he has in mind.

The pink paisley Fender telecaster guitar Craig plays during his number with Ann-Margret belonged to Jimmy Burton (below), Elvis Presley's number one guitar player.

Burton actually played the guitar solo on the soundtrack.

Unusually, after leaving Craig with Ann-Margret, the Lucy character is not seen again until the final fade-out. Lucille Ball is off-screen for 10 minutes of her own 24-minute show!

In December 1968, just as “Here’s Lucy” was starting, Lucille Ball and Ann-Margret shared the cover of Coronet Magazine. Lucy wrote about her teenagers while Ann-Margret modeled see-through fashions.

Lucy Carter wants Craig to be a doctor, not a musician. On “I Love Lucy” Lucy Ricardo wanted Little Ricky (Keith Thibodeaux, above) to be a doctor, not a musician!

When Ann-Margret changes into “something more comfortable” she comes out wearing the same blue chenille bathrobe that Lucy wore in “Lucy and Tennessee Ernie's Fun Farm” (S1;E23, left). It looks very similar to the one that Vivian Vance wore in 1952’s “Breaking the Lease” (ILL S1;E18, center) and other episodes. It is likely that it is the same robe from the Desilu wardrobe racks!

FAST FORWARD!

A year later, Ann-Margret is mentioned as one of the wishes Craig would ask of a magic lamp in “Lucy and Aladdin’s Lamp” (S3;E21). Craig must have forgotten this lengthy encounter when he mentioned his wish.

Both Lucille Ball and Ann-Margret were on hand for “America’s Tribute to Bob Hope” on January 2, 1988.

In 2000, Lucie Arnaz and Steve March-Torme (author of “Country Magic”), both children of megastars, did a cabaret act together. This was March’s cabaret debut. As of this writing, two decades later, they are both still performing in cabaret - just not together.

Memory Lapse! Lucy tells Ann-Margret that the last time Craig sang in public it was “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Actually, Craig sang in his school musical in “Lucy and Carol Burnett” (S1;E17, above), in “Lucy and Tennessee Ernie's Fun Farm” (S1;E23), as Bing Crosby in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (S2;E6), and in “Lucy and the Generation Gap” (S2;E12) – all in front of audiences!

Hey Lady! At the end of “Country Magic,” Lucy bursts from the wings and shouts to the studio audience “My son the songwriter!” If this was one of Ann-Margret’s television specials (as was earlier mentioned), a random mother bragging about her son is not something you’d expect to see!

Can I Have a Drum Roll... Please? Oddly, there is absolutely no mention of Craig’s former musical obsession - the drums! A skilled percussionist in real life, there were many episodes in which played drums and even a couple that revolved around it.

This episode is a terrific showcase for Desi Arnaz Jr. He does his best with the comedy, but really shines in the musical number, where his dancing is as his sharp as his musicianship. Ann-Margret seems to be enjoying herself and the episode is fun to watch, although not particularly funny.

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS

S2;E6 ~ October 27, 1969

Directed by George Marshall ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters comes to the Unique Employment Agency to find two performers to play her sisters in a musical revue. Naturally Lucy volunteers herself and Kim.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Patty Andrews (Herself) and her sisters, Maxene and LaVerne, were one of the most successful women's singing groups, with 19 gold records and sales of nearly 100 million copies. The sisters began performing in the early 1930s when the Depression wiped out their father's business. In 1937, the sisters scored their first big hit with “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen.” In addition to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” their best-known songs included “Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree” and “Rum and Coca Cola.” The trio officially broke up after the death of LaVerne in 1967, when a suitable replacement could not be found. Patty did 19 films, always as herself. She even starred in a Broadway musical called Over Here! (1974). This is her only appearance with Lucille Ball. Patty Andrews died in 2013 at the age of 94.

John McLaren (Elroy Sherwood) was born in Alberta Canada in 1911, the same year as Lucille Ball. He started his screen career in 1944. This is his only time appearing with Lucille Ball.

Sherwood is Harry's biggest client from Atlanta, Georgia. Patty calls him “Ham hock”.

Gary Morton (Emcee) was married to Lucille Ball and was the Executive Producer of “Here's Lucy.” This is his first of three on camera appearances on the series. He also made four appearances on “The Lucy Show.”

Joseph La Cava (Registrar, uncredited, background right) was born in 1908 in Paterson, New Jersey. He played a Bartender on the S.S. Constitution in “Second Honeymoon” (ILL S5;E14). He was also seen in the Lucille Ball films Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) and Mame (1974).

Joan Carey (Audience Member, uncredited) was a background performer on “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show,” and “Here’s Lucy.” She also served as Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in.

Other uncredited background performers play the audience members at the fan club show.

LaVerne Andrews has passed away by this point and Maxene Andrews has a love/hate relationship with her remaining sister that will last until her death many years later. Although there are photos of the sisters on Patty’s piano, their first names are never spoken in the episode!

All the singing is prerecorded and lip-synched by the trio. Ironically, the point of the show is that (due to the broken records), they are all singing live!

On the DVD extras for this episode, Lucie Arnaz notes that the studio audience's reaction was so overwhelming that it had to be edited down to keep the show within its broadcast time limits. Lucy herself gets entrance applause from the studio audience.

This episode was filmed on July 17, 1969, which was Lucie Arnaz’s 18th birthday.

Lucy says she was the biggest movie fan in her town, which is something she has in common with Lucy Carmichael and Lucy Ricardo, who were also movie mad. Lucy says she had a crush on William Powell, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, and Melvin Krantz (her old boyfriend who took her to the movies).

This is the first time we have seen Kim's bedroom. Kim has redecorated with black and white movie posters of Hollywood stars such as W.C. Fields, Clark Gable, Valentino, Oliver Hardy, Betty Grable, James Dean, and the film Under Two Flags (1936).

Lucy notes that it just cost her $90 for new wallpaper for Kim's room.

