What is the best episode of I Love Lucy?

Ricky’s Movie Offer — Vance has one of the great unscripted sight gags of the series. Catches Ball completely off-guard. I have a video capture but it might be compressed badly.

Lucy always claimed that nose stuff wasn't in the script, but that was bullshit has been debunked by numerous production staff from the show.

Vitameatavegamin.

The candy factory.

Agreed, R2. She was infamous for rehearsing absolutely every detail TO DEATH.

My fave episode is the Brown Derby one. I don't know if it's the best one.

When she tells Ricky she's pregnant.

I love the Christmas special.

R2- Who cares it was FUNNY.

I have ton of them, but I can't get the one out of my mind where they go to court and Ethel lifts her skirt to entice the judge, after seeing Lucy do it, and Fred lowers it.

[R1]: It's my favorite too, and we get to see Eve Arden.

The one I laughed the hardest at when I first saw it was "Lucy Does a Commercial," the popular favorite.

Lucy and the Loving Cup

When Lucy goes to the club to tell Ricky she’s pregnant.

"Ethel's Birthday," the one with the hostess pants, the toaster, and "Over the Teacups."

Also the one where they try to attend "The Most Happy Fella" on Broadway and hilarity ensues.

"Cuban Pals", where Lucy is chased all over the Tropicana by a "VooDoo Man".

I like “Lucy Meets Orson Welles.”

I love the episode where Lucy learns to drive. Its something we can all relate to but, as with the best of their episodes, it goes from a realistic idea and goes to absolutely looney heights, with the traffic jam in Holland Tunnel and the two cars stuck together.

Oh--and the Baby Cheese episode. That one should be better remembered. Genius.

Martha! Slowly I turned, step by step!

Not my favorite episode, but nothing was funnier to me than seeing Bill Frawley in drag in "Ricky Asks for a Raise."

I enjoy when they get Lucy ready to go to the hospital to deliver the baby. They calmly rehearse what each person is going to do, then when the time comes, they all panic and mess everything up. I’ve probably seen this episode at least 25 times and it still makes me laugh. And what was so great about the episode is that it allowed Ricky, Ethel and Fred to carry the slapstick without Lucy.

Two highlights:

The suitcase breaks open spilling its contents. When Ricky repacks it, he throws in the telephone. As he’s running out the door, the phone cord trips him and he does a well executed pratfall.

They all run out the door leaving Lucy behind. She says, “Hey, wait for me.” Ricky runs back in trapping Lucy behind the door.

Watching old episodes, I've noticed the only time Bill Frawley looks like he actually enjoys doing the show is when he's given a song and dance number. He was a Vaudevillian at heart.

There are better examples, but this is the only one I could find on YouTube:

[quote]but this is the only one I could find on YouTube:

He's probably happy in this number because he introduced the song in a Broadway show in 1922. He's probably glad that they let him perform one of his hits on nationwide tv.

Also, his character was supposed to be a tightwad curmudgeon, so being odious was part of the character. There are one or two scenes when he is playing with Little Ricky where he relaxes and seems to be jolly.

Actually, I love Fred in the only real scene between he and Lucy on the Staten Island Ferry.

"Where is your pass-a-port?"

Trying to think of some of my favorite episodes ...

Home Movies

The Star Upstairs

Ethel's Birthday

Lucy Writes a Novel

The one where Lucy tries to get into show business. You know that one.

Not sure if the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour episodes are included, but 'The Celebrity Next Door' with Tallulah Bankhead is brilliant from start to finish, even with the prop malfunction that reveals the Ricardo's kitchen door has no pane of glass

r29 I completely forgot about that episode.

The dinner scene is one of my favorite in the series. So many great lines ...

Lucy: Ethel Mae, will you please stop boring Ms. Backhead!

Tallulah: When Ms. Bankhead is bored Ms. Bankhead will let you know.

...

Lucy: You'll have to excuse Ricky, he's from Cuba.

Tallulah: Yes, I had a feeling he wasn't from Alabama.

...

Lucy: That'll be all, Ethel Mae.

Ethel: You bet your sweet life that'll be all!

...

Lucy: Ethel Mae was my nanny

Ricky: She was a goat?

[quote]He's probably happy in this number because he introduced the song in a Broadway show in 1922.

Thanks r24! I didn't know that

Here is the clip from Home Movies -- one of my favorites of the series

Phipps Department Store.

Hep

I love the episode where Lucy lies, Ricky sticks his dick into some random waitress, and Ethel plots to kill Fred's old, wrinkly ass.

