#also I would like to see louis call him danny again in s2

[portraitoflestatonfire]

[funtheysaid]

IWTV 2x01 Initial Thoughts (Stream Of Consciousness)

- That title card for Delainey felt very stage play to me (ahhh I adore the theatrical elements for this season)

- Ooh I love the idea that vamps can take on the emotions of whosever blood they’re drinking - it’s like the vampire equivalent of when werewolves can smell ppl’s emotions and fears through chemosignals (a la Teen Wolf iykyk)

- “Disregard” is the funniest shit ever 😂 Oldmaniel they could never make me hate you

- There’s a Real Rashid OMFG ??? Lol imagine he’s not actually Rashid and they pull one over on us again I’d fucking shit myself

- “Your love was in a box” OH MY GOD EAT HIM UP DANNY BOY

- OMG OMG LOUSTAT ITS HAPPENIGN ITS HAPPENING EVERYONE SHUT UP

- I MISS YOU TOO LESTAT

- “Quite fucked” 😏😏😏

- “mon amour” “mon cher” “love” IM GOING TO EXSANGUINATE MYSELF ISTG

- The singular finger on Louis’ chin 🥲 so delicate so soft so bad for my mental health

- I like Emilia

- “They are not used to seeing man with good looks” OKAY I know they’re just racists BUT she also wasn’t lying bc beautiful Louis is canon god bless you Jacob Anderson

- Lol Morgan a little fruity

- OOH memory is a monster! They be redoing scenes as Louis “fixes” his memories !!!! That’s gonna show up again for sure :))))

- “Stupid Halloween costume” Daniel Molloy the brat that you are (is okay, Armand likes brats) *cough cough*

- I’ve never seen someone *elegantly* close an iPad before. Armand, you have bewitched me.

- The fucking sexual tension between DM is stifling 🥵😶‍🌫️ Um if this is us “not getting Devil’s Minion” then I think imma be okay

- Claudia pushing the little racist boy 🤪🥹 we can’t help but to stan

- WTF AMC you can’t just jumpscare me with a Grace photograph :’)))

- “UP YOUR BUM” EXCUSE ME MORGAN I KNEW YOU WERE FRUITY BUT SIRRRR?

- so the makeup department really put their whole sfxussies into that decrepit ass abomination

- Louis: Alexa, play Mr. Steal Your Girl by Trey Songz

- Claudia calling Louis Daddy in S1: ☺️🍭👼 Claudia calling Louis Daddy in S2: 😖🤢😟

- I’m dubbing Louis “The Rat Prince”

- “If he can’t take you ballroom dancing and call you pretty” ICONIC.

- “the motherfucker” it’s on sight Bruce or Killer or whatever the fuck your name was 🤕🥊

- “her hand twitched like yours would” why was that line lowkey out of pocket. My mans has Parkinson’s Louis !!!!

- SHE DREAMS 😭 MY FUCKING GOD STOP MY EYES ARE GONNA BE PUFFY WHEN I WAKE UP TOMORROW

- that wasn’t even acting that was some REAL shit. Get Jacob Anderson his Emmy or Oscar or Tony or whatever the fuck I just need him to be awarded for his talent

- Daniel’s soft compassionate side: rare but that much more meaningful when it makes an appearance

- LOUIS you did not just do Emilia dirty like that TF!?! She helped you dude.

- “Human affairs. Their problem.” Not you listening to Lestat now of all times

- “Catfish with teeth” Louis can really read a bitch to filth can’t he?

- AHHH THERE ARE TWO OF THE FUCKERS 👹👹

- Oh shit he’s a kid okay I’m sorry for calling you an abomination earlier. That was mean.

- Woman vampire, you standing precariously close to that fire 👀

- Delainey’s facial expressions are the perfect blend of innocent and slightly unsettling

- OPP INTO THE FIRE SHE GOES rip 🔥

- What the hell is a bacon triptych am I just stupid don’t answer that

- Armand you ain’t beating the iPad kid allegations

- “It’s his drug” He said that with such malice. Is this a “he needed me but he needed drugs more” plot line???

- So Dubai Loumand is chilly frigid tepid frosty glacial

- Free feet? Okay im sorry

- “We can have him saying what happened next in no time” okay wait hold up why you making it sound like YOU don’t know what happened next and you need him to tell you???

- oh danny boy whistling while the couple he’s counseling walks in… is this a comedy or ?

- Daniel: yeah? 🤓 Armand: yeah 🫦

- “the mother of New Orleans” oh he misses home

- LMFAO Daniel interrupting Armand before he can start soliloquizing

- Louis and Claudia in a truck full of art which they belong in bc they too are pieces of art to me

- hard words. soft words. 🥺

- “a shit life beats no life” god damn this monologue feels like Louis is speaking directly to my soul

- “as long as you walk the earth I’ll never taste the fire” If this is foreshadowing I- I- I don’t know what I’ll do but it’s going to involve a baseball bat and a waffle iron and my head

- “it would be enough” pan to Lestat 💀 you can’t be fucking serious right now you just cannot

- okay it’s over and the teaser for the season just started playing and I just have to shout out the score bc damn if those violins don’t get me every god damn time

(Stutter) That’s all, folks! 🐷👋

[papermoonloveslucy]

MRS. COOPER’S BOYFRIEND

February 10, 1950

“Mrs. Cooper’s Boyfriend” is episode #75 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on February 10, 1950.

