I Love Lucy: Why America Loved Her and What She Meant to Us
© 1998, Lily Chang
We are all here for a spell, get all the good laughs you can. –- Will
Rogers
Television’s rise in popularity throughout the fifties saw the emergence of the
situation comedy, a style that captivated audiences by presenting a story with
a beginning, a middle, and a happy end. One of the most popular of these shows,
I Love Lucy, continues to appeal to both young and old some forty years
later -- and counting. For most people, the answer to how I Love Lucy continually
and effectively draws viewers to the screen is that "It’s funny." There is more
to this funny show than meets the eye.
For television viewers of the fifties, Lucy and Ricky could have been familiar
neighbors from down the street. People could relate to this young couple, the
Ricardos, who were experiencing the trials and tribulations of marriage as
typical Americans were. They lived in a modest brownstone in Manhattan with
common worries such as paying the rent and affording new household commodities.
The humor came when ordinary situations were exaggerated as Lucy managed to get
herself into trouble time and time again, and proceeded to untangle herself
from the mess. Ricky, her husband, would often discover -- and thwart -- her
numerous schemes, and the best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz, somehow managed
to get involved as well. The zany redhead and the thick-accented Cuban were an
oddly-matched pair, not only as a comedy team but as a married couple too. The
combination of these factors yielded a television show that portrayed
situations that average Americans could identify with.
The luck of having talent is not enough; one must also
have a talent for luck. -- Hector Berlioz
Undoubtedly, Lucille Ball carried the show with her impeccable comedic timing
and physical comedic abilities. She was not without support, however, as Desi
Arnaz proved to possess so much more talent in the show than he was often given
credit for. It was fate and a bit of luck that cast William Frawley and Vivian
Vance in the colorful supporting roles of Fred and Ethel Mertz. After they were
cast, it was discovered that both had musical and dancing talent from
vaudeville, which opened doors in script-writing to incorporate these talents.
The four co-stars had an innate ability to evoke laughter; behind the set a
bulletin board listed the names of cast and crew with a series of gold stars
next to each name. These represented the number of times funny, off-camera
ad-libs were made (William Frawley always won.)
On Monday, October 15, 1951, I Love Lucy made its debut on the CBS
television network, which then consisted of a few big stations and seventy-four
local affiliates. There was solid competition on NBC in the same 9 p.m.
time-slot from "Lights Out" a top ten television version of the original radio
classic. "Lucy," so the critics predicted, didn’t stand a chance. (Andrews,
64.) The first episode to air, preceded by the first of many Philip Morris
cigarette commercials, was titled "The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub:"
It’s the Mertzes’ eighteenth wedding anniversary, and Ethel wants to celebrate
by going to the Copacabana, while Fred itches to attend the fights. An
arguments ensues, culminating with Ethel and Lucy informing Fred and Ricky that
they’ll go nightclubbing without them -- with dates! Admitting to themselves
that perhaps they were to hasty, the men decide to sneak into the Copa with
dates of their own, just to keep an eye on their wives. Ricky calls his friend
Ginny Jones, a singer at the Starlight Roof, and asks her to arrange dates for
Fred and himself, and Lucy, very soon thereafter, calls her to arrange dates
for her and Ethel. When Ginny spills the boys’ plans to Lucy, Lucy decides that
she and Ethel will impersonate their husbands’ blind dates. Dressed as country
bumpkins, Lucy and Ethel arrive at the Ricardo apartment. After Ricky sings a
chorus of "Guadalajara," some funny hillbilly schtick unfolds, until Lucy
"gives herself away" by reaching for some cigarettes hidden in a desk drawer.
All is forgiven, and the two couples kiss and make up. In the tag, the men
prevail and it’s a night at the fights for an anniversary celebration.
(Andrews, 231)
After watching the first episode, the critics changed their tunes. TV Guide
defined I Love Lucy as "the season’s most popular program -- smooth,
deft, solidly produced, and funny." By May, an estimated 11,055,000 American
families were tuned in to Lucy every Monday night, an astounding number
considering that there were only 15,000,000 television sets in operation that
year. On Friday, April 18, 1952, the Nielsen ratings declared that I Love
Lucy was then the number one show on television in America, reaching a
record twenty-three million people, in nine-and-a-half million homes.
