61 years later, we still love Lucy

61 years ago on this day, on a Monday night, at 9 PM, I Love Lucy went on air and has never gone off since. I wrote this post a few weeks ago with the intentions to post it earlier, but then decided to hold it off for the 15th, though I hadn't necessarily planned to do a post about the show's anniversary this year (as I did one last year for the big 6-0). Anyway, here's the post, I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to squeeze some Lucy into your day today.

***

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to come across an article that wondered if we had finally reached the first generation not growing up on reruns of I Love Lucy. It wasn't the main topic of the article (and it was a pretty rubbish piece, anyways), but, to be quite honest with you, it did scare the hell out of me. As a classic film fan I am well aware of this generation's lack of appreciation of yesteryear's Hollywood, but I have always also felt that there are exceptions to the rule - movies, and, in this case, TV shows, that have defied the odds and still manage to be remembered by the greater part of society today. Like Gone With the Wind. Casablanca. The Wizard of Oz. Actresses like Audrey Hepburn & Marilyn Monroe. It's well known around these parts that I'm not always a fan of the idea of an "icon", but I have learned to be grateful for the "iconization", if you'd call it, of these films and people because it does keep Old Hollywood alive. It's nice to know that there are certain things that give Classic Hollywood and yesterday's entertainment a face, even if there is so much more beyond the face. Know what I mean?

I have always seen I Love Lucy as one of these exceptions. Why not? By many, it is considered the greatest television show to grace the small screen. It seems that at some point or another, just about everyone has seen an episode, or has at least heard of it. Even before I came to watch the show, I knew it existed - it was exactly what I thought of when thinking of "classic television." So many of the episodes are famous in their own individual right, and everyone seems to know them - "the Vitavetavegamin one ," "the candy factory one," "the grape stomping one"... the list is seriously endless.

So, no, I couldn't really bring myself to believe that this was a generation not growing up on I Love Lucy reruns. I remember sitting in the hairdresser's chair a couple of years ago as he recounted having nostalgically caught an episode of the show a few days before while channel surfing. Or going to a family party and meeting a family friend of my age who could remember seeing - and enjoying - at least a few episodes. Or the other day in school, where one of my new friends asked who the face on my iPhone case was (yes, I have a Lucy case) and another said, "It's Lucy from I Love Lucy, see?"

Still, as I said earlier, frankly, the very thought that Lucy had reached a generation which demeaned it less timeless as all the generations before it scared me. A lot. But a couple of events have fully assured me that that article was just as rubbish as I thought; and that over sixty years later, we still love Lucy very much.

Out of my curiosity, I decided to do my own little test of Lucy's popularity. I don't know how many of you readers are on Tumblr or aware of how it works (follow me; loving-lucy!) but a popular game on Tumblr is to do a sort of "Reblog if you love ___" post and see how many notes it gets. Now, I knew I wouldn't be able to get the most accurate of results because despite definitely having a nice, faithful group of followers, I'm most definitely not "Tumblr famous." Still, I decided to give it a try; Tumblr's target audience is teenagers/people in their twenties, thus people of 'this generation.'

[my GIF]

The post has so far gotten well over a thousand notes, but better than the notes were the comments that people added when reblogging the post. "This show was my childhood", "I know them all by heart", "Lucille Ball is my idol" and "I'm watching it right now" appeared frequently; but best of all were the specific memories or emotions the show provoked.

I Love Lucy has been my favorite show since I was 8 years old. I’ve seen every episode more times that I can count and somehow it’s always just as funny as the first time I ever watched it. The show is timeless and I refuse to believe that future generations won’t find the joy, wonder, and laughter that Lucy has brought into my life and the lives of many others. - melodylingerson

I thought I Love Lucy reruns were like…eternal. This show is incredible and I have the fondest memories watching it with my grandparents. - curlyqshoo

If you are not growing up on I Love Lucy, you are doing it wrong. And by “it” I mean life. - grahamburgers

This show was and always will be genius - and I think it would shock people of my generation (and younger) how much of the comedy we see today is referenced or based off this amazing show. - obamayourmama

Heck, some people even said they'd personally educate this generation with DVDs of I Love Lucy - others refused to ever raise children in a Lucyless society! One reblogger added that her mother had gone into labor with her while watching Lucy, while others remembered being little kids and watching the show with family members; knowing that when the theme song ended it was time for bed. Anecdotes like those proved to me what I'd fully suspected.

What was also beautiful to read were messages users left for me in my tumblr inbox. They might not necessarily apply to members of "this generation", but attest to the joy Lucy has given many, and what an incredible tool laughter is.

My grandmother runs her own home for women with Alzheimer's and dementia and watching these women watch I Love Lucy was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Some of these women can't respond to their name being called but would just laugh until they were in tears when Lucy would come on. It was so beautiful. Just thought I'd share. - ciarakenadie

 I work at a nursing home and they have the Alzheimer's unit. You can't even imagine how hard life is for them. BUT, Everyday the one thing that they remember is I Love Lucy is on. They all rush to the meeting room to watch I Love Lucy on the tv. We only have about five episodes but they just watch them over and over again. It is a beautiful thing it always makes me a little teary. - xprincessdiana

About a month ago, Barbara Walters hosted a 20/20 special entitled "Best in TV," to count down the best television shows of all time (or, the past sixty years anyways) as chosen by the public. This was split into various categories: Best Comedy, Best Drama, Best Cop Shows, Best TV Mom, etc. with a top five for each, and it was topped off with what voters chose to be the Top 5 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. Obviously, I tuned in with fingers crossed to see Lucy might win.

The results were just as I could have hoped for; Americans chose Lucy as their favorite comedy as well as their all time favorite television show. There was a nostalgic ten minute monologue for the show to cap off the special. ABC News collaborated with People magazine for this, and the magazine's editor likened Lucy to the Book of Genesis in television - "In the beginning, there was Lucy." In the monologue, we were reminded of some incredible facts: that Lucy has been translated into seventy-seven different languages, that it is the most watched television show to date, and CBS still makes millions of dollars off the show per year. (Originally, Lucy & Desi owned the episodes, and then sold them back to CBS in 1957 for four million dollars, giving birth to the rerun. Of course, Lucie & Desi, Jr. still hold interest in their parents's images and the many requests they get to use them with "Desilu, too")

On the special, Betty White summed up what Lucy did for women in comedy in one statement: "You had this gorgeous, gorgeous woman who did all these funny things." Isn't this true? Because of Lucy, women have all the opportunities in television and comedy as they do now, and they don't have to appear "unflattering" to be comedic. Whilst flipping through the channels the other day, I caught a bit of a Julia Louis Dreyfus sitcom, and I couldn't help but notice how much her character's wacky resourcefulness reminded me of Lucy Ricardo. Then, come to think of it, almost every comedic female character on television today has a little bit of Lucy Ricardo in her: that screwball spirit, that touch of sarcasm, that goofy steak. That's how deep the influence runs. And besides that, Lucy was a pioneer in the television industry in technical ways that are still apparent today, too. They invented the three camera technique that is still used by most sitcoms today, gave birth to the rerun, and came up with solutions for many of early television's obstacles in lighting & set design.