I also love when Lucy and Ethel buy a dress shop. Ethel wants it renamed, "Ethel-Lu's" while Lucy wants the name to be, "Lucy-Eth's". And both episodes involving the apartment roof are favorites, particularly the one where Ethel and Lucy get locked up on the roof, Lucy lays a board between the roof and the roof of the adjacent building, and makes it look like it would be so easy to just walk across a plank of wood, eight storeys up. And she tells Ethel, "Well, one of us should go and tell someone I'm up here."

The flight back from Europe with Lucy smuggling a slab of cheese disguised as her child always makes me laugh.

Stomping of the grapes.

The one where Ethel defends Lucy against an annoyed Mrs. Trumbull. Ethel goes on to tell the story a few times, all proud of herself. She goes to tell it again to the bridge club, and Lucy interrupts "This story's had more performances than South Pacific!"

Ethel's upset. She tells Lucy off and ends with something like "And I'm taking MY cards, my napkins, and MY sandwiches!" At which point there's a bridge lady about to bite into a sandwich and Ethel ruthlessly snatches it out of her hand.

As funny as anything ever on the show.

Vivian Vance was the not so secret key to the show’s success. She was brilliant. 30 minutes of just Lucy wouldn’t have worked as well without Ethel to balance her.

The one where Lucy tries to convince Ethel to model adult cloth diapers

I just enjoyed the one where Lucy and Ethel drive to Florida with Elsa Lanchester, who they think is a hatchet murderess. I love the part in the coffee shop where Lucy and Ethel are frantically signaling distress, and the laconic southern storekeeper goes, “Y’all must be from up nawth.” My partner walked past and observed, oh that’s the actor from Cool Hand Luke who said, “what we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” Guy certainly knew how to deliver a line.

The Freezer episode always makes me howl with laughter.

The Ballet is another great one. That's the one with "slowly, I turn", right?

I can't remember the name, but there's one where the whole gang is traveling by car and they stop off at this quaint cafe for food and spend the night in a little shack out back where the train comes through and the whole shack vibrates. That's a funny one.

All my favorite episodes have been mentioned, except for these two:

Lucy plays Superman wearing a makeshift "costume" at Little Ricky's birthday and unbeknownst to her Ricky gets George Reeves to show up in his Superman costume.

Lucy and Ricky sell Fred and Ethel their old washing machine, they end up fighting over it and pushing it off the balcony.

There are a few episodes I hate, including the ones with John Wayne, Orson Welles, and Bob Hope.

R34- In that clip Lucy looks like a DRAG QUEEN and Diana Ross looks like a TRANNY.

Lucy’s Paris gown!

I despise the Tennessee Ernie Ford episodes

The one where Lucy and Ricky sublease their apartment to the murder trial witness.

The Don Loper/Hollywood Wives episode, but only the uncut version showing all the ladies modeling the latest creations. I'm surprised Mrs. Forrest Tucker was able to walk down the runway.

Desi's 50-Load Weekend

"Ethel's Hometown" (Ethel Mae Potter, we never forgot her!) where Ethel sings "Short'nin Bread while the others do classic vaudeville dumb-show antics behind her never fails to crack me up!

R51. I like that one also. I guess my favorite is The Fashion Show. I also like Cuban Pete.

We hate the Tennessee Ernie Ford ones too.

What's the one where Lucy and Ethel eavesdrop - Oh for heaven's sake Albert eat your lunch!

The Tallulah episode was written for Bette Davis but she had to cancel at the last minute due to illness. Tallulah showed up drunk and uncooperative at rehearsals. Lucy and Desi expected the worst during filming but Tallulah brought the house down, especially in her scenes with Vance. Vance was stage trained and knew how to just go with what was happening, which Lucy could never do. My favorite episode ever, if you consider the hour long episodes part of the canon.

The crossover Ozzie and Harriett episode where Lucy and Ricky swap wives.

It never fails to make me laugh, r51...

R55 Watching that episode as a kid, I was honestly frightened of Tallulah. She was ghoulish to me.

R55 Could you elaborate a bit more on what Lucy could never do? I don’t get it but I’m curious.

Yes, it was interesting to have read in one of the show's more detailed by-episode biographers that while the flaming fake nose in that Hollywood-based episode was in the (typically very well planned-out) script, apparently it was Lucille's idea to bend forward and dunk it into the coffee to extinguish it. That's a fun one, too. lol

I loved that Tallulah episode, especially the brilliant first half-hour or so. Besides it being the second of the 1957-1960 hourlong Ricardos/Mertzes episodes, to me it's the only one that actually feels like it could've been an episode of the regular show's half-hour run, but maybe a two-parter.

