Lucy Goes To Art Class
S2;E15 ~ January 13, 1964
Synopsis
Lucy and Viv enroll in a beginners art class with their sights set on a handsome newcomer. When Viv lands a date with him, Lucy sets out to get even.
Regular Cast
Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley), Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael)
Gale Gordon (Theodore J. Mooney) does not appear in this episode.
Guest Cast
Robert Alda (John Brooks III) originated the role of Sky Masterson in Broadway's Guys and Dolls, winning the 1951 Tony Award.. Although this is his only appearance on the “The Lucy Show,” he will do three episodes of “Here's Lucy.” In 1969, Vivian Vance and Alda played husband and wife in the play My Daughter, Your Son. Robert Alda's son Alan Alda later became one of Lucy's favorite performers. Lucy would direct Alda's younger son Antony in the sitcom pilot “Bungle Abbey” in 1981.
John Carradine (Professor Guzman) originally studied sculpture and went to Hollywood to be a scenic designer. Instead, he became one of Hollywood's most respected character actors. He did two films with Lucille Ball, Winterset (1936) and Five Came Back (1939). His long career encompassed everything from Westerns to Horror, even playing Herman's boss on two episodes of “The Munsters.” He appeared frequently on Broadway and is the father of actors Robert, David, and Keith, who did the musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway with Lucie Arnaz. John Carradine died in 1988.
Robert Alda’s character was named after the show’s Art Director Rolland M. Brooks and John Carradine’s character was named after his colleague, Pato Guzman.
Howard Caine (Harold) was master of 32 foreign and American dialects. He was featured on Broadway in Wonderful Town, Inherit the Wind, Lunatics and Lovers, and Tiger at the Gates. He replaced Ray Walston as Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees. On screen he played Lewis Morris, the representative from New York, in 1776. He will make one more appearance on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy Goes Into Politics” (S2;E25).
Harold is the proprietor of Harold's Stationery and Art Store.
The other students in the art class are played by:
William Meader had appeared as an airport extra in “The Ricardos Go to Japan,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” He made many more appearances on “The Lucy Show,” most times as a clerk in Mr. Mooney’s bank.
Renita Reachi was a costumer for “The Lucy Show” from 1966 to 1968. She was also Vivian Vance’s camera and lighting stand-in for “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.” She was a costumer and/or made crowd appearances on “Here's Lucy” and the Lucille Ball films Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) and Mame (1974).
Hazel Pierce was Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in throughout “I Love Lucy.” She also made frequent appearances on the show. Of her many on-camera appearances on “The Lucy Show” only once was she given a character name and credited, in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (S1;E1). She was also an uncredited extra in the film Forever Darling (1956).
Bennett Green was Desi Arnaz's camera and lighting stand-in throughout “I Love Lucy” and was featured on screen in 21 episodes, often given a line or two. This is one of his uncredited appearances on “The Lucy Show” but he was given screen credit in seven future episodes.
Sid Gould was first seen in “Lucy is a Kangaroo for a Day” (S1;E7). He 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.”
Three other background performers play the rest of the art students. All students are uncredited.
MR. BROOKS: “I do believe that all of us have some sort of creativity bottled up inside of us.” LUCY: “I think this class might be just the thing to pop my cork!”
The poster behind the art store counter is a print of the Edgar Degas painting Dancers at the Barre - a masterwork begun in the early 1880s and continuously revised by the artist for the next 20 years. Degas most famous ballet-themed work, The Star, hung in the hallway of the Ricardo’s apartment on “I Love Lucy.”
Lucy is shopping for an atlas to help Jerry with his homework. She says that the only export from England she knew about was Richard Burton. Technically, Richard Burton (the actor) is from Wales, not England. Burton will make a rare TV appearance on “Here's Lucy” in 1970.
Lucy spills her purse at the art store. The contents include a partially eaten sandwich from lunch, an apple, and a broken mousetrap. This classic TV trope allows Mr. Brooks to ‘meet cute’ with Lucy.
In the second kitchen scene, there is a pink bakery box on the counter. These same boxes will turn up later in the year in “Lucy's Contact Lenses” (S3;E10) and “Lucy Gets Her Maid” (S3;E11).
Mr. Brooks spent $16.32 (with tax) for his custom-framed Mona Lisa print. Adjusted for inflation, that would be like $137 in today’s economy.
