MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > The Times Ricky DIDN'T Find Out!

The Times Ricky DIDN'T Find Out!

posted 6 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
18 replies | jump to latest

A few months back, AndrewX pondered how Ricky could've repeatedly commented Bill Holden
got a "pie thrown in his face" when he never found out. PJ and I pointed out that Ricky's
NOT finding out would've been highly unlikely, and clearly happened off-camera.

But AndrewX raised a good point. There must've been times Ricky NEVER found out.

Here's one of my guesses to that theory: I don't think Ricky EVER knew that Lucy hit Ben
Benjamin over the head with the vase. He was too excited and nervous about the screen
test, and there's no way Fred would've known since he wasn't there. Ethel would've been
way too scared to tell Fred, and by the relieved look on Lucy's face when she says, "Sometimes
those things just hit you" (followed by the sigh of relief), I deeply suspect it was kept
from Ricky. Permanently.

Anyone agree? Any other examples of Ricky being kept in the dark for good?

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Oh I definitely think Ricky never found out that Lucy "beaned" Ben Benjamin over the head.

I also don't think Ricky found out about Lucy and Ethel hitting the two guys (with vases) dressed in Indian costumes who came to the apartment for an audition. I think it was "The Indian Show" when Lucy did her off-key rendition of The Waters of the Minnetonka.

She told the two men that they would get the job if they "didn't mention" the incident.

I also think Ricky never found out that Don Loper gave her the dress for free if she would be in the fashion show and wear a different dress (the tweed suit/sunburn combo, OUCH!). Lucy would have done her best to keep that a secret since Ricky gave her $500 to "buy the dress back".

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Huh? But Ricky mentions the "Don LOPPER Original" at the cafe opening of "Lucy Wants a Paris Gown." He kept a signed
note from February 1955 (a time goof that doesn't make sense with the timeline of the series, but I digress). Unless I'm missing something. At the end of the "Loper" ep, Ethel jokes with Lucy about keeping the check, but I don't think Lucy would be that dishonest with that amount of money!

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Oh yes, Ricky does mention the dress. But I was under the impression that HE thought Lucy bought the dress back with the check.

I always wondered if Lucy deposited the check for a rainy day. Her life was like a monsoon most of the time. lol

[–] Ken12602 (481) 6 years ago

I don't think that Ricky ever found out that Lucy was stuck on Cornel Wilde's balcony and that was the reason he had to change hotels.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

He did fine out - Ricky mentions it some episodes later.

Sorry, I don't believe Lucy would be THAT dishonest to keep that amount of money. Even in 2018, $500 is a LOT to
be dishonest about, and $500 was a LOT more in those days.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Lucy dishonest? You mean a woman who kidnapped and tied up a dancer at Ricky's club? A woman who trespassed and went into Richard Widmark's house? A woman who went on a " hunger strike" to get a Paris gown? A woman who hid new furniture in the kitchen? lol

I just don't put very much past Lucy!!! She was quite a conniver. And she was always short of funds.

Lucy did wear the Don Loper dress later on, like when the neighbors had the big welcome home party for Ricky. He knew she had the dress. I just don't think Ricky knew she got it for free. But that definitely was a lot of money.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

But I don't see Lucy as a THIEF. Big difference.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Just a kidnapper and a trespasser! LOL Lucy didn't actually steal any money when you think about it. Ricky gave her the money to go "buy back ther dress". Since he already gave it to her, she wasn't stealing. However she would have been a "tad" dishonest" by not telling Ricky that she got the dress for free.

Well anyway...another episode...when the fellas were watching the boxing match and Lucy and Ethel were arrested. I don't think Ricky ever found out about that escapade! Or do you think he did!

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

One of my favorite episodes from season two (which includes a pic of Queen Elizabeth on the TV Guide
cover! Who would've ever thought the old battleax would STILL be running things??!).

But, no, I don't think Ricky and Fred ever found out. And compared to some of their OTHER schemes,
there really wasn't much to find out.

Back to Don Loper: At the end, it appears Lucy is joking about keeping the check, which is why Ethel
slaps her on her sun-burned back! This, to me, makes it clear that the writers wanted viewers to know
that Lucy would give back the check. Which she SHOULD HAVE!!

In "Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation" Ricky is clearly clued into Lucy, Fred, and Ethel's HIGHLY DISHONEST
scheme for the Freddie Filmore Show. This is actually something that could've landed the trio in JAIL
for fraud, so it's best that Ricky screwed up the answers for them. "PIE, you IDIOT!!" Lol!

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Oh yes, the Hawaiian Vacation! Lucy and the Mertzes would have been committing a fraud.

So how do you think Ricky found out? Was Freddie Fillmore a friend of Ricky? Or did he just recognize the last name?

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Weren't Lucy and Ricky on Freddie Fillmore's radio show? It was the same actor, and the same
character. But, if so, wouldn't Freddie HIMSELF figured out what Lucy was up to? (certainly, he
would've recalled "Bandleader, Ricky Ricardo"). I just assume Freddie didn't put two and two
together (he's still in the dark when Ricky is announced, believing "poor Mother" is resting at
home). Maybe Freddie advertised his guests in the afternoon, and Ricky heard the ad, and
called Freddie to say he'd like to help out. Even if he then remembered Lucy and Ricky as
radio guests, he wouldn't know Fred and Ethel WEREN'T poor hillbillies, or that they didn't have
a "poor mother!"