Lucie and Desi, Jr. were interviewed by Barbara for the special. At the end, Barbara asked Desi, Jr. what he thought it may be that makes his parents's show still incredibly successful sixty years after first going on air. I think he explained it very well when he said it is the show's principles that are timeless: laughter, friendship, and love.

So maybe there are some jokes that just never grow old.

At the end of the day, I've thankfully come to the conclusion that Lucy is still very much popular and very much needed. What was significant about that 20/20 special? Americans voted for their favorites, and Lucy came out on top - not but critic's choice, but by people's choice. In a 1984 televised event, Sammy Davis, Jr. told Lucy with great affection: "You are the one that they love the most." Call me biased, but he was very likely correct.

But why do we still need Lucy? The world has changed so much since when Lucy & Desi owned the airwaves. It's become more explicit, for sure - you couldn't say 'pregnant' then, but now you can air a woman actually giving birth. It's become a busier place and lacks the warmth that we once had. But this difference between their generation and ours is, I think, the very reason we still need Lucy. The world still needs Lucy because is something familiar that comforts us with the best memories of the past, and gives us something to smile about, even if for only twenty-four minutes. I'm sure there are only a few who, having watched even a single episode, haven't smiled or giggled or laughed at least once.

I guess the only way to end this post is to say two words to the cast, and, primarily, that beautiful redheaded girl who starred in the show: thank you!

"The world not only loves Lucy. The world, as it is today, needs her very much."
[my GIF]

Auld Lang Syne

Hi everyone! I just wanted to write a more personal blog sharing some of my recent adventures in classic film that didn't take place on the silver screen. :D

What I got for Christmas. Since my lovely family knows me so well I got a bunch of Classic Hollywood things for Christmas, so I thought I'd share! By the way, this is in no way bragging. What I was most thankful for on Christmas was to my have my family with me. (It's a cliche but true). Anyways, here's what I got!

• [BOOK] Carole Lombard: The Hoosier Tornado
• [BOOK] Frankly, My Dear: Gone With the Wind Revisited
• [BOOK] Ingrid: A Personal Biography
• [BOOK] A Rose for Mrs. Miniver: The Life of Greer Garson
• [BOOK] Laughs, Luck, and Lucy
• [BOX SET] Tracy & Hepburn: The Definitive Collection
• [MOVIE] The Valley of Decision (1945)
• [MOVIE] Julia Misbehaves (1948)
• [MOVIE] Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie (1993)

The Tracy & Hepburn boxset, which was in my holiday gift guide, is wonderful. It was at a really really good price on Amazon - $17!!! - and it contains all nine films, plus a tenth disc: The Spencer Tracy Legacy, narrated by Kate. I was so excited when I saw it. I just adore it. It's so beautifully put together and I really recommend it.

I'm currently reading the Greer Garson biography, I'm not all that far in but I think it's going to be good and I'm excited to learn more about Greer. I was thrilled when I saw Julia Misbehaves of course, because I've been wanting to see it since - well, since I became Greer obsessed (which was maybe a little over a month ago), BUT I'm quite an impatient person. Anyways, I saw it the other day and I just LOVED it. I plan to do a review for it soon. I haven't seen The Valley of Decision yet but I want to before my break finishes.

Then there's Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie - at three and a half hours long, it's just about as long as Gone with the Wind, which makes me really happy! The longer the better! I started it the other night and haven't finished it yet but so far I just love it. It's turning out to be all I expected and then some. I can't wait to watch the rest of it!

I also got one more vintage thing for Christmas, and honestly it's probably one of the best presents I've ever received. It's:

A vintage telephone! The candlestick type, like in His Girl Friday! I love it to pieces!! It even has a vintage ringing sound, and it clashes with the more modern shrill of the other phones in the house, but whatever. Listening to it is music to my ears - I actually came this close to recording its ring for you all but I was too lazy. ;) Anyhow, I'm one of those rare teenagers who doesn't talk on the phone all that much but now I'm using every possible excuse to make a call! Even if it's just to order Chinese takeout I'm getting a kick out of my vintage phone! :)

On Christmas Day, we had dinner at my aunt and uncle's house, and Classic Hollywood filtered into the conversation several times. My uncle is a HUGE Jimmy Stewart fan and he has his autograph. He got it when he met Jimmy in the 90's, it was at a local signing at a bookstore. My uncle had to wait in line for a really long time and when he got up there he told Jimmy how he was his favorite actor of all time. Jimmy was pretty old by then, and all he could manage really was a friendly grunt to my uncle, but it made my uncle happy anyway. He claims that he didn't grunt at anyone else and so it was a big deal. ;) Can you imagine, getting to meet a Classic Hollywood star in person? Well, a girl can dream.

The Artist (2011). It was a long time coming, but I finally was able to see The Artist (2011). I went with my dad and I was the only young person in the theater but that was okay.

I have been anticipating seeing this film since I first heard about it back in September. And it was worth the wait - this didn't disappoint! It was one of the best moderns I've seen in a long while. Elements of this film reminded me a lot of Singin in the Rain (1952) and Sunset Boulevard (1950), and the final dance sequence seemed to be a Fred and Ginger homage. But it was original enough to still be good and I had a lot of fun watching it. It was even filmed in the vintage 35 mm, and the print even contained the good old burst of double black dots, signaling the time to change the reel.

The actors were very good, too. Something I often find when watching moderns that take place in the 20's, 30's, 40's, etc. is that the actors simply don't appear to look vintage, more like modern actors playing dress up. This film, however, definitely did not have that problem. The main actor looked a lot like Gene Kelly and though the actress was not as spot on, she did make a convincing flapper type.

Speaking of the actors, both of them did a good job working without sound. My favorite character, actor, whatever of all though was definitely Uggie, the faithful dog. He's nominated for some canine awards I believe, and he should carry them all. He was wonderful.

So the bottom line is I really suggest you go out and watch this film.

I Love Lucy exhibit [and then some]. This was a local tribute to the "American dream" show, and it's been up since August but I didn't get to see it until Wednesday! I decided to take my camera so I could take photos, but I really pulled a Lucy: I put the battery in for charging and grabbed my camera, but it wasn't until I got there that I realize I'd forgotten to put the battery back. >.< Yeah, I know, quite smart. Anyway, I had to take photos with my cell phone camera then, so I'm sorry if they're blurry. Also, I didn't take too many photos because no one else was and I didn't want to look weird. :D

It was small, actually, and it wasn't exactly filled with novelties but I enjoyed it anyway. It was mostly a lot of pictures (that I'd seen before - "That's amateur stuff," I scoffed), newspaper articles from the time, and one or two script pages. It was nicely put together though and it's always fun to see a tribute to the classics.

