So if you notice many of the supporting actors often played multiple roles:
- The guy who played Freddie Fillmore was also Ralph Ramsey, Mr. Benjamin, the customs agent, the train conductor, etc.
- The woman who played Betty Ramsey was also the woman Lucy sat next to on the plane and the woman who asked Lucy for donations that she was jealous of
- The guy who played the Business Manager was also the guy with 9 daughters at the hospital, the passport guy and the guy conducting the auditions where Lucy had knives thrown at her
- The woman who played Minnie Finch also played Lucy’s mother
- The woman who played Mrs. Porter the maid was also the woman who Lucy threw coal at when she was trying to sell the vacuum.
Did they seriously think no one would notice this?
It isn't a question of "not noticing". It's just that all the actors cited were talented character actors and character actors turn up frequently in the same shows.
I've seen the same thing on many other sitcoms and dramas.
In response to the OP: The show was filmed in black-and-white when we REALLY see in color!
Did they seriously think no one would notice this? Sigh ...but I digress.
Back in the day it was common practice to employ many of the same actors repeatedly. "The Honeymooners" is a prime example. Gleason and company literally used the same three or four actors over and over in various roles. Ten years later, "Bewitched" did likewise, as did countless other shows.
When interviewed for the "Bewitched" book in 1989, Elizabeth Montgomery commented on this, stating she supported the practice.
For what it's worth, I feel there were so many talented actors in SAG who simply didn't work, and I feel it would've been much fairer to go with a bigger variety of actors. But since when has Hollywood been fair??
Today it's changed. My best friend is an actor and once he's landed a guest spot on a drama, the producers won't use him again. Also, actors of all races are (deservedly) competing with him.
As for ILL, I will go on record as saying that only in the last 15 years or so, did I realize Kathryn Card played BOTH "Minnie Finch" and Lucy's mother. That's how diverse that great actor was. As for Mary Jane Croft, she makes snooty "Cynthia", nasal, nosy "Mrs. Bixby" and reserved "Betty" seem like three different women.
Hi Gary! Thanks. My computer has been in the "shop". I'm at the library.
I think it's logical for producers to use the same actors. After all, they know their work and they know that they are reliable. It would be nice if they used different actors. But show business is like any other business. You often hire the people you already know.
I recently saw an interview with Lucie Arnaz. She appeared in several roles in the first season of The Lucy Show. She said that there were other better trained professional actresses out there. But she basically acknowledged the fact that it was her mom's show. Hence, she was hired.
Movie directors do the same thing. For instance with James Cameron, , you can usually find a lot of the same actors who were in all his other movies.
Kathryn Card really was a "card" as Minnie. She pitched her voice a lot deeper than when she played Lucy's mom. Also, teeth or no teeth made a difference in her appearance!
its a week-by-week sitcom, written, produced, directed, acted and shot EACH WEEK.
The constraints of that time frame meant that they often had to return to the same talented actors who were available on short notice to step in and do the show.
Whether people noticed or not was secondary to getting the episode in the can.