A Guide To I Love Lucy
Airs on Monday nights at 9:00-9:30 on CBS
Overview:
As the filming for the fifth season
ended, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were now tired. They wanted to end the
series. So they planned for this fifth season to be the last. The last episode of that
season, "Return Home From Europe", was intended to be the last episode
of the series. The last scene of that episode was written as a
"conclusion".
But CBS balked. They pleaded for more episodes. So Lucy and
Desi relented, and decided to do one more season of I Love Lucy. But that was
it. At the end of the sixth season, I Love Lucy would retire.
For the last season, Ricky was still famous. He now owned the club that
he worked at, and famous celebrities appeared at it. It was clear that Ricky was
moving up in the world.
A few more celebrities guest
starred on the show. And of course, Lucy drove them crazy.
The recurring characters of Mrs. Trumbull, Caroline Appleby, and Mrs.
McGillicuddy were dropped, although Mrs. Trumbull and Caroline Appleby would
each make one more appearance this season.
But the biggest change of the season was with the character of Little
Ricky. He became a major character. Before, Little Ricky had been a baby or a toddler, and a recurring
character. But no longer. For the sixth season, Little Ricky's age was bumped
up. If he had been born in 1953, then by the start of the 1956-57 season, he
would be three years old. But his age was bumped up to four, and he was now a little
child starting kindergarten. He was a child, not a baby, and he became a
regular character. And he even had a few opportunities to perform on stage
himself.
As a result of Little Ricky's increased
involvement, the show started having more "parenting"
episodes, and the show became more of a domestic sitcom. It didn't become like Father
Knows Best (after all the mother is Lucy Ricardo). But Little Ricky
became a lot more involved in the episodes.
With
Little Ricky becoming more involved, Lucy and Ricky started maturing a little,
and acting more like responsible parents. Before, they had been a young married
couple who were more free of responsibilities. So they acted
more adolescent. But now they had a son to raise. So in the last season, they
started acting a little more mature, more like parents. Of course, Lucy still
caused her crazy antics, but they were more responsible about what they did. The
show seemed to be a little different from the way it was back in the first
season.
The gang did a little more traveling this season, but not as much as in the
previous two seasons. In the middle of the season, there was a small storyline
where they visited Florida, and then they went to Ricky's old home in Cuba. In a
way, the gang's visit to Cuba was the climax of the entire series. Ricky had come home
for a visit to his family and friends, and he was a successful singer with a
wife and son. His life seemed to have come full circle.
And at the end of the season was a storyline where the Ricardos and Mertzes move
to a new home. They relocate to the suburbs in Westport, Connecticut. At this
point, the show introduced new recurring characters, the Ramsey family. They
were the Ricardos' next-door neighbors.
As the 1956-57
season ended, I Love Lucy finished as the number one show of the season.
It was the number one show in its last season. That's quite an
accomplishment.
Also as the season ended, another one of Desilu's TV
series, Private Secretary, was cancelled.
Finally, at the end of the 1956-57 season, Lucille Ball
and Desi Arnaz cancelled I Love Lucy. They were tired, and wanted to stop.
So the series was retired. But the
adventures of the Ricardos and the Mertzes weren't over. Beginning the next
season, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz would debut new TV shows. One of them was a
once-a-month show called The
Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, which would tell the further adventures of the gang.
But the original I Love Lucy was retired. While no more new episodes were
made, the show has rerun on networks, in syndication, and on cable ever since.
154. Lucy And Bob Hope
First aired: October 1, 1956
Guests: Bob Hope (himself), Lou Krugman (Paul, the
manager of
Club Babalu), Peter Leeds (Mr. Krausfeld), Ralph Sanford (stadium guard), Bennett Green
(hot dog vendor), Henry Kulke (trainer), Dick Elliott, Maxine Semon, and David Saber (spectators at
baseball game)
Ricky buys the Tropicana Club, and renames it Club
Babalu. The club will have a grand opening. Ricky wants Bob Hope to appear at
the opening. But he has a secret. Secretly, he has already gotten Bob Hope for
the show. But
he keeps this from Lucy. Lucy has a reputation for doing something zany
every time she meets a celebrity, and driving the celebrity crazy. So Ricky
deliberately doesn't tell her that he has already gotten Bob Hope for the show. Meanwhile, Lucy tries to get to Bob Hope and
convince him to do the show.
