#dick patterson

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LINE!!!

Lucille Ball: Scripts, Cue Cards, and Teleprompters

As a film star, Lucille Ball only had to memorize dialogue in short, bite-sized chunks. On radio, Lucille and her cast-mates read from scripts. But on television, in a realistic situation comedy, Ball needed to memorize a full thirty minute script a week!  

CUE CARDS & PROMPTERS & SCRIPT SLIPS!

Credit for developing the cue card (sometimes derisively called ‘idiot cards’) is genereally given to John Barrymore, who had them tucked in out-of-the-way places during his stage performances in the 1930s. 

Ed Wynn placed cue cards in the orchestra pit when he worked in vaudeville, then brought the practice to television with “The Ed Wynn Show” (1949-50), on which Lucille Ball got her first taste of the new medium, and was introduced to the concept of cue cards. 

Wynn’s cards were prepared by Barney McNulty (1923-2000), known as the ‘King of Cue Cards’. He went on to form a company named Ad-Libs, a cue card company whose clients included many early TV stars, including Lucille Ball. McNulty later praised Ball for her cue card savvy: 

“Hardly anyone realizes that the madcap redhead has cue cards on the set!”

McNulty claimed to have flipped cards for the “I Love Lucy” pilot episode. But “I Love Lucy” was quite different from shows starring Milton Berle, Ed Wynn, and Bob Hope, who did not use the convention of the fourth wall. Ball and her cast were performing a realistic teleplay that required them to make eye contact with their fellow actors, not look to cue cards. For this reason, cue cards were virtually unknown during “I Love Lucy.”  Of course, there were exceptions...

For her Vitameatavegamin spiel in “Lucy Does A TV Commercial” (1952) every slurred word and syllable was written in the script. To be letter perfect, and just to be on the safe side, Ball had cue cards set up in case she forgot her lines. Performing physical comedy in front of a live audience gets less laughs after the first take. Plus, re-takes were time consuming and expensive. It was hardly necessary. Lucy didn’t miss a beat and nailed it in one take. 

On December 14, 1953, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were the first to use a new teleprompting system developed by their producer, Jess Oppenheimer, although it was not the first in-camera system. Fred Barton had developed one as early as early as 1948.  A forerunner to the modern video teleprompter, Oppenheimer’s “through the roll system” was later granted a US patent.  

Lucy and Desi did not use it for the main show, which that night was “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined”.  Oppenheimer did not like that it obstructed the view of the live audience, but it was used for the Philip Morris commercials, which were filmed without an audience. The sponsors wanted their message clearly communicated, so it was important that the script be delivered verbatim. With the memorization of a weekly script, Lucy and Desi did not need the burdon of also memorizing commercial copy. 

In “Lucy’s Mother-in-Law” (1954) the Ricardo closet door is wide open and it looks like there is a cardboard box of used cue cards stored in there!  Even if they weren’t used on “I Love Lucy,” they might have been scared up from the Desilu prop room to “dress” the closet.  

Bob Hope was notorious for his regular use of cue cards. When he guest-starred as himself on “I Love Lucy” in 1956, he read his lines from cue cards. It was prop man Jerry Miggins who was in charge of holding them for Hope. 

When “I Love Lucy” morphed into its hour-long format, cue cards were sometimes used, especially when the tensions of a failing marriage and running Desilu took Lucy and Desi’s time away from script memorization and busy guest stars did not have the time for extensive rehearsals. The above photo was taken during rehearsals for “The Star Next Door” (1957). 

When Lucy launched “The Lucy Show” in 1962, she was also trying to run Desilu. Along with her adminsitrative duties, she still had to find time to learn a 30-minute script every week. She was also a newleywed and mother of two children, so time was precious. 

Tony Mendez, who famously flipped cards for David Letterman and often appeared on camera as well, was interviewed by New York Magazine in 2001 and recalled how he got started in the business:

It seems that Lucille Ball was not the only one relying on cue cards. According to Mendez, Lucy merely needed a prompt, but Vivian needed the entire line!

In fact, the DVD extras for “The Lucy Show: Season One” include footage of Vivian using cue dards to do the show’s in-character commercials. They are positioned just behind Ralph Hart’s head! 