There was a small module displaying clips from different episodes, and most people were crowded around there. It was fun to listen to bits and pieces of their conversations and correct them in my head: for example, one person wondered aloud if "enceinte" (in reference to the title of the episode in which Lucy tells Ricky she's pregnant), was the Spanish word for pregnant. It's actually the French word.  Another person knowingly rattled off that Lucy had children at the age of 40 and 42, which was "quite unpopular at the time," but technically, that's wrong, too. Lucy was 39 when she had Lucie and 41 upon having Desi, Jr. But, hey, not everyone can be a Lucy fanatic. :)

Here's the photos I took:

A display of articles about the show, circa 1957. 

One of the script pages that was framed and displayed. This one is from "The Great Train Robbery", 1956.

Since this exhibit was so small and we had time to kill afterwards, we checked out this thing called "The Bob Hope Gallery." This was bigger and a lot of fun. There was a sign asking for no photography so I took no pictures, but it was basically many photos, articles, newsreels, etc. about Bob poking fun at politics, being a Yankee during World War 2, and the like. Also included in these were other celebrities like Lana Turner, Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, Robert Taylor, and many more. It was great fun and I enjoyed seeing the looks on adults' faces as I pointed out Claudette Colbert in a photo of a bond tour to my dad. There was also some things about McCarthyism.

We also stepped by "The Gershwin Gallery," which contained George Gershwin's piano and typewriter among other things. There was a lot of Fred and Ginger in this exhibit, mostly "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" from Swing Time (1936), which is one of my favorite Fred and Ginger sequences.

It was fun to see all of this, I just love seeing Classic Hollywood in public places!

***

Well, that's what I've been doing over my break. And since today is New Year's Eve, this is my last official post of 2011. I thought of doing a end of the year wrap up post like many other blogs are doing, but the thing is, I've technically been only blogging for half a year, this blog started in July, and therefore... maybe we can try an end of the year wrap up thing next year! As for now: A big thank you to all of you that have read this blog this year. I appreciate it so much and I'll see you all in 2012! Keep reading and have a Happy New Year's! ♥

I'll leave you with the traditional New Year's song, sure to be found in 95% of New Year's scenes in movies, old or new -

NOTE: Tomorrow being New Year's Day, I'm using that as a valid excuse to skip the Sunday Movie Review. It'll be be back the following Sunday, January the 8th, with the first review of 2012!

I Love Lucy: 60 Years of Love and Laughter.

On this day, 60 years ago, the very first episode of I Love Lucy aired on CBS.

The episode was "The Girls Want to Go To a Nightclub". The original first episode was supposed to be "Lucy Thinks Ricky is Going to Murder Her", but on the night of the premiere episode there was a glitch with that particular reel and luckily, their second episode was already there to fill in.

Stills from the historic first episode

America in the 1950's was a curious time, and a time of change. They had survived the tough years -  the Depression, the War Years - and now the new decade loomed before them clear and glittering. Filled with the patriotic pride, can-do spirit, and endurance that had followed them throughout the difficulties of the past 20 years, they charged forward with a new, hopeful spirit.

Now that the boys were back home, "The Baby Boom" era had launched and families were growing quicker and faster ever than before. The American suburbs were born: pretty, tidy, yet somewhat identical and stereotypical single family homes with big backyards in a wholesome neighborhood popping up all over the country.

America in the 1950's was commercial. They were willing to reward themselves with perhaps a shiny new dishwasher or refrigerator; the Retro Housewife was getting her share of presents. And the American Woman was a new person. Though she still sent the kids and the husband to school in the morning, cooked and cleaned and gossiped with her girlfriends throughout day, all in having the house spanking clean and the pot roast ready for dinner, she was somehow becoming more independent. The War Years had given women new opportunities, told them to take charge. They got jobs and held down the fort with their husbands away. Now their husbands were back and they fell back into their role as housewives but with a new air of confidence. They wore pants, for example, and demanded the new household appliances that went hand in hand with independence.

The 1950's was very much the hyperbola of the glory years: the decade when "things were better" and that glorified "The American Dream." A gorgeous new car would cost you $1,000 - a house perhaps $9,000, the milkman would drop off the bottles of milk in the back of the house for 92 cents, and a dozen eggs would spare you two dimes and then some. America was happy, rejuvenated, and excited by the prospect of the future. They had survived the rough times and now, they could sit back and thoroughly enjoy life.

This was the world that I Love Lucy walked into. 

Television was something new, but it was hot and Americans were excited about it. Still, in the year 1950 (just a couple years after it came on the market), only one in ten Americans owned a television set. Lucy would premiere the following year, give birth to the sitcom, and change television for good. For by the year 1955, more than half of Americans would own a television set and most of the time, their dials would be turned to CBS, to Lucy.

One of the most classic of all episodes - "Job Switching."

The next morning after Lucy's premiere, the critics excitedly declared the show a runaway hit ("full of good comedy, slick in comedic construction, preformed with a smart feeling!"). The Hollywood Reporter was so enthusiastic that they blurted, "The show should bounce to the top of the rating's heap in no time at all. If it doesn't, the entire structure of  the American entertainment business should be overhauled from top to bottom!"


The Hollywood Reporter needn't worry because Americans were able to take notice of this good thing when they had it. Lucy shot to number three for the first season of the show, but that was only the beginning.

Season Two started out with a bang. Since Lucy and Desi were pregnant, Ricky and Lucy were about to be, too. CBS shook in their boots: scandal, perhaps? The infant of television had never dared show a straight up, openly pregnant woman before on TV. Some moral guardians shook their head and clicked their tongues "no", one woman writing into a newspaper:

What must we tell our eight year old daughter when she fails to see why Lucy's inability to get out of a chair is a joke?

The newspaper, who supported the show, gave it write back to the woman.

Several mothers of young daughters in our neighborhood solved the problem by explaining exactly why Lucy has difficulty getting out of chairs.

Years later, Lucy would say, "We weren't even allowed to say the word 'pregnant', and today not only can you say the word you can show how they got that way!" (That was thirty years ago).

Most, however, were supportive of the nine consecutive episodes surrounding the pregnancy and the sweet moments that were provoked from it. One lady writer wrote, "Lucille Ball lends chic to maternity", while other writers agreed the pregnancy shows were one hundred percent appropriate for the family viewing and that the episodes were done with total taste, not to mention with the approval of a priest, minister, and rabbi (who never brought up an issue, instead wondered what was the problem and thought that showing motherhood on television was a beautiful thing).