Songs sung: "Nobody Loves The Ump" (sung by
Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, and guest Bob Hope); and "Thanks For The
Memories" (with different lyrics; sung by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, and guest
Bob Hope)
Real-life connections: Bob Hope was an old friend of Lucille
Ball's. They had co-starred in two movies: Sorrowful Jones
(1949) and Fancy Pants (1950). Also, Desi Arnaz had been the bandleader
on Hope's radio show in the late 40s.
155. Little Ricky Learns To Play The Drums
First aired: October 8, 1956
Guest: Elizabeth Patterson (Mrs. Trumbull)
Lucy and Ricky discuss what Little Ricky will be
when he grows up. (He's only four years old!) Ricky arrogantly wants him to
follow in his footsteps, and become a drummer. Lucy says "I don't think
that's good enough for my son. I want him to be a doctor." They each try to
get him to take the career path that they want him to take.
Notes: This episode marks the last appearance of
Mrs. Trumbull.
156. Lucy Meets Orson Welles
First aired: October 15, 1956
Guests: Orson Welles (himself), Ellen Corby (Miss
Hanna), Lou Krugman (Paul, the manager of Club Babalu), Ray Kellogg (sales clerk at Macy's), Jack
Rice (floorwalker at Macy's), Fred Aldrich, Bennett Green, and Hazel Pierce (customers at
Macy's)
Ricky has gotten Orson Welles to perform his magic
act at the club. Mr. Welles asks Lucy to help out in his act.
Notes: Guest Ellen Corby (Miss Hanna) would later
play Grandma Walton on the 1972-81 TV series The Waltons.
157. Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright
First aired: October 22, 1956
Guests: Howard McNear (Mr. Crawford), Marjorie
Bennett (Mrs. Van Fossen), Laurie Blaine, Diana Van Fossen, Jeffery Woodruff,
Larry Gleason, Robert Norman, Buddy Noble, and Earl Robie (Little Ricky's band)
Little Ricky is now a drummer. He is scheduled to
perform with his band at a recital at his music school. But he gets stage
fright.
Songs sung: "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?"
(instrumental)
Notes: Guest Howard McNear (Mr. Crawford) would
later play Floyd the barber on the 1960-68 TV series The Andy Griffith Show.
This is an unusual episode. It's more serious than usual. There is one scene
where Ricky talks with Little Ricky in his bedroom about getting up on stage,
and the scene is almost completely serious. There is very little laughter in it
at all. The episode actually falls more along the lines of Father Knows Best
or Leave It To Beaver than of I Love Lucy.
158. Visitor From Italy
First aired: October 29, 1956
Guests: Jay Novello (Mario Orsatti), Eduardo Ciannelli (Mr.
Martinelli), James Flavin (immigration officer), Aldo Formica (pizza chef),
Peter Brocco (Dominic Orsatti), Louis A. Nicoletti (waiter)
The Ricardos get a visit from Mario Orsatti, a gondolier
whom they had met in Venice. Mario is seeking his brother Dominic, who lives in
New York. But now Dominic has just moved to San Francisco. The Ricardos help him
raise the bus fare to go to San Francisco.
159. Off To Florida
First aired: November 12, 1956
Guests: Elsa Lanchester (Mrs. Grundy), Strother
Martin (waiter at cafe)
Ricky and his band are slated to play in Florida.
Lucy and the Mertzes will go too. Lucy and Ethel will go by train, but Lucy
misplaces the tickets. so they search the classified section, hoping to share a
ride with someone going south. They share a ride with Mrs. Grundy, a peculiar
woman. The episode is about their trip.
Notes: Guest Elsa Lanchester played the title role
in the classic horror movie Bride Of Frankenstein (1935).