When the kids go to the car to get posters of Tom Mix, Buster Keaton, and Valentino, Lucy finds a poster of Lucille Ball! She looks at it thoughtfully and then says “Meh” and puts it down. As she leaves the room Lucy blows a kiss to Humphrey Bogart as the soundtrack plays “As Time Goes By” a song featured in Casablanca, one of Bogart's biggest hit films.

Lucy also claims to be a fan of singing groups like the Mills Brothers, the Boswell Sisters, and the Andrews Sisters.

Given the clue that Patty's last name is Andrews, Lucy guesses that she is Julie Andrews. Patty says “I wish!”, a joke about Julie's phenomenal success and Patty's waning popularity.

Patty says that on a clear day she can see Paul Newman, who lives next door to her. Unfortunately, she says she can also see his wife! Newman's wife in 1969 was actress Joanne Woodward.

Framed gold records of Andrews Sisters hits are framed on Patty’s wall: “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” (their first big hit), “South America Take it Away,” “Apple Blossom Time,” “Three Little Fishies,” and “Mairzy Doats”

The Fan Club show consists of Lucy, Patty, and Lucie singing a medley of Andrews Sisters hits:

“Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” by Jacob Jacobs and Sholom Secunda, originally written for a 1932 Yiddish language musical, I Would If I Could. It was a number one hit for the Andrews Sisters in 1938.

“South America, Take it Away” was written by Harold Rome for the 1946 Broadway musical Call Me Mister.

Craig (as Bing Crosby) sings “Don't Fence Me In” by Cole Porter and Robert Fletcher, originally written for the unproduced musical film Adios, Argentina.

Craig and the trio sing “"Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1943 song with words written by Al Dexter to an American folk tune.

"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)" by Sam H. Stept, Lew Brown, and Charles Tobias. The song was sung by the Andrews Sisters in the 1942 film Private Buckaroo.

“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by Don Raye and Hughie Prince. The song was sung by the Andrews Sisters in the 1941 film Buck Privates.

“Three Little Fishies” was written by Josephine Carringer, Bernice Idins, and Saxie Dowell.

“Pennsylvania Polka” by Zeke Manners was introduced by the Andrews Sisters in their 1942 film Give Out, Sisters. It was a number 4 hit on the charts for the group in 1939.

"(I'll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time" is by Albert Von Tilzer and Neville Fleeson in 1920. It was introduced by the Andrews Sisters in their 1941 film Buck Privates.

“Roll Out the Barrel” (also known as "The Barrel Polka" and “Beer Barrel Polka") is a song by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927.

During the poker game in “Be a Pal” (ILL S1;E2), Lucy calls her two queens ‘sisters.’ When Fred looks at his newly-dealt hand he quips “You can tell your two Andrews Sisters not to wait up for LaVerne.”

Sound Check! If the plan was to lip sync to the Andrews Sisters old records, why is there a band on hand to play the music at the last minute?

Where The Floor Ends! As with many episodes, several times the camera pulls back and the concrete stage floor can be seen. This also happens in Kim’s bedroom.

“Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” rates 3 Paper Moons out of 5

Although not really an actress, Patty Andrews has a relaxed presence and good comic sense. The role of Mr. Sherwood is overplayed as a blustery ‘Colonel Sanders type’ which feels incongruous with the rest of the episode. The musical portion is saved for the last five minutes.

#Here's Lucy #Lucille Ball #Lucie Arnaz #Gale Gordon #Desi Arnaz Jr.#Patty Andrews #Andrews Sisters #George Marshall #John McLaren #Joseph LaCava #Gary Morton #Milt Josefsberg #Ray Singer #1969 #CBS #TV #Paul Newman #Julie Andrews #Joan Carey

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY’S SAFARI

S1;E22 ~ March 3, 1969

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

When a rare Gorboona escapes from the zoo, Lucy, Harry and the kids help a big game hunter (Howard Keel) trap him!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Howard Keel (Stanley Livingston, a Big Game Hunter) was discovered by Oscar Hammerstein II during auditions for John Raitt's replacement in Broadway's Carousel in 1946. After that, he also went on to play Curly in Oklahoma! He is probably best remembered for his role in MGM's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), a film that was mentioned on “I Love Lucy.” On TV he played Clayton Farlow on “Dallas” (1981-91). This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball. Keel died in 2004.

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.

Janos Prohaska (Gorboona) was an actor, stunt man, and animal imitator who is probably best remembered as the talking cookie-mad bear on “The Andy Williams Show” (1969) although due to his thick Hungarian accent, his voice was dubbed. He first played a simian on “Lucy and the Monkey” (TLS S5;E12). This is the first of three times playing animals on “Here’s Lucy.” Prohaska died in a plane crash in 1974.

The Gorboona escaped from the Topanga Zoo. A Gorboona is a rare, nearly extinct, cross between a GORilla and a baBOON.

Lucy, Desi Jr., and Lucie were on the cover of TV Guide the week this show premiered.

Lucille Ball was so hoarse from rehearsing the jungle mating call that she nearly lost her voice. This show is not a favorite of anyone involved in the episode. Not to mention many who weren't!

Howard Keel's character is named Stanley Livingston so that Lucy (and later Harry) can say the iconic line “Mr. Livingston, I presume” a paraphrase of “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.” Doctor David Livingstone was a 17th century missionary and explorer in central Africa, the first European to see Victoria Falls. When reporter H.M. Stanley finally found him in 1871, he supposedly greeted him with “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” In 1939, a film called Stanley and Livingstone was released, starring Spencer Tracy as Stanley and Cedric Hardwicke as Livingstone. The quote was included in the film and is majorly responsible for its continued use today.

Livingston tells Lucy that back in Africa he was enamored of an athletic (though feminine) woman named Rachel Weatherby, who could single-handedly skin and quarter a buffalo.

Lucy reluctantly tells the handsome and eligible Mr. Livingston that Kim is 16 and Craig is 15.