When the Ricardos' son, Little Ricky, was born on January 19th, 1953 (that morning Lucille Ball had given birth to the Arnaz baby, Desi, Jr. in perfect timing), more than 70% of TV viewers tuned into watch the episode. Based on the number of people who owned television sets and then the over all percentage that tuned in, this spawned one of the most watched TV moments. The inauguration of President Eisenhower was the next morning and he famously failed to rake in only 68% of the viewers.

If Lucy wasn't a phenomenon before, that was the clincher. The first edition of TV Guide displayed "Lucy's $50,000,000 baby", Desi, Jr. It was announced on radio in Japan that the Ricardos had given birth to a baby boy, and up until then people had even been making bets on what the sex would be. Lucille Ball's hospital room was filled with flowers - so many that they spilled into the hallway and several floors down - and the Arnazes received hundreds and hundreds of cards (only twenty-three of them were negative.)

America adored Lucy.

An interesting article entitled "I Love Lucy Takes Nation by Storm" examined and showed just how strong the popularity of the show was in the country. The article tells us just a few of the habits of religious Lucy watchers. Like, for example -

• In Dallas, Lucy viewing parties were all the rage despite the show broadcast on a Monday night, which was both a school and work night.
• In Pennsylvania, a department store manager who used to keep his store open Monday nights was forced to move it to another night because he and all his help wanted to go home and watch Lucy with their families.
• A telephone company in LA confirmed that telephone calls plummeted to a minimum during the Lucy half hour.
• Parents began sending requests to Lucy and Desi if the 9:00 PM show could be move to earlier in the evening as their children were constantly begging for allowances in bedtime to stay up to watch the show - allowances which, indeed, the parents had to make.
• The writer himself remembered one instance sitting in a dentist office on Monday night when the young lady across from him suddenly dropped her magazine and shot out of her chair, declaring, "I've got to get out of here! I forgot tonight is Lucy!"

One of the greatest conversations on a Tuesday whether it would be between girlfriends, at the office, or at the dinner table was Lucy. And it wasn't "Did you see I Love Lucy?". It was did you see the show. "The show" signified only one show in the world, everyone was watching it, and everyone knew it.

That was the 1950's, that was sixty years ago. The most intriguing thing about the show, however, is it's capability to remain popular today.

How is that so? Maybe that it is the hyperbola of the classic television, the hallmark of the Golden Age of TV; why, for most people if you were told "classic TV", the first thing that would come to mind would be Lucy. Even before I watched the show I had heard of it and in my mind it was just what you thought of when you thought of old TV or black and white TV.

To each avid Lucy viewer and fan, the show means something to him/her. Usually something individual. Oh, there all the underlying factors that just about everyone will agree with: it's hilarious, for one. But there are others that lie beneath the surface. 

Like for me, it cheers me up. If I have ever had a hard day or a long one, all I need to do is watch one episode and it helps me relax and smile again. It is a comfort. I have seen each episode so many times, so much so that I can say the lines in unison with the characters. I know exactly what Lucy's scheming do and when and why Ricky is going to blow. Yet I watch a few episodes nearly every day, and I never get tired of it. Never "oh, that old episode again." Each time I watch it the the lines can still be funny, still fresh and new, but familiar so I feel like it's a friend and a good one.

I have always felt that in my worst moments or my worse times, I can turn to this show and instantly feel better. And I think that is simply one of the things that gives this show it's an enduring popularity. It can never feel outdated (for antagonists of old things) because some things, whether it was sixty years ago or today, can never become old. Two of these big things are "love" and "laughter", and Lucy gives us both.

"Laughter", of course, is the most obvious of these two. One might have to stop for a moment and think about "love". Is it because of the title? The title, given by the show's producer, Jess Oppenheimer, actually has meaning. He wanted the show to be about this ditzy redhead and her bandleader husband. She's always botching up, doing these silly things, he loses his temper but at the end of the day he still loves her. The show is about unconditional love. (A bit of trivia: Lucille Ball agreed to the title because she felt that it gave Desi top billing, as the "I" in I Love Lucy was Desi and he came first. Up until then, they had been trying to do "The Lucille Ball Show" or "The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show", which always gave Desi second billing).

The show is warm and loving. And I know it must feel strange to have such a strong attachment to a television show; just black and white characters frolicking on our screens (tiny then, humongous now). But I know I'm not the only one. The show was a labor of love and a gift. To me, laughter is the greatest sound in the world and Lucy is one thing you can be sure of will always have it.

Some follow-ups to what I have written:

♥ My first experience watching 'Lucy'

♥ Examining part one of 'Lucy' 's dream team: the stars

♥ and part two: the backstage brains.

♥ The top ten most classic 'Lucy' moments

♥ A list to help you discover if you're obsessed with 'Lucy' or not

And if you want more, just check my "I Love Lucy" tag.

Of course, I have made a tribute for this particular day and this amazing show. Here it is:

And I'll leave you with a picture... and quote! 

"I'm happy that I have brought laughter because I have been shown by many the value of it in so many lives, in so many ways."

- LUCY

I guess there's nothing left to say, but: Thank you. Thanks, Lucy, for all the love and laughter and the good times you've given to generations of people, for sixty years. ♥

I Love Lucy's Dream Team || Part Two, "The Backstage Brains"

Hi there,

This is part two of I Love Lucy's Dream Team - I wrote the first part on Wednesday and you can read it here. Today's post will be about the backstage brains, and if you're not a Lucyphile you may not have heard of all of them. They deserve a lot of credit because they added so much to the show, despite never appearing on camera. My summaries may not be so extensive because of my lack of information on them. But here goes!

***

THE BACKSTAGE BRAINS.

Jess Oppenheimer (1913 - 1988) was "the brains behind the show," as Lucy would credit him. He was a radio producer when called to help the struggling radio show "My Favorite Husband" (which starred Lucy). This show would be the basis for I Love Lucy, and Jess tweaked the show to make it everything we know. The original "Lucy" character on the radio show was much more sophisticated, but Jess changed her to be more childlike and scheming, reminiscent of Fanny Brice's Baby Snooks. 

When Lucy and Desi became pregnant, they broke the news to Jess first, knowing they'd have to cancel the show but willing because they were so happy to be pregnant (Lucy was nearly 40. She had given birth to daughter Lucie a year before, but she had suffered several miscarriages before that and they thought Lucie would be it). It was Jess who thought "what the heck is wrong with a pregnancy? Let's do it! I'll spice up our season two!" So they did, thanks to Jess. 

Madelyn Pugh Davis (1921 - 2011) and Bob Carroll, Jr. (1918 - 2007) were the original writers for Lucy. Like Jess, they were with the show from it's roots in "My Favorite Husband" and helped develop the characters to the television screen. Though Bob Weiskopf and Bob Schiller would join them later on, Madelyn and Bob stuck on for all the seasons and would go on to write for several of Lucy's other shows, as well.