Lucy: "You'll have to excuse him, Miss Bankhead, he's [Ricky] from Cuba..."

Tallulah: "...Oh, yes, I had a feeling he wasn't from Alabama!!"

R39, what a great choice. Watching Ethel repeat her story of coming to the Ricardo's defense over and over again was hilarious. And it had an unusually sweet ending to it (Mrs. Trumball holding the baby).

I'm not a big fan of the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hours, but I must admit I loved the one where the Ricardos rent out the house to the the Williams family (the roles played by Danny Thomas and company on "Make Room For Daddy"). As usual , Marjorie Lord's Kathy Williams is trying to make peace between the warring families, when Lucy screams "Don't you EVER get mad?" and hits her with a snowball.

This episode was on today...

Ball couldn't ad lib or just run with a scene. She had to have everything rehearsed to a T or she got totally thrown, That's why the Tallulah episode spooked her.

A vote for "Charm School." Natalie Schaeffer suggests Lucy change her face powder to correct Lucy's "weird, unnatural look."

Lucy: I'm not wearing powder.

"Lucy Wants new Furniture"

(Lucy walks out of her bedroom with her hair in a gigantic afro, after leaving her permanent in for several hours by mistake. Fred, Ethel, and DXesi look on in shock, until fred breaks the ice:)

FRED: "Well, if it's isn't Little Orphan Annie!"

LUCY: (trying to be brave, but about to burst into tears at any second) "That's all right... I always wanted to look like a chrysanthemum.... **WAAAAH!!**..."

The one in I think Paris, where Lucy and Ethel haughtily parade around in burlap sacks and barrels or some such, thinking it's designer fashion.

Where Viv sings I am Lily of the Valley.

"THe squire is in his inn/ And his inn is on the Oudt.

Mrs. Trundle's Suicide.

God, the Indian Show episode is so good

Vance had a fine, professionally trained, singing voice and when required in ILL, she could bring it to the fore quite effectively. Contrary to popular conversation, she didn't understudy Ethel Merman in Anything Goes but she was in the chorus of that show and she later understudied Merman in another show, Cole Porter's Red, Hot and Blue I think, but I'm open to correction.

[quote]I think, but I'm open to correction.

Or at least an Oh, MARY! (Martin)

A few favorites that never get mentioned:

When Lucy has to entertain Ricky's boss with a seance and Ethel plays medium Madame Ethel Mertzola: Ethel to Tilly! Come in, Tilly!

When Lucy and Ethel decide to sell Aunt Martha's Salad Dressing with TV commercials.

When Lucy takes Fred on the Staten Island Ferry to "cure" him of his seasickness and she gets seasick herself.

Take it up with IBDB, r72...

No understudies listed. Vivian is listed as in the role of...Vivian.

A vote for "Charm School."

I agree. when Lucy comes out all dolled up and Ethel rings the doorbell. Lucy insists she would answer it. Fred: Answer it? I was going to lock it!

[quote] Lucy and Ricky sell Fred and Ethel their old washing machine, they end up fighting over it and pushing it off the balcony.

If you watch carefully at 3:15, you can see the washing machine bounce off what must've been some sort of padding placed out of camera range.

Viv had the greatest reactions of the four, bar none. See 3:25 - 3:33 of r78's clip

R75:

I have known strange errors in that publication.

It happens. R75. I had to contact and correct the Emmy Organization as they had a couple of errors on their site.

I hate any episode where Lucy is jealous of Ricky.....it just seems a bit too close to home.

I love most of the episodes mentioned here - so I'll add one more:

Lucy goes amuck on a riding mower and plows down Betty Ramsey's tulips on the day before the flower show.

Her description of what happened is a kind of junior version of the cars stuck together story - and Ethel's reactions in BOTH episodes are great.

"When I looked back, all I saw was a sea of stems!"

On right now...The Fur Coat

My absolute favorite episode is “First Stop,” where they are driving across country and end up spending the night at a run down motel. It was the perfect blend of slapstick and witty repartee. The grifting motel owner was the cherry on top of the cake.

The second episode today. Desi is now singing...

As a kid, I would get so bored whenever Ricky's singing performances would come on. They seemed to take hours. Now I enjoy them. He was so good, and he and Lucy magic together. It must have stunned the public when they divorced.

Lucy and Ethel and the giant loaf of bread is priceless. And the scene where they take a bus tour of Hollywood and Lucy keeps changing seats.

