MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Producers DA/JO

Producers DA/JO

posted 5 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
3 replies | jump to latest

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.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 5 years ago

I love the scene when Bobby the bellboy escorts Lucy and her mother to the nightclub! Ricky stares at him with a "What the heck is going on?" look and Bobby just shrugs. The look on his face is priceless. Lucy makes demands of him and he can't say no.

Since the actor had already played the milkman in the gossip episode, do you think they decided to use him for the Hollywood episodes without considering anyone else?

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

Good question, particularly as I tend to forget that that actor was on the show before the Hollywood saga. Producers
tend to cast actors who have worked out well before (Mary Jane Croft comes to mind).

Ball was also very loyal, and many of the actors on her show worked with her in movies and on her radio show.

Speaking of the Hollywood shows, WHY did the writers go BACK to calling "Carolyn" "Lillian" again?? ("Lucy Gets
in Pictures"). Surely, "Carolyn" was enough of a solidified character by the end of season three, and they
must've already had the Harpo Marx show in the works. Strange.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 5 years ago

Mary Jane Croft and her TV husband Frank Nelson were on ILL a lot. It makes sense that producers would hire reliable people.
Lucy did hire her old pal Barbara Pepper for a lot of bit parts. Her story is such a sad one. Her husband died in an accident and she was so devastated. She fell into depression and alcoholism. Hard to believe that she was only in her thirties when she made her ILL appearances. In old pictures of her from her movie roles, she was absolutely stunning.

I don't know WHY Caroline was called Lillian again. But when she arrived in Hollywood, Lucy was calling her Caroline again.