No matter how you slice it, it's one of the most unbelievable episodes ever done, and would NEVER
sell on a sitcom today. Freddie would have to be developmentally disabled to not know that Lucy
was running in and out of the room as BOTH people, and that "Mother" had the same face - the
face of a woman in her THIRTIES! Still, it's one of my all-time faves because I love the time period,
and I love the shows where Lucy gets Fred and Ethel to behave like her - FIVE YEAR-OLDS. Fred
and Ethel lost all their common sense under Lucy's influence.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

It is a funny episode but totally unbelievable. Audiences would never go for it today. I mean, "Ma" was wearing lipstick and false eyelashes! lol

And neither Fred nor Ethel could remember WHOSE mother she was.

Yeah I forgot that Freddie Fillmore hosted a few radio show episodes on ILL. I think he would've been familiar with a local celebrity like Ricky Ricardo anyway.

Of course I imagine that when a show like the one on ILL is giving away expensive prizes like a trip to Hawaii, it researches the backgrounds of the contestants. Or else anyone who was considering fraud, like Lucy, could get away with it.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Last night, while unwinding before bed, I ran the "Harpo Marx" ep. It's never one I crave, yet
when I watch it, I realize how funny and special it is. (Harpo playing "Take Me Out to the
Ballgame" on the harp is extremely touching). Yet you and I have discussed our issues with
this offering.

For me, it's the legendary finale, where I don't see Lucy Ricardo and Harpo, I see a very
rehearsed Lucille BALL and Harpo. It's effective, but it takes me out of the series. Completely.

Your issue (if I recall) is that it's totally unbelievable that Caroline (even without her glasses)
would buy Lucy as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, etc. in rubber masks.

I DO buy it, and I feel that the aforementioned "Hawaiian Vacation" is far MORE unbelievable!
I also think it's a much lesser episode, and nowhere near the classic of "Harpo Marx."

So, since you probably feel the same way...how come we both like "Vacation" more???

And those masks Lucy wears are kind of creepy. Speaking of which...check out my new thread!

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

I do like the Harpo Marx episode. But I agree, as you pointed out, it seems like Lucille Ball in that finale.

My problem with Caroline is that she never wore glasses before. Now all of a sudden she was so nearsighted that she couldn't distinguish Lucy wearing a mask from a real person. She didn't wear those glasses in the Lucy Meets Superman episode!

I wonder, did Ricky find out that Lucy impersonated all those movie stars? He was feeling bad, so he sent Harpo Marx up to their hotel suite. Did Caroline tell him about meeting all those celebrities? I don't remember.

I don't know why it is but I do like that Hawaiian vacation episode more, even though it is so farfetched.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

The Superman ep is super easy to explain. By 1957, we can assume Caroline had switched
to contact lenses (they did have them then).

The bigger issue is why she never wore glasses PREVIOUSLY! I still think the writers
could've written the Van Johnson ep as follows:

LUCY: Caroline, you're wearing GLASSES!
CAROLINE: Actually, I've always worn contact lenses. But I misplaced them on the
plane, so I'm wearing my spare glasses until I get home and get new contacts.

It would've explained everything, and not left that gaping hole, with viewers going "Huh?"

There's something else about the Johnson/Marx eps I'm not fond of: The NEW Caroline!
When the doctors performed her (very obvious) nose job, did they also remove the
"bitch" center of her brain?? Now, she's a sweet lady with glasses. Come on. Even
when they weren't fighting, Caroline was ALWAYS competitive, whether it was about
husbands ("Well, it wasn't MY husband who taught her how to play Babalu on an
overturned wastebasket") to their sons. Certainly, the old Caroline would've walked in
and taken over the conversational ball by bragging about "Little Stevie" and/or her
upcoming trip to Hawaii (Lucy had never gone, remember?).

I guess Caroline was just so star struck, she put her "bitchery" aside. She knew here
she couldn't complete. At least the old Caroline is back in the Superman ep.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Yes, contact lenses would have explained the whole glasses issue!

Caroline was too sweet in the Hollywood episodes. I always saw her and Lucy as frenemies. They were so competitive. At the very least I would have expected her to make a comment about the hotel suite.

Something like, "Oh how nice. I guess the studio couldn't afford to put a newcomer like Ricky in an EXPENSIVE suite." lol

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

That's a great line!!! I actually laughed out loud. I can just see Caroline saying that!

What kind of balances out Caroline's lack of bitchery, is LUCY's snotty bragging! Even
Ethel starts getting into it, which is cute.

Another hard to swallow moment in the "Harpo Marx" show: Pretty hard to believe
that Ethel would think the real Harpo was actually Lucy in a mask! Also, Ricky
and Fred asking which of the two were "the real Harpo?"

[–] [email protected] (5495) 6 years ago

Easy to explain...Ethel wasn't wearing HER glasses! lol Actually it was hard to believe that Ethel couldn't recognize the real Harpo up close!