Synopsis ~ Liz decides that the only way to keep George's mother from coming over on Valentine’s Day is to get her a boyfriend.

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) 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.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) and Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury)  are not heard in this episode. 

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz (above right), a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

Eleanor Audley (Leaticia Cooper, George’s Mother) previously played this character in “George is Messy” and “Dinner for 12″. She would later play Eleanor Spalding, owner of the Westport home the Ricardos buy in “Lucy Wants To Move to the Country” (ILL S6;E15) in 1957, as well as one of the Garden Club judges in “Lucy Raises Tulips” (ILL S6;E26).

Hans Conried (Mr. Anderson) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942). He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13) – both in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan. On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) and in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was filmed on the Desilu lot. He joined Thomas on a season 6 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973. He died in 1982 at age 64.

Hal March (Mr. Jenkins / Mr. Crockett) first appeared on the “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Fakes Illness” (ILL S1;E16) using his own name to play an actor posing as the doctor who diagnoses Lucy with ‘golbloots.’ March got his first big break when he was cast as Harry Morton on “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” in 1950. He eventually lost the part to Fred Clark who producers felt was better paired with Bea Benaderet, who played Blanche, and here plays Iris Atterbury. He stayed with the show in other roles, the last airing just two weeks before his appearance as Eddie Grant in “Lucy is Matchmaker” (ILL S2;E27). In 1966 he was seen on “The Lucy Show.”

Frank Nelson (J.Q. Williams, Chairman of the Bank) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”. This is one of his 11 performances on “My Favorite Husband.”  On “I Love Lucy” he holds the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring roles: Freddie Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey, as well as six one-off characters, including the frazzled train conductor in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5), a character he repeated on “The Lucy Show.” Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs.

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers it’s morning. George Cooper is eating breakfast, while Liz in the kitchen talking to Katie, the maid.”

Liz is planning the menu for an intimate Valentine’s Day dinner with George.

LIZ: “Hearts of beef, hearts of artichoke, hearts of lettuce, heart-shaped candy, and heart-shaped cake.” KATIE: “That oughta give ya heart-shaped heartburn!” 

Liz joins George for breakfast and notices that he has nicked himself shaving - several times.

LIZ: “You look like you have your face up in paper curlers.”

Liz confesses she used George’s razor to string beans! Liz apologizes with a smooch. She brings up Valentine’s Day, and George breaks it to her that his mother is coming. George reminds Liz that his mother always spends the holidays with them. 

LIZ: “It’s Valentine’s Day, not Halloween!  Can’t we give her a rain check until Groundhog Day or something?” 

Groundhog Day is an American folk tradition established in Pennsylvania around 1840, that supposes that if a groundhog comes out of his burrow and sees his shadow, we are in for six more weeks of winter. The tradition has inspired a Hollywood film and a Broadway musical.  Since the date is traditionally February 2 (before Valentine’s Day), Liz is really extending her hospitality into 1951! 1955′s “Lucy Goes to a Rodeo” (ILL S5;E8) opens with Ricky penciling in Lucy for a kiss on February 2nd, which Lucy notes is Groundhog Day. 

Liz is upset that her romantic dinner for two will become a threesome. she suggests that if his mother wants to celebrate Valentine’s Day she should get a boyfriend. George says she has no interest in men.

LIZ: “Well, she did once. Or did she win you in a game of Canasta?”

Canasta is a card game of the rummy family devised around 1939. It is most commonly played by four in two partnerships with two standard decks of cards. The game was mentioned several times on episodes of “I Love Lucy.” 

George comes around to the idea of getting his mother a boyfriend - but who? 

LIZ: “Gee, all I can think of is the Smithsonian Institute!” 

In “Never Do Business With Friends” (ILL S2;E31), Ethel complains that her washing machine is old enough to belong in the Smithsonian Institution. Dubbed ‘the Nation’s attic’, the Smithsonian museums (located primarily in Washington DC) will be mentioned again in reference to the antique Cadillac that Fred buys for the trip to Hollywood.  

George rushes off to work. The new bank Chairman is visiting. Liz tells Katie to plan to serve three for Valentine’s Day dinner. Liz says that her mother-in-law uses any excuse to visit - even Boys Week. 

Boys (and Girls) Week was a movement to help build citizenship among youth. The movement began in 1920 with boys. In 1934, Boys Week became known as Youth Week, and in 1936, Boys and Girls Week. A project of the Rotary International, their sponsorship ceased in 1954.  

Liz has invited Mother Cooper (Eleanor Audley) over to talk about the idea and before they know it, she has arrived.

LIZ (to Katie): “Well, speak of the devil-in-law.” KATIE (hushed): “How does she get in the house so quietly?” LIZ: “She’s got a muffler on her broom.”

No sooner is she in the kitchen when she is telling Liz that there’s dust on top of her bookcase.  Liz quickly changes the subject to dating.

MOTHER COOPER: “It would be nice to have dates, but not a man!”  LIZ: “Not a man!?!  Well, I don’t know any kangaroos!” 

Mother Cooper is intrigued by the idea, but doesn’t think anyone would be interested in a woman of her age.

MOTHER COOPER: “The man isn’t man living who’d have plain old me!” LIZ: “Well, we’ll dig someone up.”

Mrs. Cooper describes her ideal man. Liz urges her to compromise. Mother insists he is only 41 years old. As she leaves, she tells Liz to forget the whole thing. 

