#johnny longden

[electronicsquid]

Inger Stevens receives riding tips from Johnny Longden (wearing a walking cast)

(Allan Grant. 1960?)

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY IN THE METAVERSE!

Lucy on Lucille / Lucille on Lucy

Lucille Ball created the Lucy character to live in a real world; a world also populated by movies stars, one of whom was film and radio performer Lucille Ball!  On rare occassion, the Lucy character dared to acknowledge the existence of her famous portrayer giving viewers a rare visit to the metaverse. Lucille believed that comedy was better if it stayed close to the truth. Her sitcoms are full of references to her own life and the lives of those around her - but that’s not enough to be Meta!  Here are some moments that transcend mere references and become self-referential! 

In 1946, Lucille Ball (the actress) met Lucille Ball (the filly), courtesy of jockey Johnny Longden. This meeting no doubt influenced Longden’s playing himself in “Lucy and The Loving Cup” (1957). 

~ META MAGAZINES ~

Lucille Ball was on the cover of a local edition of TV Guide (January 25, 1952), which was casually left on the coffee table during “Breaking the Lease” (1952).  

In “Ricky’s Life Story” (1953), the photo of Lucy ("That's a fine picture of my left arm!") holding Little Ricky, may actually be of Lucille Ball because the monogram on the blouse are the initials 'LB' - although it could be 'LR' as the lower part of the 'B' is blocked by the baby!. It could also be another person wearing Lucy’s blouse. Very meta!

When Look turned up in “Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio” (1952), the June 3, 1952, issue actually had Lucille Ball on the cover!  

Look was part of a 1952 flashback intro during Lucy’s pregnancy. Vivian Vance has her hand over Ball’s photo. Inside is an article by Desi Arnaz about his wife.

Another ‘meta’ magazine appearance was in “Ricky Has Labor Pains” (1953) where a pregnant Lucy is reading the January 1953 McCall's (January 1953), which clearly has a cover that say “Why I Love Lucy” by Desi Arnaz!  

~ META COSTUMES ~ 

Desi Arnaz was such a golf nut that he built a second home on the 17th fairway of the Thunderbird Golf Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Ricky Ricardo (an East Coast golfer) wore the Thunderbird insignia on his cap in “The Golf Game” (1954). Desi ad-libs a verbal mention of the club at the start of “The Charm School” (S3;E15) earlier in 1954. 

RICKY: “You know, the whole membership of the Thunderbird Club was around the 18th hole. All I had to do was make this measly two-foot putt to win, and I missed it!”

In “Lucy and Aladdin’s Lamp” (1971), Lucy Ricardo’s trademark blue polka dot dress turns up at Lucy Carter’s garage sale!  The dress is a visual Easter Egg but is never talked about. 

~ META MUSIC ~ 

For “Lucy’s Last Birthday” (1953), Ricky’s birthday present to Lucy is a song called “I Love Lucy.” In reality, viewers had been listening to the Eliot Daniel theme song for nearly two years, but the previously unheard lyrics by Harold Adamson were new.  

In “Job Switching” (1952), nine weeks before it was announced that Lucy Ricardo would have a baby, Ricky is heard idly whistling “There’s A Brand New Baby in Our House,” a song that Desi Arnaz wrote several years earlier for the birth of his daughter. When Ethel asks Ricky if he wrote the song, he replies that he wrote it for Lucy. But since Lucie and Lucy are pronounced the same, Desi  may be talking about his daughter!  

A few weeks later, in “Sales Resistance” (1953), Ricky sings the song in full, recording it on a reel to reel tape recorder in his living room. Coincidentally, the song was released on the B side of the “I Love Lucy” theme song. 

~ META CASTING ~ 

In “Don Juan is Shelved” (1955) Lucy thinks real-life Hollywood producer Dore Schary is an out-of-work actor so she hires him to pretend to be... Dore Schary! Schary was supposed to play himself in the episode, but backed out at the last minute and the role was recast with Phil Ober, marring the mega meta nature of the episode. An added layer of meta was added by casting Ober, who was married to Vivian Vance and was - at times - an “out-of-work actor.” 

