GUESS WHO OWES LUCY $23.50
S1;E11 ~ December 9, 1968
Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Fred S. Fox and Seaman Jacobs
Synopsis
Lucy loans Van Johnson money to fix his car – but the man turns out to be an impostor. In return, Lucy wants the real Van Johnson to fly to Dallas to sing “Happy Birthday” to a cow named Ethel.
Regular Cast
Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)
Guest Cast
Van Johnson (Impostor / Himself) co-starred in Too Many Girls (1940), the film that introduced Lucille Ball to Desi Arnaz. He was also seen with Lucy in the films Easy to Wed (1946) and Yours, Mine and Ours (1968). He played himself on one of the most popular episodes of “I Love Lucy,” “The Dancing Star” (ILL S4;E27), a show originally intended for Ray Bolger. He starred in The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947) and The Caine Mutiny (1954), both mentioned in the dialogue of this episode. He died in 2008 at age 92.
Jeff DeBenning (Douglas Alamo Davidson, a Dallas Oil Tycoon) was seen on many early TV westerns. This is his only appearance opposite Lucille Ball.
Tommy Farrell (Morgan, Van Johnson's Manager) was on Broadway in three plays between 1942 and 1947. He was seen on “The Lucy Show” twice. Farrell will appear in five more episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” He was also in the 1950 film The Duchess of Idaho with Van Johnson.
Farrell is never addressed as “Morgan” on screen.
Nancy Howard (Van Johnson's Secretary) appeared with Lucille Ball in Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), which is mentioned in this episode. This is the second of her four appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”
Orwin C. Harvey (Security Guard, right) was an actor and stuntman who played one of the singing and dancing teamsters in “Lucy Helps Ken Berry” (TLS S6;E21). This is the first of his six appearances on “Here's Lucy.”
Harvey has one line, spoken off screen. A second Security Guard goes uncredited and has no lines.
Ray Kellogg (Party Guest, left) played the barking Assistant Director (“Roll ‘em!”) in “Ricky’s Screen Test” (ILL S4;E6) and later appeared in “Bullfight Dance” (ILL S4;E22). He was seen on 7 episodes of “The Lucy Show.” This is the first of his two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Kellogg appeared on a 1972 episode of “Maude” with Van Johnson.
Although unnamed, Kellogg is the only party guest with dialogue. Alamo calls him “Old Rattlesnake.”
Clark Ross (Party Guest, uncredited) makes the second of his three appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” He is also in the 1974 Lucille Ball film Mame.
Joan Carey (Party Guest, uncredited) appeared in the background of many episodes of “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show,” and “Here’s Lucy,” even serving as Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in for a time.
Norman Stevans (Party Guest, uncredited) was in the audience of “Over The Teacups” during “Ethel's Birthday” (ILL S4;E8) and at the airport when “The Ricardo's Go To Japan,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” He will appear in one more episode of “Here's Lucy” and in the 1974 Lucille Ball film Mame.
Uncredited extras play the other party guests.
This episode was written by Fred S. Fox and Seaman Jacobs, who began writing together during the final season of “The Lucy Show.” The team will write 25 more episodes of “Here's Lucy.” The pair were nominated for an Emmy in 1978 writing for George Burns.
This episode is written for Van Johnson to work in a not-so-subtle plug for Lucille Ball's latest film Yours, Mine and Ours, in which he is a featured player.
Van Impostor: “I loved working with that kooky redhead.” Lucy: “Personally, I thought she was much too young for Henry Fonda.”
Lucy says she remembers Johnson from his appearance in The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947). She later tells him she saw the film 17 times! The film was Janet Leigh's screen debut.
Lucy tells Van Johnson that she has a friend who also sings to animals. She says it is a bird and she sings "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" a 1926 popular song written by Harry Woods. It was sung by Fred Mertz (William Frawley) in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3).
Alamo's cow Ethel was undoubtedly named after Ethel Mertz, Lucy Ricardo's friend and landlady played by Vivian Vance on “I Love Lucy.” This episode might have been more creatively titled “Ethel's Birthday”, to reinforce the tribute to Vivian Vance.
Craig and Kim don't go to the movies because the tickets are too expensive: $3! The average movie ticket today is between $15 and $20.
Kim suggests that she and Craig go over to the Hinsche's to visit because “Annie's got a real cute girl visiting from San Francisco.” This is a reference to Desi Jr.'s band mate Billy Hinsche (left), part of Dino Desi & Billy. Billy's sister Annie Hinsche was married to Beach Boys guitarist Carl Wilson.
