I Love Lucy

*I Love Lucy*
I Love Lucy
	The I Love Lucy logo.
Created by	Desi Arnaz
Starring	Lucille Ball; Desi Arnaz; Vivian Vance; William Frawley; Richard Keith
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	180
Production
Running time	30 minutes per episode
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	October 15, 1951 –; May 6, 1960

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I Love Lucy is a classic and the most popular American sitcom from the 1950s, starring comedian Lucille Ball, her husband Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley. The series ran from October 15, 1951 to May, 1957 on CBS (180 episodes, including the "lost" Christmas episode). This show was ranked #2 on TV Guide's top 50 greatest shows of all time in 2002, behind the show Seinfeld and ahead of The Honeymooners. The program was filmed at Desilu, the production studio jointly owned by Ball and Arnaz.

The sitcom was based on a radio show starring Lucille Ball and Richard Denning called My Favorite Husband. Denning was enthusiastic to continue his role as Ball's husband, but Ball wanted her real-life husband, Cuban-born musician Desi Arnaz, to play her onscreen spouse. Studio heads were worried that American audiences would not find such a "mixed marriage" to be believable, and were concerned about Arnaz's heavy Cuban accent. But Ball was adamant, and they were eager to have her in the part. To help sway their decision, Ball and Arnaz put together a vaudeville act featuring his music and her comedy, which was well received in several cities. In the end, CBS agreed, but refused to let Desi Arnaz' role be part of the show's title (as in "Lucy and Ricky"). After lengthy negotiations, Arnaz relented and agreed to "I Love Lucy", reasoning that the "I" would be his part.

Lucille Ball was the last main cast member still living before she died on April 26, 1989. The only remaining living cast member is Keith Thibodeaux (credited as "Richard Keith") who played Lucy and Ricky's young son "Little Ricky" in the last two seasons.

The show

File:Lucy ricky.jpg

"Oh Ricky, you're wonderful!"

Set in New York City, I Love Lucy is centered around Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball), a housewife, her husband Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) who is a singer and bandleader, and their friends and landlords Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance). Most episodes take place in the Ricardos' modest brownstone apartment at 623 East 68th Street — which in reality would be in the middle of the East River — or at the downtown "Tropicana" nightclub where Ricky is employed, and sometimes elsewhere in the city. Later episodes took the Ricardos and the Mertzes to Hollywood for Ricky to shoot a movie, and then they all accompanied Ricky while he and his band toured Europe. Eventually the Ricardos and the Mertzes moved to a house in the rural town of Westport, Connecticut.

Lucy Ricardo is a loving if somewhat naïve housewife with an ambitious character who has a knack for getting herself into trouble. In particular, she is obsessed with joining her husband in show business. Fred and Ethel are themselves former vaudevillians, which strengthens Lucy's resolve to prove herself as a performer. Unfortunately, Lucy Ricardo cannot carry a tune or play anything other than an off-key rendition of "Glow Worm" (or "Sweet Sue") on the saxophone and evidently has no other artistic or managerial talent. Yet Lucy is determined to show everyone around her that she is much more than an ordinary housewife. A typical I Love Lucy episode involves one of Lucy's ambitious but hare-brained schemes, whether it be to sneak into Ricky's nightclub act, find a way to associate with celebrities, show up her fellow women's club members, or simply try to better her life, usually she ends up in some comedic mess, often dragging in Ethel as her reluctant companion. Legend says that Ricky often cried: "Lucy! You got some 'splainin' to do!" However, like other supposed "famous quotes" (Cary Grant saying "Judy, Judy, Judy", or "Peetah, give me the lettah" by Bette Davis), this line was never actually spoken by Desi Arnaz. Perhaps the closest he came to this line was his admonition to Lucy, "That's no 'scuse!" to which she mockingly answered, "That's plenty 'scuse!"

Innovative techniques

At the time, most television shows were broadcast live from New York City, and a low-quality 35mm or 16mm kinescope print was made of the show to broadcast it in other time zones. But Ball was pregnant at the time, and she and Arnaz therefore insisted on filming the show in Hollywood, California. The duo, along with co-creator Jess Oppenheimer, then decided to shoot the show on 35 mm film in front of a live studio audience, with three cameras (this technique is now standard for sitcoms today). The result was a much sharper image than other shows of the time, and the audience reactions were far more authentic than the "canned laughter" used on most sitcoms of the time. The technique was not new — another CBS comedy series, Amos 'n' Andy, which debuted four months earlier, was already being filmed at Hal Roach Studios with three 35mm cameras to save time and money. But I Love Lucy was the first show to use this technique with a studio audience.

Scenes were often performed like a play, from start to finish, without interruption. As retakes were rare, dialogue mistakes were often played off as intentional as the actors continued. For example, in her last run-through of the famous Vitameatavegamin commercial, Lucy skips to the end of the speech (unscripted), realizes her mistake, and returns to the midpoint without missing her comic timing. This technique allowed the show to remain fresh for years and appear as a "live" performance.

On January 19, 1953 68% of all United States television sets were tuned in to I Love Lucy to watch Lucy give birth. The next month on February 18 Ball and Arnaz signed an $8,000,000 contract to continue I Love Lucy through 1955. After the end of the weekly series, the actors reunited for monthly one-hour specials under the title The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.

Episode Guide - Season 1

1-The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub

To celebrate the Mertzes' wedding anniversary, Fred and Ricky want to go to a prize fight, but the girls want to get dressed up and go to a nightclub. Lucy threatens to find two other escorts if their husbands won't take them. This is just fine with Fred, but Ricky worries. So he and Fred find two other girls and go to the same nightclub to spy on their wives.

'First aired October 15, 1951.

2-Be a Pal

Lucy decides Ricky's love is growing cold, so she takes Ethel's suggestions: that she join her spouse in his weekly poker game and that she turn the apartment into a Cuban hacienda to appeal to Ricky's native tastes. Look for Lucy's wacky Carmen Miranda impression in this episode.

First aired October 22, 1951.

3-The Diet

One of the girls in Ricky's show quits, making a vacancy for a singer who can wear a size 12 costume. Lucy tricks Ricky into saying that if she loses enough weight she can sing in the show. She then starves, exercises, and steams, finally losing five pounds. . .but there are further obstacles to her "big break." In this episode, Lucy and Desi reprise one of the highlights of their 1950 vaudeville tour, "Cuban Pete."

First aired October 29, 1951.

