#lizzie 1957

[womansfilm]

Lizzie (1957) / The Three Faces of Eve (1957)

[wh0-is-lily]

Marilyn Monroe at the premiere of "The Prince and the Showgirl," in 1957

[lalalagirl7]

[vampirecorleone]

Appreciation for YELLOW fashion in TV & Film: The Kissing Bandit (1948) | Coming to America (1988) | View from the Top (2003) | How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) | The Gang's All Here (1943) | Clueless (1995) | Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) | To Catch a Thief (1955) | The Aftermath (2019) | The Stepford Wives (2004) | Rupaul's Drag Race (2024) | Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) | The Love Witch (2016) | Django Unchained (2012) | The Cher Show (1975) | Hello, Dolly! (1969) | What a Way to Go! (1964) | Marie Antoinette (2003) | War & Peace (1956) | The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) | The Nanny (1993) | The Band Wagon (1953) | Sailor Moon S (1994) | Pal Joey (1957) | Gossip Girl (2007) | Reign (2013) | Legally Blonde (2001) | The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) | La Femme et le Pantin (1959) | The Legend of Zorro (2005)

[ttexed]

Larry Williams - She Said Yeah

‘Larry Williams (May 10, 1935  January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams is best known for writing and recording some rock and roll classics from 1957 to 1959 for Specialty Records, including "Bony Moronie", "Short Fat Fannie", "Bad Boy", "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" and "She Said Yeah," which were later covered by British Invasion groups and other artists. John Lennon, in particular, was a fan of Williams, recording several of his songs over the course of his career. "Bony Maronie" is listed as one of the Top 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. 

Williams lived a life mixed with tremendous success and violence-fueled drug addiction. He was a long-time friend of Little Richard. As a child in New Orleans, Williams learned how to play piano. When he was a teenager, he and his family moved to Oakland, California, where he joined a local R&B group called the Lemon Drops. In 1954, when he was 19 years old, Williams went back to New Orleans for a visit. He began work as Lloyd Price's valet and developed a friendship with Little Richard Penniman, who was recording at the time in New Orleans. Price and Penniman were both recording for Specialty Records at the time. Williams was introduced to Specialty's house producer, Robert Blackwell, and was signed to record. 

 In 1957, Little Richard was Specialty's biggest star, but bolted from Rock and Roll to pursue the ministry. Williams was quickly groomed by Blackwell to try to replicate his success. Using the same raw, shouting vocals and piano-driven intensity, Williams scored with a number of hit singles. Williams' three biggest successes were "Short Fat Fannie", which was his first hit, reaching #5 in Billboard's pop chart, "High School Dance", which also made #5, and "Bony Moronie", which peaked at #14. Both "Short Fat Fanny" and "Bony Moronie" sold over one million copies, gaining gold discs. Several of his songs achieved later success as revivals by The Beatles ("Bad Boy", "Slow Down", and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"); The Rolling Stones ("She Said Yeah"); and John Lennon's versions of "Bony Moronie" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy". 

 Williams had been involved with underworld activity since his early teens, and had reputedly been a pimp before he ever recorded music. After 1957 Williams did not have much success selling records. He recorded a number of songs in 1958 and 1959, including "Heebie Jeebies", with band members such as Plas Johnson on tenor sax and Alvin "Red" Tyler on baritone, Barney Kessel on guitar, Gerald Wilson on trumpet, Ernie Freeman or Williams himself on piano, and Earl Palmer on drums. He was convicted of dealing narcotics in 1960 and served a jail term, setting back his career considerably. 

 Williams made a comeback in the mid-1960s with a funky soul band that included Johnny "Guitar" Watson, which paired him musically with Little Richard who had been lured back into secular music. He produced two Little Richard albums for Okeh Records in 1966 and 1967, which returned Little Richard to the Billboard album chart for the first time in ten years and spawned the hit single Poor Dog. He also acted as the music director for the Little Richard's live performances at the Okeh Club. Bookings for Little Richard during this period skyrocketed. Williams also recorded and released material of his own and with Watson, with some moderate chart success. This period may have garnered few hits but produced some of his best and most original work.  

Williams also began acting in the 1960s, appearing on film in Just for the Hell of It (1968), The Klansman (1974), and Drum (1976). 