Lucy tells Mr. Livingston that back home she used to work for a blacksmith – handing him the horses! She is likely bragging to impress Mr. Livingston and vanquish his memories of Miss Weatherby. [A blacksmith? In this episode it could very well be true!]

There is a $10,000 reward for the safe return of the Gorboona. It was last seen in the Topanga Canyon. Topanga Canyon is located in western Los Angeles County, California, in the Santa Monica Mountains, between Malibu and the city of Los Angeles.

Lucy calls Mr. Livingston “bwana,” an East African word for boss or master. In 1963 Bob Hope starred in the safari movie Call Me Bwana.

Livingston demonstrates the mating call of the Gorboona, which in reality has the same melody as "Indian Love Call," from Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach's operetta Rose Marie. Lucy echos him (off key) and says “That is pretty.” Not coincidentally, Howard Keel starred in the 1954 film version.

The Jungle Dance was choreographed by Jack Baker and Anita Mann. In the DVD introduction to the episode, Desi Arnaz Jr. says that the dance sequence had him wearing “some of the worst clothes of the entire series.” At least Kim and Craig get to show off what they do best: Craig drums and Kim does a dance solo. As usual, Lucy turns the dance into an ad lib free-for-all that features a Charleston! When the Garboona appears, Lucy and the creature Tango together.

Harry's dance steps conjure up a rain storm that only falls on him – not once but twice. The rule on “Here’s Lucy” is that where there's water, Harry will get wet. Earlier in the episode, he was the only one to fall in the creek when swinging across it on a vine.

“Dr. Livingston, I presume” was first uttered by Lucy Ricardo in “Never Do Business With Friends” (ILL S2;E31) when Lucy 'discovers' Ricky through the laundry lines before begging him for a new washing machine.

The costumes for the dance are reminiscent of what Claude Akins wore as the Giant Native in “Desert Island” (ILL S6;E8). When Harry is told to look for footprints but only discovers those of Livingston, it is very similar to when Lucy tracked the footprints of a Giant Native only to discover they were Ethel's!

The Topanga Canyon area is verdant, but it is not a jungle!

After being shot with the tranquilizer gun, Lucille Ball does a slow motion run from the Gorboona, including a slow motion swing on a vine. Why would the vine also be in slow motion? Was it also affected by the tranquilizer? Just one of many unanswered questions in this fantasy fiasco of an episode!

“Lucy’s Safari” rates 1 Paper Heart out of 5

This episode is more like a live action Saturday morning kids show than a primetime sitcom. The premise is unbelievable, silly, and (worst of all) rarely funny. With all the show’s musical episodes, it is a shame that Lucille Ball wasted singer Howard Keel's only appearance in a non-musical episode.

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY HELPS CRAIG GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE

S1;E24 ~ March 17, 1969

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

When Craig turns 16, naturally he wants to get his driver's license. Much to the dismay of the nervous driving inspector (Jack Gilford), Lucy insists on playing back seat driver during the road test!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Jack Gilford (Wilbur Hurlow) began his career in the Amateur Nights of the 1930s moving on to nightclubs doing satire and pantomime. He was nominated for Tony awards for best supporting actor in the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962) and Cabaret (1966). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Save the Tiger (1973). He is perhaps best remembered as the guy on the Cracker Jack commercials from 1960-1972. This is his only appearance opposite Lucille Ball. Gilford died in 1990.

The surname ‘Hurlow’ will be used as the name of a policeman (Robert Carson” in “A Home is Not an Office” (S5;E4) and a nurse (Mary Wickes) in “Lucy and Harry’s Tonsils” (S2;E5). Wickes also played a secretary named Hurlow in “Lucy and Robert Goulet” (TLS S6;E8). Wilburn Hurlow’s mother is obviously deceased. He addresses her frequently by looking heavenward!

Herkie Styles (First Clerk) was a veteran nightclub comedian making his final screen appearance.

Sid Gould (Second Clerk) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. This is one of his 40 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.

Joseph Mell (Third Clerk) was seen in five episodes of “The Lucy Show.” In 1964 he appeared in the TV special “Mr. and Mrs.” (aka “The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour”), which featured many of the Desilu regulars. In 1971, he was a Taxi Driver on “Lucy and the Lecher,” a cross-over episode of Danny Thomas’s “Make Room for Granddaddy” in which Lucille Ball played Lucy Carter, her character from “Here’s Lucy.” This is his only appearance on the series.

Ray Kellogg (Policeman) played the barking Assistant Director (“Roll ‘em!”) in “Ricky’s Screen Test” (ILL S4;E6) and later appeared in “Bullfight Dance” (ILL S4;E22). He was seen on 7 episodes of “The Lucy Show.” This is the second of his two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Murray Pollack (DMV Clerk, uncredited) was seen as one of the party guests in “Country Club Dance” (ILL S6;E25), the episode that introduced Barbara Eden. Coincidentally, he later appeared on half a dozen episodes of “I Dream of Jeannie.” He was at the airport when “The Ricardos Go to Japan” (1959). He was seen in the 1963 movie Critic’s Choice with Lucille Ball. He made two appearances on “The Lucy Show.” This is the second of his three episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

David Elam (DMV Clerk, uncredited) started doing background work in 1957. He made two appearances on Desilu’s “The Untouchables”. Elam was at the wedding of Mike and Carol Brady in 1969. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Alberto Morin (DMV Clerk, uncredited) was born in Puerto Rico, and appeared in some of Hollywood’s most cherished films: Gone with the Wind (1939), Casablanca (1943), and Key Largo (1948). He was Carlos, one of Ricky’s “Cuban Pals” (ILL S1;E28) and the Robert DuBois in “The French Revue” (ILL S3;E7). His many background appearances on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy” were all uncredited.