Lucy loved her writers. (And, being a writer myself, this gives me another reason to love Lucy. I'm glad she was one of those actors who ALWAYS gave credit to her writers. ♥). When Lucy won Best Situation Comedy at the Emmy's, Lucy and Desi went up and said something along the lines of, "Would it be wrong to get the writers up here and have them accept the award?"

After all, Madelyn and Bob would sit around and come up with the crazy plots! It is said Madelyn would often test the pranks to see if it could be preformed by a woman as well. 

I have immense respect for these two people. They... came up... with the show. All those hilarious lines and scenes and plots? And Madelyn Pugh, being a girl writer in the 50's when pretty much every show only had males for writers. Not only was she a good writer (OBVIOUSLY) she added the femininity that was needed to the show surrounding a "beautiful clown" (the nickname she and Bob gave Lucy). I was upset when she died earlier this year and to me she is a great inspiration. You should check out her autobiography, "Laughing with Lucy", for an interesting look at her life.

Lucy had three different directors throughout it's run, but I have chosen William Asher (born 1921) as the one to profile. He directed the most episodes (101), was married to Elizabeth Montgomery, and would go onto direct her in "Bewitched", yet another fabulous series.

I couldn't get as much meat on this quite brilliant man as I wanted to, but for a fact I know he directed some of Lucy's best and famous episodes. His first was the candy wrapping episode, and it would be followed by other greats like: the pregnancy episodes (including when Lucy breaks the news to Ricky and the actual birth of Little Ricky), the gang's escapades in Hollywood and Europe, and when the Ricardos and Mertzes moved out to Connecticut.

He directed Lucy in more episodes than any other directer ever would.

Karl Freund (1890 - 1969) was an Academy award winning cinematographer at the time he was hired by Desi Arnaz to film Lucy.

It is true that the three camera system had been invented by the time Lucy began, but it was Lucy that perfected it and made it popular thanks to Freund. They filmed Lucy in a new way: a "flat lighting system." 

This system, still in use for sitcoms today, lit up the entire stage instead of just portions to evade shadows and instead it give it the fresh, almost luminous black and white that we all know and love. The studio's floor was changed to smooth, wood paneling so Karl's three camera technique would be able to glide easily across without making any noise.

The cameras themselves were special - up until that point a cheap kinescope camera had been used, not giving the viewers the greatest print always. But they decided to use real motion picture cameras. CBS was not jumping at the idea, so Lucy and Desi agreed for a $5,000 salary cut to cover the cost as long as they could own the episodes. (In 1957, Desi sold the episodes back to CBS and the rerun was born). 

There is a lot more to Karl's innovative style of camera making. Read his own account of filming for Lucy (with much more information that I can offer clearly) here.

***

Those are just the five "backstage brains" I decided to spotlight for this post, but there are so many countless people that contributed to the show to make it the gem that it is today. And I wish I had been able to write about each member of the Desilu family and their contribution to the show!  

But, even a super Lucyphile like me cannot, and therefore that concludes our selection of I Love Lucy's Dream Team. I'll be back tomorrow to celebrate the big day!

Oh, and I happened to find this article by Lucie Arnaz about her parents. She was interviewed on the occasion of Lucy's 60th and I found the article to be a very interesting read! (I'm glad to know that, like me, Lucy was not a big fan of change and probably wouldn't have been a social networking junkie were she around today).

I Love Lucy's Dream Team || Part One, "The Stars"

Hello friends (I can't say this without thinking of "Vitavetavegamin").

With the anticipation for I Love Lucy's sixtieth anniversary on Saturday, I thought I'd do a two part post on examining I Love Lucy's "dream team" - a short profiling of the handful or so of actors and backstage crew that worked to make the show a success. Instead of doing a summary of their life, however, I'm going to discuss how they became involved with the show, why their role was important, and just how they added to the show's overall amazingness. ;)

I'll probably write the second part either Friday or tomorrow, if I can swing it. For now, here's part one!

***

THE STARS.

THE WOMAN WHO WAS LUCY 

Lucille Desiree Ball (1911 - 1989), would make famous the zany redhead we all know and love, Lucy Ricardo. My dahhling Lucy ventured into the world of television when her career in movies had been consistently the same for over a decade -  strings of B movies; studios were giving her second hand roles The American public was familiar with her face but she wasn't a big movie star. Television was risky. TV and movies were hardened enemies at the time because the small screens with their antennas were attacking the popularity of going to the theater - why would you, when you could just flick a dial at home? With a little help from deceased friend Carole Lombard, who appeared to her in a dream - "Give it a whirl!", Carole said - Lucy decided to take the plunge. After all, this may save her marriage to husband Desi too. Destined for true stardom, her life would never be the same.

I cannot sum into a few sentences what Lucy's contribution was to the show.. it would be impossible.. - she was the show. All the other members of this dream team were amazing and spectacular in their own way and the show wouldn't possibly be the same without them, but Lucy was the star and she proved to people what they had doubted for years. It takes a lot to be a comedienne and she had all of it: the perfect timing, a gift for physical comedy, a good rapport with her co-stars. America began a love affair with the character that never ceases to end. With all of her  imperfections, we still love her and that's the premise of the show. Look, to be put simply: Lucy was the show. Without Lucy, there was no show. She made it everything that is and always will be. ♥


Fantastically short, yes, but I think you all know already how much I love this woman. And if you've watched even a couple seconds of any episode, you'll know why she was special and why she was indeed the show. Desi, when once asked to distribute the success of the show among the actors, writers, directors, said: "Give Lucy 90% of the credit and divide the other 10% among the rest of us. Viv, Fred, and I were just props; damned good props, but props nevertheless. " And I am sure every single person who worked on that show would agree.

THE MAN WHO LOVED HER

Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (1917 - 1986) was not having much luck in the movies, either. In fact, he was doing quite a bit worse than his wife, who had at least taken the title of "Queen of the B's." Studios would not take Desi despite his obvious talent; at first they were enchanted by the "Cuban glamour boy", but their curiosity had run out. That accent, to begin with. What roles could they possibly give him with that accent? Because of these factors, his only source of income was to tour with his rhumba band all the time. This put a great strain on his marriage, however - "You can't get pregnant over the phone," Lucy would cry.

They wanted to work together but execs felt that the American public would not accept redheaded, all American Lucy and Cuban Desi together as a couple. "But we are married!" Lucy insisted. I Love Lucy was their only chance to work together. It was developed from the radio show "My Favorite Husband" which Lucy had starred in with Richard Denning voicing her husband. Lucy liked Denning but insisted that Desi be her husband or there would be no show. They were desperate to work together so he would be able to stay at home; and then they may actually begin to start a family. Again, execs balked at the idea so they took a vaudeville show on the road to convince them that the public would accept them. The show was a success and Desi was on board.

