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STONE PILLOW

November 5, 1985

Directed by George Schaefer ~ Written by Rose Leiman Goldemberg

Synopsis

When recent college graduate Carrie Lang (Daphne Zuniga) begins working for a New York City homeless shelter, she is told to ‘hit the streets’ to learn how to better do her job. There she meets Florabelle (Lucille Ball), an eccentric loner who sleeps on the streets and keeps her worldly possessions in a shopping cart. When Carrie is robbed, Florabelle helps her survive among the homeless – until she finds out that Carrie is part of the system, not a victim.

Cast

Lucille Ball (Florabelle) 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.

Daphne Zuniga (Carrie Lang) made her screen acting debut in 1982. Prior to “Stone Pillow” she did two episodes of “Family Ties.” She also had recurring roles on “American Dreams” (2004), “Beautiful People” (2005), and “One Tree Hill” (2008). Prior to “Stone Pillow” Zuniga was well reviewed in The Sure Thing, released in March 1985.

Carrie is the new hire at the Delano Shelter.

William Converse-Roberts (Max) made his small screen debut in 1979. He had recurring roles on “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd” (1987), “Reasonable Doubts” (1991), and “Any Day Now” (1998).

Max is a CPA helping the homeless, who call him “Census Taker.”

Susan Batson (Ruby) is an actor, writer, director, producer, and teacher. She made her screen debut in 1969. She was in the cast of the stage and Emmy-nominated television adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun in 2008.

Stephen Lang (Tim) played Happy, one of Dustin Hoffman's sons, in the 1984 Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman, followed by the acclaimed TV adaptation of the play the same year as “Stone Pillow.” He plays Miles Quarich in Avatar (2009) and may repeat the role in sequels through 2025.

Tim is the manager of the Delano Shelter.

Anna Maria Horsford (Collins) is probably best remembered as Thelma on the sitcom “Amen” (1986-91). She was nominated for two daytime Emmy Awards for her work on “The Bold and the Beautiful” (2016 & 2017).

Collins is the security guard at the Delano Shelter.

Stefan Schnabel (Mr. Berman) began acting in films in 1949. He is most familiar to television audiences for his 17-year stint as Dr. Stephen Jackson on the long-running soap opera “The Guiding Light.” After more than 20 years on Broadway, he appeared in his final play along side Marlo Thomas and Olympia Dukakis in Social Security. He died in 1999 at age 87.

Mr. Berman is a pharmacist.

Imogene Bliss (Violet) started on TV in 1971 on the soap “The Doctors.” Eleven years after “Stone Pillow,” she appeared in her final TV movie “The Christmas Tree” (1996).

Michael Champagne (Supermarket Manager) makes his screen debut with “Stone Pillow.” He has only one more screen credit, as a day player on “As The World Turns” in 1989.

Gloria Cromwell (Grace, Bus Terminal Matron) played Nurse Cromwell on “The Doctors” from 1970 to 1975, which was her screen debut. She died in 2008 at age 81.

Patrick Kilpatrick (Young Thug) made his second TV appearance with “Stone Pillow” but has since accrued more than 150 screen credits, with 15 films in the pipeline through 2018.

John Ramsey (Older Thug) was seen as a judge on a dozen episodes of “Law & Order” from 1991 to 2001.

Matthew Locriccio (Tony) started screen acting in 1977 and was also in two episodes of “Law & Order” in 1990 and 1997.

Victor Raider-Wexler (Joe) made his screen debut in the feature film Benji (1974). “Stone Pillow” is his second TV film and only third screen credit. His later film and television work was as a voice artist.

Lucy calls Joe “Giuseppe.” Joe and Tony drive a produce truck.

Pat McNamara (Officer Daggett) was a background player on ABC's Gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” in 1966. He played Sheriff Perkins in Silence of the Lambs (1991).