4-Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her

A misunderstood conversation between Ricky and his agent leads Lucy to the conclusion that he is trying to kill her. Ricky pours a sedative for Lucy so she can relax, but she thinks it's poison. With what she believes is her last burst of energy, she drags herself to Ricky's club to shoot him. The Classic TV sitcom is born with this, the very first Lucy episode.

First aired November 5, 1951.

5-The Quiz Show

Finding herself short of funds, Lucy wangles her way into a contestant spot on a wild and woolly quiz show. The show is called "Females are Fabulous," a title that Lucy justifies elaborately. In this episode, Frank Nelson makes the first of many cameos as Freddy Fillmore.

First aired November 12, 1951.

6-The Audition Show

Ricky's band is to be auditioned for television, and Lucy is trying to "get into the act." When Lucy substitutes for Buffo the clown, the producers want to sign her, not Ricky, and Lucy is confronted with problems. Ricky sings his trademark "Babalu" for the first time in this episode.

First aired November 19, 1951.

7-The Seance

Lucy suddenly becomes interested in numerology and superstitions. After advising Ricky that it's a good day for him to make deals, she realizes that she read yesterday's horoscopes and that today is actually a bad day for Ricky. She thus says "no" to a very important business call for Ricky from Mr. Meriweather. In the process of putting things right, Lucy conducts a seance. Classic Ethel quote: "Ethel to Tillie, Ethel to Tillie, come in Tillie."

First aired November 26, 1951.

8-Men Are Messy

When Ricky leaves his clothes around the living room, Lucy gets angry and divides the living room in half so Ricky can be as messy as he likes on his side. Ricky gets the Tropicana jumping with the "Straw Hat Song" in this episode.

First aired December 3, 1951.

9-The Fur Coat

Ricky brings home a mink coat that is to be used in his nightclub act, but Lucy takes it for granted it's for her. Trying to get the coat away from her is a problem for Ricky: Lucy not only sleeps in it, she even wears it while she is doing the housework. Finally, Ricky tells Fred to dress up like a robber and steal it back for him.

First aired December 10, 1951.

10-Jealous of Girl Dancer

Ethel Mertz misinterprets a gossip column item and decides Ricky is interested in a chorus girl. To keep an eye on Ricky, Lucy manages to wangle her way into the chorus line, where she upstages the dancer during the number and makes a mess of the show. Arroz con pollo, Desi Arnaz's actual favorite dish, is served up in this episode.

First aired December 17, 1951.

11-Drafted

When Lucy opens a telegram addressed to Ricky ordering him to appear at the Army's Fort Dix, she assumes he has been drafted. Both Lucy and Ethel are convinced their husbands have been drafted when they see them drilling in the living room with brooms. They don't realize that Ricky and Fred are practicing a dance routine for the servicemen's show.

First aired December 24, 1951.

12-The Adagio

Lucy learns that Ricky is looking for an Apache dancer for his nightclub act. Convinced that someday she will break into show business, Lucy grabs at this opportunity. She dreams up a wild American Indian war dance routine and goes after the job at Ricky's club. As a result, Ricky is challenged to a duel behind Radio City Music Hall.

First aired December 31, 1951.

13-The Benefit

Lucy resorts to womanly wiles to get Ricky to sing at a women's club benefit. Ricky is reluctant at first, but Lucy tricks him into agreeing to sing and dance with her at the function. In this episode Lucy and Ricky reprise a classic vaudeville routine, "Underneath the Bamboo Tree."

First aired January 7, 1952.

14-The Amateur Hour

Lucy buys a very expensive dress. When Ricky tells her to take it back or pay for it herself, she decides to get a babysitting job -- but gets more than she bargained for with the Hudson twins.

First aired January 14, 1952.

15-Lucy Plays Cupid

Lucy tries to arrange a match between a love-starved old lady and a giddy grocery man. In her efforts to play Cupid, Lucy gives the grocer the idea that she has a crush on him. TV Land regulars Edward Everett Horton and Bea Benadaret guest-star in this episode.

First aired January 21, 1952.

16-Lucy Fakes Illness

Ricky won't hire Lucy for his new act, so Lucy consults a book on abnormal psychology for a solution. When Ricky arrives home and finds out that Lucy is faking a nasty case of the "gobloots," he calls in an actor to play a physician.

First aired January 28, 1952.

17-Lucy Writes a Play

Lucy writes a tender, heartwarming story of a Cuban tobacco picker in "A Tree Grows in Havana." She tries to get Ricky to star in it. When he refuses, Lucy settles for Fred. However, Fred's Spanish accent is so terrible that she changes the play's setting to England. Ricky wants back in, but doesn't realize that the play has been revamped until he's on stage.

First aired February 4, 1952.

18-Breaking the Lease

After a fun evening around the piano singing favorite songs, the Mertzes retire to bed, leaving Lucy and Ricky alone to pursue a short encore. Ethel telephones demanding quiet. When Lucy points out that the Mertzes were just down there making noise themselves, the Ricardos and the Mertzes have the first of many classic feuds.

First aired February 11, 1952.

19-The Ballet

Ricky is searching for both a ballet dancer and a burlesque comic for his new act. Lucy wants the ballet job desperately and enrolls in a dance class run by the strict Madame Lamond. After failing at ballet, she decides to hire a burlesque comic teacher in hopes that she can at least be the comic in the show. When Lucy is summoned to the club to replace a sick performer, she assumes it's the comic they need, but it is actually the ballet dancer. Look for Lucy's "Slowly I Turned" burlesque comedy routine in this episode.

First aired February 18, 1952.

20-The Young Fans

When a teenage girl named Peggy drops her steady, Arthur, for suave Ricky Ricardo, Lucy tries to teach the clumsy schoolboy how to dance so he can impress Peggy. Unfortunately, Arthur gets carried away and proclaims his love for Lucy. Richard Crenna and Janet Waldo (the voice of Judy Jetson) guest-star in this episode.

First aired February 25, 1952.

21-New Neighbors

Lucy and Ethel can't wait to get a closer look at the belongings of their new neighbors, the O'Briens. Ricky makes Lucy promise not to set foot in their apartment. Lucy and Ethel decide to snoop anyway, but when the O'Briens come home suddenly, Lucy and Ethel hide in a closet. There they overhear the O'Briens discussing what sounds like a plot to murder Ricky and Lucy. The neighbors are actually television actors rehearsing a scene. Hayden Rorke, who played Dr. Bellows on "I Dream of Jeannie," guest-stars in this episode.

First aired March 3, 1952.

22-Fred and Ethel Fight

Lucy and Ricky try to patch up the Mertzes' quarrel by inviting each to dinner without the other's knowledge. "I Love Lucy" sponsor Phillip Morris is prominently plugged in this episode.