Frank Nelson memorably played the exasperated train conductor dealing with Lucy Ricardo in “The Great Train Robbery” (1955), then reprised the role to deal with Lucy Carmichael when “Lucy Visits the White House” (1963). Since the conductor was never given a character name - it is possible he exists in both metaverses! 

William Frawley made his last scripted television appearance in “Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest” (1965) as a horse trainer. When he is out of earshot, Lucy Carmichael turns the Countess (Ann Sothern) and says:

LUCY: “You know, he reminds me of someone I used to know.” 

Frawley spent nine years playing Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.”  

“Lucy The Gun Moll” (1966) is essentially a parody of Desilu’s crime drama “The Untouchables.” The meta madness is that the original actors (Robert Stack, Bruce Gordon, Steve London, and Walter Winchell) were cast, but the character names were changed to protect the innocent!  Lucy, as chanteuse Rusty Martin, even mentions the series title to pound the satire home. 

At the end of “Lucy Visits Jack Benny” (1974), the world’s most famous bus driver Ralph Kramden makes a wordless appearance. Jackie Gleason played the character on his variety show and the sitcom “The Honeymooners”, airing simultaneously with “I Love Lucy.”  Ball and Gleason collaborated on several specials. The meta world that contains Lucy Carter, Ralph also exists!

 ~ META REAL ESTATE ~ 

In “The Tour” (1956), the Beverly Hills home of Richard Widmark actually is the home of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.  A second unit film crew was sent to Roxbury Drive residence to film establishing shots of Lucy and Ethel walking up to the home. The actors, however, are not Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance, but identically dressed doubles!  

When “Lucy Sues Mooney” (1967) with the help of her wily lawyer Wally Wiley (Jack Carter), she gives her address as 780 Gower Street. This was the address of the Desilu Studios Production Offices. An extra layer of meta is added because Carter was best man at Ball’s wedding to Gary Morton. Lucy Carmichael also gives this as her address in “Lucy The Babysitter” (1967).

~ META MENTIONS ~

In “Baby Pictures” (1953) Charlie Appleby tries to impress the Ricardos about his TV station’s catalog of films:

CHARLIE: “We’ve got the newest moving pictures in town. I bought a block of films yesterday, and I want to tell you that they’re going to make television stars out of some of the actors. Now, just remember their names: Conway Tearle and Mabel Normand.”

Conway Tearle’s career bounced between Broadway and Hollywood. One of his last starring roles was in Hey Diddle Diddle, a play that premiered in 1937 featuring a 26 year-old Lucille Ball. The play was scheduled to open on Broadway, but closed after one week in Washington DC due to Tearle’s declining health. Had it succeeded, Ball’s career trajectory might have been very different! 

In 1967, TV producer and director Sheldon Leonard (who actually worked at Desilu), arranged to film a bank robbery at Mr. Mooney’s bank - but keeps it a secret from Lucy, naturally. The end of the episode turns very meta when Leonard says:

“I suddenly got this idea for a new television series. It would be about this kooky red headed girl. She works in a bank and she gets into all sorts of impossible situations and… ...forget it. Nobody would ever believe it!”

A guest appearance by Van Johnson in “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (1968) is used as an opportunity to promote their recently released film Yours Mine and Ours, where Lucy plays the wife of Henry Fonda and Johnson their best friend.

VAN JOHNSON: “I loved working with that kooky redhead.” LUCY CARTER: “Personally, I thought she was much too young for Henry Fonda.”

During Lucille Ball’s third appearance on “The Carol Burnett Show” (1969) two flight attendants Finster (Carol) and Agnes (Lucille Ball) compete for a best employee award. They encounter a suspicious passenger (Harvey Korman) with a Fidel Castro-like beard, cigars tucked in his breast pocket, and a Spanish accent.

HOOPER (Lucy):“Where are you from, sir?  Havana?” PASSENGER (Korman): (alarmed) “Havana? What makes you think I’m from Havana?” HOOPER (Lucy):“Well, if it’s one thing I know, it’s a Cuban accent.”

This meta moment relies on the audience knowing that Lucille Ball had been married to Desi Arnaz, a Cuban immigrant, as was his sitcom spouse, Ricky Ricardo. In the late 1960′s hijacking planes to Cuba was headline news ripe for satire. 