Lucy was was still adamant that her cast try and memorize their lines. When Charles Lane (banker Barndsdahl) stumbled over his dialogue, impatient Lucy used this as a reason to replace him. In reality, this may have been just the “for publication” story of what was actually Ball’s long-held desire to cast Gale Gordon. When the series began, Gordon was under contract to “Dennis the Menace” and couldn’t commit to Lucy. As soon as he became available, however, Lucy was not about to het him get away again - even if it meant dismissing Lane. 

By “Here’s Lucy” - Ball’s third TV sitcom - she was using cue cards more often than not - espeically if the episode demanded a lot of rehearsal of music and dance. 

Tommy Tucker was the name of the “Here’s Lucy” cue card coordinator. Tucker and Lucy enjoyed playing word games together during lulls in shooting. As a tribute to him, the toy vendor played by Wally Cox in “Lucy Sublets the Office” (1972) was named Tommy Tucker.  Tucker was interviewed for the short film “Lucy Meets The Burtons: A Comic Gem” which is included on the “Here’s Lucy: Season 3″ DVD. 

Coincidentally, one of the guest actors in this episode was Richard Deacon. His eyes can frequently be seen looking at the cue cards.  

Another guest actor who’s eyes were usually seraching for the cue cards is Lyle Talbot, who played Harry’s lawyer in “Lucy Takes Over” (1970).

Not being an actor, Lawrence Welk’s eyes often distractingly glance over at the cue cards for his lines during his appearance on “Here’s Lucy” (1970). He smiles at his own jokes, and anticipates rather than reacts.

The webiste ‘Everything Lucy’ points to “The Bow-Wow Boutique” (1973) as when Lucille Ball started to rely almost exclusively on cue cards. Ball said that one of the hardest things to do was to erase the previous week's script from her mind to make way for a new one. After all, she was walking around the same set every week, having dialogue with the same people.

Filming a promotional spot with Bobe Hope, Ball squints at distant cue cards and quips, 

“Well, let’s use the bigger ones. I can see the little ones, but why the hell not use the bigger ones?”

CHEAT SHEETS, SCRIPTS & CUES 

Sometimes, a script - or a few pages of script - made it onto the set. A close-up of the Swiss cheese sandwich in “First Stop” (1955) shows a couple of pages of script on the table. A few lines have even been crossed out!

In “Lucy in the Music World” (1965) the verbose but funny album names were taped to the back of the record sleeves! 

“He Wears a Hubcap for a Halo” (about a teenage girl whose boyfriend got run over by a police car) 

“I've Got Tears in My Ears from Lying on My Back in My Bed While I'm Crying Over You” 

“I Lost You to the Arms of Another” (about a girl whose boyfriend goes skin diving and gets tangled up with an octopus 

In “Lucy, the Matchmaker” (1968) Mr. Morton (Dick Patterson) reads Harry’s computer dating punch card. His match’s number is written on the card in red marker and the ink has bled through to the other side!  Perhaps Patterson had trouble memorizing the number correctly? 

PROTESTING CUE CARDS

Sometimes the materials that were used to create the cue cards were also used for other purposes. They were the perfect size for protest signs when “Lucy Goes on Strike” (1968).

The distinctive all caps handwriting in bold black ink was a hallmark of cue card writers.  

At the end of season five of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973, Ball had decided to end the series. She filmed an ending to the final episode where she hangs an “Out of Business” sign on the door of the Unique Employment Agency.  But at the last moment, CBS convinced her to do a sixth season, so the ending moment was re-filmed with Lucy tacking a sign reading “Temporarily” above the “Out of Business” sign. The addional sign was obviously made from the same cardboard used for the cue cards - and by the same hand.  

By the season six finale of “Here’s Lucy,” “Lucy Fights The System” in 1974, it was obvious that Ball was nearly completely dependent on the cue cards. Luckily, the storyline was basically carried by Lucie Arnaz, and Lucy’s scenes were mainly sitting at her desk. 

During her final series, “Life With Lucy” (1986), it was well known that Lucille Ball read her lines from cue cards. She was 75 years old and in failing health, so it is an understandable accommodation. 

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COMPUTER COMEDY

Computers and Robotics in Lucycoms

Although, Lucille Ball never lived to see the miracle of the internet, she was around to see the birth of the computer age. From 1956 to 1986 computers and robotics provided a source of comedy in the Lucyverse!

“Lucy and Bob Hope” (1956) ~ When Lucy disguises herself as a hot dog vendor at Yankee Stadium to talk to Bob Hope, she presses him into service making change for hungry spectators. 

HOPE: “All of a sudden I feel like UNIVAC!” 