First aired March 10, 1952.

23-The Mustache

When Ricky refuses to shave off his new mustache, Lucy glues a white beard and mustache on her own face. Ricky concedes defeat, but Lucy is unable to remove her false whiskers because the glue remover is no longer available. It's "Bulldog Cement" that seals Lucy's fate in this episode.

First aired March 17, 1952.

24-The Gossip

Ricky and Fred bet Lucy and Ethel that they can keep from gossiping longer than their wives. The winners are to be served breakfast in bed for a month. Ricky tells Lucy some gossip while pretending to be asleep, so that Lucy will spill the news to Ethel and make the girls lose the bet. Watch for the classic moment when Lucy does charades in this episode.

First aired March 24, 1952.

25-Pioneer Women

Determining that they have washed 219,000 dishes since being married, Lucy and Ethel demand dishwashers. The men insist that the women have it too "soft" and bet them fifty dollars that they can't live without modern conveniences. See the classic moment when Lucy battles a loaf of bread.

First aired March 31, 1952.

26-The Marriage License

A close inspection of her marriage license convinces Lucy that she and Ricky are not legally married. Because his name is misspelled on the certificate, Lucy insists that Ricky go through the entire courtship and marriage ceremony a second time. This episode is based on Lucy and Desi's actual wedding.

First aired April 7, 1952.

27-The Kleptomaniac

Ricky discovers a large amount of cash in Lucy's purse and a cache of silverware and other valuables in a closet. Unaware that Lucy is collecting items for a club bazaar, he immediately jumps to the conclusion that she's a kleptomaniac. Joseph Kearns, Mr. Wilson of "Dennis the Menace," guest-stars in this episode.

First aired April 14, 1952.

28-Cuban Pals

Annoyed by Ricky's accounts of the lovely Cuban entertainer Renita, who was his partner in the old days, Lucy rigs herself out as a seductive Latin dancer and devises a plan to replace Renita in the show.

First aired April 21, 1952.

29-The Freezer

Lucy gets a walk-in meat freezer, orders two sides of beef, and runs a business with Ethel until the neighborhood butcher gets wise to their competitive tricks. While trying to move the beef from the basement freezer into the unlit furnace before Ricky sees the $483 meat bill, Lucy accidentally gets locked inside the freezer. This is the "human popsicle" episode.

First aired April 28, 1952.

30-Lucy Does a TV Commercial

Lucy tricks Ricky into letting her do a commercial during a television variety show. The commercial is for Vitameatavegamin Vitamins, and Lucy is the Vitameatavegamin girl. Unknown to Lucy this liquid tonic contains a large proportion of alcohol, and after numerous retakes (with Lucy using the product) she has difficulties in pronouncing the product name. One of the top classic episodes.

First aired May 5, 1952.

31-Publicity Agent

To increase business at the Tropicana, Lucy concocts a publicity scheme based on a newspaper item claiming that the Shah of Persia owns all of Benny Goodman's records. Lucy decides to pose as the Maharincess of Franistan, who has traveled halfway around the globe to see her singing idol, Ricky Ricardo.

First aired May 12, 1952.'

32-Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio

Convinced that Ricky is a mental giant, Lucy makes secret arrangements to get him on a radio quiz show. Frank Nelson returns once again as quiz show host Freddie Fillmore.

First aired May 19, 1952.

33-Lucy's Schedule

After Lucy is late for a dinner appointment with Ricky's boss Alvin Littlefield, Ricky puts his wife on a rigid time schedule. Ricky tells his boss about this new schedule, adding that he has Lucy jumping around like a trained seal and that Littlefield should come over to see her perform. When Lucy gets wind of the plot, she schemes with Ethel and Mrs. Littlefield to teach their time-conscious hubbies a well-deserved lesson. Gale Gordon makes his first guest-star appearance as Alvin Littlefield, Ricky's boss.

First aired May 26, 1952.

34-Getting Bald

Haunted by the thought that he is growing bald, Ricky appeals to Lucy, who comes up with an unorthodox treatment.

First aired June 2, 1952.

35-Ricky Asks for a Raise

Lucy convinces Ricky that he should pressure his boss into giving him a raise. When Ricky follows Lucy's advice literally, he gets a big "no" from the nightclub owner. Insult is added to injury when Ricky's nightclub launches an explosive campaign announcing the debut of his replacement. You can't miss Fred Mertz in drag in this episode. Gale Gordon returns as guest star.

First aired June 9, 1952.

Episode Guide - Season 2

36-Job Switching

Convinced that they need to do something more lucrative than keep house, Lucy and Ethel get jobs in a candy factory. The girls are forced to work at a conveyer belt that brings the sweets to them faster than their unskilled hands can pack them. This episode is a classic among classics

First aired September 15, 1952.

37-The Saxophone

Determined to accompany her husband on a tour with his band, Lucy represents herself as a skilled performer on the saxophone. Unfortunately, Lucy blows another chance to be in the show with an off-key rendition of "Glow Worm."

First aired September 22, 1952.

38-Anniversary Present

Believing that Ricky has forgotten their anniversary, Lucy fears his attentions are wandering. Her suspicions are further aroused when she sees him fastening a pearl necklace around the neck of one of their neighbors.

First aired September 29, 1952.

39-The Handcuffs

Inspired by a magic trick she saw, Lucy handcuffs herself to her sleeping husband. To their mutual horror, they discover that the handcuffs are of Civil War vintage and a key cannot be found to unlock them.

First aired October 6, 1952.

40-The Operetta

Lucy persuades members of her women's club to stage her original operetta with "John Charles Ricardo" as the leading man. Lucy plays a witchlike gypsy in the show, and Ricky plays the hero "good Prince Lancelot." In the midst of the performance, men from the costume and scenery rental company arrive and proceed to repossess the items.

First aired October 13, 1952.

41-Vacation From Marriage

The Ricardos and Mertzes decide that their marriages are in a rut. A library book suggests a "week's vacation from marriage" as the solution. Lucy moves in with Ethel, and Fred with Ricky. Their newfound freedom creates a difficult situation.

First aired October 27, 1952.

42-The Courtroom

On the occasion of the Mertzes' 25th wedding anniversary, Lucy and Ricky present them with a television set that doesn't work. This generates a feud between the two families -- and an explosive courtroom scene. Watch the landmark case of Mertz vs. Ricardo in this episode.

First aired November 10, 1952.

43-Redecorating

A visit to the "Home Show" prompts Lucy and Ethel to enter a contest where the winner gets five rooms of new furnishings. All the wives have to do is sit by the phone and wait to see if they won. Fred makes a phony phone call to Lucy and tells her that she's won so she won't sit by the phone anymore. This causes Lucy to sell all her furniture and then demonstrate how not to put up wallpaper.