Katie tells Liz to try looking at the Sheridan Falls Friendship Center, where her sister found all her husbands. 

LIZ: “Katie, I’ll do it!  I’m going to get a man for Mother Cooper if I have to get an Erector Set and build her one!” 

Erector Set was a brand of metal toy construction sets which were originally sold by the Mysto Manufacturing Company in 1913, a successor to wooden Lincoln Logs and a predecessor to plastic LEGO. 

END of PART ONE After a short Jello-O commercial featuring announcer Bob LeMond providing a macaroon pudding recipe, the story resumes. 

Liz has embarked on her manhunt and we find her downtown at the Sheridan Falls Friendship Center. The building is marked by a large neon sign that says “Lonesome?” The doorbell sounds “Here Comes The Bride”. 

Thomas ‘Cupid’ Jenkins (Hal March), the founder, opens the door. 

LIZ: “I’d like to order a man!”

Liz immediately states that it is not for her, although Mr. Jenkins clearly doesn’t believe her. 

MR. JENKINS: “I understand perfectly. He’s a gift for a friend.”

Liz tells him it is for his mother-in-law. The phone rings and Mr. Jenkins answers it congratulating the caller on her success and promising to remove her card from his file. 

MR. JENKINS: “Goodbye, Lady Ashley.” (hangs up) LIZ: “Was that THE Lady Ashely?”

Sylvia, Lady Ashley (1904-77) was an English model, actress, and socialite who was best known for her numerous marriages to British noblemen and American movie stars. On December 20, 1949, she married Clark Gable, the fourth of her five husbands. The pair divorced in 1952. 

It turns out to be a different Lady Ashley. Liz and Mr. Jenkins fill out an application card for Mother Cooper. Although Liz describes her as ‘41, attractive and wealthy’, Mr. Jenkins immediately interprets that as ‘65, old battle axe, and broke’!  Liz wants someone to come to the house tonight. Mr. Jenkins promises the perfect man will come with a written 30-day guarantee!  

At the bank, George is visited by the new Chairman of the Board, J.Q. Williams (Frank Nelson). He wants to get to know the employees and George invites him over for dinner that evening. Unfortunately, their home phone seems to be out of order so he can’t alert Liz. He tells Mr. Williams the address to meet him there.

That evening, Mrs. Cooper is preparing to meet the gentleman Mr. Jenkins is sending over. The doorbell rings. It is Mr. Williams from the bank. Liz immediately assumes that he is from the Friendship Society and that the Mrs. Cooper he has come to meet is her mother-in-law.  

Liz doesn’t want Mother Cooper to know that he is an arranged suitor, so she asks him what they should say about his professional life.  

MR. WILLIAMS: “Let’s just tell her I’m Chairman of the Board at the Bank.” LIZ: “Come, now. Let’s not overdo it.”

Believing Mother Cooper to be George’s wife, he sits down next to her. Just then George comes home from work. Liz heads him off at the hallway to tell him that she’s arranged a Lonely Hearts prospect to come over for dinner. George is sure he’s a bum. 

LIZ: “You’ll die when you see him!” 

Before going into the living room to meet him, George tells Liz that he’s invited the new Chairman of the Board of the Bank to dinner - a Mr. Williams. Liz screams in horror and explains what she’s done.  The doorbell rings again. 

While George takes Mr. Williams aside to explain things to him, Liz answers the door. It is Mr. Crockett (Hal March again). Before he can get a word out, Liz immediately assumes him to be the man from the Lonely Hearts Club. She quickly instructs him to act like an old friend of hers and ushers him in to meet Mother Cooper.

MOTHER COOPER: “I liked the other one better.” 

The doorbell rings again, it is Mr. Anderson (Hans Conried), the man from the Sheridan Falls Friendship Center. He immediately assumes that Liz is the woman that Mr. Jenkins has sent him to meet!

MR. ANDERSON: “After 15 years of sending me lemons, he’s finally sent me a peach!” 

Liz is confused, but shows him in to the living room to meet Mother Cooper.  

MR. ANDERSON: “Shucks. Back to Lemons again.”

Having explained the confusion, George returns with Mr. Williams, who eagerly agrees to be Mother Cooper’s escort for the rest of the evening. Liz tells Mr. Anderson and Mr. Crockett to go back to the Friendship Center, but Mr. Crockett is confused. 

MR. CROCKETT: “What Friendship Center? I just came here to fix the telephone!”  LIZ: “Oh, no!!!”

END of EPISODE

In the live Jell-O commercial, Lucille Ball and Bob LeMond go South of the Border, where all the ‘J’s are pronounced like ‘H’. 

Lucille is Hosephine and her brother is named Himmy, who is strong as Jerkules. She reads a poem:

I know a little café It’s a perfect place to go  Because they always serve Jell-O vanilla tapio- Ca pudding. It’s delicious and tempting And you sap,  You also ought to order some Jell-O chocolate tap- Ioca. It’s so rich the kids all say it’s good I cannot rhyme Jell-O orange vanilla tapioca, I wish I could. 

Bob LeMond sums up her poem with one succinct line.  But Lucille concludes:

Those lines they tell the story, They cut the time in half.  They talk of Jell-O pudding, but they don’t get any laughs!

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Finished 400 Days again.

Some random thoughts as the episode progressed:

I see that small Kenny and Duck easter egg game. I see you.

Well, I’m sure all these characters will have a great significance in s2.

