May 6, 2025
Sagging jowls used to be a prerequisite for a professional comedian
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Sagging jowls used to be a prerequisite for a professional comedian
SAM HARRIS
January 11, 1877
Sam Harris was born on January 11, 1877 in Sydney, Australia. From 1928 to 1966 he appeared in roughly 770 films and television episodes, nearly all in uncredited background appearances. If Bess Flowers is the Queen of the Extras, then Harris is the King!
His film career started in 1928 with The Spirit of Gallipoli, a silent film made in his native Australia.
Harris appeared with Lucille Ball in 14 films from 1934 to 1956:
Kid Millions (1934)
Old Man Rhythm (1935)
Having Wonderful Time (1938)
Annabel Takes a Tour (1938)
Dance Girl Dance (1940)
The Big Street (1942)
Thousands Cheer (1943)
Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945)
The Dark Corner (1946)
Lured (1947)
Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949)
Fancy Pants (1950)
Ellis in Freedomland (1952)
Forever Darling (1956)
His first television appearance was on an episode of “Racket Squad” on February 28, 1952.
As a background performer, he was often seen at parties and society functions, wearing a suit or tuxedo. He sometimes sat with his back to the camera or was in the distant background.
On “I Love Lucy” Harris was in the audience for “Over the Teacups” in “Ethel’s Birthday” (ILL S4;E8).
He played a subway passenger in “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12).
He was quickly glimpsed in a Paris café in “Lucy Meets Charles Boyer” (ILL S5;E19) first aired on March 5, 1956.
He was in the airport when “The Ricardos Go to Japan” (LDCH S3;E2) first aired on November 27, 1959.
Sam Harris appeared on six episodes of “The Lucy Show,” starting with “Lucy is Kangaroo for a Day” (TLS S1;7) on November 12, 1962. Harris was one of the diners at the sophisticated Cavalier Restaurant.
“Lucy Enters a Baking Contest” (TLS S2;E28) on April 27, 1964 as a member of the Danfield Bank Board of Directors (above right).
Harris was a courtroom spectator when “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (TLS S2;E23) on March 9, 1964.
Harris is on the board of directors (chaired by Gale Gordon) of Consolidated Pictures in the Lucille Ball / Bob Hope TV special “Mr. & Mrs.” aired on April 19, 1964 on CBS.
Harris was at the country club formal dance when Lucy rolls in during “Lucy and the Good Skate” (TLS S3;E1) on September 21, 1964.
He was at the Embassy Ball (above left) in “My Fair Lucy” (TLS S3;E20) on February 8, 1965.
His final appearance with Lucille Ball is as a casino patron when “Lucy Goes To Vegas” (TLS S3;E17) on January 18, 1965.
For Desilu or at Desilu Studios he appeared on “Our Miss Brooks” (1956), “The Adventures of Jim Bowie” (1957), “The Real McCoys” (1959), “The Ann Sothern Show” (1959), “The Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse” (1960), “The Untouchables” (1960-61), “The Andy Griffith Show” (1961), and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (1962-63).
His final screen appearance was in the Disney film The Ugly Dachshund, released on February 16, 1966. The cast included “Lucy” veterans Charles Lane, Bobby Jellison, Parley Baer, Dorothy Konrad, and Leoda Richards.
Sam Harris died on October 22, 1969 at age 92.
Burlesque is Alive and Well in Downtown Burbank (1969)
I like any movie that stars Zasu Pitts, Maurice Gosfield, Jackie Wilson, Rocky Graziano, Jack Larson, Chubby Checker, Sid Gould, and Marv Johnson.
1958 - The Tonight Show with guest host Orson Bean and guests Miyoshi Umeki and Sid Gould. Very, very rare - and very, very dull.
Mickey Rooney does a comedy routine about the 1968 DNC police riot in Chicago, performing in the voice of Senator Claghorn. Receives “languid reception.”
LUCY GETS LUCKY
March 1, 1975
Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Robert O'Brien
Synopsis
Lucy Collins comes to Las Vegas to see Dean Martin perform at the newly-opened MGM Grand Hotel. When Lucy's reservation falls through, she hears that Martin is doing a special show for employees and promptly gets herself hired. Naturally, Lucy causes chaos in each department she is transferred to: valet parking, cocktail waitress, Keno girl. But Lucy gets lucky when Dean Martin takes a liking to her and arranges a front row seat at his show.
Cast
Lucille Ball (Lucy Collins) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.
Lucy Collins lives in Los Angeles and took the bus to Las Vegas.