UNIVAC (UNIVersal Automatic Computer) was an early computer made by Remington Rand that, at the time, was used mainly for weather forecasting, but later would correctly predict that outcome of the 1956 Presidential election.

UNIVAC was mentioned again in “Chris Goes Steady” (1964). Viv says that UNIVAC “couldn’t have come up with a better match” than Chris and her new boyfriend, Ted.

“Lucy the Super Woman” (1966) ~ Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) installs a computer at the Westland Bank. When it falls on Mr. Mooney’s foot, Lucy has a sudden rush of adrenaline to lift it up. From then on, she has super-strength and wreaks havoc with her new-found power.

To decide where to put the computer in the office, Mr. Vigran (Herb Vigran) feeds it a punch card. Punch cards were widely used through much of the 20th century in the data processing industry. The IBM 12-row / 80-column punched card format came to dominate the industry. Many early digital computers used punched cards as the primary medium for input of both computer programs and data. While punched cards are now obsolete as a storage medium, as of 2012, some voting machines still used punch cards to record votes.

“Lucy and Bob Crane” (1966) ~ Lucy has a new responsibility at the bank:  running a huge, loud, punch card-driven computer. After the computer sprays shredded paper in Mr. Mooney’s face, Lucy is re-assigned to ‘new accounts’ and must move her things from one desk in the lobby to another.

“Lucy the Matchmaker” (1968) ~ When Lucy wants to find a date for Harry, she visits Select-A-Spouse, a computer dating service that surprisingly matches him with her old friend Vivian.

The comic payoff of most episodes featuring computers was having them short-circuit and run amok!  

Mr. Morton (Dick Patterson) tells Lucy that Select-A-Spouse does not give out names, only numbers. Vivian is #42-26-38 and Lucy’s computer date, Bradley Henshaw, is #74-32-59. Reducing people to numbers was a genuine concern during the initial popularization of computers. 

“Lucy’s Replacement” (1972) ~ Harry gets a computer and fires Lucy, who then gets a job in a typing pool at an insurance company. When she starts to miss Harry, Lucy and Kim sabotage the computer to get her old job back. EXMO-III [Experimental Model #3] was designed by ‘Al Rylander.’ It is established that EXMO is a ‘he’.  EXMO speaks, but his voice is uncredited. 

In addition to its computation skills, EXMO-III also makes coffee!  

Naturally, EXMO malfunctions and squirts coffee and cream in Harry’s face,  thereby fulfilling one of “Here's Lucy's” staple comedy bits: Getting Harry wet! Off screen, Lucy nicknamed Gale Gordon “Old Soggy Crotch”!

Coincidentally, two weeks before this episode aired (but well after its filming in late 1971), the first scientific electronic pocket calculator, the HP-35 was introduced by Hewlett-Packard and priced at $395 (equivalent to more than $2,400 today). Although hand-held electronic machines that could multiply and divide had been made since 1971, the HP-35 could handle higher functions including logarithms and trigonometry.  

“Lucy and the Generation Gap” (1974) ~ At the end of a three-part mini-musical, the Carters are in space sometime in the future, but contending with the same communication problems between parents and kids as they did in the past - but this time with the aid of a space-age computer. 

HARRY: “I’ve got the computer programmed with each of our personality traits and our relationships with one another. All I have to do is push a button and we’ll have the solution to the generation gap!” LUCY, KIM & CRAIG: “Well, push it!”  

As usual, the computer explodes - this time, in space age colored smoke and party snakes!  Welcome to the festive future!

ROBOTS

“Lucy and the Ceramic Cat” (1965) ~ After breaking the original, Lucy must get a replacement of Mr. Mooney’s ceramic cat. The last one is in a window display at Bigelow’s Department Store. Unfortunately, it is part of a display involving a robotic butler played by Larry Dean, a mime who specialized in playing a robot. He also did this on episodes of “Lost in Space” and “Bewitched.”  

“Lucy and the Robot” (1966) ~ Larry Dean returns to play Major Fun-Fun, a robot toy soldier Mr. Mooney buys for his rambunctious nephew Wendell (Jay North). When the Robot falls down a flight of steps and is destroyed, Lucy must take its place.

“Lucy Makes Curtis Byte the Dust” (1986) ~ Lucy's attempt to computerize M&B Hardware results in a a shop full of lawnmowers and with Curtis listed in the obituary column. As a result Lucy returns the computer, but buys a robot named Rupert!  In 1928, British schoolboys built a robot named Rupert which contained mechanical representations of human organs!  