And . . . Lucy and Ethel in Don Loper's salon. When Lucy has to admonish Ethel not to "paw through the racks."

Anything with Charles Lane, who always seemed to get the best lines:

"Nine girls!"

"I said that was the last eastbound freight. Why there'll be westbound trains coming through all night."

As a small child I was intrigued with that giant loaf of bread coming out of the oven at Lucy. Hmm.

Am I the first "sufficient?"

How about the episode where Lucy hides in the closet of the new upstairs neighbors in Ethel's "brownstone bosom" who Lucy mistakenly thinks are Communists, about to blow up the Capitol? And she has to disguise herself as an upholstered chair to escape? Her frantic phone call to fabulous old character actor Allen Jenkins as the police chief is truly priceless.

That's the New Neighbors episode, r91...

Wow, I haven't seen this show since I was a kid in the early 70s. You guys are making me want to go revisit it. I have always remembered a scene where they were in a restaurant and for some reason, Lucy wanted Ricky to stand up (for digestion, she said), and he said it would make the food go into his legs better. And Lucy constantly changing her order.

Like any classic series, the early years are the best. When the gang went out to Hollywood, it was hilarious, because you could believe Lucy as this star-struck housewife seeing all these movie stars. But later on, it became a star every week, or some awful "show" they put on. The Lucy Show, and especially Here's Lucy, were nothing but star appearances.

One ILL I liked was when Lucy wanted to be in Ricky's show (surprise!) doing a jitterbug number with some hipster. Of course, when time arrives for the big show, her eyes have been dilated and hilarity ensues. But during the rehearsal, she's really good at doing that jitterbug.

I saw that cameo recently, where William Frawley makes his last appearance on "The Lucy Show". Funny, but sad.

It's hard to choose, but one that I love which people don't talk about so much is the episode with Harpo Marx. Lucy's mirror routine with Harpo is a work of genius.

Not a dancer, per se, but she moved really well...

All of the John Wayne footprints episodes. Especially when she takes a peek when she takes his towel off as she's massaging him.

And: Ethel Mae Potter! We never forgot 'er!

The odd thing about Lucille Ball is that the brilliant humor of ILL was often based on Lucy's desperation, yet that desperation became the very thing that was so off-putting in later series.

It's probably been mentioned already- She's stuck on the subway with the cup on her head and Mrs. Kravitz says - I guess someone was a SORE LOSA.

That episode stopped me from ever going on the subway wearing dungarees, r99.

R100- Didn't Ethel call them - Blue Jeans

Vitamitavegamin...hic...

The first episode today was the one where Lucy and Ethel think the boys have been drafted and Ricky and Fred think the girls are pregnant. The second episode, on right now, is The Adagio.

R99: What's the matter with you? Never seen a beekeeper on the subway before?

R105- Boy 1957 looks like the Twilight Zone. ALL white people on the subway.

I forget in which episode it happens, but Ethel's in Lucy's apartment and opens the door to yell for Fred. She bellows, "FRED!!" right in William Frawley's ear as he's coming in. Poor guy kept trying to shake the ringing out of his ears for the rest of the scene. The suddenness of it always strikes me funny even though, when I think about it, it must have hurt.

I also like watching Lucy and Desi trying not to break up for real when Ethel and Fred enter wearing the chandelier on their heads in the episode where the Ricardos are trying to break the lease by being impossibly noisy, causing the chandelier to come down on the Mertz' heads. I guess Lucy and Desi hadn't seen Viv and Bill decked out in the real costume until that moment.

Another hilarious Mertz getup was in the train where Lucy keeps pulling the emergency brake, and Fred and Ethel keep ending up wearing the meal they're trying to eat. The last time she pulls the brake, they have the foresight to dress up in rain gear and appear triumphantly protected.

R107 again: I forgot to add: I love watching Fred cross that stage carrying ever-larger plants!

[quote] The last time she pulls the brake, they have the foresight to dress up in rain gear and appear triumphantly protected.

And where exactly did they get the rain gear on a moving train? It's not like they had a gift shop.

R109, I don't know, maybe - The gear, for rain, stays mainly on the train?

They had packed for all those rainy days they were expecting in LA.

The John Wayne cement autograph episode is very funny, it rarely gets a mention, but it has all the classic elements of the best ILL episodes and Wayne is just great in it. It is maybe the best underrated episode, the way the candy-making episode is overrated. I never found it all that funny.

[quote][R105]- Boy 1957 looks like the Twilight Zone. ALL white people on the subway.

If you look there is at least one black background actor when they get off on Bleecker Street! A first for the series.