Okay, but why did they put all these pictures up? Where did they get these pictures? If I remember correctly, Vince was, y’know, on his way to prison? Where’d he get that photo of him to put up??

I’m over thinking it. It’s fine. Ignore me. 

Vince

I’ll start with the guy I remember being my favorite out of the bunch the last time I played. 

Aaaaaaaaand he’s a murderer. 

Off to a great start.

Wow, Mechan looked super nice before the walkers tore everything to shit. 

BEN?? BEEEEEEN THAT YOU??

So, one stole a shit ton of money and the other’s an alleged rapist. Great, glad I’m making new friends...

Hey, guys calm down- HOLY SHIT

I’m now remembering how fucked some of the choices are in this DLC. They’re really gonna make me shoot the foot off of one of these guys so I can go free? And then we just leave the one we shot behind? That’s not great! 

I don’t really care about either of them, though, so I did eeny-meeny-miney-mo for who to shoot and oops sorry Danny...

Still fucked up, tho...

Wyatt

Ha! Eddie! 

“Wyatt! Talk words at me, man!” 😂

Yeah, Eddie, honk the horn, dude. Reeeeeeal smart. 

Unlike Danny and Justin, I like Eddie. It’s too bad that Clementine’s gonna kill him later down the road... which is a really weird thing to think.

“Road’s straight as my dick.”

“Don’t talk about your dick.”

“...Why not?”

I’m only, what? Two minutes in? And I’m laughing at these two idiots who just blew some dudes brains out and are on the run from Nate [if memory serves right] and...? I love them both?

“Alright, let’s Tom Cruise outta here.”

“Please never talk again.”

I think I’m in love with Eddie.

“Foggy.”

“OH MY GOD WHAT???”

“Shut up.”

What even-??? 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Really...? Rock, paper, scissors?? 

Okay, fine, I’m game. I’m gonna pick rock every single time. 

I WON 😂😂😂😂😂

Oh hai Nate

NOOOOOO EDDIE!!!!

*depressed whale noises*

Shel

Y’know, I wish we could’ve seen one of the Ericson kids playing guitar. I know we have Louis and his piano, but my selfish ass wants my boy playing piano with someone playing guitar beside him. Maybe Violet or Marlon? I dunno. Add to the list of things I’d ask for if I could give the creators an unlimited budget.

Anyway, this kid plays guitar okay- WAIT ONE DING DONG SECOND

Cancer patients

Where’s Vernon I just wanna talk-

Sure, kid, you can count the guns. Just promise you won’t shoot anyone, m’kay?

.........why are we feeding the walkers? Do... do they “die” if they don’t eat something? That doesn’t make sense? 

A puppy- oh, are you fucking-

Hey, kid, can you not??

So, I’m the swing vote. You want me to chose whether or not we execute this man? I remember both outcomes. If I let him go, one of our people ends up dead. If we kill him, we don’t get attacked and that person lives. BUT the outcome is still the same. Therefore, I’m eeny-meenying this. 

Sorry, I’m outta here. Bye Roman. 

Russell

Dude, don’t taunt the dead. You’re not even carrying a weapon, sheesh.

CARLEY!!

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY GIRLFRIEND’S BEAUTIFUL FACE??

Oh Nate, you’re such a hoot

And a creep.

AND FUCKING CRAZY

“What happened to I’LL COVER YOU??”

“Look how good you did!”

Fucking hell, Nate-

Dude, I’m not taking you to my grams. You’d creep on her and I don’t want none of that. 

I walked away and Nate’s crazy ass killed two old people... 

Welp.

Bonnie

Oh god, I remember this one distinctly. Bonnie’s the only character that really matters in s2. The others are just there for two seconds and then poof! Gone. And her story’s probably my least favorite, too...

SNAKE TONGUE! 

I did forget that Bonnie’s a recovering druggy tho. 

Dude don’t touch her face like that.

Dee, you’re being real sketchy

I already know she stole it

Leland, pro-tip: Don’t call Bonnie “darlin’” in front of your WIFE. 

AND I’m shot. Thanks guys. 

So many damn cornstalks I’m half expecting small cult children to come out and snatch me. 

I killed Dee but I can’t say I feel bad about it, tbh. And I’m not gonna lie about it, either. 

In conclusion

Well, Russell took some convincing but I got everyone to leave with Tavia. 

Can’t wait to see all that character development in s2. 

Bonnie: This is a good thing. I know it is.

HA! 

It’s an interesting DLC. I like stories that follow different characters all set within the same universe. 

I’d have to say Wyatt’s story is my favorite mostly because of Eddie, but I also liked Russell’s story. I would say that Bonnie’s is my least favorite, which is unfortunate because she’s the character we get to deal with for a majority of s2. 

Also! Interesting! It’s literally a 50/50 tie of if Wyatt stayed in the car or went out instead of Eddie. AND only 25% of players were honest as Bonnie. 

Y’all are a buncha liars!

[papermoonloveslucy]

THE ATTIC

September 23, 1949

"The Attic” (aka “Trapped in the Attic”) is episode #55 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on September 23, 1949.

This was the fourth episode of the second season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 43 new episodes, with the season ending on June 25, 1950.  

Synopsis ~ One of George's old Glee Club friends is in town and George wants to find his old ukulele, so he and Liz search for it in the attic but get locked in.

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George's boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Coope. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) 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.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father's garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) and Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) do not appear in this episode. 