Clarence Landry (Man at DMV, uncredited) made at least half a dozen appearances on the series. This was the first. Landry and Vernord Bradley were a tap dance duo who appeared in in the Vitaphone 1941 short Minstrel Days. Like his fellow extra Frieda Rentie, he was also seen in the 1958 film South Pacific.

Frieda Rentie (Woman at DMV, uncredited) makes one of at least four appearances on the series. Rentie was in the original 1958 film of South Pacific and in 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure.

Joan Carey (Woman at DMV, uncredited) appeared in the background of “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show,” and “Here’s Lucy.” She also served as Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in.

Others at the Motor Vehicle Bureau are played by uncredited background performers.

This episode’s title is also sometimes listed as “Lucy Helps Craig Get HIS Driver’s License.”

This episode was aired on St. Patrick’s Day 1969, although there is no mention of it in the dialogue. Lucy does, however, wear a green blouse and skirt!

This is the last show of the first season, and the last installment for long-time employee, producer Tommy Thompson. Lucille Ball brings in her cousin Cleo Smith to produce the rest of the series.

The first season ended at number 9 in the ratings with a 23.8 share. The first DVD release was on August 25, 2009.

Craig is marking his 16th birthday. His age was mentioned two weeks earlier in “Lucy's Safari” (S1;E22, above). As the world knows, Desi Arnaz Jr.'s actual birthdate is January 19th. He, like Craig, also turned 16 in 1969.

Craig can't wait to to go to a drive-in movie with Steve, Peggy and Barbara. Steve probably refers to Steve March, the son of Mel Torme and the adopted son of Arnaz family friend, Hal March. Steve will appear in “Lucy and the Bogie Affair” (S2;E13, above), “Lucy the Crusader” (S2;E13), and “Lucy and Sammy Davis Jr.” (S3;E3). He also will write the song “Country Magic” for “Lucy and Ann-Margret” (S2;E20).

Peggy and Barbara are new to a list of Craig’s gal pals that includes Carol and Susie and Doreen... and Eileen and Josephine... and Betty and Annie... and Lori and Elsie!

A few months later, the show presents “Lucy at the Drive-In Movie” (S2;E8, above), although it is Kim with a date at the ‘passion pit’, not Craig.

For his birthday, Uncle Harry gives Craig his favorite book when he was 16: Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle, a young adult novel written by the Stratemeyer Syndicate writers using the pen name Victor Appleton. It is volume 10 in the original Tom Swift novel series first published in 1911. Uncle Harry puts a check for $50 inside. He promises he'll sign it when Craig turns 21.

Lucy gives her son a wallet with a ten dollar bill tucked inside. Kim gives her brother a turtle neck sweater she knit herself. It turns out to be short on turtle and long on neck!

Craig’s vision is so good he can see the tiny fine print on the eye chart: “Made by the Acme Printing Company.”

To help her son pass the eye test, Lucy gets a closer look at the chart, much to the chagrin of the clerk (Sid Gould). “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (ILL S3;E11) also used the Snellen Eye Chart, named after Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen, who developed it in 1862. Note that between 1953 and 1969, the chart has not changed. Now, however, eye doctors use an improved chart known as the LogMAR chart.

Lucy questions the clerk (Joe Mell) as to why Craig has to have his photograph taken in profile, while the man before him was photographed facing the camera. Craig correctly sites California law enacted in 1965 that those under 21 be photographed in profile for quicker identification by law enforcement officials. California law now requires teens be subject to "provisional license restrictions" and full face photos are required for facial recognition software.

Lucy embarrasses Craig by telling the clerks that Craig has an identifying mole on his backside!

When Lucy objects to her son being fingerprinted like a common criminal, the clerk notes that the only two people to object to being fingerprinted were Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie Parker (1910–34) and Clyde Barrow (1909–34) were notorious criminals who traveled with their gang during the Great Depression, robbing people and killing when cornered or confronted. A popular film about their lives was released in August 1967 (above) winning two Academy Awards. The film was mentioned several times on “The Lucy Show.”

Craig takes his road test in Lucy's car, a 1965 yellow convertible Dodge Dart In the parking log there are also a red 1969 Plymouth GTX and a blue station wagon waiting to take the road test.

The car turns up again in “Lucy at the Drive-In Movie” (S2;E8), although with a different license plate.

It was also driven by Sergeant Carter on Desilu’s “Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C” (above) in 1965.

The car’s license plate (WHO-526) will appear again on the camper that the Carters drive in the on location episodes that open season two of the series.

As Inspector Hurlow (Jack Gilford) comes toward the car, Lucy and Desi Jr. indulge in some silly ad lib muttering they probably didn’t expect to be heard on microphone.

CRAIG: “That’s him!” LUCY: “Really? How do you know?” CRAIG: “They all have curly hair.”

The episode uses actual location footage of the road test through the streets of Los Angeles, which was matched in the studio with a rear projection process shot. This technique was previously seen in “Lucy and the Great Airport Chase” (S1;E18) and was done for the first time on television in “California, Here We Come!” (ILL S4;E12). Due to the distance and the speed of the car, it is not possible to tell if the occupants of the vehicle are actually Ball, Arnaz, and Gilford, or actor doubles, as was done during location filming for the trip to California on “I Love Lucy.”

In the first shot, the vehicle is driving toward the camera with Hollywood headquarters of World Opportunities Inc. in the background and the Hollywood Hills in the distance. A General Tire location is on the right.

The background footage then shows the RCA building (now the Hollywood Film School) in the background, which means the car was traveling south on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, the same street that Paramount (formerly Desilu) studios is on. Ironically, RCA was the parent company of NBC and “Here's Lucy” was a CBS show! By the look of the cars on the street in the process shots, the background footage was not recent when it was used on “Here’s Lucy.”

At one point Mr. Hurlow tells Lucy that if she wants to help she should “take the bus and leave the driving to us.” This was the popular slogan of Greyhound Bus Lines. The slogan will be quoted again in “Lucy the Laundress” (S2;E17) and “Lucy and the Used Car Dealer” (S2;E9).