CURTIS: “You know me, always keeping up with the times.”  LUCY: “Yeah, he's almost up to 1956.”

1956 was the same year that UNIVAC was mentioned on “I Love Lucy,” which brings this blog full circle. 

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DICK PATTERSON

April 11, 1929

Dick Patterson was born Richard Neal Patterson in Clear Lake, Iowa, in 1929.  In 1961, he got his ‘big break’ on Broadway replacing Dick Van Dyke in the original cast of the musical Bye Bye Birdie.  His Broadway debut was in the short-lived Vintage ‘60. Next he was seen opposite Ken Berry in The Billy Barnes People, the show where Lucille Ball claims to have ‘discovered’ Berry. In between Vintage and Barnes, Lucille Ball appeared on Broadway, too, in Wildcat. 

In 1964, he played opposite Carol Burnett in Fade Out - Fade In on Broadway. 

He made his television debut in 1958 on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” which was filmed in New York City, and often featured Broadway performers.  

On March 22, 1965, he was made his first appearance opposite Lucille Ball in “Lucy and the Beauty Doctor” (TLS S3;E24). As usual in cases like this, Patterson was not really playing himself, just using his own name and aspects of his personality. He was never the host of a hidden camera show.

He returned to “The Lucy Show” on November 1, 1965 for “Lucy Helps Danny Thomas” (TLS S4;E7). He played Marty King, director of Thomas’s television show. 

The hallways of the studio (presumably CBS) are decorated with photos of television stars like Jim Nabors of “Gomer Pyle USMC”, which was filmed on the Desilu backlot. 

Coincidentally, in January 1969, Dick Patterson appeared on an episode of the series “Win-A-Date” playing the host of a TV dating show.  In 1966, “The Lucy Show” did a cross-over episode featuring Jim Nabors in a cameo. 

In September 1966, Patterson and his wife Gita were seen on “Lucy Week” of the game show “Password” along with other “Lucy Show” performers.  Patterson tells host Allen Ludden that Lucy first saw him in a play in 1960. 

In addition to working with Lucy, he also was on the Desilu lot for a 1963 episode of “My Three Sons” with William Frawley, and a 1964 episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (above), reuniting him with the man he replaced in Bye Bye Birdie.  After filming “The Lucy Show” he starred in an episode of Desilu’s “Vacation Playhouse” titled “My Son the Doctor” (1966). 

Patterson appeared on “Here’s Lucy” as Mr. Morton of the Select-A-Spouse Dating Service in “Lucy, The Matchmaker” (HL S1;E12) in December 1968. Morton was Lucille Ball’s married name!  

In “Lucy’s Lucky Day” (HL S4;E15) in December 1971, Patterson was once again cast as a TV show host. This time he was Dick Dunkirk, host of the game show “The Milky Way To Riches.” 

For a change of pace, he played a football coach in “Lucy and Joe Namath” (HL S5;E5) airing on October 9, 1972.

In his final appearance on the series, he played the director of a pickle commercial, Steve Thompson, wearing a goatee and using an accent.  “Lucy is Really in a Pickle” (HL S5;E15) aired on January 1, 1973. 

He attempted a return to Broadway in 1977, but the show only lasted one night. He tried once more in 1986 with the musical Smile, but that lasted only 48 performances.  

From 1974 to 1976 he reunited with his Broadway co-star Carol Burnett on a dozen episodes of her television show, although none of the episodes also featured Lucille Ball. One of the shows, however, featured Ken Berry, another of his Broadway co-stars. 

He was in the film musicals Can’t Stop the Music (1980), Grease (1978), and Grease 2 (1982).  His final screen appearance was a December 1991 episode of “Columbo” playing an Emcee. 

He died on September 20, 1999 at the age of 70.  He was married twice and had two children. 

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LUCY, THE MATCHMAKER

S1;E12 ~ December 16, 1968

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Milt Josefsberg and Ray Singer

Synopsis

When Lucy wants to find a date for Harry, she visits a computer dating service that matches him with her old friend Vivian.  