Dean Martin (Himself) also played himself (and his stunt man doppelganger Eddie Feldman) in “Lucy Dates Dean Martin” (TLS S4;E21) in 1966. He was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1917. He made his screen debut in a short playing a singer in Art Mooney’s band, but his first big screen role was 1949’s My Friend Irma with Jerry Lewis. This began a partnership that would be one of the most successful screen pairings in cinema history. Later, he also worked frequently members of “the Rat Pack”: Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis Jr. His persona was that of a playboy, usually seen with a glass of booze and a cigarette. Martin and Lucille Ball appeared on many TV variety and award shows together. He died on Christmas Day in 1995 at age 78.
Jackie Coogan (Gus L. Mitchell, below center) was a child actor. In “Ricky’s Screen Test” (ILL S4;E6) Lucy Ricardo hopes Little Ricky will be “the next Jackie Coogan.” Coogan was once married to Flower Parry, who was a frequent extra on “I Love Lucy.” He is, of course, best remembered as Uncle Fester on TV’s “The Addams Family” (1964-66). He made two appearances on “The Lucy Show” and on one episode of “Here's Lucy.” He died in 1984 at age 69.
Gus Mitchell is head of personnel at the MGM Grand.
Bruce Gordon (Max Siegel / Vogel, above right) is best known for playing Frank Nitti on the Desilu series “The Untouchables” (1959-63). He played a version of the character when “The Lucy Show” parodied “The Untouchables” in 1966. He was also seen in “Lucy and the Ex-Con” (HL S1;E15) in 1969.
Although the final credits list him as Max Vogel, in the special Gordon clearly says his name is Max Siegel. He is a toy company executive with a business that has been suffering due to shipping problems with their baby dolls.
Paul Picerni (Packy West) was a also cast member of Desilu’s “The Untouchables” from 1959 to 1963. He was seen in four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”
Lee Delano (Chuck Murdock) previously appeared on the Desilu shows “Star Trek” and “Mission: Impossible.”
Packy and Chuck are Max's gambling buddies.
Ken Lane (Himself) was Dean Martin's musical arranger, pianist, and, alongside Nelson Riddle, also served as composer for this special, although he was uncredited for that work.
Hal England (Dean Martin's Arranger) was an experienced Broadway actor who began screen acting in 1960. He previously appeared in “Lucy and the Astronauts” (HL S4;E5) and “My Fair Buzzi” (HL S5;E13). England died in 2003.
Joey Forman (Eddie) had a nightclub act with Mickey Rooney during the 1950s that led to his appearance on many TV variety shows. He will also appear in “Lucy Calls the President” in 1979.
Eddie is the head of valet parking at the MGM Grand.
Gino Conforti (Antonio) began his TV acting career in 1968 and has been continually working since, although mostly as one-off characters. He had a recurring role as Felipe on “Three’s Company” from 1980 to 1982, a series Lucille Ball admired. He played the burglar in “Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers” (HL S6;E14) in 1974. He will also be seen in and “Three for Two” later in 1975.
Antonio is the Maitre D' at the Celebrity Room. His name is never mentioned in the dialogue.
Vanda Barra (Gladys) made over two dozen appearances on “Here’s Lucy” as well as appearing in Ball’s “Three for Two” (with Jackie Gleason). She was seen in half a dozen episodes of “The Lucy Show.” Barra was Lucille Ball’s cousin-in-law by marriage to Sid Gould.
Gladys is the desk clerk (possibly owner) of the Cactus Flower Motel.
Sid Gould (Taxi Driver) 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. He was previously in the Lucille Ball Special “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye.”
Gary Morton (Al) was a comedian who worked the famed ‘Borscht Belt’ in the Catskills Mountains. He met Lucille Ball shortly after her divorce from Desi Arnaz and they married in November 1961. At her request, Morton gave up his nightclub career and became a producer of “The Lucy Show.” Morton also served as a warm-up comic for the show’s studio audience. He is also Producer of this special. Morton passed away in 1999.
Al is a pit boss at the MGM Grand. His name is not spoken in the dialogue.
Bonnie Boland (Sally) played Mabel on “Chico and the Man.” The last of her six episodes aired two weeks after this special was first broadcast.
Sally is a waitress at the MGM Grand Coffee Shop.
Jack Donohue (Ralph) was the director of this special, as well as many episodes of “The Lucy Show” and “Here's Lucy.” He would sometimes make cameo appearances in the episodes he directed.
Joan Swift (Dawn) made six appearances on the “The Lucy Show” as well as two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” This special is her final screen credit.
Dawn is Ralph's wife. Lucy parks their car when they arrive at the MGM Grand.
Judith Wright (Peggy, Keno Girl)
Jane Aull (Keno Girl) was a background performer making her fifth and final screen appearance.