Josephine Nichols (Bag Lady in Ladies Room) starting acting on TV in 1954. She played housemother Mrs. Plumm on PBS's “Uncommon Women and Others” opposite Meryl Streep in 1979. From 1980 to 1981 she played Kate Marshall on the NBC soap “Texas.” “Stone Pillow” is her final screen appearance. She died eleven years later at age 82.

Patricia O'Connell (Hargrove Shelter Guard) did her first TV movie in 1973. Her final screen credit was in 2001. She died in 2016.

Gary Singer (Hargrove Shelter Guard) is making his only screen appearance.

Rebecca Schull (Mrs. Nelson) began acting on television in 1980 and is probably best known for playing Fay on “Wings” (1990-97).

Mrs. Nelson is in charge of the Hargrove Shelter in Brooklyn.

Peter Phillips (Bus Driver) is making the second of his four TV appearances.

Mary Lou Rosato (Bus Terminal Cop) is an acclaimed stage actor who worked with John Houseman off-Broadway and did more than a dozen Broadway plays and musicals between 1973 and 1997.

Edward Seamon (Al) is known for The Devil's Advocate (1997), Consenting Adults (1992), and School Ties (1992).

Al operates Twigs, a corner bodega.

Raymond Serra (Stan) did his first film The Gambler in 1974. He played Chief Sterns in the Teenage Ninja Turtles movies (1990 & 1991).

Stan runs the bookstore across the street from Twigs.

Alex Paez (Young Thug, uncredited) received an Emmy Award for his performances in "Unicorn Tales" (1979), a series of mini musicals for NBC. In 1985, in addition to “Stone Pillow,” he also appeared on “Miami Vice” and “The Cosby Show.”

William Preston (Homeless Man in Street, uncredited) started an acting at age 47. He had extensive stage experience, performing in over 60 Shakespeare productions. He appeared on Broadway in three plays between 1986 and 1998. He was a regular on “The Conan O'Brien Show” as Carl 'Oldy' Olson. He died at age 76.

Stewart B. Stewart (Dapper Man on Bench, uncredited)

Brandon Danziger (Sonny, uncredited) is making his screen debut.

Sonny is Florabelle's son, seen in a memory flashback.

A young homeless woman named Mary Kellen, and many other homeless men and women in the shelters and on the streets, are played by uncredited background performers.

Director George Schaefer won seven Emmy Awards and a 1954 Tony Award. He died in 1997 at age 76. This is his only time working with Lucille Ball.

Screenwriter Rose Leiman Goldemberg had written the Emmy-nominated “The Burning Bed” the year before “Stone PIllow,” another star-led teleplay about a headline topic, spouse abuse.

The score for “Stone Pillow” was composed by Georges Delerue, who scored more than 350 films and TV shows. He was nominated for five Oscars, winning in 1979 for A Little Romance. He died in 1992.

Despite being set in February, the film was actually filmed on location in New York City during a unusually hot spring. Filming was supposed to begin in March, but was postponed until late April due to screenwriter Rose Leiman Goldemberg's daughter being tragically killed in a car accident.

Lucille Ball had to wear several layers of heavy clothes and a voluminous wig. After shooting one day, Ball passed out from dehydration. She also broke a tendon in her right hand manipulating the unwieldy shopping cart. As a result, she was hospitalized for a week. Her doctors also informed her that she was allergic to cigarettes, which she had been smoking for more than 50 years.

Port Authority Bag Lady: “I hope ya got a cigarette.” Florabelle: “No Siree, Bob. Smokin' gets yer lungs.”

This is the first time Desilu or Lucille Ball Productions (LBP) did not produce a Lucille Ball television project. This is also the first time the entire cast and crew have no prior experience working with Lucille Ball.

