This one is a toughie, but since I always notice this rare moment, I'd thought I'd post it as
a trivia question.
In what episode does Lucy actually wear one of ETHEL'S dresses.
Hint: It's NOT attractive.
Hint: It's in the first season.
Hint: It's in the first ten minutes.
Even if it isn't the exact same dress, it's certainly a replica. Hard to believe Lucy would
choose to wear this plain, off the rack number.
Any guesses?
NO IDEA!
I've been watching the first season episodes because of the other topic that you started. But I haven't seen Lucy wearing one of Ethel's dresses, never noticed it before.
Lucy's first season dresses were definitely off the rack. Some were kind of cute but some were a bit frumpy. But I never noticed her wearing a dress that was Ethel's.
At first I thought it might have been the dress Lucy wore when she and Ethel pretended to be the boys' "dates". But you said she wore it in the first ten minutes.
I am off to watch more episodes. This is a good excuse to watch the first season again!
Oh, wow, I knew it was hard, but I thought you'd guess it.
Another hint: Lucy only has it on for a few seconds, as her arrival in the living room (to join the other three) is
supposed to send them off to the movies!
Another hint: Lucy IS wearing (an open) coat, and Ethel's outfit is the ending "gag" of the scene (which has nothing
to do with the plot).
One more hint: It's one of the final episodes of the first season.
"Lucy's Schedule"?? So that was the dress! I just watched that episode a few hours ago.
I was going through all the first season episodes. I immediately eliminated the eps when Lucy had on a nightgown or pajamas at the start of the episode. Or the ones when she was wearing pants or one of the dresses which she wore a lot, like her one of her polka dotted dresses.
When Lucy came out of the bedroom, I thought that might be the dress. But I wasn't sure. The coat covered most of it. Ethel was wearing her bloomers in that scene! LOL
Now, what episodes did Ethel wear that dress? I noticed in a lot of the first season episodes that she is wearing one of your "favorites", that dress with all those circles on the neckline.
Aside from the dress, this episode had some of Lucy's funniest lines regarding her schedule.
Ricky: How long does it take you in the bathtub?
Lucy: To do what?
Ricky: Ten minutes for this, fifteen minutes for that."
Lucy: Oh I'm gonna need more than fifteen minutes for that."
You got the right episode, but I'm surprised you didn't recognize that Ethel has worn this dress before!
I can't think off hand in which episodes (that would take another search). But whether Lucy had her
"own" copy of it, or it was just in wardrobe and Lucy wore it before Ethel, I'm not sure. But it's definitely
unflattering, and very much an "Ethel" dress. Yes, a great episode. And I love the actress who plays
Mrs Littlefield - very skilled at "holding" her line due to heavy studio laughing ("I'll...get....some more."). Lol!
There were a few little flubs in the dialogue in this episode which I never noticed before.
Ricky is supposed to say to Lucy, "It's obvious that you can't budget your time." But he actually says, "It's obviously..."
Not such a big mistake. He was speaking in a foreign language for him. I'd probably make even more mistakes if I had to perform a script in Spanish.
When Mrs. Littlefield visits Lucy, she tells her that her husband is going to put her on a schedule too
But instead of saying, "If he likes what he sees", she says, "IF he sees what he likes..."
Funny how it's possible to notice little things after seeing episodes dozens of times.
Edith Miser is the Mrs. Littlefield, and I thought she was terrific in both her appearances.
I never noticed the "IF he sees what he likes" line. Most of these mistakes were left in, and only
occasionally re-shot or dubbed.
One HUGE mistake Ball made (and she simply dubs over her line) is in "Mr. and Mrs. TV Show." Lucy
excitedly tells Ricky, "Mr. Cromwell has a SHOW who's looking for a SPONSOR!" (it's supposed to be
the reverse, as indicated by logic - and Lucy's LIPS!).
I never noticed the "Mr and Mrs. TV Show" mistake until I got the dvd and it is pointed out in the flub section.
Lucy also flubbed a line in "Redecorating the Mertzes Apartment". She's supposed to say "reupholster the furniture and paint the walls". But she says "paint the furniture and paint the walls".
Desi Arnaz catches the mistake and corrects her. Lucy must've recognized her mistake and she smoothly goes with the flow of Ricky's dialogue.