160. Deep Sea Fishing
First aired: November 19, 1956
Guests: James Hayward (boat captain), Billy McLean
(hotel bellboy)
The gang is now in Florida. Lucy and Ethel want to
buy expensive new clothes. The wives and the husbands make a bet on who can
catch a bigger fish on the next fishing trip. Both teams cheat by buying a big
tuna, and claiming that they have caught it.
Notes: The big fishes that the actors used in this
episode were real tunas. The Arnazes said that the fishes had to be real to be
funny.
161. Desert Island
First aired: November 26, 1956
Guests: Claude Akins (himself), Jil Jarmyn
(herself), Joi Lansing (herself)
Still in Florida, Ricky and Fred are asked to judge a "Miss
Miami Beach" beauty contest. Lucy and Ethel are jealous, and scheme to get
them away.
Notes: Guest Claude Akins played Sergeant Dhom in the
Oscar-winning movie From Here To Eternity (1953).
162. The Ricardos Visit Cuba
First aired: December 3, 1956
Guests: George Trevino (Uncle Alberto), Nacho
Golindo (cigar store owner), Mary Emery (Ricky's mother), Angelo Didio (cigar
maker), Barbara Logan (stewardess), Eddie LeBaron (nightclub emcee), Lillian Molieri,
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Manuel Paris, Amapola Del Vando, and Abel Franco (Ricky's
relatives)
From Florida, the gang flies to Havana, Cuba, whicRicky's home town. They will visit Ricky's family. Lucy wants to make a good
impression in front of Ricky's relatives, especially his Uncle Alberto, the
patriarch of the family.
Songs sung: "A Lucky Guy" (sung by Desi Arnaz);
and "Babalu" (sung by Desi Arnaz and Richard Kieth)
Real-life connections: In real life, Desi Arnaz had an
uncle named Alberto.
Notes: This episode seems to be the climax of the entire series. Years ago, Ricky
left Havana and went to
America to become a musician. And now he's a famous singer with a
wife and son. Now he's coming home to Havana to visit his family and friends
as a man of success. And Havana welcomes their successful hometown boy with open
arms. At the climax of the episode, Ricky goes on stage in his old hometown,
with his son, and they sing Ricky's theme song, "Babalu". It seems as
though Ricky's life has come full circle. In a way, "The Ricardos Visit
Cuba" was the climax of the entire series of I Love Lucy.
When I Love Lucy was shown in syndication, this
episode was taken out of the syndication package for a while in the early 60s.
The reason was that America was having bad relations with Cuba (the Missile
Crisis). Fortunately, our relations improved somewhat, and this episode was
returned.
163. Little Ricky's School Pageant
First aired: December 17, 1956
Guest: Candy Rogers Schoenberger (Suzy)
The gang is now back home in New York. Little Ricky is given the lead in
a school play, "The Enchanted Forest". The gang all has parts in it.
164. The I Love Lucy Christmas Show
First aired: December 24, 1956
Guest: Cameron Grant (Santa Claus)
As you can tell, this is a special Christmas
episode. It's also a "clips from previous episodes"
show.
On Christmas Eve, Little Ricky goes off to bed. While
he sleeps, Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred set up the Christmas tree. As they
decorate, they reminisce about the days when Lucy was
pregnant with Little Ricky. This leads to flashbacks from the
"pregnancy" storyline in the show's second season.
Songs sung: "Rock-A-Bye Baby" (sung by Desi
Arnaz), "We're Having A Baby" (sung by Desi Arnaz), "Sweet
Adeline" (sung by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William
Frawley)
Notes: This is the only episode of the series that
is centered around a holiday. It is usually not part of the
syndicated reruns of I Love Lucy.
There are three flashbacks. They are from the episodes
"Lucy Is Enciente", "Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song", and
"Lucy Goes To The Hospital".
When Ethel holds up the mistletoe, it's one of the few
times in the series that Fred shows genuine affection for Ethel.
At the end, the characters look directly at the camera
and speak to the audience.