First aired November 17, 1952.

44-Ricky Loses His Voice

When Ricky arrives home with a bad case of laryngitis, Lucy banishes him to bed. However, Ricky is concerned about the imminent reopening of the Tropicana; Mr. Chambers, his new boss, is counting on him to stage a good show. Lucy decides to stage the show herself and let Ricky rest. This episode finds Fred and Ethel in harmony for once, singing "Carolina in the Morning."

First aired November 24, 1952.

45-Lucy Is Enciente

Constant interruptions -- the telephone, neighbors, and Ricky's nightclub co-workers -- frustrate Lucy's every attempt to talk quietly with her husband. Finally she is forced to go to the nightclub to tell him she's going to have a baby. This episode is a Classic TV milestone.

First aired December 8, 1952.

46-Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable

Expectant Lucy creates a pandemonium in the Ricardo household with the unpredictable demands she makes on her adoring husband. Lucy is overwhelmed by Ricky's considerate treatment of her, but confuses him when she becomes suspicious of his attentions.

First aired December 15, 1952.

47-Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song

Despite her "condition," Lucy is determined to participate in a Gay Nineties Revue. Enlisting Ethel's aid, Lucy tries to contrive an appropriate costume and finally comes up with a barrel. Pepito the Spanish Clown, a longtime Arnaz family friend, makes a special appearance.

First aired December 22, 1952.

48-Lucy Hires an English Tutor

Determined to have a well-spoken offspring -- though its arrival is several months away -- Lucy hires a tutor, Mr. Livermore. In return for his services, she lets him sing a song of his own writing at Ricky's nightclub. This is the episode with the ridiculous "Tippy Tippy Toe" song.

First aired December 29, 1952.

49-Ricky Has Labor Pains

When Ricky feels jealous of all the attention Lucy is getting, she decides to throw Ricky a "daddy shower" -- but Fred turns it into a stag party. A little apprehensive about the turn of events, Lucy decides to crash the daddy shower disguised as a newspaper reporter with Ethel posing as her photographer-partner.

First aired January 5, 1953.

50-Lucy Becomes a Sculptress

Lucy decides that their unborn child should have artistic leanings. Salesmen in an art supply store put her to work on a lump of clay, and she uses the Mertzes as models for a modernistic creation. Art critics laud her weird effort as a masterpiece.

First aired January 12, 1953.

51-Lucy Goes to the Hospital

Lucy approaches the zero hour and is rushed to the hospital to have her baby. Ricky carefully works out an elaborate plan with his neighbors, Ethel and Fred, whereby each is supposed to know exactly what to do "at the psychological moment." When the big moment arrives, bedlam breaks loose. Little Ricky and Classic TV history are born in this episode.

First aired January 19, 1953.

52-Sales Resistance

Lucy buys a tricky kitchen gadget in response to a TV pitch. Ricky accuses all women of having no sales resistance. Lucy retaliates by demanding to know why Ricky bought a 20-foot rubber life raft. Guest star: Sheldon Leonard. The song "There's a Brand New Baby at Our House," from this episode, was originally written by Desi Arnaz for daughter Lucie's birth.

First aired January 26, 1953.

53-Inferiority Complex

Lucy pulls one faux pas after another, with the result that she develops a devastating inferiority complex. Ricky tries to flatter his wife out of her complex, but he must finally consult a "physio-chiatrist."

First aired February 2, 1953.

54-Club Election

Pitted against each other in the race for the presidency of their women's club, Lucy and Ethel try to wangle the deciding vote by devious means. Meanwhile, their husbands map a campaign to have them both defeated. In this episode Lillian Appleby, later Carolyn Appleby, appears for the first time as Lucy's rival.

First aired February 16, 1953.

55-The Black Eye

When a book accidentally tossed by Ricky hits Lucy in the eye, she winds up with a shiner. Neighbors Fred and Ethel jump to the conclusion that the Ricardos are having a family tiff. They intercede -- with black-eyed results.

First aired March 9, 1953.

56-Lucy Changes Her Mind

When Ricky complains that Lucy is constantly changing her mind and never completing things, she decides to complete an old high-school romance by finishing a love letter she started when she was in high school. Rather than being jealous, Ricky offers to mail it for her. Lucy must intercept the letter, or her ex-boyfriend will think she's out of her mind. "I Love Lucy" regular Frank Nelson returns, this time as a myopic waiter.

First aired March 30, 1953.

57-No Children Allowed

The Ricardos' infant prompts the neighbors to point out that there is a clause in the lease saying "no children." The Ricardos' landlords are also their friends the Mertzes, who loyally stand by them and refuse to evict them. Ethel Mertz takes such pride in her generous action that she brags about it at a bridge luncheon. Hearing Ethel's story for the umpteenth time, Lucy blows her top. Mrs. Trumbull, the Ricardos' reliable babysitter, makes her first appearance in this episode.

First aired April 20, 1953.

58-Lucy Hires a Maid

Exhausted from walking the baby all night, Lucy and Ricky hire a maid. Lucy has never had anyone work for her before. She practices interviewing Ethel, using a businesslike, tough attitude as Ricky has instructed. But the woman she hires, Mrs. Porter, completely overpowers Lucy. Ethel talks Lucy into firing Mrs. Porter, but this is easier said than done. Classic character actress Verna Felton guest-stars and cleans house in this episode.

First aired April 27, 1953.

59-The Indian Show

Lucy wants to get into the act when Ricky is producing an Indian show and boning up on Indian lore. Trying to avoid a renewal of Lucy's desire to get into show business, Ricky doesn't tell her he is producing an Indian show. Lucy reads Ricky's book, "Bloodcurdling Indian Tales," and is horrified by the stories. When two Indians in full regalia turn up for an audition, Lucy stages an ambush for them. Eventually Lucy steals the show with her classic rendition of "By the Waters of the Minnetonka."

First aired May 4, 1953.

60-Lucy's Last Birthday

Ricky has planned a surprise party for Lucy's birthday. He swears the Mertzes and all their friends to secrecy. Lucy, however, only knows that everyone has forgotten her birthday and works very hard at being gay, denying that she wanted anyone to remember. Taking a walk to forget her troubles, Lucy runs across a rescue mission band called "Friends of the Friendless," tearfully tells them her troubles, and marches off with them. Meanwhile the party guests are assembled at Ricky's nightclub, waiting for the guest of honor. Ricky sings the lyrics to "I Love Lucy" for the first and only time in this Classic TV episode.