GUEST CAST

Hans Conried (Mr. Benjamin Wood / Jimmy the Paper Boy) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942). He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13) – both in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan. On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) and in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was filmed on the Desilu lot. He joined Thomas on a season 6 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973. He died in 1982 at age 64.

The character’s first name is not mentioned here, but it is in other episodes where Conried plays Mr. Wood.

THE EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “Even in the happiest of marriages both the husband and wife have little habits that prove annoying over the years. With the Coopers it’s George’s habit of reading the newspaper at the breakfast table.  Well, unable to break him of this habit Liz is setting up a counter irritant. As we look in on them now she has just started a barrage of toast munching… It’s a war of nerves!”

The episode opens at breakfast, where Liz is upset that George has buried himself in the morning newspaper instead of paying attention to her. 

This was a common complaint on early episodes of “I Love Lucy” as well. Ricky often didn’t lift his eyes from behind the newspaper.  

LIZ: “I’ll speak to Katie and asks her to buy quieter bread. Or, I could puree the bread and eat it with a spoon.”

The phone rings. It is George’s old friend Charlie Nichols. Charlie is a Bullfrog, a member of their college Glee Club. Liz translates the slangy conversation between the old friends for Katie. George riffs a few notes of “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” into the phone with Charlie. 

"Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” is a popular song from 1925 written by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson. A week before this episode aired, it was also the title of a Universal motion picture starring Donald O’Connor and Gloria DeHaven. In 1980 the film was referenced in “Lucy Moves To NBC” which featured O’Connor and DeHaven in a show-within-a-show sitcom called “The Music Mart”. 

Liz anticipates that George will want to find his old ukulele for his reunion with Charlie. Naturally, she’s right and naturally Liz has no idea where it is! George reminds her of the time she disposed of all his old clothes, a hint at a future episode titled “Husbands Are Sloppy Dressers” (E95) which would become “Changing The Boys’ Wardrobe” on “I Love Lucy”.  

GEORGE: “A man’s old clothes are filled with sentiment.” LIZ: “That’s sediment, not sentiment!” 

On “I Love Lucy” saxophone wasn’t the only instrument she was able to play. Lucy first plays the ukulele in “Ricky Loses His Voice” (ILL S2;E9), “Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright” (ILL S6;E4), and again in “Don Juan Is Shelved” (ILL S4;E22). Lucy Carmichael strummed the uke in “Lucy’s College Reunion” (TLS S2;E11). Fast forward to 1972 and Lucy and Kim Carter play the ukulele in “Lucy Goes Hawaiian: Part 2″ (HL S3;E24).

Liz denies having thrown away George’s prized ukulele. Liz asks George the last time he saw it and he says it was “just the other night at the alumni dinner” - in 1938!  Liz says it’s probably in the attic, and off they go to look for it. 

On “I Love Lucy,” Lucy Ricardo visited the attic to find a musical instrument, too - “The Saxophone” (ILL S2;E2). Of course, she finds other memories along the way. This was the series’ only visit to the attic of 623 East 68th Street. 

In the attic, George thinks he sees a prowler - but it is just Liz’s old dress dummy!  

Lucy Carter and her kids visits the attic for antiques and get a lesson in family history lesson in “Lucy Takes Over” (HL S2;E23). When first entering the darkened attic, Lucy screams when she runs into the dress dummy, just like George!

The box marked ‘ukulele’ is actually filled with ski boots!  Liz’s labeling system has resorted in confusion about what’s inside each box.  

This warped logic foreshadows Lucy Carmichael and Lucy Carter’s crazy filing system on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”  It never failed to confound Mr. Mooney / Harry (Gale Gordon). 

Liz finds her corsage collection - dried flowers of corsages given to her by high school boys. George finds his old electric train. Liz wants to throw out the trains, while George wants to toss the corsages.  

"Lucy Goes To Sun Valley” (LDCH S1;E5) opens with Lucy searching the living room closet for Ricky’s guitar strings. While doing so, she runs across  a pressed corsage of violets that Ricky gave to her during their courtship.

Hours later, Liz and George still haven’t thrown away anything and still haven’t found the ukulele. They agree to try again after lunch - but the attic door is locked. George calls for Katie - but she’s gone downtown to take George’s Glee Club sweater to the cleaners and is then off for the afternoon.  

From the attic window, Liz yells to neighbor Mr. Wood (Hans Conried) but he is working on his motorcycle and can’t hear them. Jimmy the Paper Boy (also Conried) thinks they want their newspaper tossed through the attic window.  It hits George square in the face.

George decides to ram the door with his shoulder like they do in the movies, but to no avail. 

GEORGE: “They must use fake doors in pictures.” LIZ: “Maybe they use real men!”

George has landed on his ukulele, which emerges unharmed. He strums and sings a few more bars of “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” - much to Liz’s chagrin.

More time passes and they are still locked in the attic. Liz notices the calendar on the attic wall says March. 

LIZ: “I wonder if it’s been a tough winter?”  

Liz starts to cry, but George wants her to laugh it off and think of it as an exciting adventure. Hunger starts to set in. Liz finds a piece of their ten year-old wedding cake. Petrified!. She spies a piece of cheese in a mousetrap!   

It is here the episode starts to foreshadow “Lucy in the Swiss Alps” (ILL S5;E21) in which the Ricardos and Mertz’s are trapped in an Alpine cabin due to an avalanche, where hunger is also an issue.  

