LUCY’S HOUSE GUEST, HARRY
S3;E20 ~ January 25, 1971
Directed by Charles Walters ~ Written by Fred S. Fox and Seaman Jacobs
Synopsis
Harry is having his house redecorated and needs a place to stay. Naturally, he imposes on Lucy, who is increasingly aggravated by her brother-in-law's obnoxious habits. Rather than ask him to leave, she schemes with Kim to get him to leave on his own accord.
Regular Cast
Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)
Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter) does not appear in this episode, but he does receive opening title credit and is mentioned in the dialogue.
Guest Cast
Herbie Faye (Poker Player #1) was a character whose first major acting role (at age 56) was Corporal Sam Fender in “The Phil Silvers Show” (1955). He also appeared with Silvers on Broadway in Top Banana (1951) and also did the film version (1954) with Silvers. He appeared in a 1968 episode of “The Lucy Show.” This is the second of his four “Here’s Lucy” episodes.
Emile Autuori (Poker Player #2) makes the third of his six appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” He passed away in early 2017. He was the uncle of writer / director P.J. Castalleneta.
Autuori introduces the episode on the series DVD. In the episode, he wears a cardigan sweater monogrammed G.R.
Robert Foulk (Poker Player #3, right) played the policeman on the Brooklyn subway platform in “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12) and a Los Angeles Detective in “Lucy Goes To A Hollywood Premiere” (TLS S4;E20). This is the second of his six characters on “Here’s Lucy,” two which were policemen.
Frank J. Scannell (Poker Player #4, center) played the Burlesque Comic (“Slowly I turn...”) in “The Ballet” (ILL S1;E19). He had done two films with Lucille Ball in 1945, including Lover Come Back. This is his only appearance on “Here's Lucy.”
Vince Barnett (Cabbie #1) appeared with Lucille Ball in one of her first films, The Affairs of Cellini in 1934. He also appeared with her in A Girl, A Guy, and a Gob in 1941. This is his only series appearance.
Sid Gould (Cabbie #2) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” and nearly as many on “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.
Eugene Molnar (Tuba Player) appeared on four episodes of the series. These are his only screen credits.
Molnar has no dialogue. The character is part of a 12-piece marching band that appears in full uniform. The band is uncredited.
Anthony and Cleopatra are Harry's pet parakeets.
Willy the Goat is the mascot of Kim's college.
This episode was filmed on September 17, 1970.
Charles Walters makes his series directing debut with this episode. He directed Lucille Ball in five motion pictures between 1942 and 1945. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1953 for directing Lili. He will direct one more episode of “Here's Lucy” as well as the Lucille Ball television movies “Three for Two” (1975) and “What Now, Catherine Curtis” (1976), which was his final screen credit. He died in 1982 at the age of 70.
Sid Gould (Cabbie #2), Robert Foulk (Poker Player #3), and Emile Autuori (Poker Player #3) all appeared in the previous week's episode “Lucy and the Raffle” (S3;E19). This is the second episode in a row in which Desi Arnaz Jr. does not appear. Lucy says he is on vacation for two weeks.
This episode was filmed on September 17, 1970. “The Flip Wilson Show” (aka “Flip”) premiered that evening on NBC. Flip Wilson will play himself in the season 4 opener of “Here's Lucy.” In return, Lucy appears on “Flip.” Both shows ended their runs in early 1974.
Harry balks at paying $40 a day for a hotel room in Los Angeles overlooking the park. “For $40 a day I should overlook Fort Knox!” Both Harry and Mr. Mooney were fond of punchlines that featured Fort Knox, a Kentucky military installation that is the repository for most of the nation's gold reserves. In today's money, considering inflation, $40 a day is the equivalent of spending $250 a day; not unreasonable in greater Los Angeles.
Trying to ingratiate himself to Lucy to get her to allow him to stay in her home while his house is being renovated, Harry greets her cheerfully, coyly asking about “dear Kim” and “little Craig.” Lucy says that 'little' Craig is 5'11” and shaves. 'Little Craig' is absent from this episode.