While making a telephone call, the character is mistaken from the back for Lucy.
Jay Jones (Maintenance Man) makes his screen debut with this special.
Roy Rowan (Voice Over Announcer, uncredited) was Lucille Ball’s announcer for all of her sitcoms. He also made occasional on-camera appearances.
During his introductions, Rowan doesn’t use the show's title, but calls it “The Lucille Ball Special.” This was also the case with “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye,” which had nearly identical voice-over announcements introducing the show.
This was Lucille Ball's second primetime special after the end of “Here's Lucy” in 1974. The first was “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye” four months earlier. After playing a character named Norma in that special, Ball is back to playing a character named Lucy. This time her last name is Collins.
In 1953's “Lucy is Matchmaker” (ILL S3;E27), Lucy tried to fix up Eddie Grant with a girl named Sylvia Collins, although the character remained off-screen.
On “The Lucy Show” Viv’s on-again-off-again boyfriend was named Eddie Collins.
Collins is the surname assigned to Robert Cummings on a 1972 episode of “Here’s Lucy”.
In the film Follow The Fleet (1936), Lucille Ball’s character is named Kitty Collins.
On a 1966 “The Lucy Show” Mr. Mooney and Lucy Carmichael meet the hip hypnotist Pat Collins (her real name)!
This special is available on DVD from MPI video or can be streamed online. It was originally aired on CBS in the USA and ITV in the UK. Like “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye”, this show is sponsored by Timex, which gets opening title credit.
Writer Robert O'Brien had written 54 episodes of “The Lucy Show” and 24 of “Here's Lucy,” many of which were directed by Jack Donohue.
The biggest departure for this special is there is no studio audience or laugh track.
Lucille Ball reunites with many of her “Here's Lucy” production staff, including hairstylist Irma Kusely, prop master Kenneth Westcott, costumer Renita Reachi, production manager William Maginetti, and script supervisor Dorothy Aldworth.
Location shooting was done at the (then) newly opened MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Scenes set inside the Cactus Flower Motel were shot at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. This is the second time Lucille Ball has shot on location in Las Vegas, the first being at Caesars for “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye.” Although episodes of her television shows were set in the city, actor doubles and second unit footage were used while Ball remained in Hollywood.
Dean Martin's name was seen on the marquee of the Riviera Hotel when Lucy Carter went to Las Vegas in 1970's “Lucy and Wayne Newton” (HL S2;E22, above), three years before the MGM Grand was built. Lucille Ball first used location footage of Las Vegas in “Lucy Hunts Uranium” (LDCH 1958). Lucy Carmichael also visited the town in 1965's “Lucy Goes to Vegas” (TLS S3;E17), however no establishing or location footage was shot, and the episode was filmed entirely on the Desilu soundstage in Hollywood.
The show opens with a montage of the the Las Vegas strip that includes the marquees of the Caesars Palace, the Flamingo, the Frontier, the Stardust, the Sands, and the Dunes, before ending on the exterior of the MGM Grand. This montage is an aerial view at night, instead of the daytime street view in “Lucy and Wayne Newton” (HL S2;E22).
The MGM Grand opened as one of Las Vegas's first mega resorts on December 5, 1973. Dean Martin was the entertainer on opening night. It was the largest hotel in the world at its opening and would remain so for several years. “The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts” were filmed at the hotel. The property was sold in 1986 and the name was changed to Bally's. The MGM Grand name was transferred to the former Marina Hotel, now known as MGM Grand Las Vegas.
When Lucy Collins arrives at the MGM Grand with suitcases in hand, she walks through the casino and down their 'Hall of Fame' lined with illuminated posters of movie stars. The soundtrack plays a wistful version of “Hooray for Hollywood.”
Lucy pauses at posters of Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn;
She blows kisses to Cary Grant, whose poster is alongside Grace Kelly.
She gazes lovingly at photos of Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Rogers played herself on a 1971 episode of “Here's Lucy.”
Lucy does a 'ha-cha-cha-cha' in front of a poster of Jimmy Durante, who Lucy Ricardo disguised herself as in “Lucy Meets Harpo Marx” (ILL S4;E28). Durante later did a brief cameo on a 1966 “Lucy Show.”
In a meta moment, Lucy Collins then stops and primps her hair in front of a poster of Lucille Ball! Lucy Carter also stood before a poster of Lucille Ball in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (HL S2;E6) and later shared scenes with movie star Ball in “Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball” (HL S6;E22). Although her recent film Mame had been released by Warner Brothers, Lucille Ball had done several films with MGM, like The Long, Long Trailer (1954) and Forever Darling (1956).