Panic sets in - Liz is stir crazy and wants George to jump out of the window to get help. George gets the idea to make a rope ladder out of old drapes and lower Liz to the ground. 

The idea of escaping a high confinement by knotting sheets (or blankets or curtains) together to form a rope ladder is a familiar trope. It was later used in “The Star Upstairs” (ILL S4;E25) when Lucy Ricardo finds herself trapped in Cornel Wilde’s upstairs suite and chooses this method of escape. 

LIZ: “Just a moment.  Who’s lowering whom?” GEORGE: “I’m lowering you’m!” LIZ: “Over my’m dead body you’m are!” 

This exchange is very similar to “Vacation from Marriage” (ILL S2;E6) which finds Lucy and Ethel trapped on the roof when the door locks behind them. Lucy gets the idea to put a plank across the alleyway (five flights up) to the neighboring building, but naturally she wants Ethel to go first!  Ethel is reluctant to be the one to go first!

Practically speaking, Liz is not strong enough to hold George’s weight, so she has to be the one to be lowered. As Liz climbs onto the window ledge, Mr. Wood sees her and thinks she’s going to kill herself!  He rushes into the attic to save her.

MR. WOOD: “You have so much to live for. You’re young! You’re beautiful! You’re vibrant! Think of your husband!  Think of the children!” LIZ: “I don’t have any children.” MR. WOOD: “Well I have eleven children, you can have a couple of mine.”

Liz explains that she wasn’t suicidal but that they were locked in the attic. She demonstrates by shutting the door - accidentally locking them in again!  Katie arrive just in time and admits that she’s been home the whole time - asleep on her good ear!  Just as they are about to leave - the wind slams the door shut. Katie calmly announces that the firemen will let them out when they arrive after the explosion. 

LIZ: “What explosion?” KATIE: “I left the pressure cooker on the stove!” 

[papermoonloveslucy]

TIME BUDGETING

April 22, 1949

“Time Budgeting” (aka “George and His Trained Seals”) is episode #40 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on April 22, 1949 on the CBS radio network.

Synopsis ~ George is so fed up with Liz's being late for everything that he puts her on a strict schedule.

Note ~ This script was the basis for “Lucy’s Schedule” (ILL S1;E33) filmed on April 18, 1952, and first aired on May 26, 1952.  Directed by Marc Daniels. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. 

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) 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.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricardo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.

Benadaret had not yet become a series regular, but plays the role she would assume as Iris Atterbury. 

Gale Gordon does not appear in this episode. He had not yet been signed as a regular cast member in the role of Rudolph Atterbury, which is here played by Hans Conried. Coincidentally, however, he is the actor who will play Ricky’s boss, Alvin Littlefield, in “Lucy’s Schedule” on “I Love Lucy” and would eventually speak most of the dialogue here taken by Hans Conried as Mr. Atterbury. 

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz (above right), a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

Hans Conried (Rudolph Atterbury, George’s Boss) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942). He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13) – both in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan. On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) and in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was filmed on the Desilu lot. He joined Thomas on a season 6 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973. He died in 1982 at age 64.

At this point in the series, the role of Rudolph Atterbury had not yet been assumed by Gale Gordon.

EPISODE

Announcer: “As we look in on the Coopers tonight, we find a familiar domestic drama taking place. They’re invited to the Atterbury’s for dinner. George is standing in the downstairs hall, fully dressed, with his top coat on. Liz is upstairs going through an ancient ritual known to wives as getting ready to go out, and known to husbands as ‘what do they do up there that takes so long?’. Right now George is looking at his watch for the eleventh time.” 

George gets tired of waiting and goes upstairs to discover that she’s still in her slip. He reminds her that the Atterburys like them to be on time.  Liz still hasn’t even chosen an outfit. George gets frustrated waiting for Liz. Just as she’s getting close to ready, she smears her nail polish and has to start all over again. 

LIZ: “I’ll be ready in a minute, dear!”

When she finally gets ready, she discovers him sitting on the bed in his shorts. He has turned the tables on Liz.  

GEORGE: “I’ll be ready in a minute, dear!”

Liz and George pull up to the Atterbury home. They are starving, but luckily George sees them in the living room and thinks they haven’t eaten yet.  George and Liz makes apologies for their lateness. 

They discover that the Atterburys’ have already eaten. Iris (Bea Benadaret) says they prepared pork chops knowing it was Liz’s favorite. Rudolph describes the meal in mouth-watering detail. While Liz would love their maid to prepare her a plate, George insists they have already eaten while waiting for the car to be fixed. 

While Liz and George try to make casual conversation, Liz wolfs down all their after-dinner mints and starts on their fruit bowl.  They foursome decide to go to the movies. Liz isn’t particular about which picture, as long as they sell popcorn. Mr. Atterbury suggests a film at the Strand: Chicken Every Sunday!

LIZ: “Oh, noooo!” 

Chicken Every Sunday premiered on January 18, 1949. It starred Dan Dailey and Celeste Holm, and featured Roy Roberts (Mr. Cheever) and in an uncredited role, Frank J. Scannell (Buffo the Clown). 

When they get home, George and Liz clean out the ice box, waking up Katie the Maid by their feasting. Katie has put a bowl of her hair wave treatment in the fridge, but Liz has devoured it thinking it was custard. 

LIZ: “Look at us, Katie.  Which stomach has the Toni?” 