Because the film was shot in New York City and directed by Tony-winner George Schaefer, it employs many award-winning stage actors who worked regularly in the theatre: William Converse-Roberts, Mary Lou Rosato (Drama Desk Award), William Preston, Stefan Schnable, Stephen Lang (Tony nominee), Josephine Nichols, Susan Batson (Tony and Drama Desk nominee), Imogene Bliss, John Ramsey, Victor Raider-Wexler, Pat McNamara, Patricia O'Connell (Drama Desk nominee), Peter Phillips, Edward Seamon, and Raymond Serra. These actors also frequently appeared in soap operas and television shows produced in New York, including “Dark Shadows,” “The Doctors” and “The Cosby Show.”

To promote the film, Lucy appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Joan Rivers. She shared that she had lost 23 lbs and that she was refused service at a restaurant while shooting, due to her appearance and the place not recognizing her.

The film received mixed reviews, but ranked as one of the top 10 highest rated telecasts that week, and it led Ball to make one last attempt to return to her comedy roots with “Life with Lucy” the next year. John J. O'Connor, in his review in The New York Times, wrote:

"'Stone Pillow' is a carefully contrived concoction, earnest but not above being cute and nearly outrageous in its determination to jerk a few tears. Accepted on that level, the exercise works reasonably well.... Miss Ball is in total control from the opening scene..."

Lucille Ball was 74 years old at the time of filming. She started making movies in 1933 with Roman Scandals. Although it is a made for television movie, this is Lucille Ball's final film. Her final theatrical release was Mame in 1974.

“Stone Pillow” was aired 34 years to the day that the first filmed (but fourth aired) episode of “I Love Lucy” was broadcast.

After a brief flirtation with NBC in 1980, Lucille Ball is back on CBS. It wouldn't last long. When CBS declined to pick-up “Life With Lucy,” the short-lived sitcom was aired on ABC, meaning Lucille Ball worked on all three major networks during her long and storied career.

In a 2004 interview Oscar-winning “Stone Pillow” cinematographer Walter Lassally said that Lucy refused to call her make-up woman Kathryn Bihr (pronounced 'beer') by her last name for fear of being overheard shouting “BEER!” on the set. Instead, she decided to call her 'Baker'. Lassally wondered why Lucy just didn't call her Katie.

Ball said that homelessness is what affected her most. She mused that the title really should be “Without An Address.” In French-speaking Canada, the film's title is “Sous les étoiles de New York” (“Under the Stars of New York”). In Spain it was called “La cama de asfalto” (“The Asphalt Bed,” which was also the title in Germany), oddly similar to “The Burning Bed,” the screenwriter's previous project.

Tim (to Carrie): “You think there's something so different about the homeless? A few bad breaks, a few checks that don't come, we could all be sleeping on stone pillows.”

About why she wanted to do “Stone Pillow”:

“I hadn't worked in a long time because the scripts I was getting were so disgusting and all anybody really wanted me to do was Lucy all over again. So when CBS told me director George Schaefer wanted to work with me, that and fascinating subject matter was what got me to do it. I don't care how I look on screen, so that was it.''

About her research to play a bag lady:

“I did not talk to any of them...but I don't believe what everybody says...that they are on the streets because they want to be there. Well, that may be true for some of the older, more disturbed ladies who just don't have any more hope left, but I don't believe that's true of all of them.''

Ball did confess to reading Shopping Bag Ladies, a book by Anne Marie Rousseau, published in 1982. Rousseau also acted as the film's technical adviser.

About her grandmother, Florabelle:

“She was a pioneer lady, and I just wanted this bag lady I played to be independent and have her own little survival kit, her own way of doing things without begging. Of course, one reason Florabelle wouldn't take money handouts was because nobody would let her in anyplace to spend it.''

Lucy's grandmother Florabelle Emmaline Hunt, was mentioned in two episodes of “Here's Lucy” - “Lucy Takes Over” (HL S2;E23) in 1970, and “Lucy, The Sheriff” (HL S6;E18) in 1974.