When “Lucy Competes With Carol Burnett” (1970), she dresses like a charwoman identical to the one created by Burnett for “The Carol Burnett Show.” When Carol Krausmeyer (disguised as a hippie reporter) asks how Lucy Carter thought up such a crazy outfit. 

LUCY: “From some goofy dame on TV.”  CAROL: “Well, she must be some kind of nut!”

~ THE DESILU METAVERSE ~

Lucy Ricardo met Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) on a cross-over episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”;

Danny Williams drives through Mayberry and meets Sheriff Andy Taylor, which spawns “The Andy Griffith Show”;

“The Andy Griffith Show” is where the Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) character began before getting his own show. “Gomer Pyle USMC”;

Gomer Pyle turns up on “The Lucy Show,” although here she is Lucy Carmichael, not Lucy Ricardo (even though both women share the maiden name McGillacuddy). 

The outcome is that Lucy Ricardo and Lucy Carmichael exist in the same (TV) Metaverse! 

~ METAGRAPHS ~

In “Lucy The Gun Moll” (1966) Rusty Martin’s (aka Lucy) dressing room is decorated with black and white photographs of Lucille Ball performing. Behind Robert Stack is a photo of Ball singing “Jitterbug Bite” in the 1940 film Dance, Girl, Dance. She met Desi Arnaz while making this movie. It was filmed at RKO, the studio that became Desilu.  

When Kim decorates her room with posters of classic film stars in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (1969), Lucy Carter finds a poster of Lucille Ball! She looks at it thoughtfully, is about to put it on the wall, and then says “Meh” and puts it down.  

When “Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball” (1974), the walls of Ball’s dressing room are covered with photos from the star’s real life, including one of her mother Dede.  

The black and white photo next to the door is from “The Lucy Show” episode “Lucy and Chris’s New Year’s Eve Party” (1962) where Lucy Carmichael did a silent movie sketch as Charlie Chaplin. So Lucille Ball is playing Lucy Carmichael who is playing Charlie Chaplin!

In 1975′s Lucille Ball special with Dean Martin, “Lucy Gets Lucky”, Lucy Collins admires a photo of Lucille Ball while walking through the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel’s Hollywood Hall of Fame.  

~ META MASTERPIECE ~

The ultimate visit to the Metaverse is the “Here’s Lucy” episode “Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball” (1974), in which Lucy, Kim, and Cynthia (Carole Cook) enter a Lucille Ball look-alike contest. 

With the assistance of split screens and doubles (the best technology available at the time, Ball played both roles - and was even billed accordingly! 

Lucy, Cynthia, and Kim both don caftans and dark wigs to emulate Ball’s look in her upcoming film Mame, although the film is never directly mentioned. Kim says that a lot of her friends think she looks like Lucille Ball.  

LUCY: “That's ridiculous. She's old enough to be your mother!”

And the winner is... 

...Lucy, naturally! 

[papermoonloveslucy]

Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest

S4;E6 ~ October 25, 1965

Synopsis

The Countess turns up on Lucy's doorstep with the only thing her late husband left her: a race horse. When she can't pay the stable fees, Lucy lets the horse stay on her patio. They hope it will race again one day, until it is discovered that the horse is pregnant.

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

Ann Sothern (Rosie Hannigan, the Countess Framboise) makes the first of her three season four appearances at the Countess. Sothern had appeared in the first “Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” “Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana” (1957) as Susie MacNamara, the same character she played on her show “Private Secretary” from 1953 to 1957. In return, Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo on her show in 1959. Sothern appeared with Ball in five films between 1933 and 1943. She was nominated for an Oscar for her final screen appearance in The Whales of August in 1987. She is buried near her home in Sun Valley, Idaho, a place also dear to Lucy and Desi.  

Herb Vigran (Veterinarian) played Jule, Ricky Ricardo’s music agent on two episodes of “I Love Lucy” in addition to playing movie publicist Hal Sparks in “Lucy is Envious” (ILL S3;23). He was seen in the Lucy-Desi film The Long, Long Trailer. He played the role of the baseball umpire (an eye doctor) in two previous episodes. He went on to play other characters in two more episodes.

The Veterinarian says he's been a horse doctor for 22 years. He never gives his name.  