Mr. Hurlow passes Craig on his road test, noting that if he can drive with Lucy in the back seat, he can drive at the Indianapolis Speedway. This is a reference to the motor raceway that is home of the Indianapolis 500 and formerly the home of the United States Grand Prix. It is located six miles west of Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The name has become synonymous with fast driving, especially in jokes.

Lucy lets it slip that she has a New York State driver license that she got five or six years ago and tells Mr. Hurlow she's only lived in California for three years. This sounds very much like the back story of Lucy Carmichael of “The Lucy Show.” It is also revealed that in New York Lucille Carter was a brunette. Craig helpfully says the California sun bleached it.

Hurlow is secretly thrilled that Lucy has an invalid license and sings to himself “Every cloudy day, has a silver lining.” He adds that after he's through with her she'll be lucky to drive a tricycle in Griffith Park. Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles, California. The park covers 4,310 acres, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. It is the second-largest city park in California. It is named for Griffith J. Griffith, a land developer who bought the land in 1882.

Lucy calls Mr. Hurlow “a nervous wreck.” That same description fits Hysterium, the role Jack Gilford originated in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In the show, Hysterium sings the song “Calm” by Stephen Sondheim in which he's anything but!

Mr. Hurlow loses his cool and runs off singing “Happy Days Are Here Again,” a song by Jack Yellen and Milton Ager. The song was featured in the 1930 film Chasing Rainbows. The song title was mentioned by Ethel Mertz in “Fan Magazine Interview” (ILL S3;E17). Lucy is worried about Ricky’s fidelity:

LUCY: “If some woman was trying to take Fred away from you, you’d sing another tune.” ETHEL: “Yeah, ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’.”

Note: Viewers watching the episode on Amazon Prime will notice that the song is absent from Jack Gilford’s screen exit. It is likely that the music royalty fee was not deemed worth paying for such a quick moment and it was excised.

Lucy Ricardo also wreaked havoc on the roads in “Lucy Learns to Drive” (ILL S4;E11). Her patient teacher was her husband, short-tempered Ricky. Lucy then acted as driving instructor for her gal pal Ethel.

An ill-fitting turtle neck sweater was featured in “Lucy and Clint Walker” (TLS S4;E24). The sweater was also knit as a birthday present.

Fast Forward!

“Here’s the Story...” In 1974 “The Brady Bunch” also tackled a teenager getting a driver license when Marcia Brady took the test with Herb Vigran as her instructor. Vigran had appeared several times on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show”. Wisely, Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) was not in the back seat as Lucy was with Craig. Coincidentally, the following year Marcia’s secret crush was Desi Arnaz Jr., who appeared on the show in 1970 as himself. Eve Plumb, who played Marcia’s sister Jan, played Craig Carter’s cousin Patricia Carter, on a 1972 episode of “Here’s Lucy.” “The Brady Bunch” and “Here’s Lucy” both finished their runs in 1974 and were both filmed at Paramount!

Deja View! Like many rear projection shots on TV, the car goes by the same landmarks a couple of times. It was also noticeable in “California, Here We Come!” (ILL S4;E14) and will be again in the Las Vegas strip sequence of “Lucy Meets Wayne Newton” (S2;E22).

I’m Not a Lawyer, But... Craig incorrectly advises his mother that she doesn’t have to show her license to the police officer (Ray Kellogg) if she isn’t actually driving a car. Police officers have the right to ask for identification such as driver’s licence even when a vehicle is stationary or parked.

“Lucy Helps Craig Get a Driver’s License” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

This is a good 'Bachelor Mother' episode with Lucy playing the helicopter mother. Unfortunately, it isn't really lough out loud funny. The road test scene seems to hold the possibility for Lucy's trademark physical comedy, but all we get are a few pointed barbs. Perhaps it is because the tone of the episodes this season has varied so wildly – from out-and-out farce to music hall revue – we don't know what to expect from “Here's Lucy.”

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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MOD, MOD LUCY

S1;E1 ~ September 23, 1968

“Here's Lucy” Background

In December 1967 Lucille Ball sold Desilu Studios to Paramount. “The Lucy Show” was in its sixth season and still at the top of the ratings for CBS. Ball was not interested in working for Paramount and “The Lucy Show” now had enough episodes to qualify for syndication, so she decided to form her own production company named Lucille Ball Productions (LBP) and produce a new show for CBS. First, she asked her own children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. if they would be interested in starring alongside her. Gale Gordon would co-star. Eventually, Mary Jane Croft would also join the cast. Ball's husband Gary Morton would act as co-Producer and his actor cousins Sid Gould and Vanda Barra would round out the ensemble players. Jack Donohue, who had directed 107 or the 156 episodes of “The Lucy Show,” would direct season one. With the main cast in place and former “Lucy Show” writers Milt Josefsberg and Joe Singer in charge of scripts, “Here's Lucy” premiered in September 1968 in the same time-slot and evening formerly held by “The Lucy Show” and “I Love Lucy.” For the first season, Paramount would co-produce the show with LBP.

The premise of the show was similar to that of the first seasons of “The Lucy Show.” Ball played widow raising two children on her own – in this case free-spirited teenagers played by Lucie and Desi. Using her own first name as usual, Lucy chose the surname CARter in order to repeat the AR combination of letters so successful in her marriage to Desi ARnaz and the characters Lucy RicARdo, and Lucy CARmichael. One story (possibly apocryphal) says that Carole Lombard's mother was very superstitious and told Lucy these letters would be key to her future success. Lucie and Desi were given freedom to chose their character names and selected Kim and Craig, respectively. The show's scripts would showcase their offscreen talents; Lucie's singing and dancing, and Desi's drumming.