It is quite a surprise to learn that despite the talent behind the show and the
unprecedented success it eventually achieved, few people had faith in its
promise of success. Because of conservative and ethnic attitudes of the time,
one of the greatest attributes of the show (and later of the entire television
industry) Desi Arnaz, was a factor in almost preventing the show from getting
its big break. The concept of the show was actually rooted in work Lucille Ball
was doing in a successful radio show, "My Favorite Husband." CBS had asked Lucy
to consider converting their radio show to television. After the debut and
popularity of Milton "Uncle Miltie" Berle on television, the big networks were
in the process of moving highly-rated radio shows to a television medium.
Television was looking to incorporate big names but many movie stars felt it
was beneath their stature to appear on television. Lucille Ball had a fairly
successful movie career under her belt after a brief modeling career in her
younger days, so it was a prime opportunity for her to accept the offer. She
did, however, have one provision, which was to have Desi working by her side on
the show—this she was adamant about. People warned the two that they were
committing career suicide by giving up well-paid movie and band opportunities
to take the television risk in order to work together. Yet to the Arnazes, it
was a way to save a struggling marriage. Desi explained the situation:
"We had been married ten years. Each successful in our respective fields,
movies and music. Yet we were almost total strangers. Our work pulled us far
apart, east coast and west. We had neither home nor children. So we quarreled
and talked of divorce. But deep down I knew that I couldn’t live without Lucy,
and she could not without me. We were on the edge of breakup when we hit upon a
magnificent idea." (Morella, 94.)
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. -- Japanese proverb
The CBS network executives and the advertising agency men liked the idea of the
show with Lucille Ball, but not with Desi Arnaz as the husband. Although
American women married Cuban men in real life, it just did not happen on
television. They tried to convince Lucille Ball that audiences would not
believe that she and Desi would make a logical married couple on television.
She insisted, "What do you mean nobody’ll believe it? We are married!"
(Andrews, 11.)
In April of 1950, with no support for the show as they wanted it, Lucy and
Desi formed Desilu Productions and went out on the road with a vaudeville act
involving a movie star who tries to join her bandleader husband’s act. It was
called "Desi Arnaz & Band with Lucille Ball." A review in Variety commented
that it was "one of the best bills to play house in recent months…it’s a rare
day in June when film stars hit this vaudeville stage with proper material and
this is a rare day... Lucille Ball and hubby, Desi Arnaz, have come up with
funny quips and terrific burlesque situations, which, if film comedienne wishes
to continue, would make them one of the top vaudeville comedy teams." (Andrews,
14)
Given evidence that an audience would accept the pair as a couple, the rave
reviews the act received, and competition from a rival NBC that was interested
in taking on the show, CBS finally agreed to a pilot starring Lucy and Desi.
Jess Oppenheimer, Bob Carroll, and Madelyn Pugh, Lucy’s radio writers, went to
work on I Love Lucy as soon as CBS gave the Arnazes the go-ahead. Lucy
at this point was pregnant with first-born Lucie, which meant time was of the
essence to come up with a pilot before Lucie’s birth. For this first effort,
Lucy and Desi portrayed themselves—a movie star and a successful orchestra
leader. Oppenheimer later modified the characters to move away from unrealistic
glamour. He wanted a working-class man who works very hard at the job and who
looks forward to coming home and relaxing with his wife, who conversely does
not like staying home and wants a career of her own. Desi played a musician
since it was the most believable occupation for a Cuban to have on television,
although not one as successful as he was in real life.
Rehearsals for every episode were thorough and grueling. Everyone had some
input in the scripts, but Lucille Ball, the writers, Jess Oppenheimer the
producer, and executive producer Desi Arnaz were the masterminds behind them.
On-screen, the friendships were genuine, but off-screen, they could be strained
at times. William Frawley and Desi got along great, especially when they
discovered their mutual enjoyment of drinking. There are conflicting accounts
of the relationship between Lucy and Vivian Vance. It is rumored that Vivian
Vance couldn’t stand Lucille Ball but was extremely compliant towards her;
after all, the role she landed next to Lucy was in a show that was destined for
greatness. Other accounts report that the two got along very well and were
supportive of each other, although Lucille, upon learning that Vivian Vance was
a year younger than her was not thrilled. The one true conflict that is agreed
upon by most sources was the tension between William Frawley and Vivian Vance.
He always called her a "sac of doorknobs," and she couldn’t see how the
audience believed she could be married to someone old enough to be her father.