Desi as Ricky was different than any of the other TV husbands or dads on the tube. Sure, he had dark looks and the accent. That to begin with that made him stand out from any other program with their all American men. But his famous Latin temperament was the perfect foil for Lucy's antics, and the chemistry between he and his on screen wife sparkled because they were married off screen. You could believe the Ricardos were really in love.

Desi played a big part off screen, though. He was the executive producer and quite good at his job; the true brains, people would say. He made sure everything rolled smoothly, he knew how to talk to his employees and also helped birth the rerun by selling back all of the Lucys to CBS. I think Lucy sums it up pretty well in what she once told friend and protegee Carol Burnett: "Y'know, when I was married to the Cuban, I never had to worry about a thing. Desi was so damn smart about everything- scripts, cameras, lighting, costuming, you name it. I would simply waltz in on Monday mornings and the cast and I would read a perfect script, all ready for rehearsal. All I had to do was be Lucy."

THE BEST FRIEND A GIRL COULD ASK FOR

Vivian Roberta Jones (1909 - 1979) was having some steady roles in theater. Though she wasn't the toast of the town, she popped into the mind of Lucy director Marc Daniels, who "remembered her from New York." It was not so long before the original rehearsals of Lucy would begin (in fact, one must remember most of the planning for show happened in a hurried six month period), and they were searching for the perfect "second banana": Ethel Mertz. Ethel was going to be a hard type to cast. She needed to be slightly older than Lucy and somewhat frumpy, but at the same time not so out of Lucy's range that Lucy would not be able to scheme with her.

 Lucy was at home resting from her Cesarean pregnancy to daughter Lucie when Desi, Marc, and Jess Oppenhemier (the producer) went to the La Jolla Theater to see Vivian in "The Voice of the Turtle." They loved her and went backstage to deliver the good news, but Vivian was dubious. The character sounded kind of frumpy and Vivian wanted to be a serious actress. None the less, she would audition for the role and a few days later, she got it.

Vivian made Ethel Mertz the most famous second banana or sidekick of all time. Vivian's Ethel and Lucy's Lucy went together like peanut butter and jelly. It certainly helped that backstage they were becoming great friends (and always would be), much in the same way that Lucy and Ricky's marriage seemed real because the Arnazes were truly married off screen. You can sense their friendship and that even if Ethel knows what kind of a mess she's going to be getting into, she'll do it because she (like us) loves Lucy... also, sometimes she can't resist the fun!

The Ethel-Lucy pairing would produce some of the funniest moments in the show, most famously the candy factory scene.

HE WAS FRED;

AND FRED WAS HIM

William Clement Frawley (1887 - 1966) actually can be noticed in small character roles in several films, like "Miracle on 34th Street" or "East Side, West Side." He first met Lucy on the set of "Ziegfield Follies". They did not work together in the movie (the whole film was stitched up musical numbers or skits starring various MGM stars - Bill participated in a skit with Fanny Brice whereas Lucy had a fancy musical number consisting of horses and beautiful pink outfits centered around her) or got to be great friends or anything. But when Bill discovered Lucy needed a Fred Mertz, and that her first choice (Gale Gordon) was unavailable, he called her up and asked for the role.

Both Lucy and Desi loved him as Fred Mertz, but the others became worried about Bill's habit of drinking. A deal was made that if Bill was ever late or missed a show for any reason but a truly important medical situation, he would be fired. Bill agreed to it. Though he would often pluck through the script for his lines and learn them alone (sometimes so that he didn't even understand the plot or the jokes), as well as battled hard with Vivian Vance (it has been said she declared "Champagne for all!" when the news of his death reached her), Bill never missed a show due to his drinking or any other reason. He was never drink on set and best of all, he made the perfect Fred Mertz.

"He was Fred Mertz," Lucy would say of him. He identified so perfectly with Fred's cranky yet lovable character that the two become one and it resulted in pure hilariousness. His banter with his wife, his adoration for his godson, his love of watching the fights with Ricky. Fred Mertz really put definition into "being a character" and we loved him for it.

                                                                                      THE SUPPORTING PLAYERS

As if it wasn't even wonderful enough that the stars of the show would be so perfect and true in their characters, the supporting cast and bit players were excellent players as well. They were familiar faces throughout the whole run of the show. There was Keith Thibodeaux (billed as Richard Keith or simply "Little Ricky") as the Ricardos son, Little Ricky (read here my explanation why he was the cutest TV kid EVER). Or Doris Singleton who would appear several times in hilarious episodes as Lillian, or later on, Carolyn Appleby. Elizabeth Patterson, another character actress veteran, was Mathilda Trumbell, who we'd all come to know and love as Little Ricky's dependent babysitter, or Mary Jane Croft was Betty Ramsey, who would become one of Lucy and Ethel's BFFs when the gang moved out to Conneticuit. They supported the main characters perfectly and even in roles that were sometimes quite small, shone and contributed to the sitcom to make it all around perfect. 

***

Okay, that's it for part one. I'll be back with part two soon that will spotlight the writers, directors, even cameramen. 

By the way, as we celebrate I Love Lucy's 60th among the next few days, I'm personally inviting everyone to leave your comments with what you think made the show special, why we love it so much, which member of the "dream team" is your favorite, which episode, etc. I hope you all would comment anyway, but this is a special request. Think of it as a big valentine to the show. :)

Little Ricky was the cutest TV kid ever.

Hello friends,

Firstly: HAPPY FALL! I wore tights under my uniform today instead of socks, and I was so happy because I usually don't make that transition until next month. And the leaves are turning red and I've already broken in my fall jacket. I'll stop here because I already blog way too much about the weather on this blog, don't I? But... SO HAPPY. :) (You know, like that scene in "Roman Holiday" when Audrey is all sleepy from the injection Dr. Bonaporte gave her, and she's mumbling to Gregory Peck that she's so happy?)

In anticipation of the 60th anniversary of "I Love Lucy," I'm going to be trying to sprinkle a series of posts about the show in the days leading up to the 15th. Yes, I will be blogging about other things as well.... so it won't exactly be like last August when I blogged solely for Lucy for about a week. But I do have posts planned. ;)

Also, I am thrilled to pieces because the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C is holding an "I Love Lucy" expo for the 60th anniversary! Though the expo will be running into January, I can hardly wait to see it and want to as soon as I can. :)

This week I will also be participating in the Caroletenniel(+3) blogathon at Carole and Co. and I should have my post for the Bette Davis contest at Film Classics up here tomorrow. (I'm such a procrastinator - holding out until the last moment, and all!)