First aired May 11, 1953.

61-The Ricardos Change Apartments

Lucy thinks the Ricardos need a larger apartment now that they have the baby. She tries all her tricks to cajole Ricky into switching apartments with Mr. and Mrs. Benson, who have recently married off their daughter and don't need the extra bedroom. Lucy fills her apartment with junk, including a sliding pond and teeter-totter, to give it a "cramped" appearance. This is the episode when the Ricardos move up in the world. . .to apartment 3-B.

First aired May 18, 1953.

62-Lucy Is Matchmaker

When Eddie Grant, a friend of the Mertzes, stops by for an unexpected visit and finds they are not at home, he leaves them a message with Lucy. When Lucy learns that the salesman is an eligible bachelor, she immediately begins brewing plans to fix him up with her girlfriend Sylvia Collins.

First aired May 25, 1953.

63-Lucy Wants New Furniture

A frantic economy wave engulfs the Ricardo household. Lucy buys some furniture against Ricky's orders and is forced to pay for it out of her own allowance. Ricky confiscates the furniture and takes it to the club until it's paid off. Lucy also needs a new dress and a new hairstyle for the Carrolls' party at the Tropicana on Saturday night. She tries to make her own dress and then does some "permanent damage" in this episode.

First aired June 1, 1953.

64-The Camping Trip

When Lucy and Ethel come to the conclusion that good marriages are based on mutual interests, they invite themselves on a rugged camping trip with their spouses. Ricky submits to the proposal, assuming that the sound of the first coyote's howl will send the girls dashing back to the city. Watch as Lucy conquers the great outdoors (with a little help from Ethel).

First aired June 8, 1953.

65-Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans

When Lucy and Ethel become TV boxing-match widows, they decide to go out for a bite to eat, leaving their husbands in front of the Ricardo TV set. Everyone at the local cafe is also glued to the TV set, so Lucy decides to help herself and gets caught with her hand in the cash register. She manages to escape the cop's clutches by yelling, "Look -- a knockout!" With Ethel, she takes refuge on the roof of their apartment building. Guest star Frank Nelson is back and in uniform as Sergeant Nelson in episode 66.

First aired June 22, 1953.

66-Never Do Biz With Friends

The Ricardos get a new washing machine. Despite Ricky's apprehensions, they sell their old one to the Mertzes for thirty-five dollars. The next day, the old machine erupts like a volcano. The Mertzes call the machine a "lemon" and take the stance that since no money has changed hands yet, the deal is invalid. This causes a tremendous fight between the couples. This episode offers a rare glimpse of the back of the Mertzes' apartment building.

First aired June 29, 1953.

Episode Guide - Season 3

67-Ricky's Life Story

LIFE magazine has done a home picture layout on the Ricardos. The pictures include Ricky, Little Ricky, and a view of Lucy's left elbow. Therefore, Lucy needles her husband into getting her into show business so her photos will be in demand. She rigs herself out in a Spanish costume and tries to augment a Cuban number sung by Ricky.

First aired October 5, 1953.

68-The Girls Go Into Business

It's touch-and-go for Lucy and Ethel as they buy a dress shop on a shoestring and promptly go into the red. With typical beginner's luck, they unwittingly unload the losing venture on their husbands, Ricky and Fred. Listen and learn the Spanish phrase for "the check is good" in this episode.

First aired October 12, 1953.

69-Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress

Lucy wangles the star role in a revue staged by her women's club by promising that she will deliver her husband, Ricky, as the show's emcee. The fly in the theatrical ointment comes as Ethel Mertz, Lucy's arch rival for show honors, turns up in the same gown as Lucy's. In this episode, Lucy and Ethel sing the Cole Porter classic, "Friendship."

First aired October 19, 1953.

70-Equal Rights

After a heated argument about equal rights, during which the girls insist they want to be treated exactly as if they were men, the Ricardos and the Mertzes go off to an Italian restaurant for dinner. When the waiter, on Ricky's insistence, presents four separate checks, the girls discover they have no money.

First aired October 26, 1953.

71-Baby Pictures

A resolution by the Ricardos not to show snapshots of their youngster to their friends goes by the boards as two proud visitors, Charlie and Carolyn Appleby, gleefully exhibit pictures of their infant in a baseball suit resembling Little Ricky's. Listen for the classic Lucy quote: "Where do you keep your baby's cage?"

First aired November 2, 1953.

72-Lucy Tells the Truth

Lucy vows to tell the truth for twenty-four hours in order to win a bet. This lands her in a knife-throwing act on television. Her predicament stems from a little white lie during her round-the-clock truth test -- namely, that she can understand a talent agent who can't speak English. When he hires her, Lucy has a choice of facing the knife-thrower's blades or losing the bet. This is the episode where Lucy "unwittingly" reveals her true age, weight, and original hair color.

First aired November 9, 1953.

73-The French Revue

Ricky plans a French revue at the Tropicana. Lucy hires DuBois, a waiter at a French bistro, to teach Ethel and herself some conversational French. In exchange for the free lessons, Lucy promises to get DuBois into Ricky's show. At first Ricky is mad, but he finally agrees to hire the waiter on the basis of his excellent "Louise" rendition. However, much to Lucy's consternation, Ricky forbids her to come near the club. She does her best to get into the Tropicana in various disguises. Maurice Chevalier impersonations abound in this tribute to France.

First aired November 16, 1953.

74-Redecorating the Mertzes' Apartment

The Ricardos nearly wreck the apartment of their landlord friends, the Mertzes, when they try to help decorate their apartment and Lucy proves herself an inferior decorator.

First aired November 23, 1953.

75-Too Many Crooks

Fred's birthday is approaching, and the Ricardos decide to buy him a custom-made tweed suit as a surprise. Lucy sneaks into the Mertz apartment to borrow one of Fred's old suits as a model. But Mrs. Trumbull, unaware of Lucy's intentions, sees her and tells Ethel. Because of a robbery scare in the neighborhood involving a "Madame X," Ethel immediately jumps to the conclusion that Lucy is she.

First aired November 30, 1953.

76-Changing the Boys' Wardrobe

Lucy and Ethel hatch an ingenious plot to make their husbands stop wearing disreputable clothes in public. Ricky proudly displays his sweatshirt from his alma mater, Havana U.

First aired December 7, 1953.

77-Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined

Lucy winds up with drops in her eyes when Ricky visits an oculist, but it takes more than impaired vision to quell her latest attempts to crash the show at Ricky's nightclub -- this time with a sizzling jitterbug dance. In this episode, Fred and Ethel don raccoon coats for a classic rendition of "The Varsity Drag."