Bill Quinn (Mr. Morton, stable owner) is probably best remembered as Mr. Van Rensalear on “All in the Family” and “Archie Bunker's Place.” This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.  

The character introduces himself as Mr. Morton, although the final credits list him as Mr. Frink. Morton is, of course, Lucille Ball's name by marriage to Gary Morton, the show's production consultant and warm-up act.

Sid Gould (Porter #1) 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.”

Bennett Green (Porter #2, uncredited) was Desi Arnaz’s stand-in during “I Love Lucy.” He does frequent background work on “The Lucy Show.” 

He does not have any dialogue.

William Frawley (Horse Trainer) was already a Hollywood veteran when he was hired by Desi Arnaz to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.”  After the series concluded he joined the cast of “My Three Sons” playing Bub Casey. This was his final appearance before his death in March 1966.

William Frawley gets his own full screen end credit, listed as "And our own Bill Frawley as The Trainer."

There are two live horses (Oil Well and May) and two foals (Lucy and Rosie) used on screen.

An uncredited and unidentified background actor leads Oil Well into the stable. 

This episode was written by Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson and directed by Maury Thompson.

The original telecast included commercials for Wisk laundry detergent, Lux dish washing soap, Dippity-Do hair gel, and White Rain hair spray. There was also a promo spot for "The Ed Sullivan Show"

This episode was filmed September 16, 1965. That was a big night for CBS, with the very first episode of “My Three Sons” after moving from ABC titled “The First Marriage”. It was also the first episode of the series broadcast in color, something “The Lucy Show” did three days earlier with “Lucy at Marineland” (S4;E1). 

Although William Frawley had left “My Three Sons” due to declining health, two of the “sons” had been seen on “The Lucy Show”. Don Grady (Robbie Douglas) had played Chris Carmichael’s friend Bill and Barry Livingston (Ernie Douglas) had played Mr. Mooney’s son Arnold. Barbara Perry was also in the “Three Sons” cast that night. Perry would do two episodes of “The Lucy Show” in 1966. Fred MacMurray teamed with Lucille Ball on “Lucy Hunts Uranium” (LDCH S1;E3) James V. Kern was the “Sons” director, a position he also held on “I Love Lucy.” “My Three Sons” was filmed at Desilu Studios.  

“Gilligan’s Island” also had marriage theme the night of September 16, 1965. That episode featured “The Lucy Show” actors Mary Foran and Alan Hale Jr.  Natalie Schafer (Mrs. Howell) had played Phoebe Emerson in “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15). 

Lucille Ball has restyled her hair for this episode.

Ann Sothern, Gale Gordon, and Herb Vigran all receive entrance applause from the studio audience.  

Rosie once again arrives at Lucy's home with lots of luggage, although not nearly as much as when she first arrived in Danfield (above). Once again, Sid Gould is one of the men delivering it and being tipped.

Lucy tells Rosie that so far in Hollywood she has met: 

Lassie's Hairdresser ~ Canine star Lassie was mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “The Young Fans” (ILL S1;E20), among others.

The Man who used to dry off Lloyd Bridges ~ Actor Lloyd Bridges was the star of “Sea Hunt” (1958-1961), a TV series about a scuba diver which featured extensive underwater filming. It was previously mentioned in “Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower” (S1;E18) and “Lucy Buys a Boat” (S1;E30). Bridges played a doctor on the season five opener of “Here’s Lucy” in 1972.

Liberace's Dentist ~ Flamboyant pianist Liberace (well known for his continual smile), was mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “The Diner” (ILL S3;E27). He will guest star on a 1970 episode of “Here's Lucy” playing himself.

When Rosie says that her late husband left her Oil Well, Lucy says that she'll be in with the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts. Rosie says she'll be in with the Longdens and the Arcaros because Oil Well is a racehorse. The former are two of the wealthiest families in America, although it was Rockefeller who made his fortune in oil as owner of Standard Oil. Eddie Arcaro (1916-97) held the record for winning more American classic races than anyone else. Johnny Longden (1907-2003, above) was one of the most successful jockeys of all time. By the end of his 40 year career he had racked up 6,032 victories. He played himself on “I Love Lucy” in “The Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12).  