Lucy says she'd get more rest with the LA Rams than in her own home. The day before this episode first aired, the team lost a home game to the Chicago Bears.
Craig says Van Johnson is the biggest star he's met outside of Annette Funicello (1942-2013). Funicello who was famous for being one of the Mouseketeers on the original “Mickey Mouse Club” (1955-58). She later teamed with Frankie Avalon for a series of beach party movies. Although Funicello never guest starred with Lucille Ball, she is mentioned by Avalon on “Lucy and the Starmaker” (TLS S6;E4). Two weeks before this episode originally aired, Funicello starred with the Monkees in the movie Head.
Thinking that the more the merrier, Lucy suggests getting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to sing to Ethel. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a 360 voice choir named after the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It was founded in 1847 and still performs worldwide today.
Harry facetiously suggests another Johnson – Lyndon, who is also from Texas and could use the work! Lyndon Baines Johnson aka LBJ (1908-73) was born near Stonewall, Texas, and was the 37th President of the United States. He assumed office in 1963 after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and handily won re-election in 1964. He withdrew his bid for a second full term and was succeeded by Richard Nixon, who became President Elect a month before this episode was first aired. This would mean the episode was filmed sometime after August 29, 1968, the end of the Democratic National Convention.
Harry says if Lucy can get Van Johnson, he'll carry her piggyback to Catalina Island. Catalina Island has been the punchline of much humor on “The Lucy Show.” It was also mentioned in “Lucy and Miss Shelley Winters” (S1;E4).
About Harry's promised piggyback to Catalina, Lucy says “It's the only way to fly.” This was the advertising slogan for Western Airlines, a US carrier that was in operation from 1926 to 1987, before merging with Delta Airlines. It was used as a punch line in several episodes of “The Lucy Show.”
When Lucy is escorted out by the studio guards at Van's direction, Lucy says that now she's glad he got court martialed in The Caine Mutiny. This is the second mention of The Caine Mutiny on the series. The previous one referred to the book by Herman Woulk that served as the basis for the screenplay. A stage play adaptation was mentioned on “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3).
Lucy impersonates a made-up Italian screen star named Gina Linguini. Van Johnson compares her to Sofia Loren. Loren was born in Rome and in 1962 became the first actor to win an Academy Award for a foreign language film.
As Gina Linguini, Lucy sings a bit of "Luna mezz'o mare" (aka “Cella Luna”), a comic Neapolitan song with worldwide popularity.
Van Johnson sings “Happy Birthday to You” to Ethel. This is the second time the traditional birthday song has been heard on “Here's Lucy.” Although the copyright has since been lifted, in 1968 Lucille Ball Productions (LBP) had to pay a royalty to perform the song.
Lucy has a long history of impersonating Italians: “The Black Wig” (ILL S3;E26), “Lucy's Italian Movie” (ILL S5;E23), and as 'Lucrecia Carmucci' in “Lucy and the Plumber” (TLS S3;E2).
This is the first (but not the last) episode of “Here's Lucy” to feature live animals. Live cows were seen in “Lucy's Bicycle Trip” (ILL 5;E24), “Lucy and the Countess Lose Weight” (TLS S3;E21)...
...and “Lucy Discovers Wayne Newton” (TLS S4;E14).
An eccentric Texas oil tycoon named Sam Johnson was played by Harry Cheshire in “Oil Wells” (ILL S3;E18).
Another big shot Texan (played by Robert S. Carson, right) appeared in “Lucy Goes to Vegas” (TLS S3;E17).
Other celebrities that have played their own doppelgangers on “Lucy” shows include Jack Benny, Dean Martin, Robert Goulet (above, who had two), and Lucille Ball herself will play her double (Lucy Carter) on “Here’s Lucy”!
FAST FORWARD!
The abstract metal statue in Van’s office will appear again in “Lucy Takes Over” (S2;E23).
Booking Agent! This is one of the many times the Unique Employment Agency serves as more of a talent agency, booking unusual performers for unusual shows.
Where The Floor Ends! The edge of stage is visible when Craig walks to his drum set at the start of the episode.
Star Status? If Van Johnson is the biggest star he's met outside of Annette Funicello, Craig must not think very highly of Wayne Newton or Jack Benny (above), celebrities who played themselves on previous episodes.
Out of Order! Both Van Johnson and Lucille Ball get entrance applause from the studio audience in the second scene, indicating the show may have been shot out of sequence.
“Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50″ rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5
Lots of callbacks for Lucy-lovers make this old identical twin plot fun to watch - just don’t think about it too much.