Walking out the employees back entrance and trekking through the desert, it becomes clear that Lucy was only using the MGM Grand lobby as a shortcut to get to her actual lodgings, the Cactus Flower Motel, managed by her friend Gladys (Vanda Barra).
Lucy: (about her dress choices for Dean Martin's opening night) “The other one is older, but its got a Gucci label.” Gladys: “You have an outfit from Gucci?” Lucy: “No. Just the label.”
In the MGM Grand coffee shop having a cup of tea in a back booth, Dean Martin sings a few bars of “Volare,” a song written by Franco Migliacci and Domenico Modugno. Martin was one of the first to cover the song in 1958. His orchestra will reprise the song at the end of the special while Lucy and Martin dance.
When Lucy phoned for a reservation for Dean Martin's opening night, she lied and said there'd be eight guests. Talking to Antonio the maître d' she must now make excuses for the absence of the seven others.
Mr. and Mrs. Winters are expecting a baby;
Mr. and Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Winters mother and father, naturally won't be coming either;
Mabel and Henry, Mr. Winters mother and father also aren't coming because of the baby;
Gregory is Mrs. Winters doctor, so he also won't be there;
So it is just Lucy.
Unfortunately, Antonio won't give Lucy a table for one!
Lucy: “I have been a fan of yours from bobby socks to suphose.” Dean Martin: “Do you think those suphose would help my problem?” Lucy: “What's your problem?” Dean Martin: “I fall down a lot.”
Lucy Collins gets a job as a cocktail waitress and causes chaos at the roulette tables. Lucy Ricardo had some luck (then lost it all) playing roulette in “Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo” (ILL S5;E25). In 1965, Lucy Carmichael had some luck (then lost it all) playing roulette in “Lucy Goes to Vegas” (TLS S3;E17).
The character of Max Siegel (credited as Vogel) is likely named for gangster Bugsy Siegel, who was primarily responsible for the development of the Vegas strip in the 1950s. The fact that Max is being played by Bruce Gordon, famous for playing real-life gangster Frank Nitti on Desilu's “Untouchables,” pretty much assures the comparison. Naturally, Lucy overhears Siegel and his friends talking about “busted up dolls” and thinks they are talking about women, as the term was often used for females in the Damon Runyon musical Guys and Dolls.
Max Siegel's gambling buddy is played by Paul Picerni, another “Untouchables” alumni. His character name is Packy West, which is an obscure reference to Lucy's pal Bob Hope. In July 1919, a 16-year-old Hope entered the Ohio State Boxing Amateurs tournament under the name “Packy East,” a nod to light and welterweight boxer Patrick “Packy” McFarland and Hope's own school, “East” High.
A chase sequence involving Lucy and Max Siegel's gambling buddies ends up backstage at “Hallelujah Hollywood,” a lavish stage show conceived, produced, and directed by Don Arden, It was a 3 million dollar tribute to classic MGM Hollywood musicals which played The Ziegfeld Room (which at the time was the largest stage in the world, with the largest backstage area in the world), at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. The show opened in 1974, and ran until 1980. Its flamboyant finale was a tribute to the Ziegfeld Follies, featuring The Grand Stairway and The Great Ziegfeld Walk. The show featured over a 700 costumes (designed by Ray Aghayan and Bob Mackie). Lucille Ball played a lavishly attired Ziegfeld showgirl in the 1946 MGM film Ziegfeld Follies.
On stage with Lucy in the front row, Dean sings “Everybody Loves Somebody,” a song written in 1947 by Sam Coslow, Irving Taylor. Although it had been recorded by others, it was Dean Martin’s 1964 recording that hit #1 on the Billboard Pop Charts. He also sang it in “Lucy Dates Dean Martin” (TLS S4;E21, above). He then launches into “Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree” written by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown in early 1973. It was a #1 hit for Tony Orlando and Dawn. The song was referred to by Steve Lawrence (but not sung) in “Lucy, the Peacemaker” (HL S6;E3).
This Date in Lucy History - March 1
“Home Movies” (ILL S3;E20) – March 1, 1954
“Lucy and the Old Mansion” (TLS S3;E22) – March 1, 1965
This is one of the best post-”Lucy” outings of Lucille Ball's career. The reason is simple: She sticks close to what she does best – and she does it without the cloying addition of a laugh track. Had she decided to call the character Lucy Carter instead of Lucy Collins, it might well have been billed as a “Here's Lucy” special. As Lucy Carmichael, she did a similar filmed special titled “Lucy in London” during “The Lucy Show.” Lucy Carmichael dated Dean Martin for one episode, so it would only have worked with Lucy Carter. Perhaps Ball thought people wouldn't remember “Here's Lucy” a year later. But whatever she's named, this special gives us old school, celebrity-hunting, anything-goes, Lucy and it is terrific!