Once again, Gale Gordon, who had appeared on all of Lucille Ball's successful radio and television programs, would play her employer, Harrison Otis Carter, proprietor of the Unique Employment Agency. This business's name was taken from a 1967 episode of “The Lucy Show”. Their motto was “Odd Positions for Odd people.” On “Here’s Lucy” it would be “Unusual Jobs for Unusual People” and was sewn on a sampler that hung in their office. Just as in the final seasons of “The Lucy Show,” Lucy and Harry would share an office. Here, Harry would also be related to the Lucy character, as the brother of her deceased (but never mentioned) husband, Kim and Craig's father. Just like the latter seasons of “The Lucy Show,” the show would be set in Los Angeles.

“Here's Lucy” debuted on September 23, 1968 at 8:30 Eastern time on CBS. Its lead-in was the massively popular “Gunsmoke,” entering its 14th season. “Here's Lucy” was followed by the first season of “Mayberry R.F.D.,” a reformatted version of “The Andy Griffith Show,” just as “Here's Lucy” was a reformatted version of “The Lucy Show.”

“Here's Lucy” was aired opposite the second half hour of season two of “Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In” on NBC. Both Dan Rowan and Dick Martin were frequently seen on “The Lucy Show.” On ABC “Here's Lucy” was up against the third (and final) season of “Felony Squad,” a half-hour crime drama starring Howard Duff. Duff and his wife played themselves on a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”

The “Here's Lucy” opening credit sequence featured a puppet created by Oscar-nominated Jim Danforth. The figure hearkens back to the original stick-figure drawings that opened “I Love Lucy” and the first seasons of “The Lucy Show.” During the opening sequence, the Lucy puppet blows a kiss toward the name Gary Morton, Ball's husband. The theme song was composed by Wilbur Hatch, who had been involved with Lucy and Desi since “I Love Lucy.”

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

When Kim and Craig get a job performing at a birthday party for one of Uncle Harry’s clients, Kim gets laryngitis and Lucy must take her daughter’s place.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter) 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, which was not a success and was canceled after just 13 episodes.

Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter) is the real-life daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She was born in 1951 just before the premiere of “I Love Lucy.” Lucille Ball was actually pregnant during the filming of the show’s pilot. Despite rumors to the contrary, Lucie Arnaz never appeared on “I Love Lucy.” Lucie played Cynthia (as well as other characters) on “The Lucy Show.” She has been twice married, to actor Phil Vandervort (1971) and actor-writer Laurence Luckinbill (1980–present). She has three children with Luckinbill: Simon, Joseph, and Katharine. She now lives in Palm Springs, California, near the home once owned by her parents.

Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Cartrer) is the real-life son of Lucille Ball. His 1953 birth was worked into the plot of “I Love Lucy” although Desi Jr. never played the role of Little Ricky Ricardo. He did, however, appear on the final half-hour episode of the series “The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue” (ILL S6;E27) in a crowd scene. He was occasionally seen as Billy Simmons and other minor characters on “The Lucy Show.” At the time of filming “Here's Lucy” he was part of the band Dino Desi and Billy along with Dean Martin Jr. and Billy Hinsche. Arnaz was married to actress Linda Purl from 1980 until 1981. In 1987, Arnaz married Amy Laura Bargiel. They lived in Boulder City, Nevada, with their daughter, and own the Boulder Theatre, a cinema converted into a theatre and home to the Boulder City Ballet Company. Amy died in 2005 after a long battle with cancer. Desi Arnaz has a daughter, Julia.

Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter) was said to be the highest paid radio artist of the 1930’s and was in such demand that he often did two or more radio shows a day. His professional collaboration with Lucille Ball started in 1938 as the announcer of Jack Haley’s “The Wonder Show” (Wonder Bread was their sponsor). He played Mr. Atterbury on Lucy’s “My Favorite Husband” and was a front-runner for the part of Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.” When scheduling prevented his participation, he appeared as Mr. Littlefield, the Tropicana’s owner in two episodes of the show. In addition to Mr. Littlefield, he played a Judge in “Lucy Makes Room for Danny,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.” “The Lucy Show” solidified his partnership with Lucille Ball for the rest of their careers. He went on to play Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy,” Omar Whittaker in “Lucy Calls The President,” and Curtis McGibbon in “Life with Lucy.” He died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Guest Cast

Doris Singleton (Doris Singleton) 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.” This is the first of her four appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Unusually, the actor gets to use both her first and last names as her character's names. Her birth name, however, was Dorthea.

Lew Parker (Mr. Caldwell, below right) is probably best remembered as the restaurateur father of Ann Marie, Marlo Thomas’ character on TV’s “That Girl” (1966-71). He made five appearances on “The Lucy Show.” This is the first of his two appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Nancy Roth (Laurie Caldwell, above center) had played Lucille Ball's stepdaughter in the film Yours, Mine and Ours released earlier in 1968. She made only three more television appearances before leaving the business.

The character's first name is not spoken in the dialogue.

Nancy Howard (Mrs. Caldwell, above left) along with Nancy Roth, also appeared with Lucille Ball in Yours, Mine and Ours (1968). This is the first of her four appearances on “Here's Lucy.”

Monty O'Grady (Party Guest, uncredited) 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 more than a dozen appearances on “The Lucy Show” and a half dozen more on “Here’s Lucy.”

Don Crichton (Featured Dancer, uncredited) makes the first of his three appearances on “Here's Lucy.” He was an Emmy nominated choreographer who worked on “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Love Boat,” among others.

Joan Carey (Party Guest, uncredited) had appeared as background characters in “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show” where she was also a camera and lighting stand-in. With this episode, she is one of the only people (not including the principal actors) to appear in all three of Ball’s television programs.

Carole Cook (Lucille Ball's Singing Voice in “All Alone”, uncredited) played Thelma Green on “The Lucy Show” as well as many other characters. She was a protege of Lucille Ball’s during the Desilu Playhouse years. Although born as Mildred Cook, Ball suggested she take the name Carole, in honor of Lucy’s great friend, Carole Lombard. Cook appeared on camera in five episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Uncredited background performers play the party guests and the musicians.