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Vivian Vance (Vivian Roberta Jones) was born Vivian Roberta Jones in Cherryvale, Kansas in 1909, although her family quickly moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was raised.  She had extensive theatre experience, co-starring on Broadway with Ethel Merman in Anything Goes. She was acting in a play in Southern California when she was spotted by Desi Arnaz and hired to play Ethel Mertz, Lucy Ricardo’s neighbor and best friend. The pairing is credited with much of the success of “I Love Lucy.” Vance was convinced to join the cast of “The Lucy Show” in 1962, but stayed with the series only through season three, making occasional guest appearances afterwards. This is the first of her half a dozen appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”  She also joined Lucy for a TV special “Lucy Calls the President” in 1977.  Vance died two years later.

Vance uses her birth name as her character name in all of her “Here's Lucy” guest appearances.  Vivian Jones and Lucy Carter went to school together.  

Dick Patterson (Mr. Morton of the Select-A-Spouse Dating Service) made his Broadway debut in David Merrick's Vintage '60, and appeared in The Billy Barnes People, the national touring company of Bye Bye Birdie, and opposite Carol Burnett in Fade Out, Fade In. His last musical was Smile, a spoof of beauty pageants. He was seen in “Lucy Helps Danny Thomas” (TLS S4;E7). This is the first of his four appearances on “Here's Lucy.”  

Morton was Lucille Ball's surname after her marriage to Gary Morton.  

Alice Backes (Flat Chested Woman) made her first TV appearance as a contestant on Groucho Marx's “You Bet Your Life” in 1950, billed as a 'future actress.'  This is the first of her two appearances on “Here's Lucy.” By her death she accumulated nearly 100 screen credits, so her game show ambitions were more than realized.  

Lucy thinks The Woman may be #42-26-38, Harry's computer date. The Woman thinks Lucy is talking about her measurements.  This joke may be the character's only reason for being in the script and the reason Backes was cast.

Rhodes Reason (Bradley Henshaw) appeared on “Lucy and Carol Burnett: Part One” (TLS S6;E14) and here marks the first of his five episodes of “Here's Lucy.” He also appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1974 TV special “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye.”     

Joan Carey (Restaurant Patron, uncredited) was featured on “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show” (where she also was Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in), and now on “Here’s Lucy.”                   

Other restaurant patrons are played by uncredited background performers.

Computer dating service episodes became quite popular sitcom staples in the late 1960s and '70s. “Bewitched,” “Love American Style” and many others used similar plots, but “Here's Lucy” was one of the first to use it as a plot device.

The computer dating services advertised in the newspaper include Get-A-Gal, Find-A-Fellow, and Select-A-Spouse Computer Dating Service, which is the one Lucy chooses to visit.

The studio audience's ovation for Vivian Vance is unusually loud and long. 

Vivian tells Lucy she still lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In real life, Vivian Vance had also relocated to Santa Fe, where she owned a small travel agency with her husband.

Select-A-Spouse does not give out names, only numbers: Vivian is #42-26-38 and Lucy's date, Bradley Henshaw, is #74-32-59.

Vivian initially lies and tells Lucy that she is in town to do a movie with John Wayne. Vivian Vance, Lucille Ball and John Wayne first shared the screen in “Lucy and John Wayne” (ILL S5;E2) in 1955.  

Vivian says she can tell from Lucy's face that her date is no Rock Hudson. Vivian Vance, Lucille Ball and Rock Hudson first shared the screen in “In Palm Springs” (ILL S4;E26) in 1955.  

Trying to flatter Harry, Vivian compares him to Richard Burton. Lucille Ball, Gale Gordon and Richard Burton will share the screen in “Lucy Meets the Burtons” (S3;E1) in 1970.  

Things we learn from this episode:

Vivian is single

Harry is heterosexual

Lucy wasn't always a redhead

Since this episode acts as a reunion of sorts, it is worth looking back to how they all first met.

The first time Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance acted together was on September 8, 1951 in “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her” (ILL S1;E4), which was filmed first but aired fourth on “I Love Lucy.”

The first time Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance, and Gale Gordon acted together on TV was in “Lucy's Schedule” (ILL S1;E33) in 1952. Gordon had first appeared with Ball on 1938′s “The Wonder Show” and was a regular on radio’s “My Favorite Husband.”

The first time Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. acted together was “Lucy is a Referee” (TLS S1;E3) in 1962.  The Arnaz children were uncredited extras at a football game.

Prior to that, Desi Jr. alone made a cameo with his mother and Vivian Vance on “The Ricardo's Dedicate a Statue” (ILL S6;E27), the very last half hour episode of “I Love Lucy” in 1957.  Despite rumors to the contrary, Lucie Arnaz was not in this episode.