MR. & MRS. aka THE LUCILLE BALL COMEDY HOUR
April 19, 1964
Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Richard Powell, based on the play by Sherwood Schwartz, with special material by Arthur Julian
Synopsis
Lucille Ball plays the head of a studio trying to track down Bob Hope to star in a TV special about husband and wife television stars. The first half concerns Lucy's tracking the elusive Hope all around the world. The second half presents the special that they eventually do together.
Cast
Lucille Ball (’Herself’ / Bonnie Blakely) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.
‘Lucille Ball’ is the president of Consolidated Pictures. Bonnie Blakely is a television star.
Bob Hope (’Himself’ / Bill Blakely) was born Lesley Townes Hope in England in 1903. During his extensive career in virtually all forms of media he received five honorary Academy Awards. In 1945, Desi Arnaz was the orchestra leader on Bob Hope’s radio show. Ball and Hope did four films together. He appeared as himself on the season 6 opener of “I Love Lucy.” He did a brief cameo in a 1964 episode of “The Lucy Show.” He died in 2003 at age 100.
Bill Blakely is a television star.
Gale Gordon (Elliott Harvey) was said to be the highest paid radio artist of the 1930’s and was in such demand that he often did two or more radio shows a day. His professional collaboration with Lucille Ball started in 1938 as the announcer of Jack Haley’s “The Wonder Show” (Wonder Bread was their sponsor). He played Mr. Atterbury on Lucy’s “My Favorite Husband” and was a front-runner for the part of Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.” When scheduling prevented his participation, he appeared as Mr. Littlefield, the Tropicana’s owner in two episodes of the show. In addition to Mr. Littlefield, he played a Judge in “Lucy Makes Room for Danny,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.” “The Lucy Show” solidified his partnership with Lucille Ball for the rest of their careers. He went on to play Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy” and Curtis McGibbon in “Life with Lucy.” He died in 1995 at the age of 89.
Mr. Harvey is the Chairman of the Board of Consolidated Pictures.
John Dehner (Mr. Henderson, below right) was seen alongside Ball and Hope in Critic's Choice, released the year before this special. Dehner's career started in 1941 and lasted until 1989, amassing nearly three hundred screen credits. He died in 1992 at age 76.
Mr. Henderson is a full partner in the ad agency Henderson Grisby Beane and Smith.
William Lanteau (Mr. Potter, above left) first appeared with Lucille Ball in The Facts of Life (1960). In addition to an episode of “The Lucy Show,” Lanteau did four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” He is best remembered for playing Charlie the Mailman in the play and the film On Golden Pond (1981).
Mr. Potter works for Henderson Grisby Beane and Smith.
Jack Weston (Cash) started acting on television one month after the premiere of “I Love Lucy” in 1951. He made three appearances on “The Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse” from 1958 to 1960. Weston's final screen credit was Short Circuit 2 in 1988. He died in 1996 at age 71.
Cash is Bonnie and Bill's agent and manager.
Max Showalter (Walter Creighton) was born in Kansas in 1917. He got the acting bug as a toddler when mother took him to the local theater where she played piano for silent movies. He acted in 92 shows at the Pasadena Playhouse between 1935 and 1938 and made his Broadway debut in Knights of Song. On Broadway he played the role of Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! more than 3,000 times opposite such luminaries as Carol Channing, Betty Grable, and Ginger Rogers. Showalter made more than a thousand TV and film appearances. He was seen on two episodes of “The Lucy Show.” Toward the end of his life he lived in Connecticut and died there in 2000.
Walter is Bonnie's fiancee, masquerading as her brother.
Joseph Mell (Sam) played Bailiffs in “Lucy the Meter Maid” (TLS S3;E7) and “Lucy is Her Own Lawyer” (TLS S2;E23). His first role on “The Lucy Show” was as a Butcher in “Together for Christmas” (S1;E13). Mell also appeared in a 1969 episode of “Here’s Lucy.” In 1971, he was a Taxi Driver on “Lucy and the Lecher,” a cross-over episode of Danny Thomas’s “Make Room for Granddaddy” in which Lucille Ball played Lucy Carter, her character from “Here’s Lucy.”
Sam is a tailor working for Lucille Ball.
Sid Gould (Sid) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. He also did nearly 50 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton. He was married to Vanda Barra, who also appeared on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”
Sid is a composer working for Lucille Ball.