Moving in to Lucy's house, Harry brings his parakeets Anthony and Cleopatra. These are the names of real-life historical figures that also are featured in Shakespeare's play Anthony and Cleopatra. Lucy Carmichael played Cleopatra for the Danfield Community Theatre in 1963.
Harry’s suitcases are packed with his John Philip Sousa records. He calls them The Tijuana Brass of his generation. John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was a composer hailed as “The March King.” His music was extensively used in “Lucy Goest to the Air Force Academy” Parts 1 and 2. The Tijuana Brass was a modern jazz group led by Herb Alpert. They had numerous hit records from 1962 to 1969, when they disbanded. In “Lucy and the Bogie Affair” (S2;E13) in 1969, Kim has a photo of Herb Alpert posted inside her school locker!
Harry leads Lucy and Kim through morning exercises to “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” which was written by Sousa in 1897. It is considered his most famous work and was declared the officially march of the United States of America in 1987. The tempo is sped up a bit on the soundtrack to add to the comedy of the scene.
When Lucy bemoans Harry turning her home into a gambling joint with the arrival of Harry's poker pals, Kim says “Maybe we could sell out to Howard Hughes.” The real life millionaire aviator was mentioned on several previous episodes, including the very first “Lucy Visits Jack Benny” (S1;E1). In the 1960s Howard Hughes went on a spending spree and bought several Las Vegas casino hotels, including the Desert Inn and the Sands, the setting of a 1958 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”
In light of his poker game, Lucy calls Harry Nick the Greek. Nicholas Andrea Dandolos (1883 -1966), aka Nick the Greek, was a was a professional gambler and high roller from Rethymnon, Crete. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979.
Harry's decorator is named Poindexter. On the telephone, Lucy mistakes him for a her.
Kim suggest checking Emily Post for a polite way to get rid of an unwanted house guest. Emily Post (1872-1960) was a writer who's name has become synonymous with proper etiquette and manners. More than half a century after her death, her name is still used in titles of etiquette books.
When the marching band startles awake Harry, Lucy is trying to look nonchalant by reading a magazine. It is Sunset, a monthly lifestyle magazine that focuses on homes, cooking, gardening, and travel, with a focus almost exclusively on the Western United States. It was first published in 1898 and still is in circulation today.
Harry has fallen asleep reading Boating, a magazine for boat enthusiasts. It began publication in 1966 and is still in print today. Harry is a boat enthusiast who decorates his home and office with model ships and paintings of vessels.
Harry is allergic to Willy the Goat – and all long-haired animals. This is consistent with “Lucy and the Bogie Affair” (S2;E13, above) where we learn that Harry is allergic to dogs.
As Harry is finally is finally about to leave, Lucy has a horrible thought: what if Harry is like Sheridan Whiteside in the play The Man Who Came to Dinner and falls on his way out and must stay with them even longer? The play, by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, was a comedy that opened on Broadway in 1939. It starred Lucille Ball's good friend (and “Here's Lucy” performer) Mary Wickes as Nurse Preen. Wickes was one of several stage actors who recreated their roles in the 1942 film adaptation.
This episode is similar to “Lucy's Mystery Guest” (TLS S6;E10), where Lucy Carmichael's Aunt Agatha (Mary Wickes) turns up on her doorstep and turns her life upside down with exercise at dawn, a health food regimen, and wardrobe requirements.
Gale Gordon also put Lucy and a pal through their paces with vigorous exercise in “Lucy and the Countess Lose Weight” (TLS S3;E21) in which Mr. Mooney helps out at a fat farm to keep the bank from foreclosing and recruits Lucy and the Countess as members.
Party in the Kitchen! Harry's poker pals head into the kitchen for their game, despite the fact that Lucy has a green felt-lined card table in the living room!
Where the Ceiling Begins! When Harry is leading the morning exercises, the camera pulls back for a long shot and the top of the living room set is visible on the right, with a loop of cable hanging down.
Where the Floor Ends! Later, when Kim leads in Willy the Goat, the camera pulls back revealing the edge of the sound stage floor.
This is classic (if not hysterical) situation comedy material. No guest stars, no music, just Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon in a battle of wit(ticism)s.