Those little mistakes give an air of realism to the show. Almost everyone goofs up a word or phrase now and then.
I agree about it adding realism.
Desi also adlibs "Vanced with Dance - she's REALLY gone!", as he walks to answer the phone in "The
Dancing Star." This, of course, was in reply to Lucy's goofed up, "It's true, I vanced - DANCED with
Van Johnson."
The only times I don't like mistakes is when they interfere with the flow of a line, throwing off the
timing. Too many to mention, but Bill Frawley - wonderful as he was - did quite a few. Desi
certainly did, although his accent covers this, as you pointed out. Ball had her share. To my mind,
Vance had the least, although I hardly keep score.
Later TV, including the more technically polished, one-camera "Bewitched" NEVER had these
mistakes left in. Shows today don't either. Yet none of them have the sparkle or brilliance
of "I Love Lucy."
I do remember a flub that Desi made when Ricky's mother came to visit. He was translating for his mother and Lucy. But then he starts to speak Spanish to Lucy and English to his mother.
He says, "I got my fingers crossed."
Lucy corrects him and says, "You got your wires crossed."
That was the beauty of the show. The actors knew everyone else's lines so well that they could cover for each other.
There's an extremely subtle goof in "The Passports." The four are all reviewing their
(unflattering) passports when there's a hint of silence. Suddenly, Lucy says, "Honey,
the phone." I can't recall if it DOESN'T ring at all, or if it rings half a tone, and Desi
forgets to pick it up.
Sadly, there's also the other phone mishap in season three's classic "Fan Magazine
Interview" when (reportedly) the phones weren't connected between Desi's kitchen
set and Jerry Hausner's phone booth.
Apparently, Hausner had informed Desi all through the week's rehearsals, and even
dress rehearsal, that the phones were not connected. According to Hausner, Desi
kept stating not to worry; they'd be connected by filming time. Well, they weren't,
resulting in an awkward phone scene. Reportedly, after the opening kitchen scene
was shot, Desi blew up, and marched over to the phone booth set and cursed Hausner
out - right in front of the entire cast, guest cast (the lovely Joan Banks), crew AND
the studio audience. Hausner was so humiliated, he refused to return, with this
ep marking his final appearance.
Hausner stated it was agony, because he and Desi have that "Mini Finch" birthday card
scene at the club, which was filmed later in the evening shoot.
I hope Desi felt the shame he richly deserved. But this just points out the enormous pressure
he was under, as co-star and executive producer.
I remember reading about Desi Arnaz having some sort of blow up with Jerry Hausner and he quit the show. So it was "The Fan magazine Interview" episode. One of my top favorites.
That was a loss for ILL. Jerry was such a great character. You couldn't tell that anything bad had just happened between them in the Minnie Finch scene.
Desi must've been under a lot of pressure that week. I always read nice things about the way he treated other people. Must've been a bad week. Shame that he lost his temper.
Funny, I felt weird typing that story out, as I thought you were aware of it, and the
episode it came from. (As you know, I can get repetitive).
"Fan" is one of my top faves, too, (I watch it frequently, and never tire of it). I always
admire how the cast just carried on afterwards - true professionals. It must've been
tough for Joan Banks ("Eleanor Harris") and the three old women. I would've been
extremely nervous shooting my scenes after that kind of a tantrum.
From what I've read, Desi was warmhearted and personable, but had an explosive
temper, which only got worse as the series progressed and his drinking worsened.
By contrast, I've read that Lucy was generally even-tempered, but not a particularly
warm or personable gal. As Doris Singleton said in 1976, "It was no fun and games
on THAT set." She also said her relationship with Ball was pleasant and professional,
but never close. She recalled running into Lucy at mutual friends' dinner parties in
the '50's (during her "Caroline" days), and Lucy really didn't have much to say to
her.
"Fan Magazine Interview" is one of my faves. I have repeated that often enough!
I knew that Desi was angry about some problem with the phones on the set. I was never sure what episode that was.
There's also a little detail at the beginning of the episode.
Lucy stumbles out of the nursery half asleep and says, "Ricky, time to get up."
But interestingly enough, he is in Lucy's bed! In every other episode, Lucy sleeps on the left from the POV of the audience and Ricky is on the right.