Liz is punning on the popular ad campaign of Toni Home Permanents: “Which Twin has the Toni?” The campaign was so overwhelmingly successful, that the phrase could often be found in pop culture, like “My Favorite Husband!”  Liz also joked about the slogan three episodes earlier in “April Fools Day” (episode #37) as well as in “Young Matrons League Tryouts” (episode #11). 

George is still mad at Liz for making them late and embarrassing him about dinner. He insists that she start budgeting her time, just like she budgets her money.  Well, like normal people budget money.

GEORGE: “I’ll make up a  chart for you. Fifteen minutes for this, half an hour for that, ten minutes for something else.” LIZ: “I’ll need more than ten minutes for something else.” 

The next day, the schedule is posted on the kitchen door, but Katie is not eager to be told when to do what. That night, dinner is on the table promptly at six o’clock. She serves George dinner and  breakfast simultaneously to save time the next morning. 

A week later, Liz is thrilled that the time schedule has worked. Liz wants to spend all the free time she has saved smooching with her favorite husband. 

Next day, Mr. Atterbury tells George that the fourth Vice President of the bank is leaving to become a school teacher. He has George in mind for the open position, but is reluctant considering is tardiness at dinner. George says he’s fixed the problem, and has Liz and Katie hopping around like trained seals. He invites Mr. Atterbury over for dinner to prove it.  Mr. Atterbury is eager to show his wife that a home can be run on a schedule, so he accepts. 

Meanwhile, at the Cooper home, Liz gets a visit from Iris, who is appalled to discover that Liz is indeed using a schedule.  Iris calls Liz a ‘Benedict Arnold’ for being a traitor to women everywhere. 

Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was a general during the American Revolutionary War, who fought for the American Continental Army, and later famously defected to the British Army. The name Benedict Arnold quickly became a byword for treason or betrayal. This comparison is also included in the television version of the script, but spoken by Mrs. Littlefield.  In 1965′s “Lucy the Disc Jockey” (TLS S3;E26), Lucy is angry that Mr. Mooney has also entered (and won) a radio contest after he said it was silly.  She calls him a “banking Benedict Arnold.”

Iris says that George is going around the bank saying he has her running around like a trained seals. This doesn’t sit well with Liz, who tears up the time charts and tells Iris that she is going to make it a dinner to remember.

LIZ: “Trained seals of the world unite.”

At dinner that evening, Liz rushes Mr. Atterbury through small talk, and right to the dinner table, claiming she must keep to schedule. Soup is served, and quickly un-served as Katie clears the plates before anyone can get a spoonful in their mouths. 

Mr. Atterbury finds a shirt button in his water glass. Liz explains that she’s washing the dishes and clothes together.  Katie serves a frozen roast and George finally has had enough.  Mr. Atterbury says that George has the new job. George admits he’s been to strict, and Liz is glad to be a trained seal married to a fourth Vice President!

[papermoonloveslucy]

THE SLEIGH RIDE

December 23, 1949

“The Sleigh Ride” (aka “Christmas Caroling In A Stolen Sleigh”) is episode #67 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on December 23, 1949.

Synopsis ~ Liz is taken for a sleigh ride (figuratively and literally) when she and her neighbors borrow a milkman's horse and make a jingle bell trip to the countryside for a yule log. The party turns sour down when the horse insists upon making all the stops on his milk route.

This was the 12th episode of the second season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 47 new episodes, with the season ending on June 25, 1950.

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) 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.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) and Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) do not appear in this episode.

GUEST CAST

Hans Conried (Mr. Wood, The Cooper’s Neighbor / Mr. Gundelfinger, Antique Store Owner) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Big Street (1942). He then appeared on “I Love Lucy” as used furniture man Dan Jenkins in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and later that same season as Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13) – both in 1952. The following year he began an association with Disney by voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan. On “The Lucy Show” he played Professor Gitterman in “Lucy’s Barbershop Quartet” (TLS S1;E19) and in “Lucy Plays Cleopatra” (TLS S2;E1). He was probably best known as Uncle Tonoose on “Make Room for Daddy” starring Danny Thomas, which was filmed on the Desilu lot. He joined Thomas on a season 6 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973. He died in 1982 at age 64.  

Mr. Wood has eleven children. Mr. Gundelfinger was born Mr. Gundelfoot, but is in the process of changing it to Smith. 

Frank Nelson (Policeman) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”.  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs. His trademark was playing clerks and other working stiffs, suddenly turning to Benny with a drawn out “Yeeeeeeeeees?” Nelson appeared in 11 episodes of “I Love Lucy”, including three as quiz master Freddy Fillmore, and two as Ralph Ramsey, plus appearance on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” - making him the only actor to play two different recurring roles on “I Love Lucy.” Nelson returned to the role of the frazzled Train Conductor for an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1963. This marked his final appearance on a Lucille Ball sitcom.

Jay Novello (Mr. Negley, the Postman) appeared on “I Love Lucy” as superstitious Mr. Merriweather in “The Seance" (ILL S1;E7), Mario the gondolier in “The Visitor from Italy” (ILL S6;E5), and nervous Mr. Beecher in “The Sublease” (ILL S3;E31). He also appeared on two episodes of “The Lucy Show,” but Novello is probably best remembered for playing Mayor Lugatto on “McHale’s Navy” in 1965.