This is the first and only appearance of Doris Singleton as Harry's competent and efficient secretary. Originally intended to be a series regular, the character was dropped to show more of Lucy's family life with her kids rather than her job.

When Harry balks about hiring family, Lucy says “Suppose the Smothers Brothers didn't hire relatives. We'd only have one Smother!” A month before “Here's Lucy” premiered, CBS presented a four episode series titled “The Summer Smothers Brothers Hour.” Season 3 of their popular variety show premiered a week later. Lucille Ball was obviously in favor of nepotism. “Here's Lucy” employed her children, her husband, her cousins-in-law, and (in season two) her cousin Cleo.

It is established that Lucy has been working for Harry for two years.

The Carters' doctor is named Schwartz.

Harry wants to book “that English band” but cannot remember their name. “The Grasshoppers? The Caterpillars? The Centipedes? The Beatles!” Just a few weeks after this episode aired saw the release of the Beatles' film Yellow Submarine. The Beatles were previously mentioned on “The Lucy Show.”

Harry refers to Lucy as “the Lucrezia Borgia of the typists.” Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519) was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and was rumored to have taken part in murders by poison. Harry is likely inferring that her typing is deadly (very bad).

Harry tells Mr. Caldwell that their company motto is “The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer.” The slogan may have originated with the US Army.

When Lucy hears Kim has gone surfing the afternoon before her singing gig she is worried. “Does Mahalia Jackson go surfing before she sings?” Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) was a black gospel singer dubbed 'The Queen of Gospel' and who was one of the most popular singers in the world. Jackson played an integral role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

When Lucy comes up with the idea to take Kim's place at the party, she says to Craig “Sonny - meet Cher.” In 1967 the husband and wife singing duo had released the album “In Case You're In Love” which featured top 100 hits “The Beat Goes On” and “Little Man.” Cher's mother, fashion model Georgia Holt, had appeared on both “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.” Cher and Lucy would appear on an Emmy-nominated special together in 1979 (above).

The script has Lucie Arnaz play charades to relate how she got laryngitis. Pantomime was one of Lucille Ball's favorite skills, so naturally she wanted to encourage her daughter's mime skills. Lucie receives a round of applause from the studio audience at the conclusion of the charades.

As the party scene opens, the band (featuring Craig on drums) is playing “Goin' Out Of My Head,” a song written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, initially recorded by Little Anthony and The Imperials in 1964. The lyrics are not heard here. “I Know A Place” by Tony Hatch was recorded in 1965 by Petula Clark. It is here performed as a dance number without lyrics.

“All Alone” by Irving Berlin interpolated into the Broadway show The Music Box Revue of 1924. It is here performed by Lucille Ball (conspicuously dubbed by Carole Cook). Because Lucille Ball had used her own voice in songs during “The Lucy Show,” the dubbing sounds nothing like her own voice.

Choreography was by Jack Baker's history with Lucille Ball dates back to choreographing “Nobody Loves the Ump” in 1956, a song featured on “Lucy and Bob Hope” (ILL S6;E1). He also staged dance numbers on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” and “The Lucy Show.” This is the first of 16 choreographic credits on “Here's Lucy.” He also directed three episodes of the series. Baker was assisted by Anita Mann, who would also appear on camera in two episodes. She went on to choreograph the “Solid Gold” dancers.

Desi Arnaz Jr. later said that he was very proud of his first on-camera drum solo in front of his mother.

The first time Lucille Ball went mod was in the location-filmed special “Lucy in London” (1966).

In “Viv Visits Lucy” (TLS S5;E15) Lucy and Viv don mod outfits to fit in with the crowd on Sunset Strip.

Harry hiding a pie in the globe when he's supposed to be dieting is reminiscent of when Lucy Ricardo went on a hunger strike in “Lucy Gets a Paris Gown” (ILL S5;E20) yet had food hidden all around her hotel room.

Lucy pronounces 'bar mitzvahs' as 'bar mitzvers', perhaps for comic effect. Lucille Ball was married to Gary Morton, a man of Jewish heritage, so would have known the proper pronunciation, but Lucy Carter may not!

“Mod, Mod Lucy” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

While this episode nicely lays out the themes of the series (the generation gap) and allows Lucie and Desi Jr. a showcase, it is a bit disturbing for Lucy’s voice to be dubbed and her playing younger without it being the butt of the joke is a bit uncomfortable to watch.

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY AND EVA GABOR

S1;E7 ~ November 11, 1968

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

The author of a controversial novel (Eva Gabor) is in town and needs a quiet place to work so Harry volunteers Lucy's home. Naturally, it is anything but peaceful and far from quiet.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Eva Gabor (Eva Von Graunitz) was born in Hungary in 1919. She came to America with her sisters, Magda and Zsa Zsa. She began her screen career in 1941. She also appeared on Broadway five times between 1950 and 1983. Her signature role was glamorous socialite turned farm wife Lisa Douglas on “Green Acres” (1965-71), also aired on CBS. Gabor was married five times. She was also a successful businesswoman, marketing wigs, clothing and beauty products. Gabor returned to “Here's Lucy” to play herself in 1972. She died in 1995.

Eva Gabor also used Graunitz as her maiden name on “Green Acres” which ran concurrently with “Here's Lucy.”

Robert Carson (Martin Phillips) was a busy Canadian-born character actor who appeared on six episodes of “The Lucy Show.” This is the first of his five appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

Peggy Rea (Maude, above center) was seen on four episodes of “I Love Lucy,” mostly as one of the members of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League, but also as the Nurse that wheeled enceinte Lucy into the hospital. Rea was a regular on “The Waltons” and “Grace Under Fire,” her last series before her death in 2011. This is her only appearance on “Here's Lucy.”

Maude is in Lucy's bridge club.

Kay Elliot (Nelly, second from right) was the fifth of six actors to play Aunt Hagatha on “Bewitched.” This is her only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Nelly is in Lucy's bridge club.