I think the candy factory episode is so beloved because we all kind of like the idea of shoving chocolate into our mouths.

Has anyone mentioned the grape-stomping episode titled Lucy Makes an Italian Movie?

The chocolate factory episode overrated?? Heresy!

I don't like the grape stomping as much as so many others.....but I do like to hear Ricky say that Lucy is out "sucking up local collar."

I start practically every one of my Lucy posts with “as a kid, I” but the show was so much a part of my childhood. Anyway, as a kid I remember hating the Harpo Marx episode. I didn’t understand who he was or get the idea at all. I thought it was just weird.

R115 Did I misread this as “Hershey” or are you just clever?

According to Bart Andrews' book, the longest laugh was neither in the candy factory episode, the Vitameatavegamin episode, nor the William Holden episode, but the tango scene in 'Lucy Raises Chickens'.

Which makes sense as it had the longest set-up of just about any gag on the show. The audience is watching Lucy and Ricky tango. knowing what could happen at any second, yet it doesn't happen and doesn't happen, until, bam! it happens.

I liked the Harpo episode except when he played that fucking harp! It was a boring and unnecessary as when he did it in the movies.....maybe even moreso since they only had 28 minutes or so......

The cheese episode and the one where Lucy writes an operetta are great and deserve to be better remembered. And the Cornel Wilde episode is genius for the balony scene alone. You don't even hear anything Ricky and Ethel are saying while Lucy is hanging in the background because the audience is laughing so much. That doesn't matter. All the vieweres needed to know was that Lucy was escaping from Cornel Wilde's room and Ethel didn't want Ricky to know about it.

The writers were always able to go pretty gracefully from reality to an almost science fiction funhouse heightened reality and then back into the real world. Figuring out reasonably logical ways to get her in the trunk, get the loving cup on her head...or what she'd look like on a re-entrance after something awful happened.

That's a good example of how fearless she could be in her physical comedy, r121.

Me too, R108! It's such a simple bit, but effective. It makes me chuckle every time he comes out carrying the ever-growing tree. I've seen it so many times, yet it still works.

Out of all the Don Loper dresses she ends up with a boring little suit and not one of the gorgeous evening/cocktail gowns.

She models the wool suit, but doesn't she get the black dress? She'd get much more wear out of that than a gown.

Loved this.

The funniest part is that Ethel looked pretty smashing. Fred didn't appreciate what he had!

I thought she looked great too R128.

Ethel looked best when they moved to the country and she let her hair get floppy.

My favorite is the one right after the last episode.

Ethel's demise...

The reason Lucy buys the simple little black dress is because she mistakenly thinks it will be the cheapest item at Don Loper's salon, only to find out it's $500, like so many of the fancier dresses.

"Doesn't that Don Loper know any numbers besides 5 0 0?"

Ethel gasps.

The baby cheese episode really is one of the most brilliant to me because it's completely driven by the hilarious dialogue and acting of Lucy and Mary Jane Croft. It's not dependent on any physical comedy at all. There's a weird hyper-reality where the ladies play it straight that carries the humor all the way.

"Cheddar. . . uh Chester."

"Nice baby....."

Lucy rolls eyes.

My favorite was "Lucy Tells the Truth."

Why are some of the episodes left off of HULU? I was rewatching some and the Cornel Wilde episode was not on it.

The episode of Father Knows Best I'm watching right now guest stars....Mr. Cornel Wilde!

R49 Here's the Don Loper fashion show scene. Mrs. Forrest Tucker appears composed but we know EVERYONE is thinking the same thing...

Mrs. Forrest Tucker was kind of a dog but maybe it was just the haircut. That was a hard one to pull off.

r141 Next to Mrs. Richard Carlson, Mrs. Tucker was a knockout.

Richard Carlson...

I've always been curious how many of those Hollywood wives at the fashion show ended up as exes. All of them?

Richard Carlson and Hugh Marlowe look too much alike.

Sheila MacRae ended up as an ex. So did Mrs. Desi Arnaz.

And Jeanne Martin.

Mrs. Carlson rightly looks terrified of tumbling down the steps. And I don’t get it, what’s wrong with Mrs. Forrest Tucker?

She walks funny, r148....

R148 Daily onslaughts from "The Chief"...

[quote]Next to Mrs. Richard Carlson, Mrs. Tucker was a knockout.

Even Loper thinks Mona Carlson was unfortunate-looking. Notice how he rolls his eyes when he announces "the very lovely Mrs. Richard Carlson."