Rosie formally asks the Horse Trainer (William Frawley) to announce her as the Countess Henri Gaston Armand Jean-Louis Philippe Framboise Le Cul-de-Sac. The Trainer grimaces (in Frawley's inimitable way) and then shouts “Some dame is here to see you!”  After William Frawley's brief cameo as the horse trainer, Lucy says “You know he reminds me of someone I used to know.”  This is an obvious reference to his nine year history of playing Fred Mertz opposite Lucille Ball.  

This was William Frawley's final acting appearance on television. He did appear as a guest on “The Tonight Show” on January 28, 1966. He died of a heart attack at the Knickerbocker Hotel on March 3, 1966. Desi Arnaz was grief-stricken with the loss of his friend and took out a full-page ad in the trade papers, consisting of Frawley's picture, framed in black, and three words: "Buenas noches, amigo!" Lucy had wanted Frawley to appear on “The Lucy Show” earlier, but because he and Vivian Vance did not get along, Lucy had to wait until Viv was no longer a regular.

Oil Well's board and feed bill comes to $937.14. Adjusting for inflation, that would be more than $7,200 today. Lucy spent $86 for oats, which she tells Mr. Mooney is for baking cookies.

Rosie says that Oil Well may be old enough to be the first horse to collect Medicare. Congress enacted Medicare to provide health insurance to people age 65 and older, regardless of income or medical history. President Johnson signed the bill into law on July 30, 1965, just two weeks after this episode was filmed so this was an subject very much in the news in 1965.  

MR. MOONEY: “Mrs. Carmichael!  We will talk about it right here, if you don’t mind!” LUCY: “Of horse! Of course, of course!”

When Lucy is trying to hide the fact that she’s keeping a horse in her apartment, she inadvertently (perhaps deliberately by the writers) quotes the lyrics to the sitcom “Mr. Ed” the most famous horse on television! 

“A horse is a horse, of course, of course And no one can talk to a horse, of course. That is, of course, unless the horse Is the famous Mister Ed!”

The show aired on CBS from 1958 to 1966. The night before this episode of “The Lucy Show” first aired, “Mr. Ed” featured actor George N. Neise, who had played Mr. Carter (no relation) in “Lucy Becomes A Father” (S3;E9) a year earlier. In 1966, Bill Quinn (Mr. Morton in “Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest”) appeared on “Mr. Ed.”  Jimmy Garrett, who played Jerry Carmichael, had done an episode in 1962. On a 1970 episode of “Here’s Lucy,” guest star Carol Burnett also mentions Mr. Ed.

Lucy's checking account is known around the bank as ‘Mooney's Millstone.’ In this case, Mr. Mooney is referring to the Biblical proverb about “a millstone around one’s neck”, which means to put some burden on a person’s life or punishment that makes escape impossible. It also means to force somebody takes up some responsibility or a job that they are trying to avoid. 

When the Countess sees Mr. Mooney, she addresses him by his real name, instead of “Mr. Money,” which was a running gag back in Danfield. 

There are two references to sending Oil Well to the “Glue Factory.” This has become a euphemism for euthanizing a horse (or any animal) but it is based in fact. Early adhesives were made from a process that incorporated animal bones and hides. The animal were generally horses (due to its shear size), but other animals were also used.

The Veterinarian's diagnosis of Oil Well is that “She's pregnant!” When Lucy Ricardo was expecting a child in 1952, the network forbade the word “pregnant” from being mentioned on air.  Times have changed.

When hearing that Oil Well is expecting, Lucy prepares the horse a lunch of dill pickles, strawberries, hot sauce, cod liver oil, and sardines. Lucy and Rosie assume that horses have the same pre-natal cravings that some women experience.  

Lucy gets an irate phone call from Mrs. Goldaper, the woman who lives downstairs from her, about Oil Wells clomping about. Goldaper was Lucy's husband Gary Morton's birth name, so technically Lucille Ball is also a “Mrs. Goldaper.”  

As Oil Well is giving birth, Mr. Mooney sings “Sonny Boy” hoping it is a boy. "Sonny Boy" was written by Ray Henderson, Bud De Sylva, and Lew Brown and was featured in the 1928 talkie The Singing Fool sung by Al Jolson. It is ironic that a Jolson song should be sung in the same episode that features William Frawley, who had a long-standing and sometimes bitter rivalry with the performer.