The only thing that holds a marriage together is the husband being big
enough to step back and see where the wife was wrong. -- Archie Bunker
In the fifties, as women were assuming household roles once again, the Ricardos
followed the rules: Ricky was the breadwinner, Lucy always answered to Ricky,
was allotted only so much spending money per month for groceries and other
household necessities, and was reprimanded when she overindulged and bought a
new dress or hat. Hilarious outcomes always followed Lucy’s attempts to cover
up the many occasions she did something that was sure to displease Ricky. The
following episode illustrates this:
The Quiz Show, aired 11/12/51: "Lucy’s careless accounting habits
force Ricky to cut off her allowance and charge accounts. When Ethel arrives
with tickets for a radio quiz show that awards one-thousand-dollar cash prizes,
Lucy jumps at the chance to attend. After her qualifying round on ‘Females Are
Fabulous,’ ‘based on the theory that any woman is willing to make an idiot out
of herself in order to win a prize,’ host Freddie Fillmore tells Lucy of her
money-winning stunt. She will have to introduce Ricky to her ‘long-lost first
husband.’ That night Lucy is a bundle of nerves as she awaits the arrival of
the bogus spouse. Meanwhile, a tramp appears at the door and Lucy assumes he is
the ‘long-lost husband.’ When she discovers her mistake and throws him out, a
second ‘first’ husband arrives on the scene, whom Lucy introduces to Ricky as
per the radio show requirement. Alas, she wins the thousand-dollar jackpot, but
after paying all her overdue bills is left with only fifty cents." (Andrews,
233)
It is interesting to note that the attitudes Ricky displayed towards Lucy, as
she seemed childish at times, would not be accepted in today’s terms. Lucy was
often portrayed as the stereotypical woman-in-distress, who always needed her
husband, the man, to bail her out. She also was symbolic of the inept woman:
the "woman driver," the "over-spender" who can’t budget, and the basic downfall
of man -- during one episode, because of her antics, Ricky lost a potential
job. To get what she wanted, she often whined, as per her "But Rickeeee..."
trademark.
The I Love Lucy show continued the ever-popular and age-old "battle
between the sexes" scenarios. Ricky and Fred would try to "teach" the girls a
lesson now and then, and vice versa. In many ways the "Ricky & Fred" team vs.
The "Lucy & Ethel" team put men and women on equal ground, as the two
continually schemed against one another with similar rates of successful
schemes and backfired ones. This was one way for Lucy to escape the submissive
housewife image with some defiance of her own. There was a constant desire to
outdo the other sex, which perhaps was a signal of the changing times and
changing roles men and women would hold in the coming decades.
Equal Rights, aired 10/26/53: "After a heated argument about equal
rights, during which the girls insist they want to be treated exactly as if
they were men, the Ricardos and Mertzes go off to an Italian restaurant for
dinner. When Xavier, the waiter, on Ricky’s insistence, presents four separate
checks, the girls discover they have no money. They are ordered by the
management to wash dishes (so many that Lucy suggests, ‘I think he takes in
dirty dishes from other restaurants’), and the girls decide to get back at the
boys by phoning them from the bistro, informing them that they are being robbed
and mugged. Ricky subsequently calls the police, then rushes down to the
restaurant himself only to find Lucy and Ethel unharmed. To counter the
subterfuge, Ricky and Fred disguise themselves as crooks, burst into the
kitchen, and surprise the girls. Just then, the cops arrive and arrest Ricky
and Fred. At the police station, Lucy and Ethel are uncertain about bailing
them out. ‘Mean-looking, aren’t they?’ Lucy snarls, before relenting."
(Andrews, 285)
Even more representative of society’s accepted roles between men and women were
in Lucy’s attempts to be a star. This was an ultimate dream for all
Americans—to make it big. Audiences would delight in Lucy’s antics, although
she often did not succeed. Yet her TV life was still rich: a great husband,
close friends, and eventually a son. Given this failed attempt at stardom, but
with her equally satisfying life, everyday people could embrace Lucy even more;
she was one of them. Ricky, however, seldom proved to be the supportive
husband; he would often discourage her from auditioning at openings and other
entertainment acts. Above all, what Ricky wanted was a wife who would be a
wife, nothing more.