First aired December 14, 1953.

78-Ricky's Old Girlfriend

Ricky creates a fictitious old flame (Carlota Romero) to make Lucy fly into a jealous rage. By coincidence, a singer by the same name is actually appearing in New York. The next evening, a press agent arranges for Carlota Romero (with whom Ricky did work many years ago) to see Ricky again.

First aired December 21, 1953.

79-The Million-Dollar Idea

Lucy and Ethel have visions of making a million dollars by bottling and selling old-fashioned salad dressing -- until their operations reach the point of diminishing returns, largely because of their bizarre views on how to run a business. Watch as Lucy and Ethel, a.k.a. Isabella Klump and Margaret McMertz, invent the infomercial.

First aired January 11, 1954.

80-Ricky Minds the Baby

Ricky changes his vacation plans so he can spend all his time with Little Ricky. Lucy uses her free time to go shopping, but when she returns she finds Little Ricky wandering the hallway by himself. Ricky and Fred have been so involved in a TV football game, they hadn't seen him wander off. To teach Ricky a lesson, Lucy phones her husband and nonchalantly asks about Little Ricky. Panic sets in when the father realizes his son is missing. A classic father-and-son moment occurs when Ricky recites "Little Red Riding Hood" in Spanish.

First aired January 18, 1954.

81-Charm School

Lucy and Ethel enroll in a charm school to cope with their husbands' interest in a sweet young thing who exudes personality-plus. Natalie Schafer, who played Lovey Howell on "Gilligan's Island," guest-stars in this episode.

First aired January 25, 1954.

82-Sentimental Anniversary

Lucy and Ricky want to spend their thirteenth anniversary at home, but the Mertzes have arranged a surprise party for them. When Ethel asks Lucy where they'll be that night, Lucy quickly concocts some story that they'll be out. As the party guests start arriving, Lucy and Ricky move their champagne dinner into the hall closet. Finally they manage to divert the guests' attention so they can slip out the front door and make a properly "surprised" entrance.

First aired February 1, 1954.

83-Fan Magazine Interview

Lucy and Ricky madly prepare for a visit from a fan magazine writer who is doing a series on happily married couples. But their frayed nerves and a family quarrel make for a touch-and-go situation before the scribe arrives. Kathryn Card plays Ricky Ricardo fan Minnie Finch in this episode. (She later plays Lucy's mother in the series.)

First aired February 8, 1954.

84-Oil Wells

When a fast-talking petroleum "tycoon" from Texas tries to foist some phony stock off on the Ricardos and the Mertzes, they discover the ruse just in time to avoid being fleeced. Listen for the classic Ricky quote: "Don't cross their chickens before their bridges are hatched."

First aired February 15, 1954.

85-Ricky Loses His Temper

Ricky tries his hand at a little psychology to overcome Lucy's mania for buying hats. Madge Blake, who played Aunt Harriet in the TV series "Batman," guest-stars as Mrs. Mulford.

First aired February 22, 1954.

86-Home Movies

When Ricky makes a film and succeeds in selling it to a producer, Lucy decides to get into the act by producing her own western. When TV producer Bennett Green arrives to see Ricky's pilot, "Ricky Ricardo Presents Tropical Rhythms," he is treated to a spliced-in sampling of Lucy's theatrical travesty. In this episode, Lucy and Ethel surprise Ricky with their rendition of "I'm an Old Cowhand."

First aired March 1, 1954.

87-Bonus Bucks

Lucy and Ethel engage in a not-too-neighborly tiff over the ownership of a "bonus buck" when its serial number turns up in a newspaper. Watch Lucy jump into a vat of starch for a half-dollar in this episode.

First aired March 8, 1954.

88-Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation

When Ricky makes no provision for Lucy to accompany him on a trip to Hawaii, Lucy sets out to win a free trip to the ukulele capital for herself and the Mertzes. Frank Nelson returns as everyone's favorite game show host, Freddie Fillmore.

First aired March 22, 1954.

89-Lucy Is Envious

A wealthy ex-schoolmate of Lucy's is collecting for a charity. Lucy tells her friend to put her down for "five." But when the uppity friend arrives to collect the pledged funds, Lucy is shocked to learn that her "five" meant five hundred dollars. In order to raise the money, Lucy and Ethel get a job dressed as two maids from Mars in a stunt to publicize a science fiction movie. They "invade" the top of the Empire State Building and scare the daylights out of a group of hotel patrons.

First aired March 29, 1954.

90-Lucy Writes a Novel

Lucy decides to become an author after reading about a woman who won $10,000 for her book. Ricky, Fred, and Ethel find themselves the central characters in Lucy's first novel, "Real Gone With the Wind."

First aired April 5, 1954.

91-Lucy's Club Dance

Lucy organizes an orchestra among her girl friends and books them for a club dance. But the orchestra plays so horribly that she asks Ricky to come to a rehearsal and give them some advice. Determined to get publicity for the dance, Lucy announces the premiere performance of "Ricky Ricardo and His All-Girl Orchestra."

First aired April 12, 1954.

92-The Black Wig

Ricky forbids Lucy to get "one of those new Italian haircuts." She rebels by borrowing a wig from her hairdresser Roberta, who insists Lucy looks like a different person with it on. Lucy plans to wear the wig so she can test Ricky's fidelity, but the salon manager tips off Ricky to the scheme. When Lucy puts on the wig and starts flirting, Ricky flirts back.

First aired April 19, 1954.

93-The Diner

Ricky becomes interested in a diner that is for sale, so the Ricardos and the Mertzes all buy it together. Right away, Ethel and Fred decide that they are doing all the work while Lucy and Ricky have all the fun. The couples decide to split the diner down the middle. The Ricardos' side says "A Little Bit of Cuba," and the Mertzes' side says "A Big Hunk of America."

First aired April 26, 1954.

94-Tennessee Ernie Visits When country cousin Tennessee Ernie Ford -- a hillbilly's hillbilly -- wears out his welcome with the Ricardos, Lucy tries a vamp act to scare him back to the mountains. Guest star: Tennessee Ernie Ford. First aired May 3, 1954.

95-Tennessee Ernie Hangs On

Lucy gets sick of an extensive visit by Tennessee Ernie, who claims he is her cousin. She tries to get rid of the likable character by pleading poverty. The scheme backfires when Tennessee Ernie promotes a benefit hoedown to assist Lucy and Ricky. Look for "Ernie Ford and His Four chicken Pickers" in this episode.

First aired May 10, 1954.