Lucy reminds Rosie that she has given birth and is a mother (without mentioning their names). Rosie says her sister has also given birth, making her an aunt. 

Oil Well has births two foals, which Rosie and Lucy name... Rosie and Lucy!

Callbacks & Fast Forward!

In “Lucy Wins a Racehorse,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” Lucy also kept a live race horse (named Whirling Jet) in the house. 

Lucy Carmichael says she bought a special chair for Oil Well to sit in and rest, although the horse never actually sits on it on camera. It is possible that the producers were hoping to recreate the gag of the horse sitting an an armchair that was featured in “Lucy Wins a Racehorse,” but that Oil Well refused to cooperate. There seems little other reason for the chair and the dialogue. Also, there is a hard edit in the film as the telephone rings. Saved by the bell! 

Lucy jokingly tells Oil Well to chew his food 30 times before swallowing. When Lucy Ricardo is trying to delay getting to the theatre in “Lucy’s Night In Town” (ILL S6;E22) she tells Ricky that “ Everyone should chew their food 25 times before swallowing, just like the animals do.” 

While mixing Oil Well's food, Lucy says that when she was pregnant she always wanted ice cream with sardines. On “I Love Lucy,” Lucy Ricardo also craved ice cream and sardines, even sending Ricky out in the middle of the night to get it for her.

She also mixes in some dill pickles, which was another craving that Lucy Carter said she had when she ‘faked’ her pregnancy in “Lucy the Part-Time Wife” (HL S3;E14). 

When Oil Well goes into labor, pandemonium ensues just as it did when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). “Call the cab!” “I’ll call the cab!” 

In the panic, Mr. Mooney says “I’d better go out and by Dr. Spock’s baby book.”  Benjamin McLane Spock (1903-98) was a pediatrician whose 1946 book Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care is one of the best-sellers of all time. It was first mention on “I Love Lucy” in “Nursery School” (S5;E9) and again in “Little Ricky’s School Pageant” (S6;E10). Ricky often mispronounced his name as “Dr. Spook”!  Convincing their sons to deliver a cake for them, Viv calls Lucy Carmichael “The Dr. Spock of Danfield” in a 1964 episode of “The Lucy Show.”

Live horses were also featured on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy Visits the White House” (S1;E25), “Kiddie Parties Inc.” (S2;E2), “Lucy and Arthur Godfrey” (S3;E23), “Lucy Discovers Wayne Newton” (S4;E14), and “Lucy and Robert Goulet” (S6;E8).  

Blooper Alerts!

Luggage Jenga! When Porter #2 walks toward Rosie to be tipped, the baggage he has stacked topples over with a loud thud. He turns around to see what has made the noise, but does not go back to fix it and the scene goes on as if nothing has happened. 

Shut The Door! As usual on “The Lucy Show,” when Mr. Mooney enters Lucy's home he leaves the front door open.   

What’s My Line! Lucille Ball jumps Ann Sothern's line when she's in the kitchen talking about her tin mine in the Alps.  

Sitcom Logic Alert!  When Rosie arrives at 4am, Lucy is wearing pajamas, a robe, with her hair in curlers, but still has on very thick eyelashes!  

Second Story Horse! It has previously been established and confirmed again here that Lucy lives on the second floor, making the idea of Oil Well getting up the stairs and living on her patio quite unlikely! 

My Three Sons! When Oil Well is about to give birth, Mr. Mooney says “I hope it's a boy. I've always wanted a boy.” He forgets that he has three sons of his own: Ted Jr., Bob, and Arnold. Which brings our story full circle! 

“Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5 

RIP Bill Frawley (1887-1966)

[electronicsquid]

Inger Stevens getting riding lessons from jockey Johnny Longden

(Allan Grant. 1960?)

[electronicsquid]

Inger Stevens getting riding lessons from jockey Johnny Longden

(Allan Grant. 1960?)

[afleetalexandra]

Wow, what a group!

Jockies Gordon Glisson, Eddie Arcaro, Bill Shoemaker, Ted Atkinson, Johnny Longden, and Eric Guerin all pose beneath a statue of George Woolf