The Audition, aired 11/19/51: When Lucy learns that talent scouts from
a television network are going to catch Ricky’s nightclub act, she hounds her
husband for a chance to be in the show: "You need a pretty girl in your act to
advertise the sponsor’s product. She eats it, or drinks it, or waxes the floor
with it, or cuts potatoes with it, or drives off in it…or smokes it!" When this
falls on Ricky’s deaf ears, Lucy parades around the apartment with a lampshade
on her head, humming "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" and imitating a Ziegfeld
girl. When Buffo the Clown has a bike accident at rehearsal, Ricky sends him to
the Ricardo apartment to rest up, and Lucy connives to take his place in the
show. As network officials watch Ricky sing "Babalu," Lucy meanders onstage as
"The Professor," wearing a broken-down tuxedo and carrying a "loaded" cello,
looking for "Risky Riskadoo." She performs some funny bits with the instrument,
then impersonates a seal by playing a motley group of horns. The TV bigwigs are
so impressed, they offer her a contract. Later Lucy agrees to remain a wife and
give up show business (this week.) (Andrews, 233-234)
Interestingly enough, despite the typical husband-wife portrayals, Desi was the
one in real life to get himself into trouble. He had a fiery temper, as did his
television counterpart Ricky. Desi was a talented and hard worker, but he was
also a hard partier. He was notorious for his heavy drinking, and it worried
his peers when they realized how often he drank on the job. He spent grand sums
of money, gambling more of it away. He was arrested several times for assault
while under the influence. His Cuban heritage, less stringent in marriage
commitments, swayed him to pursue other women. This was also a well-known fact.
Years of discontent led to a divorce in the later days of Lucille Ball’s
television career. However, both parties agree that I Love Lucy, coupled with
the births of their children, did help in prolonging their troubled marriage.
The thing about having a baby is that thereafter you have it. -- Jean
Kerr
With their fame, the Arnazes became public property, as is the custom. One
event they shared with American audiences -- both on and off screen -- was the
birth of their second child and first son, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha
IV. The baby was born on the same day the Ricardo birth would be aired on
television -- yet another stroke of luck for the show. However, the steps
leading to the portrayal of the pregnancy on television was long and tedious.
The news of Lucy’s impending motherhood at the end of this first season was
met with dismay by the network and the sponsor, Philip Morris Company. It was
pronounced that the predicament was a complete disaster for the show; CBS was
adamant about rejecting the producers’ plans for showcasing and following
Lucy’s pregnancy: "You cannot show a pregnant woman on television!"
(Oppenheimer, 198.) Numerous arguments ensued, until finally Philip Morris
offered a conditional compromise to allow only one or two episodes about the
pregnancy. Neither Oppenheimer and Desi would accept the terms. Eventually an
agreement came about, although CBS forbade the use of the word "pregnant" on
the show. However, "with child" or "expecting" were acceptable. They were still
afraid that some segment of the public would find something offensive in the
pregnancy shows. Producer Oppenheimer brought in a priest, a minister, and a
rabbi to approve the "baby show" scripts, and in effect, the shows were
"blessed" before they were broadcast.
The world must be made safe for democracy. -– Wooodrow Wilson
The McCarthy era was in full swing, and even America’s favorite comedienne
could not be protected from accusation. In late 1953, America again became
witness to a crucial part of Lucille Ball’s personal life. She was put under
investigation after it was discovered that years before, she had registered to
vote for the Communist Party in 1936 to placate her aging grandfather. During
her hearing, Lucille denied any connection with the Communist Party. Despite
her situation, work continued when the first episode of the season was to be
filmed. Lucille was filled with apprehension; she didn’t know if she could go
through with filming, and she was concerned about receiving a negative reaction
from the audience. Desi was worried the cigarette company would pull its
sponsorship, as it had every right to do because of the bad publicity. He was
willing to cover the thirty thousand dollars to shoot the episode if the
contract was in fact pulled. However, the sponsor sent a message to Desi that
if "all the facts are as they now are, we’re behind you 100 percent." (Andrews,
126.) Desi felt great relief as he went out to give his usual introductions to
the audience before the shooting began. The crowd, familiar with the headlines
that screamed Lucille Ball was charged as a Red, was unusually silent. Desi
said, "Welcome to the first ‘I Love Lucy’ of the season…before we go
on, I want to talk to you about something serious. You all know what it is. The
papers have been full of it all day." He continued as his voice broke and his
lip quivered, "Lucille is no Communist! Lucille has never been a Communist, not
now and never will be. I was kicked out of Cuba because of Communism. We both
despise the Communists and everything they stand for!" (Andrews, 127.) It was
an emotional moment, but the crowd rose in support and approval of Lucy and
Desi. Lucy received an ovation at the end of the show. She was, of course,
released from any charges in association with the Communists. The Red Scare,
despite the pain and trauma it incurred on so many, had little effect on the
ratings of I Love Lucy.