Eddie Ryder (Mike) appeared as Bones Snodgrass on the “Our Miss Brooks” (also starring Gale Gordon) from 1953-54 under the name Eddie Riley. He was also seen in “Lucy and the Submarine” (TLS S5;E22) in 1966. From 1961 to 1966 Ryder played Dr. Simon Agurski in 22 episodes of “Dr. Kildare.” He died in 1997 at age 74.
Mike is an executive at Consolidated Pictures. Ryder is the only actor who gets a final credit using his character name (“Eddie Ryder as Mike”), but the name is never spoken aloud in the show.
Danny Klega (Russian Translator) was a Czech-born actor who was often cast as German. His first screen credit was 1962's The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and his last was 1970's Which Way to the Front? He died in 2015 at age 91.
John Banner (Lieutenant Gitterman, German Border Guard, below left) was born in Vienna in 1910. He achieved television immortality for his portrayal of the POW camp guard Sergeant Schultz in the TV series “Hogan’s Heroes.” Ironically, Banner was a Jew and had been in a German concentration camp himself. He was in all 168 episodes of the series, the only actor aside from leading man Bob Crane to have that distinction. His catchphrase as Schultz was “I know nothing!” which he repeated in a cameo as Schultz on “Lucy and Bob Crane” (TLS S4;E22) in 1966. He died in his home city of Vienna in 1973.
Gitterman was also the name used for Hans Conreid's acting and music professor character on “The Lucy Show.”
Rudy Dolan (German Border Guard #2, above right) was active from 1957 to 1964, often cast as policemen and other officials.
Sally Mills (TWA Flight Attendant) played small roles on television from 1961 to 1971, appearing on Desilu's “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gomer Pyle: USMC.” For eight years, Mills was a spokesperson for Safeway Supermarkets.
Stanley Farrar (Consolidated Board Member) was seen on “I Love Lucy” in “Home Movies” (ILL S3;E20) where he played a character named Bennett Green, who actually appears with him on this special and “Staten Island Ferry” (ILL S5;E12). He was seen in two celebrity-themed episodes of “The Lucy Show” in 1964 and 1965, one of which also starred Max Showalter, who appears in this special.
Bennett Green (Consolidated Board Member, uncredited) was Desi Arnaz’s camera and lighting stand-in during “I Love Lucy.” He did frequent background work on “The Lucy Show.”
Joan Swift (Consolidated Board Secretary, uncredited) made six appearances on the “The Lucy Show” as well as two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Her final screen credit was in “Lucy's Gets Lucky” in 1975.
Charles Field
Roy Rowan (Announcer, uncredited) was the announcer for all of Lucille Ball's sitcoms. He even made a a couple of on camera appearances on “The Lucy Show.”
During contractual negotiations with CBS for a second season of “The Lucy Show,” Lucille Ball signed for $30,000 to co-star in “The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour” to be aired in the spring of 1964.
This special was broadcast in color, one of Lucy's first major appearances in color on television. Although “The Lucy Show” had started filming in color in the fall of 1963, CBS declined to air the series in color until September 1965.
On ABC, the second half hour of “Mr. and Mrs.” was up against an episode of “Arrest and Trial” that also starred Jack Weston. Meanwhile, NBC ran a show starring another funny redhead, Imogene Coca, in “Grindl.” The special's lead-in was another Sherwood Schwartz show, “My Favorite Martian.”
Director Jack Donohue also served in the same capacity for 107 episodes of “The Lucy Show,” and 35 of “Here’s Lucy.” His final screen credit was “Lucy Gets Lucky” in 1980.
The day after this special premiered, CBS aired “Lucy Is a Process Server” (TLS S2;E27), also directed by Jack Donohue and co-starring Gale Gordon.
“Mr. and Mrs.” is based on an un-produced full-length stage play of the same name by Sherwood Schwartz. It was boiled down to 30 minutes by Richard Powell (teleplay) with special material by Arthur Julian, who were both writers for Red Skelton during the 1950s. Sherwood Schwartz won his only Primetime Emmy Award in 1961 as the head writer for “The Red Skelton Hour.” Schwartz was the creative genius behind “The Brady Bunch” (1969-74) and “Gilligan's Island,” which would start airing in the fall of 1964. “The Brady Bunch” was based in part on Lucille Ball's film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968). Ball declined to make the TV version, opting instead to do “Here's Lucy.” At age 90, after his TV successes, Schwartz returned to writing for the theatre with Rockers, a play about a retirement home.
