MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Ricky's Finger Nails

Ricky's Finger Nails

posted 4 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
7 replies | jump to latest

And just when you thought I'd run out of topics...

Throughout the years of watching ILL on DVD (for me, since 2007), I've noticed in the
restored prints many details I hadn't previously caught sight of.

One of these is Ricky's finger nails. For me, they are just too LONG. By this, I mean that I
prefer my and other men's finger nails (and toenails, while we're on this odd subject) to be
cut very short. Arnaz had longer nails, but they were obviously filed and handled by
manicures. This was very popular for stylish men in those days, but I personally don't like
the look. While the longer, v-shaped, manicured look is great on women, I feel it's effeminate
on men, and don't care for it.

Desi Arnaz had very nice hands. But his finger nails...uh, no.

Thoughts?

P.S: (and you thought I was done...) I recently finished watching the entire 138 episode
box set of Get Smart. Don Adams, who shot his show ten years after ILL, ALSO sported
longish finger nails. Apparently, some dudes did - and still do, I guess - dig that look.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

You? Run out of topics? Well...I doubt it. ha!

I never really noticed his fingernails. But I agree, I don't like long nails on men. I've seen some men with longish nails and it just looks like they need a trim. Maybe for Desi it was for guitar playing. Some guitar players keep the nails on one hand a bit longer.

Now I did love the fact that Lucy's nails were long and painted. I've always had long nails and I paint them. To me it looks like the finishing touch on good grooming. I've seen women who were beautifully dressed and made up, but they have raggedy looking bitten nails. Looks horrible!

Speaking of "long" things though, it was only a few years ago that I really noticed those Cuban heels that Desi sported. I know a lot of actors like to "fudge" the number when it comes to their height. In a post Hollywood episode, there's a scene where Desi/ Ricky does just that. Ethel's Aunt Martha wants to rent the Ricardo apartment and calls to ask how tall Ricky is in order to see if Uncle Elmo would fit in their bathtub.

Ricky says that he's 5' 11" and a half.

I remember thinking, "I don't think sooooooo."

Lucy almost always wore flats in her scenes with Ricky and he wore his Cuban heels. They practically stood nose to nose and Lucy was 5"7". Why do men like to lie about their height?

[–] [email protected] (1732) 4 years ago

Wow. I feel pretty dumb. Of COURSE one needs longer nails if they play the guitar. I'm no musician, but I should've
known better.

The height thing was always an issue for men in the old days. Fred Astaire, who was 5'7, insisted Ann Miller and
Cyd Charrise wear flats whenever they danced with him. Gene Kelly, also 5'7, detested working with Esther Williams
because she couldn't dance and was too tall for him.

In the extras section of the Get Smart box set, Barbara Feldon said she almost lost the role of agent 99 because she
was two inches taller than Don Adams. She was in her stocking feet in medium/close shots and wore flats when her
whole body was shown.

I stand 6 feet, so height was never an issue for me. I've also been attracted to men shorter than myself. Not sure
why.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

Gee, next to you, I'm a shrimp! Well next to almost anybody actually. When I was a kid, one of my nicknames was "shrimp boat".
I've never been attracted to guys shorter than myself. For one thing, there aren't any (unless you count Munchkins).

I've heard of a few other actors who had to stand on a crate when standing next to a co-star. I think Alan Ladd had that problem.

Women have the opposite problem. Some are self conscious about their height. I knew some tall girls in high school who slouched or slumped to try and look smaller. They only succeeded in looking like tall girls with bad posture!

The thing about guitar players and long nails...I think I accidentally swerved into that one. I wasn't sure. It's just that I've seen some guitarists with longer nails on one hand.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 4 years ago

Most of my friends are women. One is about 5'2, another 5'3, and my very best friend is just 4'10. My one male
best friend is about 5'9...so, "in short", I tower over them all.

I noticed many years ago that Ricky wore BLOCKS for heels. It's very obvious, but it was understandable, as he
was the MALE star (and executive producer) of a 1950's TV show.

Only in the last few years have I realized how tall Vivian Vance was. She looks only about half an inch shorter than
Ball when they are standing side by side in flats. In "The Charm School", when Lucy and Ethel are being "graded"
by Phoebe Emerson, Lucy is wearing her open-toe high heels, while Ethel is in flats. She doesn't look much shorter!

As for fingernails, Ethel seems to only have nicely groomed, well-manicured, but polish-free nails.

I don't think a woman looks "un-groomed" without long nails or polish, but the nails should be well-manicured.

What I CANNOT cotton to are tattoos, especially on women. It is a very trashy look to me, even if she only has
one on her back or leg. Now for males, one or two can be sexy, depending upon who the guy is. But I just
can't stand them on women.

Before anyone calls me "sexist", keep in mind that I also dislike the "man bun." It may be hip, but guys who
wear 'em look like a drip. To me, anyway.

[–] Costumer (1785) 4 years ago

While I don't generally worry about women who are taller than me, I do admit I had enough male ego to ask my wife (who is taller than me) to wear flats on our wedding day. Since she doesn't like heels much she didn't mind catering to that request.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

Women with tattoos!!! Aaarggh! I think they look SO trashy. I've had teen-age girls (when I was teaching) ask me if I had any tattoos. NO! Sometimes they didn't believe me and thought I had one or two in a hidden place and they wanted me to pull up my shirt! Or check to see for a "tramp stamp".

I've worked with so many (mostly younger) women who have them and they show them off and expect you to "ooh and aaah" over them. I'd try to be honest and tactful, so I'd just say something like, "Wow! That's big." Or "How long did that take to do?" I really wanted to ask, "So how long have you had NO taste?"

I really wanted to tell them that they looked like crap and were so "low class".

When I was growing up only guys who'd been in the Navy or prison had them.

How in the world did they convince women that they look good?

If a woman's nails are well groomed, they don't necessarily need polish. It's just a bad look when they obviously bite them and they are ragged.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 4 years ago

How in the world did they convince women that (tattoos) look good?

They probably saw some celebrity with a tattoo and felt the need to emulate this, to look "cool."