"Lucy Gets a Paris Gown" is funny, but I also like it because Cher's mom makes an appearance!

He could be a cunt, r151...

*

A lot of people know he designed for I Love Lucy, and had a couture salon somewhere in Los Angeles, and also designed high end ready to wear. Some even know he was a professional dancer before a designer. And because I tend to get way too personal about these Meet a Designer posts, I will also note that he was something of an arrogant playboy. “God gave me lots of talent–I might as well use it.” And when speaking to a woman he felt was poorly dressed? “If she looks like a frump I say so,” he said. “I’m a real monster. I don’t always mean to be so horrible… but when I say it, it comes out that way.” He was king of the burn. “Honey, you must be kidding with that dress.” “What time does your broom arrive? You look like a witch.” Or my favorite, “I see your mother has been sewing again.” OUCH.

R150 OHHHHHHHH!

Yes, r154...

That Roz Russell just swore she was so funny....

For many years I thought Don Loper was a fictional designer. Imagine my surprise!

That's Cher's mother? Georgia Holt is her name, and she's still alive.

Stealing Bill Holden's feet imprints from Graumin's Chinese Theater.

The Daily Mail has a Sunday article about a new book about Lucy and Desi that claims when young, Lucy posed for nude photos, slept for film roles and Desi liked to take on two whores at a time. And both were raging alcoholics.

I tried to start a new thread about it but DL wouldn't let me post it. Too tired to guess which words were verboten.

That article says Lucy "turned tricks" to pay the rent when she was young.

Well I never in all my life!

You do what you have to do when you're young. You move on, never look back, but become compassionate. Except some people don't do the latter.

R159 Volume One of a two-part biography by fanfiction writer Darwin Porter.

Weren't the same charges of of being a hooker in her younger days also leveled at Viv?

The other wives got to keep a Don Loper dress as compensation for participating in the fashion show, but poor Mrs. Richard Carlson had to settle for a year's supply of kibble.

I only did that a few time....and then only under EMERGENCY conditions.

time - times

First episode today...

The second episode...The Amateur Hour

[quote]Stealing Bill Holden's feet imprints from Graumin's Chinese Theater.

If you mean Grauman's Chinese Theater, I believe you mean John Wayne.

[quote]Stealing Bill Holden's feet imprints from Graumin's Chinese Theater

Graumin's was down and across the street.

And it is spelled Bill Holdem, like the poker game.

Me heap sorry me smack 'em on coco, R71.

Looks like R74 had too many Old Fashions.

[quote]Looks like [R74] had too many Old Fashions.

Old-FASHIONEDS.

Old Fashions are what you get at the Don Loper SAY-LON.

The. Check. Is, Good.

The first episode today...Lucy Plays Cupid

"I'd like the car keys unless you need them to play a tune."

"How about a couple choruses of 'Cow Cow Boogie'?

Today's 2nd episode: Lucy Gets Amnesia

"Ohhhhh. Mmmmm. Cherry."

Random question: in the Connecticut episodes, is the door they come and go in the front of the house or the backyard?

Here is the opening credits for Lucy in Connecticut!

I didn’t like when they moved to Connecticut. Even though the show probably needed refreshing, I still don’t like change.

Ethel and Fred always preferred the back yard.

You’re mashing up two different episodes, R93.

Ricky appreciating the possibility that standing while eating improves digestion (no turns to make) is when they live in the country and are at the local country club. They’re standing because Lucy’s dress is so tight it won’t allow her to sit down. Ricky is shamed into standing with her. The guys all have eyes for the ravishing Barbara Eden.

The one where Lucy keeps changing her mind is when they still live in the city. The frustrated, nearsighted waiter is played by Frank Nelson (Ralph Ramsey in the country episodes - and a slew of other one-off characters) and when he can’t take her bullshit anymore, sticks her with the large waiter’s tray, grabs his coat and hat and bolts.

[Referring to Dorothea Wolbert]

Lucy: Give her the money.

Ethel: Give her the money?...... Is she coming with us?

Pork chops sound good, r183.

Hollandaise sauce......

When I kiss ‘em, they STAY kissed.

In the Connecticut episodes, the front door is upstage left and the back door is upstage right. On the same side of the house.

I love that the Mertzes became their hired hands.

Those chicks will start laying eggs in six weeks.

Uh....they told me at the hatchery - it'll be six months.....

[quote]In the Connecticut episodes, the front door is upstage left and the back door is upstage right. On the same side of the house.

I think the stage right door was more of a secondary or side entry, like from the driveway or a porch. There was another door in the kitchen which is probably the back door. It's they door they would take to get to the guest house where the Mertzes were staying.