165. Lucy And The Loving Cup
First aired: January 7, 1957
Guests: Johnny Longdon (himself), Hazel Longdon
(herself), Robert Foulk
(policeman), William Erwin (bum), Phil Tead (man on platform), Sandra Gould (older
woman on platform), Florence Ann Shawn (younger woman on platform), Jesslyn Fax
(woman from Brooklyn), Lester Dorr (train passenger), Byron Kane (train
passenger)
Ricky is to appear at a banquet, where he will
present jockey Johnny Longdon with a loving cup. The cup is Longdon's trophy for
being the most successful jockey in history. Lucy buys a new hat for the
banquet. Ricky says the hat looks ridiculous, and that she'd look better with
the loving cup on her head. To spite him, Lucy puts the cup on her head, and
then she can't get it off.
Notes: Guest Johnny Longden
was a real-life world-class jockey from the 1920s to the 60s. Hazel Longden was
his wife.
166. Lucy And Superman
First aired: January 14, 1957
Guests: George Reeves (Superman), Doris Singleton
(Caroline Appleby), George O'Hanlon (Charlie Appleby), Madge Blake (Martha),
Ralph Dumke (Martha's husband), Steven Kay (Stevie Appleby)
It's Little Ricky's birthday. He is turning five
years old. The Ricardos will hold a party with all his friends. But Stevie
Appleby, Caroline Appleby's son, is holding his fifth birthday party on the same
day. Lucy and Caroline clash over which party the friends will go to. Then Lucy
hears that Ricky can get Superman for their party. Lucy tells everyone that
Superman will appear at Little Ricky's party.
The idea works, and all the friends come to Little Ricky's party. But
then Ricky tells Lucy that Superman can't make it. What will Lucy do?
Notes: This is an interesting episode. In 1957, The
Adventures Of Superman was a hit TV series. But because it was a 1950s kids
show, it gave its fans the impression that the character of Superman was real.
They wanted the kids to think that Superman wasn't just a TV character, but a
real person! And this I Love Lucy episode actually goes along with it!
The next time you see this episode, listen carefully to how everyone talks about
Superman. The episode never refers to Superman as a TV character played by an
actor. It always refers to Superman as a real person. Ricky never tells Lucy
that he'll get George Reeves to come to Ricky's party. He tells her that
he'll get Superman to come. Ricky telling Little Ricky that
Superman will come is one thing because Little Ricky is a child. But Ricky tells
Lucy, another adult, that Superman will come. And they never indicate
that they are lying to Little Ricky to have him think that Superman is real (the
way parents tell their kids about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny). They act as
if they themselves believe that Superman is real. At one point, Ricky
tells Lucy that Superman is on a plane flying to a destination, and Lucy says
"He's Superman. What does he need a plane for?" She never says
anything about the actor needing a plane to fly. She acts as though Superman is
a real person who can fly. The show becomes part of the fictional world of comic
books where Superman is real. One wonders if Batman is real too, or if the
Ricardos ever read the Daily Planet. Even at the end when the guest stars
are announced, the credits don't say that Superman was played by an
actor named George Reeves.
This episode
also marks the last appearance of
Carolyn Appleby.
Guest George O' Hanlon (Charlie Appleby) would later play the
voice of George Jetson in the classic 1962-63 cartoon series The Jetsons.
This is Richard Keith's favorite episode.
167. Little Ricky Gets A Dog
First aired: January 21, 1957
Guests: John Emery (Mr. Stewart), June Foray (voice
of the dog)
Little Ricky brings home a puppy, and wants to keep
it. A neighbor named Mr. Stewart complains that the Mertzes don't allow pets in their apartment
house. So Lucy tries to hide the dog.
Notes: The
voice of the dog was provided by cartoon voice woman June Foray. Although she
was rarely given screen credit, June Foray is one of the most successful
"voice over" actresses in cartoon history. She had provided voices for
cartoons from the 1950s to the 1990s. Among her many appearances, she is
perhaps best remembered as the voice of Rocky J. Squirrel in the Bullwinkle
cartoons. She also did the voice of Granny in the Bugs Bunny cartoons. And she
provided voices in two classic Christmas specials: Cindy Lou Who in "How
The Grinch Stole Christmas", and the Ghost Of Christmas Past in "Mr.