That's the only time Ricky sleeps in Lucy's bed. Makes me think that no wonder they were so tired in the morning! They must've had quite a night. Lucy didn't even bother to pick up in the living room or do the dinner dishes the evening before.
As far as Lucille Ball's personality, from all I've read she wasn't a real WARM person,at least not to a lot of people. Some folks just don't give off that friendly vibe. They can be pleasant but they keep people at arm's length.
Sort of reminds me about Elizabeth Montgomery. I think you were the one who brought it up on the Bewitched site. She was only close to a very few people, her mother, her kids, Bill Asher (even after their divorce)her best friend Liz Sheridan. I believe you said she "chaptered" her life. Once she moved on, she closed that chapter in her life and the people in it.
I saw an interview with Dick York near the end of his life when he was very ill. He said such wonderful things about her and said, "I'm sure we'll talk soon."
Some of the other cast members reached out to him and helped him, but apparently Elizabeth Montgomery never saw or spoke to him again after he collapsed on the Bewitched set that last time.
Of course, it was much deeper than that - Liz did NOT like York at all. I've spoken in
person to two people who worked on the series (I won't reveal their names out of
respect for their privacy, but you'd know who they were/are).
One said that York and Liz were fine in the beginning, but as his pain killer addiction
and eventual unreliability increased, she got more and more irritated. The other
problem was how smitten he became with her, and it really turned her off. When
Liz was happily married to Asher, she didn't tolerate this stuff well (it also must've
turned her off that York was married and the father of FIVE children. Talk about
awkward!)
The second person I spoke to (an actor, who is alive and well, and fairly well-known)
sheepishly said to me "I don't think so" (when I asked them if Liz liked York). They
then added, "I don't want to say anything more...." This actor was really kind to
me, so I always vowed I'd keep their privacy.
As for York, he seemed to live in a fantasy world. In this same interview, he said
he called Liz, but she was out of town (I'll bet). York most likely would've only
had Liz's agent's number, and I'm sure she ignored that phone call request.
Many fans take their on-screen relationship so seriously, that they label Liz as the
town villain because she wanted nothing to do with York. They were ACTORS
(uh, co-workers) who had no contact for decades. What do they (and what did
York) expect??? I don't get it. This is hardly unusual. I've lost contact with co-workers
over the years that I LIKED. Life is a current. TV stars aren't any different.
Oh yes, I've read that Elizabeth Montgomery didn't like Dick York. It was great acting on her part as Samantha! sam adored Darrin.
I read that he would stare at her and it made her uncomfortable. He probably had a major crush on her. That can even happen to married men!
Sorry if it came across that I was labeling her as the "town villain." Not my intent.
I know that many times fans expect that actors who play good friends or married couples have the same close relationship in real life. And that's rarely the case.
It's just that in the case of Dick York, he was seriously ill, taken from the set in an ambulance and Elizabeth Montgomery didn't so much as give him a call when he was in the hospital. They had worked together closely for five years. When she cut ties, she really cut them!
She must have really disliked him a lot.
I too have lost contact with co-workers that l liked.
Oh, no, please, it was not MY intent to suggest YOU were one of those fans.
You're extremely articulate, SANE, and level-headed, which is why I love
our conversations. (I can tell you're a nice person).
William Froug, who produced (the wonderful) season three, wrote that in one
of his first conferences for the show as producer (which would've been
spring, 1966 - at least), he walked in a bit late, and noted Liz, William Asher
and executive producer Harry Ackerman discussing the new season (there
were lots of changes - a new Louise, new Gladys, a new Tabitha, and color).
The first words he heard Liz say, were, "We've got to get rid of HIM." Froug
didn't know who Liz was referring to, and when he later asked Ackerman
in private, Froug quoted him as saying, "Dick York. She can't stand him."
Since it's now come to light that Irene Vernon was fired (a mystery that
will NEVER be solved), it seems apparent that Liz wanted York out after the
second year as well. Asher refused, stating York was too much of an asset
to the series (how true).
The bizarre thing is that everyone else loved York (Kasey Rogers, Erin
Murphy, David White, and Agnes Moorehead, etc.). The issues Liz had
with York were extremely personal.