I'm always worried about the chicks getting stepped on in that episode, r190.

This morning's first episode: Lucy Writes a Play

Ah yes, in the habit...

The second episode today - Breaking the Lease. I forgot how Lucy and Desi can't stop laughing when Fred and Ethel come in.

Breaking the Lease is notable for this performance of El Cumbanchero in which Desi literally rocks the house...

Lucy literally rocking the house...

Anyone else annoyed by the loon who keeps posting about which episodes are airing each day?

You don't find it appropriate in a *What is the best episode of I Love Lucy?* thread, r199? Why do you have a problem with that?

On right now...Lucy & Madame LeMond

[quote]In the Connecticut episodes, the front door is upstage left and the back door is upstage right. On the same side of the house.

Huh? That's not right at all. The front door was perpendicular, basically the stage right wall (audience left), and the other door was against the upstage wall. They were 90 degrees to each other.

If you open the image in a new tab and enlarge it you can see.

[quote] On right now...Lucy & Madame LeMond

And what are we supposed to do with this information?

Fine, r203, I'll stop posting. I thought it might generate some more discussion of those specific episodes. You can keep this thread going, posting...well, whatever it is you post.

I think it's nice to have an update. I also watch I LOVE LUCY every day on Decades, but I'm so old, I know which episode is coming next.

I also recommend Bart Andrews' book Lucy & Ricky & Fred & Ethel - it has an episode guide and lots of fun information (mostly now available on the internet) but fun to have in a book.

Thank you, r205. I posted this in the Lucille Ball/Casting Couch thread. I hope it doesn't annoy r203.

Featuring very young versions of Carole Cook (still alive!), Robert Osborne, and Roger Perry. And Bub and Uncle Charley on the same show.

[quote] I also recommend Bart Andrews' book Lucy & Ricky & Fred & Ethel -

I bought this paperback in the early 80s and loved it. In fact, even though I have discarded most of the books I had at one time kept on my shelves, this is one of the few I have kept. I keep telling myself I am going to read it again but to date I have not, but I won't toss it! It was that good!

There's a lot of young attractive talent on display in that Desilu Revue at r206 so why didn't any of them have big careers in TV? They must have had every advantage with Lucy and Desi and the Desilu studio backing them up. Well, Carole Cook eventually did pretty well and, obviously, Bob Osborne made a name for himself as a journalist and much later on TCM.

I wonder if the breakup of the Arnaz marriage, only a year later, simply soured Lucy on her mentorship of the these young kids.

r209 Dick Kallman (gay!) had his own TV series (Hank) for one season, worked semi-regularly, and ended up getting murdered.

Oh yeah. Kallman did really well.

I see Majel Barrett here among the young hopefuls, future mistress of Star Trek producer Gene Roddenberry who was cast in the first Star Trek pilot with Jeffrey Hunter.

Lucy as the head of Desilu had a strict "no girlfriends in the cast" rule, and was wary of Barrett, which is strange because she must have known her already from the Desilu Playhouse?

Behind the Scenes...

This episode is one of the few Lucy Shows that came at all close to matching the physical comedy of ILL.

r214 Are you sure? Because we only copied ILL episodes.

The Paris dress episode will never not be funny

R138, I've been wondering the same thing. I started rewatching the show on Hulu and got mad that so many episodes weren't available to stream. They put the show on Paramount Plus and, sure enough, the same thing happened there, too. Why are so many episodes not available to stream? I've noticed the same thing with The Brady Bunch.

I was watching an old show on some service and about three episodes were missing. I looked them up in the IMDB and they all had to do with "let's put on a performance". So maybe it's song rights that cause some episodes to be unavailable.

All of these on broadcast tv and streaming services are edited.....a lot of jokes and setups are out.

It's nearly as bad as the colorized episodes on CBS that take out two-three minutes of program.

The only way to see the full I Love Lucy episodes are on DVD - and even some of those are slightly trimmed.

On right now...

^ "I'm not wearing a bustle."

[quote] and even some of those are slightly trimmed.

Unlike Ethel's overgrown bush.

On right now. Desi looking at her ass at 0:53...

Rewatching old episodes. Two observations:

1. Bill's hand tremors are VERY noticeable

2. Viv was about the same weight as Lucy the first couple of seasons

[quote] All of these on broadcast tv and streaming services are edited.....a lot of jokes and setups are out.

Why would streaming services use the edited versions? It's not like they have to make room for commercials.