Magoo's Christmas Carol". She played supporting roles in the Disney movies Cinderella
(1950) and Peter Pan (1953). And over the years, she did voices for Tom
and Jerry cartoons, and for The Flintstones.
168. Lucy Wants To Move To The Country
First aired: January 28, 1957
Guests: Frank Wilcox (Mr. Spaulding), Eleanor
Audley (Mrs. Spalding)
While visiting friends in Westport, Connecticut,
Lucy sees an early American house for sale. She wants to move out to the
country. Ricky agrees, and puts a down payment on the house. But how can they
leave the Mertzes?
Notes: With this episode, the show begins a
storyline where the gang moves to Westport, Connecticut. They would live in Connecticut
for the rest of the series. The idea of the gang moving to Westport came from I
Love Lucy writer Bob Weiskopf, who had lived there. Little Ricky doesn't appear in this episode.
169. Lucy Hates To Leave
First aired: February 4, 1957
Guests: Gene Reynolds (Mr. Taylor), Mary Ellen Kaye
(Mrs. Taylor)
Fred rents out the Ricardos' old apartment, and the
Ricardos will stay in the Mertzes' apartment until the Connecticut house is
available. There is just one problem: where will the Ricardos keep all their furniture?
170. Lucy Misses The Mertzes
First aired: February 11, 1957
Guests: Tristam Coffin (Harry Munson), Jesse
Kirkpatrick (station clerk), Robert Bice (moving man), Gary Gray (delivery man)
The Ricardos have now moved to their new home in
Westport, Connecticut. They miss the Mertzes, and the Mertzes miss the Ricardos.
The Ricardos decide to go out to New York, and give the Mertzes a surprise
visit. At the same time, the Mertzes decide to go out to Connecticut, and give
the Ricardos a surprise visit!
Notes:
171. Lucy Gets Chummy With The Neighbors
First aired: February 18, 1957
Guests: Frank Nelson (Ralph Ramsey), Mary Jane
Croft (Betty Ramsey), Ray Ferrell (Bruce Ramsey), Parley Baer (Mr. Perry)
The Ricardos need new furniture for their house
They meet their new neighbors, the Ramseys. Betty Ramsey recommends them to a
furniture dealer who can get them a discount. But even with the discount, the
furniture is still too expensive. Lucy can spend only $500 on furniture, but she
is too embarrassed to admit this to Betty. To avoid embarrassment, she buys more
furniture than she can afford. But how will Ricky take this?
Rea-life connections: The characters of Ralph and
Betty Ramsey were named so because when writer Bob Weiskopf had lived in
Westport, those were the names of his neighbors.
Notes: This episode marks the first appearance of
the recurring characters of the Ramsey family. The Mertzes have smaller roles
than usual.
172. Lucy Raises Chickens
First aired: March 4, 1957
Guests: Mary Jane Croft (Betty Ramsey), Mary Alan
Hokenson and Tyler McVey (magazine team)
The cost of living in the country is higher than
the Ricardos expected. So Lucy suggests that they raise chickens for profit.
Then the Mertzes have an idea: they will work for the Ricardos, raising the
chickens and living in the guest house. A great idea!
Notes: When the show's writers decided to move the
Ricardos to the country, they never intended to leave the Mertzes in New York.
They always intended for the whole gang to move to Westport.
173. Lucy Does The Tango
First aired: March 11, 1957
Guest: Ray Ferrell (Bruce Ramsey)
The Ricardos and the Mertzes trade their baby
chicks in for full-grown chickens, hoping for some profits. But the hens don't
lay eggs, and Ricky threatens to quit the chicken business. If they quit, this
would force the Mertzes back to New York.
Notes: This episode includes the longest studio
audience laugh of all of Lucille Ball's series.
174. Ragtime Band
First aired: March 18, 1957
Guests: none mentioned
The Westport Historical Society is holding a
charity event. Lucy tells them that Ricky will perform, without asking Ricky
first. When Ricky refuses to do it, Lucy and the Mertzes start their own band.