***

Today I'll be talking about an often neglected member of the "I Love Lucy" family:

Little Ricky!

I was surfing the IMdb "I Love Lucy" message boards a few weeks back, and I was surprised to find a whole thread condemning the "Little Ricky" character on the show. Though they brought a few valid points, I found the whole thing to be ridiculous. Nonsense about how Lucy was not a "good mother" (please, it wasn't the Dr. Spock Show!), how Mrs. Trumbell babysat him all the time, and how any of the episodes surrounding Little Ricky later into the series were "crap."

I would care to differ.

Let's be fair: Little Ricky was never exactly meant to be a part of the show. In reality, there would be no Little Ricky if Lucy (Ball) hadn't gotten pregnant. But I think Little Ricky added so much to the show (we'll get into how adorable he was in a little bit). For example, had there been no Little Ricky, we wouldn't have any of those precious pregnancy episodes.

It was because of Little Ricky the boundaries were broken about showing pregnant women on TV, if you want to look at it from a historical point of view. But back to what I was saying before: Little Ricky's birth provoked some of the most awesome, sweet moments in the whole show and some of my personal favorites. I know I've posted this clip before, but here we go again because it is one of my favorite moments on the show because I think it was the only time Lucy and Desi broke character. (The tears in this scene are unscripted and due to their real, raw emotions about being pregnant for the second time after suffering so many miscarriages).

And "Little Ricky" caused a lot of commotion. Already "I Love Lucy" had become America's favorite TV show, but I remember reading that people were taking bets on whether Little Ricky would be a boy or a girl and when Little Ricky was born it was announced on the radio in Japan. Random, but just goes to show you. Yeah, there were some people who nodded their disapproving heads at the "scandal" of showing a pregnancy on TV -- but they just added to the mayhem and excitement surrounding his birth.

And lest us not forget that "Lucy Goes to the Hospital" sparked some 70 percent of television viewers that night, when Ike Eisenhower's election only brought in 68% the next morning. Americans liked Ike - but they loved Lucy.

The first issue of TV Guide?

That is, of course, Desi., Jr and not an actor playing Little Ricky -- but this was all because of Little Ricky's television birth.

It is true that in often episodes Little Ricky was left with Mrs. Trumbell but you'd be a hypocrite to then argue that the episodes that did prominently featured Little Ricky were "stale".

"Little Ricky" was born in January 1953, but by the end of the series - 1957 - Little Ricky was getting to star in his own episodes and was shown to be a five or six year old boy (and then some). Television children can be as young or as old as you want them to for however long (though you'll get the message when enough is enough and your 17 year old actor can't fix into the sandbox!) and that became the case with Little Ricky as he sprouted a few years in age so episodes could be centered around him.

Why, Superman only got to appear on "I Love Lucy" because Little Ricky was having his fifth birthday party:

Another favorite episode of mine is a little earlier, when Little Ricky must get his tonsils out and Lucy sneaks into the hospital with his bear to be with him. So sweet!

Or what about when Little Ricky gets a drum and won't stop his noisy playing, which results in an all out war between the Ricardos and Mertzes?

Or "Little Ricky's School Pageant"? (Pictured below). 

But when it comes down to it: Little Ricky is never given much credit in the kingdom of TV children. He just wasn't given enough credit. He delivered some hilarious lines on the show- and he pulled them off just right, despite being a little kid. In the episode in which Lucy and Ricky are arguing over whether Little Ricky should be a drummer or a doctor, Little Ricky in a little doctor's outfit approaches Ricky and says, "Are you sick Daddy? Come to my office tomorrow!" He had some even cleverer lines but to me everything he just said seemed adorable without being sickeningly sweet like other TV kids.

That's another thing. Other shows put way too much emphasis on TV children just for the sake on getting viewers based on the cuteness factor. "I Love Lucy" did not do that, all while properly utilizing him.

Also: when it comes down to it. Little Ricky was just cute. He was tiny and adorable.

"Mommy, this will make a perfect bowl for my turtles!"

Carrying his dog, Fred, over the threshold. 

When Fred MERTZ objected to the dog back in the NY apartment, Little Ricky saves the day by saying:

"I named my dog Fred because I always name my pets after people I like!"

And, of course, some of my favorite moments in the show was when he played the drums.

Baby Babalu!

So next time you catch an episode of "I Love Lucy," be sure and appreciate a little Little Ricky in it. He, after all, (in my words): the cutest TV kid ever!

Anyone else have a favorite Little Ricky moment?

***

I'd like to leave you today with some Ingrid Bergman. A really short clip (about a minute, I think) from the 1958 movie "Indiscreet" which she did with Cary Grant. If you didn't already think Ingrid was awesome, well, then...

Till later!

Happy 60th Birthday, I Love Lucy!

Okay, my title is slightly misleading. If you were to consider the first day "I Love Lucy" ever went on air (and has not gone off since), that would be about a month from now (and I've got, of course, a lot under my sleeves for that).

HOWEVER, the first episode of "I Love Lucy" was filmed on September 8th, but it would not go on air until a whole four episodes later because of complications. The first episode to air was "The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub", and it was filmed on this date sixty years ago. Technically, that makes it the first episode and therefore I will celebrate the 60th filming anniversary on this date.

*Few*. I hope I didn't confuse the heck out of you there, though I probably did.

Anyhow, in honor of this day, I have a few tributes. The first is the top ten most classic moments of "I Love Lucy"; not exactly my favorite, I listed those here in my 100th birthday tribute for Lucy. These are the ten most iconic or classic moments that have emboldened the show into history, and keep it fresh and a favorite nearly 60 years after it first went on air.

THE TOP 10 CLASSIC "LUCY" MOMENTS

1)      Vitameatavegamin – Lucy Does a TV Commercial (1952):

“And it’s so tasty, too!” Ask anyone and they’ll recount one of Lucy Ricardo’s greatest moments: Vitameatavegamin. Lucy wheedles her way into a TV commercial on Ricky’s TV spot. The product is Vitameatavegamin, a type of elixir that contains vitamins, meat, vegetables, and minerals – that promises to “spoon your way to health!” What Lucy doesn’t know is the product contains 23% alcohol. It isn’t long before Lucy is in a woozey state, – “Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?” – Therefore creating one of the most hilarious and well-known Lucy moments of all time…and sixty years later, it still has us keeling over with laughter.

2)      Lucy, A Pie, and Bill Holden – LA At Last (1956):

One of the most infamous Lucy scenes in history – when Lucy and the gang finally arrive at Hollywood, the first thing Lucy, Ethel, and Fred decide to do is scope out all the movies stars at the “watering hole,” or rather, the Brown Derby. While there, Bill Holden innocently takes the booth behind Lucy, Ethel and Fred. Lucy and Ethel can’t stop drooling and eying the star until Bill tries to give them a taste of their own medicine. When he won’t stop gazing at Lucy, she gets uncomfortable, jumps up, and starts to leave – crashing into a waiter carrying a pie. The pie goes flying into Bill Holden’s face, and, well, need we say more?