The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait of Lisa Gherardini by Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), which has been described as the best known, most visited, most written about, most sung about, most parodied work of art in the world. The portrait is known for its enigmatic grin, which Lucy attempts to mimic in this episode. The actual painting hangs in the Louvre (above) in Paris, France. Unlike the reproduction seen in this episode, in real life it is a mere 30” by 21”.
The African masks behind Viv on the Art Store wall will be stored in the Desilu Props Building and brought out to decorate The Hairy Ape nightclub (below) when “Viv Visits Lucy” (S5;E15) three years later!
Although similar, they are not the same masks that decorate the office of the Unique Employment Agency during the first few seasons of “Here’s Lucy.”
Since Mr. Brooks is new in town, Viv mentions that she is in charge of the Danfield Welcome Wagon. Welcome Wagon was a business founded in 1928 to greet newcomers to a neighborhood. A representative (called ‘hostesses’ because they were generally women) would visit new homeowners with a gift basket containing samples, coupons, and advertising from contributing businesses. Today Welcome Wagon activities are primarily conducted online and through the mail.
Once again, Chris mentions her friend Cynthia. The character was played by Lucie Arnaz, but has been mentioned far more than she has been seen.
LUCY: “I wonder how late Flo's Beauty Shop is open.” VIV: “I dunno. Why?” LUCY: “I just thought, perhaps, you'd have time to go and get your hair done.” VIV: “I had my hair done this afternoon.” LUCY: “Awww, I'm sorry, Viv. Yes, I see you did. Well, I guess even Flo has her off days.”
In several previous episodes Flo was a mentioned to be a manicurist. The name is probably a tribute to Lucille Ball's childhood friend Flo Pauline Lopus.
Lucy's 'poison pie' consists of three jars of hot peppers, two cans of anchovies, and one bottle of Tabasco sauce.
Among other lies about Lucy, Viv tells Mr. Brooks she has cats and a parrot.
Callbacks!
Lucille Ball dabbled in painting during her rare free time at home.
The crazy contents of Lucy’s purse was also a visual gag in “Bonus Bucks” (ILL S3;E21).
The overstuffed purse was again a source of humor in “Lucy the Coin Collector” (S3;E13).
Harold, the art store owner, mentions Lucy and Viv's previous enrollment in night classes. This is a callback to “Lucy and Viv Take Up Chemistry” (S1;E26). Hazel Pierce played a student in both episodes.
Lucy Ricardo visited an art store when she was expecting Little Ricky in “Lucy Becomes a Sculptress” (ILL S2;E15). Instead of painting, she decided on sculpture.
Fast Forward!
In 1973, Lucy Carter also took an art class - this time making pottery in “Lucy and Uncle Harry’s Pot” (HL S5;E21).
Lucy Carter got involved in the art world again when she meets a gruff painter (Danny Thomas) who fears he won’t be discovered until he’s dead.
Lucille Ball will revive the ‘Mona Lucy’ sight gag in 1977 on “Bob Hope’s All-Star Comedy Tribute to Vaudeville”.
In 1966, Carol Channing revived Lucy’s gag of putting her face in a cut-out of Mona Lisa on CBS’s “An Evening with Carol Channing.” That same year, Desi Arnaz produced a pilot for a series starring Channing, but it was not picked up for production.
Blooper Alerts!
Drawing a Blank! After sketching for just a few moments, Viv triumphantly says “There!” Lucy takes a glance at Viv’s pad and snidely remarks “That’s very good, Viv. Why don’t you draw what the rest of the class is drawing?” But when Viv gets up to get another pencil, her pad tips toward the camera and we can see it is completely blank!
Mona Upside-Down Pie! When Lucy picks up the hot pie from the floor after it has fallen on the paining, the Mona Lisa's face is upside down. Lucille Ball wants it right side up for the camera so she twists her arms around until it is the proper orientation for the audience.
Sitcom Logic Alerts! Even from across the room, it is a stretch to believe that Viv and John don’t notice Lucy’s face in the Mona Lisa when examining the frame! Later, when Viv paints a mustache on Mona Lucy, it just so happens that John has a palette of wet black paint and a brush lying on his coffee table. Handy!
“Lucy Goes To Art Class” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5