Lucille Ball's gowns for the special were by the Oscar-winning Edith Head. Head had dressed Lucille Ball in both of her film collaborations with Bob Hope, Critic's Choice (1963) and The Facts of Life (1960). Della Fox was the costumer and Kenneth Westcott was the props master, both of whom also worked on “The Lucy Show.” Lucille Ball's usual hairstylist Irma Kusely and make-up artist Hal King were also involved in this special. Jess Oppenheimer, creator and longtime producer/head-writer of “I Love Lucy,” served as Executive Producer.
Once, during rehearsal, Bob Hope got too close to the camera, a fact promptly noted by director Jack Donohue. Ball roughly shoved Hope to his proper mark. “Lucy,” said Donohue soothingly, “Please don't touch the actors. You never know where they've been.” A little later, when Ball had her way with the handling of a scene, Hope said, “That's what I like to work with—pliable producers and flexible directors.” This story appeared in the 1993 book Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz by Steven Sanders and Tom Gilbert.
Bob Hope and Lucille Ball rehearsed three full days, just as she would have her regular half-hour television series. The show was then filmed before a live studio audience with three cameras recording the action and a laugh track added later to 'sweeten' the comedy. The next day, Hope returned to film the single jungle scene in which Ball finally locates him. The wrap-around story was true-to-life, not only because it depicted Lucy as the president of a major studio (albeit not named Desilu), but because it featured Bob as a world-traveler. Known in show-business circles as "Rapid Robert," Hope was famous for dashing from a movie set to a benefit to a television special – all in different cities. The day before Hope reported to Desilu for rehearsals, he was in Washington on behalf of the 1964 Easter Seals campaign. He had flown there after finishing a one-hour segment of his own Chrysler TV series. As soon as he finished his stint with Lucy, he was off to promote his latest movie. "While I'm flying across the country," Hope quipped at the time, "Lucy will be talking about me. That's why it's a coveted role." Lucy had her say in the matter: "All those scenes showing me trying to catch up with Bob is from real life. If the world only knew what I went through to get him on this stage to work with me in this project!"
In the special Lucille Ball is the President of Consolidated Studios. Mr. Harvey (Gale Gordon) is the chairman of the board and represents a bank that has extended a significant loan to the studio. Gale Gordon was also playing a banker named Mr. Mooney on “The Lucy Show” when the special was filmed.
Lucy: “Just because I'm an actress does not mean I'm not a good president!”
The wardrobe designer in Lucy's busy office is holding the actual Edith Head costume renderings for Lucille Ball's outfits in the special.
After doing some checking behind Lucy's back, Mr. Harvey discovers that Bob Hope is not available until the week of July 4, 1976, after he emcees the 200th Anniversary of America's Independence. Twelve years later, the writers were proved absolutely right when Bob Hope hosted the NBC TV special “Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular” on July 4, 1976.
SAN FRANCISCO
Mr. Harvey and Lucy fly to San Francisco to track down Bob Hope. Footage of a jet landing was supplied courtesy of TWA, a carrier that went out of business in 2001.
Lucy: “This is not business, it's show business.” Mr. Harvey: “Business is business.”
In San Francisco, the TWA flight attendant mistakes Mr. Harvey for Gary Morton, Lucy's real-life husband. She says she saw him on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Morton made two appearances on “Ed Sullivan,” in 1961 and 1962, but it is hard to fathom how anyone could visually mistake Gale Gordon for Gary Morton. The Flight Attendant informs them that Bob Hope was in first class, while they were in coach, but he was rushed aboard an Army bomber across the tarmac headed for...
ALASKA
Lucy and Mr. Harvey travel to Alaska to track him down using a dog sled. This is not the first time Lucille Ball has done scenes set in the 50th state. In “Lucy Goes To Alaska,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” when the Ricardos and Mertzes flew there to perform with Red Skelton (coincidentally) in honor of their recent statehood. In Alaska, Lucy and Mr. Harvey find out Bob Hope has already gone to...
MOSCOW
In a Kremlin office, a translator tells a man with his back to us that Lucy and Mr. Harvey are looking for Bob Hope. The unseen man laughs and pounds a shoe on his desk. During a 1960 meeting at the United Nations, Soviet Leader Khrushchev pounded his shoe on his desk in protest of a speech by Philippine delegate Lorenzo Sumulong.
The translator shows off an autographed copy of Bob Hope's new book. This is a plug for Hope's 1963 book I Owe Russia $1,200, which Hope wrote with ghostwriter Mort Lachman after his trip to Russia. Lucy and Mr. Harvey learn that Bob Hope just left Moscow headed to...
GERMANY
Lucy and Mr. Harvey cross the border into Germany driving a single scooter. The two other vehicles in the studio-filmed scene are Volkswagens, naturally. The guards (one of them “Hogan's Heroes” star John Banner, who did a cameo as Sergeant Schultz on a 1966 “The Lucy Show”) tell them that Bob Hope has already been through and gone on to the airport to...