Songs sung: "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" (sung
by Desi Arnaz, with Lucille Ball)
175. Lucy's Night In Town
First aired: March 25, 1957
Guests: Joseph Kearns (theater manager), Gladys
Hurlburt (woman with purse), Louis A. Nicoletti (waiter in restaurant), Doris Packer and John
Eldredge (couple in theater box), Jody Warner (usherette), Roy Lazarus, Susan
Johnson, John Henson, Alan J. Gilbert, Shorty Lang, Art Lund, and Paul Power
(audience members)
Lucy gets four tickets for the Broadway musical
"The
Most Happy Fella" in New York. The Ricardos and Mertzes will go to New York
City to
see the musical. So they go to New York for a day. There, Lucy causes the usual chaos.
Songs sung: "Standing On The Corner" and
"Don't Cry", both from the musical "The Most Happy Fella" (unknown who sings them)
Real-life connections: "The Most Happy Fella"
was a real Broadway musical. It had opened in 1956. The Arnazes were major
backers for the musical. The two songs sung in this episode were from that
musical.
176. Housewarming
First aired: April 1, 1957
Guests: Mary Jane Croft (Betty Ramsey), Ray Ferrell
(Bruce Ramsey)
Lucy is becoming great friends with neighbor Betty
Ramsey. In fact, she is becoming such good friends with her, that Ethel feels
left out. Lucy arranges a lunch where all three women will get together.
Hopefully, Ethel and Betty will become friends with each other. The plan works.
In fact it works too well. Ethel and Betty get along so well, that now Lucy
feels left out!
Notes: This is the only episode where we learn
anything about Betty Ramsey's background.
177. Building A Bar-B-Que
First aired: April 8, 1957
Guests: none
Ricky is on vacation from work. He is getting in
the way of Lucy's housework. Lucy has an idea: have Ricky build a barbeque in
the backyard. Ricky says okay, but he keeps putting it off. So Lucy and Ethel
try to trick Ricky and Fred into doing it.
178. Country Club Dance
First aired: April 22, 1957
Guests: Frank Nelson (Bruce Ramsey), Mary Jane
Croft (Betty Ramsey), Barbara Eden (Diana Jordan), Tristam Coffin (Harry
Munson), Ruth Brady (Grace Munson)
The Ricardos, the Mertzes, and the Ramseys all go
to a country club dance. There, a young woman named Diana Jordan flirts with the
husbands. The husbands are all taken in by her, and the wives are jealous.
Notes: In this episode, the Ricardos, the Mertzes,
and the Ramseys are all equal, instead of one family dominating the episode.
Guest Barbara Eden would later star in the 1965-70 TV series I Dream Of
Jeannie.
179. Lucy Raises Tulips
First aired: April 29, 1957
Guests: Mary Jane Croft (Betty Ramsey), Peter
Brocco (flower show judge), Eleanor Audley (flower show judge)
Lucy and Betty enter a contest to see who has the
best garden. Both of their gardens feature tulips.
Notes: Although this episode is part of the
"Connecticut" storyline, Lucy's wanting to beat Betty is reminiscent
of the earlier episodes where she fought with Carolyn Appleby.
180. The Ricardos Dedicate A Statue
First aired: May 6, 1957
Guests: Desi Arnaz Jr. (boy in park whom Ethel
talks to in the last scene)
Westport is holding a Yankee Doodle Day at the
park. The Ricardos will give a statue to the park, and they will unveil it at
the festivities. The statue will be of a Revolutionary War minuteman. The
Ricardos get the statue ready.
Real-life connections: Guest Desi Arnaz Jr. was, of
course, the Arnazes' real-life son.
Notes: When Desi Arnaz Jr. appears in the park in
the final scene, there is an older girl standing nearby. Some sources say that
the girl was played by the Arnazes' daughter Lucie. Other sources say that she
was not, and that Desi Jr. guest starred alone.
After the last episode of the season aired, I Love Lucy stopped airing completely. During the summer, original episodes of Those Whiting Girls (their summer replacement series from 1955) aired.
Season One (1951-52) Season Two (1952-53) Season Three (1953-54)
Season Four (1954-55) Season Five (1955-56) Season Six (1956-57)