96-The Golf Game

Championship golfer Jimmy Demaret visits the Ricardos when Lucy and Ethel arrive at a bizarre scheme for combating their "golf widowship." The girls install a basketball court in the Ricardo living room and pretend to be as deeply absorbed in the game as their husbands are in the fairways. Guest star: Jimmy Demaret.

First aired May 17, 1954.

97-The Sublease

Hoping to spend the summer away, the Ricardos decide to sublet their apartment and split the profits with the Mertzes. Their tenant is a shy, timid soul who has been a witness in a murder trial and who wants nothing but peace and quiet. The deal is made when Ricky suddenly learns that his summer job has been canceled. Lucy stages a murder scene to frighten the tenant away so that she and Ricky can move back into the apartment. Jay Novello guest-stars as Mr. Beecher, the timid tenant.

First aired May 24, 1954.

Seasons 4, 5, 6 Coming Soon!

Episode Guides Courtesy of TV Land

Themes and Highlights

In the course of the show, numerous comic ideas were introduced, and often reappeared in subsequent episodes. Several bits remain famous and beloved, often listed amongst television's best. The following list reviews some of the high points.

The clown

Considered by professional clowns to be one of their own, Lucille Ball's 'clown character' was "Lucy Ricardo." (nee "Lucille McGillicuddy" — an instantly recognizable clown moniker). Lucy Ricardo was a friendly, ambitious and somewhat naïve housewife, constantly getting into trouble of one kind or another.

The setup of the show provided ample opportunities for Ball to display her skills at clowning and physical comedy. She is regarded as one of the best in the history of film and television at physical 'schtick'.

In the course of the television series, Lucy shared the screen with numerous famous clowns, prominent among these were Red Skelton and Harpo Marx.

Lucy tries to get into the act — a recurring and almost omnipresent theme on the show, was that "talentless" plain old Lucy the Housewife dearly desired a chance to perform, as anything: a dancer, showgirl, clown, singing cowboy — or in any role. The real joke here is that Lucille Ball, aside from being regarded as beautiful, was also quite talented in a variety of performance arts, as well as being a ground-breaking television producer.

Perhaps the best example of this gag is when Lucy shows up unannounced at Ricky's club, toting a clown-modified cello and pretending to be a musician, asking to speak with "Risky Riskerdoo" (Ricky Ricardo) this classic includes Lucy winding the cello's tuning peg as if it were a watch (to the accompaniment of ratcheting sounds) and shooting the cello's bow at Ricky's backside.

Lucy in the Candy Factory — ("Speeeeeeed it up a little!!") Lucy and Ethel attempt to get jobs — for which they are demonstrably unprepared — the classic candy-gobbling scene in this episode is an American cultural icon. This bit was a variation on an old vaudeville routine. Jackie Gleason also did a variation, involving decorating and boxing cakes as they came off an assembly line.

The Mirror Gag — now a classic improvisational acting exercise (with Harpo Marx), in which Lucy, dressed as Harpo Marx encounters the real Harpo while hiding in the kitchen doorway. Perplexed at what he sees he confronts his reflection and Lucy is forced to mimick his every move. This bit was a tribute to Harpo and Groucho's famous mirror scene in the Marx Brothers comedy classic, Duck Soup.

The Stranger with a Kind Face (aka Slowly I Turned) in which a veteran clown introduces Lucy Ricardo to some basics of the clown art, and is schooled in this classic (and at that time quite familiar) vaudevillian routine, complete with 'seltzer bottles' (a familiar clown prop) and slapstick. The Three Stooges are among many others who performed variations on this classic.

Vita-meata-vege-min — One of the most memorable episodes was titled "Lucy Does a Commercial", filmed during the first season (episode 30 of 35) on March 28, 1952, and first aired on May 5 of that year. In this episode Lucy manages to get a role as the "Vitameatavegamin girl" and is tasked with trying to sell the public a tonic that has healthy amounts of vitamins, meat, vegetables, minerals — and the less than healthy dose of 23% alcohol. "And it's tasty too - [grimacing] - just like candy!" During rehearsal, Lucy becomes progressively more inebriated, with the inevitable hilarious result, made only the more funny by the alliterative, tongue twisting product name and pitch. "Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular? Well, the answer to all your troubles is in this bittle lottle!"

In November of 2001, fans voted this episode as their all-time favorite during a 50th anniversary I Love Lucy television special.

Lucy Tries to Meet the Famous Star — another recurring theme, many popular stars were eager to appear on the show, and hilarity ensued in countless episodes as a result of the character, Lucy's obsession with fame and the famous.

The Cousin Ernie story arc. Lucy receives a letter informing her that her "Best Friend's Roommate's Cousin's Middle Boy" — of whom she has never heard — is coming to visit from "Bent Fork, Tennessee". 'Cousin Ernie' (immaculately played by "Tennessee" Ernie Ford) is a stereotypical Country Boy in the Big City, in awe of the sophistication (as he perceives it) of his new hosts. Cousin Ernie and the citizens of Bent Fork and its environs are encountered several times during the course of the show's life.

The Singing Jailbreak — This episode is part of the Hollywood story arc. Ricky, Lucy, Fred, and Ethel participate in a square dance called by Cousin Ernie to escape a Bent Fork, Tennessee jail in the course of which the sheriff and his two Rubenesque daughters are tied up with a handy piece of rope. Lucy gives a feminine kick into the officer's groin. Then Ricky, Lucy, Fred and Ethel make their escape to continue their cross country venture.

Lucy does the tango - The Ricardos and the Mertzes chicken business is not going very well, so Lucy and Ethel come up with a plot to fool the boys into thinking the hens are laying by smuggling eggs in the henhouse, hidden underneath their clothes. However, Ricky insists that he and Lucy rehearse their tango number for a local benefit. Unbeknownst to Ricky, Lucy's blouse is filled with chicken eggs. When Lucy slams into Ricky in the final dance step, the eggs break, saturating Lucy's shirt with broken eggs. The skit resulted in the longest audience laughter in the show's history.