About her legacy:

“I never expected to be around this long, and the length of time I've been around never occurred to me until one day recently I found out that I was outliving my supply of henna. I managed to get some from Egypt...so I guess I'm in good shape.''

Florabelle: “Well, I'm still here.”

In 2009, “Stone Pillow” was mentioned by Marge (voiced by Julie Kavner) on the Fox animated series “The Simpsons.” In the episode, Marge, Homer, and the kids go into debt and must sleep at a homeless shelter.

When Florabelle's cart is stolen by another bag lady, a grocery bag from Publix is clearly visible. There has never been a Publix store in or around New York, so the bag was probably unwittingly sourced from a props shop or other supplier.

On her sitcoms, Lucy's version of 'little old ladies' or 'bag ladies' was always presented as a romanticized and somewhat cartoonish version of aging and poverty. For “Stone Pillow,” Lucille Ball had a hand in Florabelle's make-up and costume design.

Outside the bodega, Joe gives Florabelle a raw egg, which Lucille Ball cracks open and eats in one take. Ball consciously allows Florabelle to enjoy the egg, rather than doing one of her trademark faces of revulsion, as Lucy Ricardo did when first tasting Vitameatavegamin.

Florabelle says she lived on a farm with her husband and son ('Sonny') and grew vegetables. She remembers her home had curtains and wicker furniture. She tells Carrie that she got ill, and when she was released from the hospital her husband and son were gone. She says that she worked in a War Plant, which implies that this may have happened sometime during World War II. She went on Welfare and was evicted from her rooming house, landing on the streets.

Florabelle and Carrie take shelter in the bowels of Grand Central Terminal. “Lucy Wants a Career,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” used establishing footage (above) of the Grand Hall of Grand Central, although the episode was shot in Hollywood.

Mr. Berman: (about his drug store) “The landlord raised the rent and I lost my lease.” Florabelle: “Where will you go?” Mr. Berman: “Where everybody goes to die – Florida.” Florabelle: “It's nice and warm there, anyways.” Mr. Berman: “Feh! I hate it. Nobody's under a hundred. I call it 'the last resort.'”

When Florabelle is mistakenly herded onto a bus to the Brooklyn shelter, an overweight woman accidentally sits on her. A similar thing happened in “The Tour” (ILL S4;E30) in 1955, when Lucy Ricardo was switching seats on a bus tour of the movie stars' homes.

In the TV room of the Hargrove shelter, the women are watching Joan Collins as Alexis in “Dynasty.” The nighttime soap was broadcast on ABC from 1981 to 1989. In “Lucy Makes a Hit With John Ritter” (LWL S1;E2), Joan Collins is mentioned as a possible replacement for an actress (Sally Kemp) doing a play with Ritter. Coincidentally, Kemp was also a “Dynasty” cast member. She played Marcia, Blake Carrington’s secretary for several years. The Carrington's housekeeper, Jeanette, was played by Virginia Hawkins, who had a small role in a 1969 episode of “Here's Lucy.”

Over the final credits, Carrie drives Florabelle to a run-down little cottage with a garden. Flora digs her hands into the soil with smile on her face.

This Date in Lucy History – November 5

“Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her” (ILL S1;E4) – November 5, 1951

“Lucy Becomes an Astronaut" (TLS S1;E6) – November 5, 1962

“Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty" (HL S6;E9) – November 5, 1973

Put in context of the movie of the week about topical subjects, this movie is a lot better than its reputation. Lucille Ball’s vast experience and dedication to downplaying her “Lucy” character is what makes this movie work. Experienced director Schaefer surrounds Ball with experienced stage thespians, with one exception - Daphne Zuniga. Zuniga was Hollywood’s flavor-of-the-week in 1985, but when Ball is momentarily absent from the screen and it focuses on Zuniga, the film feels amateurish. Overall, the film feels a bit oppressive and often aimless, especially in the latter third. But Lucille Ball is wonderful, heartwarming, and a revelation for those who only know her as “Lucy.”

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