The first time Desi Jr. and Lucie Arnaz were in the same episode as Gale Gordon came in “Lucy at Marineland” (TLS S4;E1) in 1965, although they did not share screen time with Gordon. Lucie Arnaz and Gordon had their first (brief) scene together in “Lucy and the Ring-a-Ding-Ring” (TLS S5;E5) in 1966. Desi Jr. and Gordon didn't act on screen together until “Mod, Mod Lucy” (S1;E1), the premiere of “Here's Lucy” in 1968.  

There were several “I Love Lucy” episodes where Lucy Ricardo played matchmaker: “The Matchmaker” (ILL S4;E4) where her targets are Sam (spider) and Dorothy (fly); 

“Lucy is Matchmaker” (ILL S2;E27) where she tries to fix up Eddie Grant and Sylvia Collins; 

and “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) where she sets her bow in the direction of the elderly Miss Lewis (Bea Benadaret) and the neighborhood butcher Mr. Ritter (Edward Everett Horton).

Sitcom logic alert!  Vivian is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The only reason she gives for being in Los Angeles is that the computer dating service matched her with “Horrible Harry,” who turns out to be her old friend Lucy's brother-in-law and someone she previously dated. Unlikely coincidence aside, Santa Fe is 850 miles from Los Angeles, so Vivian must be really desperate for male companionship!  

Where The Floor Ends! When the camera pans wide in the living room, viewers catch a glimpse of the edge of the stage.

Cue Cards! When Harry's computer punch card comes out of the machine, it has his match's number written on it in red marker! In 1968, computers could not yet master handwriting.  

Osmosis! Vivian applies perfume without bothering to take the top off the bottle.

“Lucy, the Matchmaker” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

Lucy drags her matchmaking penchant into the computer age. That sounds tiresome, but add Vivian Vance and some genuinely funny writing and this is one of the best episodes of the first season. 

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Lucy Helps Danny Thomas

S4;E7 ~ November 1, 1965

Synopsis

When Mr. Mooney hires Lucy to get some important papers signed at a TV studio, she finds herself dancing on Danny Thomas's TV show instead!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Gale Gordon (Theodore J. Mooney)

Mary Jane Croft (Mary Jane Lewis) does not appear in this episode.

Guest Cast

Danny Thomas (Himself) was born Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz in 1912. His screen career began in 1947 but he was most famous for appearing on television in the long-running show “Make Room for Daddy” (1953-1964), which was shot at Desilu Studios.  When the series moved from ABC to CBS in 1957, Thomas and the cast starred in a rare TV cross-over with “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” titled “Lucy Makes Room for Danny.”  In return, Lucy and Desi turned up on Thomas's show.  Fifteen years later, Lucy and Danny did yet another cross-over when Lucy Carter of “Here's Lucy” appeared on “Make Room for Granddaddy.”  In addition, Thomas also played an aging artist on a 1973 episode of “Here's Lucy.”  Thomas is fondly remembered for founding St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He is also father to actress Marlo Thomas. He died in 1999.

Dick Patterson (Marty King) previously played himself in “Lucy and the Beauty Doctor” (S3;E24). He made his Broadway debut in David Merrick’s Vintage '60 and served as a replacement for Dick Van Dyke in the original cast of Bye Bye Birdie. He went on to appear opposite Carol Burnett in Fade Out, Fade In (1964) and his last musical was Smile (1986), a spoof of beauty pageants. Although he is billed here as playing himself, Patterson was never the host of a hidden camera show. He was in the film musicals Can’t Stop the Music (1980), Grease (1978), and Grease 2 (1982). In September 1966, Patterson and his wife Gita were seen on “Lucy Week” of the game show “Password” along with other “Lucy Show” performers. Patterson will appear in four episodes of “Here’s Lucy” - all in character roles. He died in 1999 at the age of 70.

Mickey Manners (Messenger) was born Solomon Shapiro in 1925. He was a nightclub performer who was friends with Jerry Lewis and appeared in a number of his films. He will make one appearance on “Here's Lucy” in 1969.  

Miriam Nelson (Miriam / choreographer, above left) made her Broadway debut in 1938. She eventually became a Hollywood dancer and choreographer and married fellow dancer Gene Nelson. She acted as choreographer for this episode as well as “Lucy in the Music World” (S4;E3) and “Lucy and the Golden Greek” (S4;E2).  