I always preferred the apartment with the exposed brick over the one with the window. It was much cozier.

R224 Omg you're so right about the hand tremors. I'm watching a scene where Fred has to write something down and - ay yi yi!

Tremors or not, Frawley was a much better Fred than Gale Gordon would have been. And Bea Benadaret as Ethel? Heaven forfend!

My big toe would have been better than Gale Gordon, r228

I don't know R225.....maybe the only source they have is edited episodes.

It would be great to hear that they ARE NOT edited - if anyone watches on a Streaming Service could let us know.

On right now...

R231 That scene is so funny. Waah!

And it's one of the Barbara Pepper episodes.

I like the season when the Ricardos move to the country…and the episode where Lucy is in a tulip competition with Betty Ramsey…she tries to mow the lawn with a rider mower and can’t find the kill switch ..ends up on the Boston-Post road..hilarious…she was comedic genius ..

The second episode today. I had to stop everything and watch...

The show was so cavalier about domestic violence. It's cringeworthy in 2021

No, it's 2021 that has become cringe worthy.

Sure, r237

Dot's nice, r236...

Everything from the 1950’s was either overtly homophobic, misogynistic,or racist

Take your pick.

Misogynistic.

Even the hula hoop, r240?

On right now...Lucy's Schedule - dinner scene

Second episode today - Ricky Thinks He's Getting Bald

Rob thinks he's going bald...

[quote]Even the hula hoop, [R240]?

Cultural appropriation!

Today - Ricky Asks For a Raise

And - Job Switching

Anybody see a movie on TCM today with Errol Flynn and Eleanor Parker? There is a scene in it where Flynn and another actor do the Lucy/Harpo Marx scene almost exactly.

Never say goodbye, r249....

Also on TCM today (as part of a series of Eleanor Parker films) was "One for the Book," which was originally titled (and was based on the very successful play named) "The Voice of the Turtle." The story is that Vivian Vance was "discovered" by Desi Arnaz when she was playing the role of Olive Lashbrooke in a production of the play in San Diego.

Interestingly, the movie's Olive was Eve Arden, who of course guest-starred on "Lucy" and starred in her own successful series that was filmed at Desilu. And another connection -- K.T. Stevens, who played one of the "Russian spies" (opposite Hayden Rorke) in a "Lucy" episode, co-starred with Vance in "Turtle" in touring productions. Oh--and the male lead in "One for the Book"? Ronald Reagan.

Voice

The handcuffs episode is on right now. The twin beds are pushed together with a single headboard. I wonder if they were set up that way for any other episodes.

^^^

The second episode today...

R255 is one of my faves

Today: When this old world starts getting me down...

Second episode: Happy anniversary, Fred and Ethel...

Yet another vote for "Charm School."

"Yes, let's let her get a load of us!"

I never liked Lucy's look in r259, especially the hair

Today...Ricky Loses His Voice

^Another Barbara Pepper appearance!

I love the Women From Mars episode.

It’s a muu-muu!

[quote] that was bullshit has been debunked by numerous production staff from the show.

Wrong. The script called for the nose to catch on fire and Lucy blows it out. The bit of dunking the nose in the coffee (after the fire is already out) was an adlibbed bit by Lucy.

The story grew over the years to be that the whole catching on fire bit was unplanned, which isn’t true.

Vitameatavegamin

There are some that are better because they highlight the ensemble but this one shows exactly why Lucille Ball is unmatched when it comes to acting chops and physical comedy. I don't know if I've ever seen another comedian give a performance like this that stays enough reality based so it doesn't come off as just being outright silly.

The Great Train Robbery

Who cares what the questions are? I got the answers.

1. What is the term of a U.S. Senator? The sap runs every two years.

2. What is the name of the creature that attaches itself to you and drains you of all your blood? The Director of the Internal Revenue?

3. Why did the French put Marie Antoinette under the sharp blade of the guillotine? To scrape the barnacles off her hull!

"Lucy Gets Ricky On The Radio"

Today was a sentimental classic...

R251, The Voice of the Turtle was released as The Voice of the Turtle. It was a smash hit play, and they'd have been foolish to release it under a different name.

For some reason, it was retitled "One for the Book" for TV.

This episode just started. The girls are coming over for Lucy's baby shower. She's opening up packs of cigarettes and placing them around like a good hostess.

The sculpture episode just ended. Made me laugh...all over again.

Don't think these two have been mentioned. The one where Lucy and Ethel are running for president of their club. Another is the Equal Rights one where the boys leave the girls stranded washing dishes at a restaurant because they cant pay for their meal.