Television? The word is half Latin and half Greek. No good can come of
it. –- C.P. Scott
Lucille and Desi were fortunate enough and determined enough to seek the
genius of Karl Freund, one of the masters of innovative filming and
photographic techniques in Hollywood. They hired him as director of photography
for the show, and challenged him with Desi’s "vision:" a technique that had
never before been used. The invention of videotape was still years into the
future, and Desi devised an original system for filming the sitcom in front of
a live audience. Traditionally, shows of this genre were broadcast live, which
posed problems for intricate backdrops, props, and special effects, as well as
for major costume changes. Under Desi’s system, sets of bleachers were
constructed inside an old Hollywood soundstage, as seating for a live studio
audience. Stationary 35mm cameras on tripods were positioned at points around
the stage. All the cameras would record the entire 22-minute episode.
Afterwards the film was edited so that the best shots from each camera could be
used to splice together a master for the final telecast. (Marc, 28) This
technique would be used in classic sitcoms to come: The Mary Tyler Moore Show,
Happy Days, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Laverne and Shirley.
It was truly an achievement for television production quality, setting a new
standard.
Another of the lesser-known, but by no means less spectacular contributions of
the show left its mark on television history in the spring of 1952. The CBS
network informed the producers that because of scheduling requirements, seven
affiliates wanted to rebroadcast an episode of I Love Lucy called "The
Diet," which had aired the previous October. At the time, most network programs
were still broadcast live, and during the summer, alternate "summer
replacement" programs would be run in place of the regularly scheduled sitcoms.
Neither the rerun nor syndication markets had yet been invented. Because I
Love Lucy was produced on film, the issue of rerunning the show was an
uncomplicated task. All that needed to be obtained was legal clearance,
provided by a letter signed by the producers (Desi Arnaz and Jess Oppenheimer),
the writers and Lucille, which granted permission for CBS to rebroadcast. Soon
thereafter, the world witnessed its very first television rerun, courtesy of I
Love Lucy. (Oppenheimer, 202.)
To be somebody, you must last. -- Ruth Gordon
There is something phenomenal about entities that stand the test of time. I
Love Lucy is just such a thing. Aside from its comedic value, the show
made strides in the fifties that made possible what we see in television today:
in aesthetic, technical, and business aspects. Lucille "the First Lady of
Comedy" Ball has indefinitely left her mark as "LUCY FAN," "BABALU," "DESILU"
and "I LV LCY" are emblazoned across car license plates, and numerous fan clubs
are still going at full force. Lucy memorabilia is just as popular now as it
was in her day, and shops and cafes with names such as "I Love Sushi," "I Love
Ricky," and "I Love Juicy" keep the spirit alive as well. An excellent
summation of I Love Lucy’s simplest appeal was given by TV writer Jack
Sher: "The captivating thing about Lucy and Ricky is the fact that they hold a
mirror up to every married couple in America. Not a regular mirror that
reflects the truth, nor a magic mirror that portrays fantasy. But a Coney
Island kind of mirror that distorts, exaggerates, and makes vastly amusing
every little incident, foible, and idiosyncrasy of married life." (Andrews,
xiii). Without a doubt, I Love Lucy was, is, and always will be a
"funny" show.
Since we said, 'I do,' there are so many things we don't. –- Lucy Ricardo
Bibliography
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New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980.
Andrews, Bart. THE "I LOVE LUCY" BOOK. New York: Doubleday & Company,
1985.
Brady, Kathleen. THE LIFE OF LUCILLE BALL. New York: Hyperion
Publishing, 1994.
Halberstam, David. THE FIFTIES. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1993.
Marc, David and Thomson, Robert. PRIME TIME, PRIME MOVERS. Boston:
Little, Brown and Company, 1992.
Morella, Joe and Epstein, Edward. FOREVER LUCY. New Jersey: Lyle
Stuart, Inc., 1986.
Oppenheimer, Jess. LAUGHS, LUCK...AND LUCY. New York: Syracuse
University Press, 1996.
Sanders, Coyne Steven and Gilbert, Tom. DESILU: THE STORY OF LUCILLE BALL
AND DESI ARNAZ. New York: William and Morrow Company, Inc., 1993.
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