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers today they’re in the living room preparing to decorate their Christmas tree. George is snipping a twig here and one there to balance the tree and Liz is just bringing in the ornaments.” 

Liz is appalled that George has cut so many limbs off the tree trying to balance it.   

GEORGE: “I only cut a few twigs off the top.” LIZ: “A few twigs? I’m up to my spine in pine.”

On “The I Love Lucy Christmas Show” (1956) Fred Mertz also tries to balance the Christmas tree by cutting off ‘a few limbs’!  

Liz wishes they could turn back the clock to earlier days when folks went out caroling in a sleigh to get their Christmas tree and a Yule log. George thinks that is just propaganda, but Liz shows them the Christmas card from the Ronys.  George wonders Liz would even get a sleigh in this day and age.  George agrees if she can get a sleigh, he will go caroling with her. 

Later, Liz calls Sam’s Livery Stable to rent a sleigh. They think she’s kidding and hang up.  Mr. Wood comes to the door. He is looking to hide out from his 11 children on Christmas vacation. Hanging up all eleven stockings make it look like the washing machine exploded in the living room. Liz asks Mr. Wood if he can carol, and he launches into a robust chorus of “Deck the Halls”.  Liz explains her predicament and Mr. Wood says that he knows the owner of the antique store, Joe Gundelfinger, has one. 

In the final scene of “Together for Christmas” (TLS S1;E13), carolers enter the Carmichael living room singing “Deck the Halls.”

At Gundelfinger’s Antique Shop, the old, rickety sleigh is in the front yard, holding pots of ivy. The store is closed because Gundelfinger is at court having his name changed again, so Liz and Mr. Wood decide to “borrow” the sleigh.  They have to pull it home but lack the ‘manpower’.  Mr. Negly (Jay Novello), the postman shows up. He is too tired to help but joins in with a less robust chorus of “Deck the Halls.” He decides to go home and get his motorcycle to pull the sled. 

On the day of the caroling, everyone is bundled up and ready to go: Liz, Katie, Mr. Negley, Mr. Wood, and last but not least George. Mr. Negley forgets to put the harness on and cycles off without them. 

End of Part One

Bob LeMond does a commercial for Jell-O, giving out a holiday recipe. 

Part Two

ANNOUNCER: “The sleigh proved too much of a load for Mr. Negley’s motorcycle and we find our old fashioned carolers heeding that old fashioned advice: get a horse.  They’re trudging down the street, horse-ward bound.”

The milkman has said he would loan them his horse. On the way there, they pass a warm-looking home, so the frozen carolers decide to serenade the homeowners with a chorus of “Jingle Bells” to see if they’ll get invited inside for a hot drink and to warm themselves by the fire. Instead, they get sprayed with a seltzer spritzer!  

In “Lucy Goes To Sun Valley” (LDCH S1;E5), Lucy says that Ricky proposed to her at Christmastime, so their ‘song’ is "Jingle Bells,” or – as Ricky pronounces it - “Yingle Bells.”  “Jingle Bells” was heard annually on the show as part of the Christmas Tag and then “The ‘I Love Lucy’ Christmas Show” (1956).  It was also sung on “Together For Christmas” (TLS S1;E13) in 1962. 

When Katie is trying to pour out a cup of hot chocolate during the caroling, a passerby throws a coin into the cup as if they were buskers. A policeman (Frank Nelson) comes along and believes them to be panhandlers!  George introduces himself, and just as the officer is about to protest, Liz compliments his baritone voice and he allows them to go. 

At the police station, Mr. Gundlefinger (Hans Conried, again) arrives to report the theft of his sleigh.  At first, the policeman (Frank Nelson, again) believes he is talking about an automobile. 

GUNDELFINGER: “It was out in front of my shop with ivy in it.” POLICEMAN: “Ivy who?” GUNDELFINGER: “Just ivy. Little leaves and stems.” POLICEMAN: “Oh. What was the make?” GUNDELFINGER: “Flexible Flyer. Their big model.”  POLICEMAN: “Oh, sedan, huh?” GUNDELFINGER: “No. One horse open.” 

Flexible Flyer is best known for the sled of the same name, a steerable wooden sled with steel runners first patented in 1889. Flexible Flyer, however, did not manufacture passenger sleighs like the one discussed in here. 

Mr. Gundelfinger says he has a buyer for the sleigh and needs to get it back!  The policeman calls him Kris Kringle and suspects him to be a crackpot. 

At the same time, the Cooper carolers have gotten the horse hitched up and are singing up a storm. The policeman ‘pulls them over’ and tells them to go home. Liz insists they can take the sleigh back later. 

The policeman pursues them, but the horse stops at every milk stop, allowing the cop to catch up!  George takes the reins, but the horse refuses to turn.  The horse bolts, leaving them stranded in the middle of an intersection in a stolen sleigh. The officer will escort them back to the antiques store if they can just move the sleigh out of the street. With George and the other men pulling it and Liz at the reins, they are finally successful. 

In the live Jell-O commercial, Lucille Ball plays a little girl going to see Santa at the North Pole and Bob LeMond is Santa Claus. Santa refuses to make his rounds this year. He isn’t in the mood. The little girl tries to bribe him with sweets. He is reluctant until she promises him Jell-O! Santa agrees to make his rounds and the little girl wishes everyone a Merry Christmas! 

ANNOUNCER: “Watch for Lucille Ball in the Columbia picture ‘Miss Grant Takes Richmond’.”