THE PHILIPPINES
In a jungle clearing, holding a golf club, Bob Hope is finally found singing “Thanks for the Memory” to a group of American GIs in camouflage gear. The song was written in 1938 by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin for the film The Big Broadcast of 1938 starring Hope and Dorothy Lamour. It became associated with Bob Hope, who used it as his theme song. He sang it at the end of his guest-appearance on “I Love Lucy” in 1956 and during his cameo in “Lucy Moves to NBC” in 1980.
As Lucy explains the script of the special to Hope amid a downpour, the show cross-fades to the first scene of...
“MR. & MRS.”
starring Lucille Ball and Bob Hope as Bonnie and Bill Blakely, the stars of America's number one television show.
Fighting off autograph seekers to get through their front door of their swanky Manhattan apartment, Bill says “I signed mine 'Ringo'.” He is referring to Ringo Starr, one of the Beatles. In 1964 they became an international success when they made their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The same date this special aired in the USA, “Around the Beatles” was taped at Wembley Stadium for ITV in England. It was aired in America on November 15, 1964.
Bill brags that a Cleveland newspaper compared him with Cary Grant. Grant’s name was often mentioned on “I Love Lucy” during their stay in Hollywood.
Walter tells Cash he works at Peerless Department Store in Newark. His father owns the store. (This implies that “Mr. and Mrs.” takes place in New York City, not Hollywood, where most TV shows are shot today.) They are opening a branch of their store in Japan, which will keep Walter out of the country for several months.
To boost ratings the ad agency wants Bonnie and Bill to have a baby as their characters and in real life.
Bonnie (indignant): “Having a child happens to be an act of God.” Mr. Henderson: “We cleared this with the sponsor.”
Bonnie and Walter head for the door to go to the opera.
Mr. Henderson: “Bonnie, please. The sponsor is expecting a baby.” Bonnie: “I'll throw him a shower.”
When Lucy Ricardo was to give birth on “I Love Lucy” in 1953, the story line had to be approved by the sponsor and the network. Lucy Ricardo and Lucille Ball gave birth at the same time – with the episode timed to coincide with Ball's Cesarean. Lucy and Ethel also threw a 'daddy shower' for Ricky, to make him feel more a part of her pregnancy.
Eight months later, Bonnie comes waddling into the living room extremely pregnant. The underscoring plays "Funeral March of a Marionette” written by Charles Gounod around 1879. It is probably more familiar as the theme tune of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (1955). Ball makes sure she stands in profile so the joke visually pays off. The tune was also used during “Little Ricky's Pageant” (ILL S6;E10) in 1956 during the entrance of the gnomes.
Lucille Ball does the same physical comedy business to lower herself into a chair that she did as pregnant Lucy Ricardo. The Blakely apartment is a mess with baby items and various gifts from fans. Bonnie claims they've received 300 pair of baby socks.
Walter thinks Bill is the father and Bill thinks Walter is the father. They realize that Bonnie is not really pregnant after all. Lucy Carter will also fake her pregnancy (using a well-placed pillow) in “Lucy, the Part-Time Wife” (HL S3;E14, above) in 1970. While filming “Mr. and Mrs.” Lucille Ball was 52 years old.
Thinking Bonnie is actually with child, Henderson's agency runs a contest to name the baby. The winning names are Gunther and Pandora.
Oops! John Dehner (Mr. Henderson) says that name of his firm is “Henderson Beane Grisby and Smith” instead of what Lucy previously said, “Henderson Grisby Beane and Smith.” When Bob Hope mentions the firm, he gets the names in the same order as Dehner, so likely Lucy is the one who jumbled the list.
A couple of times, it is apparent that Bob Hope is looking at cue cards, not unusual for “rapid Robert” who had little time for memorizing lines.
As Bonnie and Bill kiss, the scene becomes the Consolidated Board of Directors watching the special in a screening room. Lucy enters dressed like a tramp, something she also did with Red Skelton in “Lucy Goes To Alaska” in 1959. The flower in her lapel squirts water in Mr. Harvey's face and the credits roll.
This Date in Lucy History – April 19th
"The Black Wig" (ILL S3;E26) – April 19, 1954
The first half of this rarely seen special is oddly different from the second. Lucy and Gale Gordon’s comic travelogue on ‘the search for Hope’ is clever and often laugh out loud funny. But the second half, boiled down from Sherwood Schwartz’s play, is a bit less engaging. The half hour starts well enough, but fizzles and feels very stage-bound. Still, lots of fun and an interesting footnote to “The Lucy Show” years.