Producers DA/JO
A well-done TV show (sitcom or otherwise) depends on a solid producing team (in this
case Jesse O and Desi). Part of this is PLANNING ahead.
This past week, I've been watching the Hollywood shows, and there is no question that
casting was carefully conceived and conducted. For instance, Bobby, the bellboy, was
undoubtedly WRITTEN for a short actor, as so much of the comedy comes from Lucy
(and even Ethel) "ganging up" on him. Also, Lucy wearing his outfit, and being way too
BIG for it (in "The Star Upstairs") is a great visual gag. It also looks hilarious when Lucy
stares him down in "Hollywood Anniversary" (Lucy towers over him!). Cute, too, when he
is later Lucy and her mother's escort!!
I'm not convinced that the producers and writers were absolutely certain the Hollywood
saga would bleed into season five. It's possible they just kept coming up with solid
scripts, and wanted to milk it for all it was worth. And certainly, they were already
planning the European shows before the end of season four. In "Lucy and the Dummy"
(filmed in spring '55, but airing early the following fall), Ethel has the line about Fred's
getting seasick ("He gets queasy if I have to many waves in my hair!").
So much genius tied in with this series, both in front of, and behind the camera.