Cast

Lucille Ball .... Lucille 'Lucy' Esmeralda MacGillicuddy Ricardo
Desi Arnaz .... Enrique 'Ricky' Alberto Ricardo y de Acha III
Vivian Vance .... Ethel Mae Roberta Louise Potter Mertz
William Frawley .... Frederick 'Fred' Hobart Edie Mertz I
Kathryn Card .... Mrs. MacGillicuddy (1955-1956)
Mary Jane Croft .... Betty Ramsey (1957)
Jerry Hausner .... Jerry, Ricky's agent (1951-1954)
Bob Jellison .... Bobby, the Hollywood bellboy (1954-1955)
Keith Thibodeaux .... Ricky Ricardo, Jr. (1956-1957) (as Little Ricky)
Joseph A. & Michael Mayer .... Ricky Ricardo, Jr. (baby) (1953-1954)
Frank Nelson .... Ralph Ramsey (1957)
Elizabeth Patterson .... Mrs. Mathilda Trumbull (1953-1956)
Richard & Ronald Lee Simmons .... Ricky Ricardo, Jr. (baby) (1954-1955)
Doris Singleton .... Caroline Appleby (1953-1957)

Emmy Awards

I Love Lucy (The Show)

1952: Nominated - Best Comedy Show
1953: Won - Best Situation Comedy
1954: Won - Best Situation Comedy
1955: Nominated - Best Written Comedy Material: Madelyn Davis, Jess Oppenheimer, Robert G. Carroll
1955: Nominated - Best Situation Comedy
1956: Nominated - Best Comedy Writing: Bob Carroll Jr., Madelyn Davis, Jess Oppenheimer, Bob Schiller, Bob Weiskopf for episode: "L.A. At Last"

DVD Releases

"I Love Lucy- Season 1" (9 Separate disks, sold separately)
"I Love Lucy- 50th Anniversary Special"
"I Love Lucy- The Complete First Season" (6 disks, sold together)
"I Love Lucy- The Complete Second Season"
"I Love Lucy- The Complete Third Season"
"I Love Lucy- The Complete Fourth Season"
"I Love Lucy- The Complete Fifth Season"
"I Love Lucy- Seasons 1-5"
"I Love Lucy- The Complete Sixth Season" (To be released on May 2, 2006)

No date has been disclosed for the release of Season 7 on DVD, though it is very likely that it will be released.

Trivia

File:Chocolate factory1.jpg

"Speed it up a little!"

Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet were originally approached for the roles of Fred and Ethel, but neither could accept due to previous commitments. Gordon did appear as a guest star in a few episodes, playing Ricky's boss, Mr. Littlefield. Gordon was a veteran from the classic radio days in which he perfected the role of the exasperated character, such as in Fibber McGee and Molly. He would go on to costar with Ball in most of her post-I Love Lucy series.
At various times, Ethel's middle name was Mae, Roberta, and Louise.
The Mertz's kitchen was never shown except in the episode, "Never Do Business With Friends".
Lucille Ball liked naming supporting characters after real-life people. Carolyn Appleby was one of her teachers, and Marion Strong was a friend in Jamestown, New York.
Kathryn Card, who played Lucy's scatterbrained mother, first appeared in the series as a slovenly housewife who mistakenly believes Ricky Ricardo has invited her to join him on a date at the Tropicana.
Barbara Pepper, later featured as Doris Ziffel on the series Green Acres, frequently had one or two lines in a crowd scene. Her friendship with Ball dated back to the film Roman Scandals, in which both appeared as Goldwyn Girls.
Many true facts about Ball and Arnaz made it into the series. Like Ball, Lucy Ricardo attended high school in Celoron, New York, and the Ricardos were married at the Byram River Beagle Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, just as the Arnazes had been.
Reportedly, the longest laugh in any sitcom ever — 65 seconds — was heard in the episode Lucy Does the Tango, during which Lucy - her jacket filled with raw eggs — slams into Ricky and breaks them while rehearsing a tango routine for the PTA show.
The show was one of the first programmes made in the USA seen on British television which became more open to commerce with the launch of ITV in September 1955, a commercial network that aired this series.
Ball and Arnaz capitalized on the series' popularity by starring in Vincente Minnelli's 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer as Tacy and Nicky Collini, two characters very similar to Lucy and Ricky.
I Love Lucy is commonly spoofed, including on an episode of The Fairly Oddparents, in which Cosmo and Wanda go into a TV and star in a fictional show called I Love Wanda.
Ethel Mertz née Potter is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Ethel Mertz and Betty Ramsey, the neighbor from the later seasons, were childhood friends.
I Love Lucy is the first of only three shows to end its run as the #1 TV show in America. The other two are The Andy Griffith Show in 1968 and Seinfeld in 1998.
It is now well-known that Vance and Frawley did not get along, a fact which seemingly added some humorous edge to their on-screen interaction. When the series ended, Vance and Frawley were said to have been offered a chance to take their Fred and Ethel characters to their own spin-off series. Frawley was willing to do so, but Vance refused to ever work with Frawley again.
Ball and Arnaz's eventual off-screen personal problems had a much more serious effect, contributing to the demise of the show.
The last episodes of the series had to be made, even though Ball and Arnaz were divorcing/divorced. A contract had been signed before the two began to have major problems, and it wasn't lifted. This is why in the last episodes of the series, one can see Ball looking as if she had just been crying, even in supposed-to-be funny skits.
The familiar opening featuring the credits superimposed over a "heart" image, known to most of the show's younger fans, was created specifically when I Love Lucy went into syndication. When originally broadcast on CBS, the episodes featured an opening with animated drawings of Ball and Arnaz, making reference to whomever the particular episode's sponsor was (usually Phillip Morris). Since the original sponsor references were no longer applicable when the shows went into syndication, the new opening was created. These openings (with the sponsor names edited out) are now used on TV Land showings.
"Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the TV show, as well as Toni Basil's song "Mickey", in the song "Ricky" on his 1983 debut album, working in many of the show's classic schticks and closing with a segment of the I Love Lucy theme.
On Babylon 5, Ambassador Sinclair refers to himself and Captain Sheridan as "Lucy and Ethel." Sheridan responds, "Lucy and Ethel?"

In the movie Rat Race one of the characters pretends to be a coach driver and drives a group of women, dressed up as Lucy to the "Third annual I Love Lucy Convention"
It's been rumored that Arnaz had a photographic memory, able to remember the scripts perfectly after reading them just one time.

References

Joe Garner, Stay Tuned: Television's Unforgettable Moments (Andrews McMeel Publishing; 2002) ISBN 0-7407-2693-5
Bart Andrews, The 'I Love Lucy' Book (Doubleday & Company, Inc.; 1976)
Coyne Steven Sanders & Tom Gilbert, Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (William Morrow & Company, Inc.; 1993)

External links

The show

Innovative techniques

Episode Guide - Season 1

Episode Guide - Season 2

Episode Guide - Season 3

Themes and Highlights

Cast

Emmy Awards

I Love Lucy (The Show)

See also

Lucille Ball

Vivian Vance

William Frawley

Desi Arnaz

DVD Releases

Trivia

References

External links