One other weird thing you might not be aware of. Associate producer (and
later director) Richard Michaels also had a thing for Liz early in the series.
His flirting/staring - whatever - got so annoying to Liz, that she had him
banned from the set, except while filming. Of course, we know later what
developed...
Interesting to be sure.
P.S: When I met the lovely Kasey Rogers back in 1998, another fan standing
next to me asked her, "Who was your favorite Darrin?" She smiled and
replied, "Dick." Classy lady.
Yes, I AM nice! LOL At least I try to be!!
I can't believe that Elizabeth Montgomery thought that they could get rid of Dick York in season three!
I can sort of understand her wanting a new Darrin. I have worked with people who I never wanted to see again! But I had no power to get rid of them.
I just find it so sad. In my mind I see Samantha so in love with Darrin. Great acting on Elizabeth Montgomery's part since she couldn't stand the actor.
He was such a great asset to the show. Although Dick Sargent added his own brand of humor later on. Just too bad that he came on when they were doing so many recycled scripts.
So....Richard Michaels? Was he the man Liz had an affair with during the last season of the show? I remember reading that her marriage broke up and she was having an affair with someone working on the show.
Yes, according to Michaels, Liz succumbed to an affair with Michaels,
mid-season seven. This was due mostly to Asher's affairs.
Liz was extremely private, so all this stuff came to light through
Herbie J. Pilato's briograhy and other sources.
Sheesh, I have that book by Herbie J. Pilato! I haven't read it in years. Guess I forgot the details!
Why the heck was bald Bill Asher having affairs when he had a hot wife like Elizabeth Montgomery?
Sometimes I just DON'T understand people!
While I don't want to attack my own gender, let's get real. Most
of the time, the cheaters are MALE. And in La La Land, where
there's tons of opportunities, it happens frequently. Females
are more guilty in "the biz", than females not in show biz, but
the ratio of unfaithful men in general is much higher. Gay men are
just as bad.
Reminds me of one my favorite jokes.
What do two gay WOMEN do on the second date? They rent the
Uhaul.
What do two gay MEN do on the second date? There is none.
Oh, dear...how did we get from I Love Lucy to Bewitched to
unfaithful men??? Time for a new thread.
Okay, start one! LOL
However...being "unfaithful' was a frequent topic on ILL. Lucy thought that Ricky was stepping out on her in a number of episodes. "Fan Magazine Interview" being a big one.
Ricky was totally faithful to Lucy, Desi not so much!
I wonder how Lucille Ball felt about those scripts when Lucy thought that Ricky was seeing other women.
Did the writers know about Desi's affairs? if they did, it seems like an insensitive topic to keep revisiting. I wonder if they knew.
I've always wondered the same thing! They HAD to have known, as many insiders discussed Desi's unfaithful
ways, which began long before ILL. It must've been tough
on Lucy. But she knew this aspect of the show provided
solid scripts and comedy, and she was willing to do
virtually anything for her work.
Ricky's being a faithful husband has always, to me, been
the biggest fairy tale of "I Love Lucy." Given that Ricky
was a gorgeous, sexy, Latin (sorry, it's true) MUSICIAN
made it very unbelievable that he wouldn't have fooled
around, even just a little bit. In fact, I'll go so far as
to say it's completely unbelievable. But I've been
a victim of unfaithful partners, and I consider it the
worst emotional pain I've ever experienced.
Yes, Lucille Ball would do anything for a laugh, even if it meant making light of an unfaithful husband ( or thinking that Ricky was).
She was willing to wear crazy costumes and make-up which made her look unattractive, so would would go anywhere to make an episode funny.
I think it was pretty common knowledge that Desi fooled around a lot while on the road with his band. I think that was a major reason why Lucy wanted him HOME so they could work together. But that didn't stop him from being a player.
Maybe it was a cultural thing? Many Latin men just think it's no big deal to fool around on the side. It's a "hobby". I really doubt any of those women meant anything to Desi. I always believed that he really loved her, just couldn't be faithful.
Sorry that you have experienced unfaithful partners. it must be a horrible pain.
Ironically, I wish my ex-husband HAD fooled around. I know that sounds crazy, but he was so mean and verbally abusive. I used to wish he had someplace else to go in the evening. Maybe stay overnight somewhere else...I just wanted him out of the house!