Larri Thomas (Sally, above right) was a dancer and actress who had appeared in the stage to screen musical transfers of Guys and Dolls (1955), The Pajama Game (1955), South Pacific (1958) and The Music Man (1962). She played 'Miss Hairdo' in “Lucy Wants a Career,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  She also worked as one of Lucille Ball’s stand-ins. 

The character is never addressed by name in the dialogue.

Sid Gould (Elevator Operator) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. He also did 40 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton. Gould was married to Vanda Barra, who also appeared on “The Lucy Show” starting in 1967, as well as on “Here’s Lucy.”

Four other uncredited female dancers are part of the show.

The date this episode first aired (November 1, 1965) “The Lucy Show” was followed by an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” (which was filmed at Desilu Studios) featured Eddie Quillan and Herb Vigran, who were seen on the previous week's “Lucy Show,” “Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest” (S4;E6).

This is a reciprocal appearance for Lucille Ball appearing on Thomas’s “The Wonderful World of Burlesque II” on NBC on December 8, 1965.

At the beginning of this episode, Mr. Mooney hires Lucy as a part-time secretary at the Westland Bank. Mr. Mooney pays Lucy $14 a day. In a few weeks, he will hire her full time. This is the relationship that Lucy will have with Mr. Mooney (as well as with Harrison J. Carter on “Here's Lucy”) for the remainder of their screen careers. Some syndicated versions cut this scene. 

Lucy is supposed to deliver the bank papers to Mr. Katz at the television studio. Oscar Katz was executive in charge of production at Desilu.

Citing her qualifications, Lucy says she was private secretary for Mr. Miller, president of Pop Records, for a whole week. This is a reference to “Lucy in the Music World” (S4;E3) where Lou Krugman played Miller and Mel Torme appeared as Mel Tinker.

Lucy is sent by Mr. Mooney to the TV studio where they are rehearsing “The Danny Thomas Show.”  Although this is not a real TV program, Thomas did host “The Danny Thomas Hour” for 22 episodes in 1967.  

The TV studio hallway has large black and white framed photos of TV stars: Lassie, Andy Griffith, and Jim Neighbors. In 1963, Danny Thomas served as Executive Producer for “The Andy Griffith Show,” which was shot on the Desilu backlot as was “Gomer Pyle: USMC” starring Jim Neighbors. Both were spin-offs of his show. “Lassie” aired on CBS from 1954 to 1971.

Lucy says that back in Danfield she played the lead in a play once – outside in the summer time. This means it wasn't Cleopatra, which was indoors. 

During rehearsals, Danny Thomas speaks to the unseen piano accompanist: “Wilbur? Shall we hatch it?” He is making a pun on the name of “The Lucy Show” composer Wilbur Hatch (above) who is probably playing the piano off screen.  

“Broadway Melody” was written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed for the 1929 musical film of the same name (above). It was the first sound picture to win an Oscar.  

Like Lucy's frequent co-star Bob Hope, Danny Thomas also makes jokes about the size of his nose.  

Lucy says she loves the way Danny Thomas says “And away we go!” which is actually Jackie Gleason's famous catch phrase. Gleason will make a wordless cameo appearance on “Here's Lucy.”  

The episode ends without knowing if Lucy ever got the important bank papers signed by the (never seen) Mr. Katz or whether she is fired, as Mr. Mooney promised she would be, for failing to get them signed and returned by 3pm.

Callbacks!

Lucy attempting to come down a staircase wearing an extremely heavy headdress is recycled directly from the “I Love Lucy” episode “Lucy Gets into Pictures” (ILL S4;E18). Lucy repeats some of the same dialogue and comic business she did in 1955.

Lucy Ricardo also messed up a chorus line of experienced dancers in “The Diet” (ILL S1;E3).

Blooper Alerts!

Redecorating! Mr. Mooney's office will change constantly over the next few months, getting larger and more luxurious each week until its layout is frozen in the next season.

Resume Update! Lucy tells Danny Thomas that this is the first show she's ever been in. She apparently has forgotten that she appeared as a singer on “Wing Ding” in “Lucy in the Music World” (S4;E3).  

“Lucy Helps Danny Thomas” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

[oldshowbiz]

Obscure comedy team Bennett and Patterson

[oocainh-blog]

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Actors:

Mickey Shaughnessy Dick Patterson Arnold Stang Walter Winchell Louis Quinn Gale Gordon Patti Page David Janssen Robert Strauss

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