3)      Lucy and the Putty Nose – LA At Last (1956):

This other famous bit takes place in the same episode. After smashing a pie into Bill Holden’s face, Lucy hurries home. Whereas later on, Ricky brings Bill home to give his starstruck wife the pleasure of meeting the star, Lucy is scared to death knowing Bill Holden will recognize her as the woman who smashed a pie into his face. So she disguises herself with glasses and a scarf to cover her memorable hair, and then makes a putty nose for herself. While chatting with Bill Holden, she lights a cigarette – or rather, her nose! Her putty nose on fire another classic Lucy moment.

4)      Lucy Tells Ricky She’s Pregnant – Lucy is Enceinte (1952):

In 1952, Lucille Ball made history as the first pregnant woman on TV. In fact, “I Love Lucy” was the first show to acknowledge a pregnant woman on TV – just, they couldn’t use the word pregnant. So instead they said “expecting,” or rather, “enceinte,” the French word for pregnant. In the episode which Lucy tells Ricky she is pregnant, she wants to tell him the way she’s always dreamed she would. But something or another keeps interrupting the perfect moment. Finally, she goes down to the club that night and writes an anonymous song request for the song, “We’re Having a Baby, My Baby and Me”. Ricky goes from table to table trying to find the expecting couple. When he comes to Lucy, she nods, and Ricky is ecstatic – “It’s me! I’m the father!” He and Lucy dance while he sings her the song. Actress Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who played Ricky, were married in real life. They were so happy to be expecting another child (they already had one daughter, Lucie Desiree) after so many miscarriages they couldn’t help it; the tears came spilling out. The director filmed a more emotional take, but the audience protested – “NO! NO NO!” the original, sentimental take was used, and is considered one of the sweetest moments in TV history.

5)      Lucy and Ethel are Candymakers  – Job Switching (1952)

Lucy and Ethel and Ricky and Fred decide to switch places for one day. Ricky and Fred will stay home and do housework while Lucy and Ethel go out to get jobs. While Ricky and Fred struggle with cooking dinner and ironing clothes at home, Lucy and Ethel get jobs at a chocolate factory, which is where the famous scene takes place. Chocolate truffles are coming down a conveyor belt and Lucy and Ethel must wrap every single piece and put it back on the belt; not a single piece must go by unwrapped. At first, it’s easy, but when the conveyor belt becomes too fast for them, they struggle to grab all the truffles and try to hide them anywhere they can – down their shirt, in their hats, in their mouths.

6)      Lucy’s Happy Little Loaf of Bread – Pioneer Women (1952):

Its boys vs. girls when the gang bets each other they couldn’t do with the modern appliances of the time. So they pretend its 1900 again and can’t use any appliances made after that year. Which means Lucy and Ethel have to bake and make their own bread and butter. While Ethel churns (so hard that her hands begin to grow to the dasher), Lucy uses one too many cakes of yeast to bake a loaf of bread – one that turns out to be 5 feet long! When Lucy opens the oven, the bread is so long it pushes her across the kitchen and forces her up against the counter! The huge loaf of bread was later shared with the studio audience.

7)      Lucy Gives Birth – Lucy Goes to the Hospital (1953):

The night Lucy Ricardo gave birth, 71.7% of all Americans with televisions tuned into watch the episode. The next morning, President Eisenhower was sworn into office, and only 67.7% of people tuned into watch! The whole episode is iconic; when Lucy’s doctor tells her the baby may be coming in any day now, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred are all jittery. When Lucy goes to lie down, they even rehearse what to do when Lucy tells them, “the time has come.” When the time does come, they’re so nervous they almost forget Lucy! It’s also opening night at Ricky’s club. He’s desperate to be at the hospital while Lucy is in labor, but the setup does not allow him to do so. While he is at the club performing a voodoo number (complete with makeup) he gets a notice his wife has given birth. He rushes back to the hospital, where he is almost arrested by the hospital police because of his stage makeup. Finally, he gets to peer into the glass window to see his little baby boy – Ricky Ricardo, Jr. The same morning that day, actress Lucille Ball gave birth to she and Desi Arnaz’s second child – Desi Arnaz, Jr.! The timing turned out, well, perfect!

8)      Lucy Smashes Eggs – Lucy Does the Tango (1957):

The episode which would garner the longest laugh from the studio audience in Lucy history (65 seconds – so long it had to be edited!) featured Lucy doing the tango with eggs in her shirt. It all begins when the Ricardos and Mertzes’ chickens aren’t producing any eggs, so Ricky threatens to get rid of them and get out of the egg business for good. He and Fred get into a fight, and Fred is all planned to move back to New York unless the chickens start laying eggs. Lucy and Ethel buy some eggs to put in the chickens’ nest so Ricky and Fred will think they are laying. When they bring them home, circumstances cause them to hide the eggs – in their shirts, in their back pockets. Then Ricky shows up and forces Lucy into practicing the tango they are learning for a PTA meeting at Little Ricky’s school. The end calls for Ricky to throw Lucy away from her, and then for Lucy to throw herself back at him, crushing herself against him. Knowing this is a setup for disaster, Lucy tries to wheedle her way out of it, but it doesn’t work. The eggs smash in Lucy’s shirt and the whole story spills out – along with all the yolk!

9) Lucy is a Thief - Lucy Visits Grumman’s, Lucy and John Wayne (1956)

Lucy decides to get herself the perfect souvenir from the Ricardo/Mertz trip to Hollywood: John Wayne’s footprints from Grumman’s Chinese Theater! Of course, this cannot possibly go off with a hitch and this results in a hilarious series of events which include Lucy getting stuck in some cement, the breaking of the precious footprints, and a guest visit from the Duke himself.

10) Lucy Stomps Grapes – Lucy’s Italian Movie (1956)

In order to prepare for her “movie debut” in an Italian film called Bitter Grapes, Lucy decides to go soak up some local culture. The shots of Lucy and a real Italian grape stomp-er wrestling in a vat of juicy, big grapes (with Lucy teasing her through and through, of course) is one of the most classic “Lucy” moments of all time.

A shot from the first episode to air, "The Girls Want to Go to A Nightclub"

Also, a tribute to Lucy Ricardo/Lucille Ball set to the song "Bubbly." I think this song is absolutely perfect for both Lucys. I was working on it for a while but decided to publish it on this particular day as it will have a meaning! Enjoy! :)

***

That's it for now. Take a little time for some "I Love Lucy" today! Well, you should always make room for some "I Love Lucy" in your day. But especially today. ;)