Of course that is a good sign that you are ready for a divorce when you want your husband to find someone else!
Sorry to read that. I've never been married (and
don't plan on doing so), but my parents are long
divorced, and I recall as a 9 year-old how much pain
my mother was in just before, during, and immediately
after the divorce from my father. Thank God I have
them both still with me.
Yes, I saw interviews (think editor Dan Cahn was one
of them). In these interviews, the people quoted
Desi as saying, "I'm only screwing whores Why
is Lucy taking it so personally?" In the second
interview, the guy stated Desi privately confessed
that he lost his physical attraction to Lucy after
the second birth. That's awful and shallow, but
I knew a guy who went through the same problem,
although the couple are still married and the kids
are young adults. Don't think it's a happy marriage,
though.
Another reason it's so hard to buy Ricky as faithful
is the fact that he (and Fred) took such a lighthearted
attitude towards the subject of cheating (Eddie Grant,
for instance).
Also very hard to believe that Larry Tate didn't
fool around. But I DO find it believable that Darrin
was faithful.
I recall something about Desi saying that he was only having one night stands. I don't think he had affairs or serious relationships. It was all just physical.
Still it is very painful for a woman to realize that her husband no longer desires her and goes looking elsewhere.
Terribly unfair of Desi to lose interest in Lucy after she had two caesareans. She gave him the children he wanted and then he decides to look elsewhere?
Seems very shallow to me considering that by the sixth season of ILL, Desi himself was putting on weight and aging pretty fast.
Just a sad situation when people don't realize that "growing old together" actually means starting to look old!
Yes, Ricky and Fred seemed amused that Eddie Grant had a date with a married woman. I could imagine that Ricky had some flirtations with the "beautiful showgirls" he was surrounded by (as Lucy called them), but nothing too serious.
Fred though?Really who would want him besides Ethel? LOL
Maybe Minnie Finch and friends.
Ethel: You don't think Ricky would date those three, do you? Fred yes, Ricky no."
I also think Darrin was totally faithful but not Larry Tate. Larry gave the impression that he was very bored with his marriage.
The few times he thought Darrin was cheating he would say, "You son of a gun!"
He seemed really pleased to think Darrin was fooling around. Maybe it validated his own behavior. Larry's comments about his marriage were funny, but he didn't seem to be nearly as happily married as Darrin.
Agree, Larry just has to be perceived as someone
who dabbled. At least there's some honesty
there. They hinted at it, but they didn't throw
it in our faces. I think Louise would know about
it, deep down.
Last night, I watched "Lucy is Matchmaker"
AGAIN (this is like the eighth time in two months,
thanks to YOU). I was thinking, if ILL were
made today, this is how some dialogue might've
taken place.
LUCY: "I'll bet your wife is having a GAY time
in all those shops!"
EDDIE: "I'm not married."
LUCY: "Not married?! A handsome guy like
you..."
EDDIE: "That's right. You see, I'M the gay one!"
"A gay time", "I'M the gay one." LOL
Yes today Lucy would try to set Eddie up with Sylvia only to find out the reason Eddie didn't have a wife.
They actually did a similar episode on MTM. Phyllis tried to set up her brother with Mary. She thought he was a great catch; witty, charming, handsome , successful.
But to her shock and horror, he went out with Rhoda instead.
Phyllis couldn't stand the idea that her brother would be involved with Rhoda.
Rhoda kept tormenting Phyllis about their "relationship". She really thought Phyllis knew her brother was gay. But she didn't until Rhoda told her.
Yes! And Phyllis was RELIEVED! In other words, she'd rather find out her baby
brother was gay (remember, this was,
what, 1973?) than straight and going out
with RHODA!.
Phyllis really detested Rhoda. I think she
was jealous of the fact that Mary and
Rhoda were much, much closer, despite
the fact that Mary knew Phyllis much
longer.
Yes I think Phyllis was jealous of Mary and Rhoda's friendship. But from the very first episode, it was established that Phyllis did not like Rhoda anyway.
She referred to her as that "dumb, awful girl."
Bess also said , "Mom hates her, but she's a lot of fun."