Gail Bonney (Dolores, above right) appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1950 films A Woman of Distinction and The Fuller Brush Girl. She played Mrs. Hudson, mother of unruly twins, on “The Amateur Hour” (ILL S1;E14) as well as in "Lucy and the Ceramic Cat" (TLS S3;E16). She had also appeared with Eva Gabor on a 1965 episode of “Green Acres.” This is her only appearance on “Here's Lucy.”

Dolores is in Lucy's bridge club. She is the president of the PTA.

Mickey Martin (Photographer) appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1934 film Kid Millions starring Eddie Cantor. He did one more episode of “Here's Lucy” in 1970, which was his final screen credit.

Sid Gould (Expressman) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. This is the third of his 40 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.

Earl Parker (Newspaper Reporter) was seen mostly in TV westerns. He was a stunt double for Vic Morrow. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

There was no new “Here's Lucy” episode on Monday, November 6, 1968 because it was the eve of a US Presidential election. Instead, CBS sold the time slot to the George Wallace campaign, while Richard Nixon bought time on another network. Regular programming resumed later in the evening and Lucille Ball made a guest appearance (her second) on “The Carol Burnett Show.” So Lucy was still on Monday night!

This episode of “Here's Lucy” was aired on Veterans Day 1968.

Peggy Rea (Maude) introduced this episode on the “Here's Lucy” DVD collection. Rea passed away shortly afterwards.

Two days after this “Here's Lucy” episode originally aired, “Green Acres” broadcast the seventh episode of their fourth season, “A Husband for Eleanor” (their cow).

Eva Von Graunitz is the author of Valley of the Puppets, a title that parodies the 1966 Jacqueline Susann novel Valley of the Dolls, which was filmed in 1967. In the film, Peggy Rea (Maude) played Neely's (Patty Duke) vocal coach. Harry says that Valley of the Puppets was banned in Boston. Lucy adds that it was even barred in Tijuana!

"Lucille Ball is first in line to portray the big time star in ‘Valley of the Dolls,' which Fox script writers are busily turning into a musical. It will be really ironic if Lucy does play this part. The character in the book is often hinted to be Ethel Merman, presented in a not-too-favorable light, and Lucy and Ethel are close friends!" - Arizona Republic, January 3, 1967

The role of Helen Lawson was cast with Judy Garland, but she was quickly replaced by Susan Hayward.

Harry says he hasn't read anything like it since Captain Billy's Whiz Bang. Captain Billy's Whiz Bang was one of the most popular and notorious humor magazines of the 1920s. It was created by Wilford Hamilton Fawcett, who had been a captain in the US Army during World War I and gained the nickname Captain Billy. The books were immortalized in the lyrics of the song "Trouble" in Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man which was filmed in 1962. The reference, however, is anachronistic as the musical is set in 1912 and the first issue did not hit the newsstands until 1919, seven years later! The humor magazine was eventually sold to CBS Publications, a division of CBS, the network that distributed “Here's Lucy” and Lucille Ball's other sitcoms.

Harry compares his wise-cracking nephew Craig to Milton Berle. Berle guest starred on episodes of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” and “The Lucy Show.” Desi Arnaz Jr. would co-stars with Berle on “Lucy and the Used Car Dealer” (S2;E9) above.

Craig is dating the most popular girl in the class, Lori Wilson. Despite this he seems smitten with Eva Von Graunitz. Eva Gabor was 48 years old at the time and Desi Arnaz Jr. was 15. In her thick Hungarian accent Eva calls Lucy 'Loosel'! The screenplay Eva is writing concerns a love affair between William and Veronica (or, as Eva says, Villiam and Weronica).

Dolores asks Eva for her autograph – on a copy of The Caine Mutiny, the 1951 Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Herman Wouk. It was turned into a stage play in 1953 and also a film in 1954. The play is mentioned in “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3).

Lucy gets a phone call from Millie, who is in her bowling league.

When a reporter pretends to be Eva's brother, she tells Lucy she has no brothers! Lucy asks about sisters. Eva rolls her eyes and says “Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy! Do I have sisters!” This is an inside reference to Gabor's famous siblings Zsa-Zsa and Magda.

Where there's water, Gale Gordon is sure to end up wet. Here he is on the receiving end of a flowing garden hose. This running gag began on “The Lucy Show.”

When Eva's agent Martin Phillips is at the door, Lucy says “I don't care if you're Tiny Tim!” This is the third reference to “Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In” where singer and ukulele player Tiny Tim was a regular performer. The variety comedy show aired opposite “Here's Lucy” on NBC.

The name of Eva's next book, Life with Lucille (or, as Eva says, 'Loosel'), is eerily close to the title of Lucille Ball's final television series Life with Lucy (1987).

The episode ends with role reversal, Lucy dictating to Eva, invoking the names of Cary Grant and John Vane (Wayne). John Wayne had guest starred as himself on both “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.” While Cary Grant never appeared with Lucille Ball, his name was mentioned three times on “I Love Lucy.”

Booby-trapping the front door with buckets designed to tip over was first done in “The Ballet” (ILL S1;E19) where Lucy Ricardo ended up drenched in water.

Sitcom logic alert! Mr. Phillips is looking for a 'normal family' where successful writer Eva Von Graunitz can live while she writes a screenplay. He is paying $500 a week. For that price he not might rent her a private home, apartment, or hotel room. If she desired privacy, why would she want a family environment?

Allergy Attack! Eva Gabor gives a little ladylike sneeze while hosing down the shrubbery.

Consistency! Eva says that Lucy (Loosel) will be the subject of her next book, yet as the episode fades to black Lucy is dictating a screenplay, not a book.

“Lucy and Eva Gabor” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

Eva Gabor and Lucy are a lot of fun together. So much so that they re-paired in season 5, although by then Eva just played Eva, which is not so far from the Eva she’s playing here! Darling I love you, but give me Park Avenue!

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