 In the 1970s, there was also a brief dalliance with disco, but Williams' wild lifestyle continued. By the middle of the decade, the drug abuse and violence was taking its toll. In 1977, Williams pulled a gun on and threatened to kill his long-time friend, Little Richard, over a drug debt. They were both living in Los Angeles and addicted to cocaine. Little Richard bought drugs from him, arranged to pay him later, but did not show up because he was high. Williams was furious. He hunted him down but ended up showing compassion on his long-time friend after Little Richard repaid the debt. This, along with other factors, led to Little Richard's return to born again Christianity and the ministry, but Williams would not escape LA's seedy underworld.'

 SOURCE: Wikipedia 

[firthbetterorfirthworse]

Pride & Prejudice Master List

I've been watching all Pride & Prejudice screen adaptations in (mostly) chronological order, so here's a list of those posts.

I mostly pulled from a random IMDb list, but that list ended around 2016. Let me know if I missed any that you think should count!

Pride & Prejudice (1938)

Pride & Prejudice (1939)

Pride & Prejudice (1940) bonus

Pride & Prejudice (1952)

Pride & Prejudice (1957) - Italian

Pride & Prejudice (1958)

De Vier Dochtors Bennet (1961)

Pride & Prejudice (1967)

Pride & Prejudice (1980)

Pride & Prejudice (1995) In my defense, this is the intersection of both of my 2024 obsessions so posting got away from me just a little tiny bit

Furst Impressions - Wishbone (1995)

Pride & Extreme Prejudice (1999) (It's just a commercial but it's so unhinged I'm gonna include it here)

Bridget Jones Diary (2001)

Pride & Prejudice (2003)

Bride & Prejudice (2004)

Bridget Jones Edge of Reason (2004)

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

Lost in Austen (2008) Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3

A Modern Pride & Prejudice (2011)

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4, bonus

Death Comes to Pemberley (2013)

Austenland (2013)

Pride & Prejudice (2014) - Kdrama, not affiliated

Pride & Prejudice (2014)

Prejudice & Pride (2014)

Darcy's Tales (2015)

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (2016)

Bridget Jones' Baby (2016)

Before the Fall (2016)

Unleashing Mr. Darcy (2016)

Marrying Mr Darcy (2018)

Paging Mr Darcy (2018)

Pride, Prejudice, & Mistletoe (2018)

Christmas at Pemberley Manor (2018)

Becoming Ms. Bennet (2019)

Pride and Prejudice Atlanta (2019)

Pride & Prejudice Musical (2020)

Fire Island (2022)

An American in Austen (2024)

Bonus: Pride & Prejudice & Dinosaurs

[fibula-rasa]

Watch More Movies Notebook: October ‘24

Collage of stills from my nine favorite new-to-me films of October '24

October's blog journal has a handful of technologically and creatively adventurous pre-code films and a selection of witches, demons, ghosts, and varied ghouls from six different countries!

Favorite New-to-me Films of the Month

(listed in order pictured above, L to R)

As always, if any other films catch your eye, but you need specific content/trigger warnings, feel free to ask and I’ll try to oblige!

READ on BELOW the JUMP!

Black and Tan (1929) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

When Duke and his band are in dire straits, Fredi, Duke’s girlfriend, manages to land them a job. The catch however, is that Fredi must dance in the act even though she has a heart condition.

Dudley Murphy directs Duke Ellington and Fredi Washington in this short-but-dazzling musical tragedy. Black and Tan’s been in my watchlist for ages, but I found extra motivation to finally see it because I’m still watching through the films discussed in Lovers of Cinema, which I read this summer. I’m not new to Murphy’s work, but as I watch more of it, I’m starting to appreciate how unsung he is as a filmmaker. Highly recommend this one!

——— ——— ———

Night of the Demon (1957)

[letterboxd | imdb]

An American parapsychology professor plans to attend a conference in England and discovers that one of his colleagues has died under mysterious circumstances. The professor takes up his colleague’s investigation of a local satanic witch cult—his skepticism blinding him to his imminent peril.

Completely unintentionally, I’ve avoided watching this movie for years because I had assumed I’d seen it already. Turns out I had it mixed up with Night of the Eagle (1962)—a movie that Night of the Demon shares more than a similar title with! Both are good though! Up tight academic psychology experts in England using the power of suggestion and hypnosis to face off with witches appears to be a pretty solid horror formula.

——— ——— ———

Wolf’s Hole / Vlčí Bouda (1987) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

A group of teenagers are accepted into an elite skiing camp on a remote mountain top run by three very odd characters. Red flags start piling up as the isolated kids gradually figure out that this ski camp is, in reality, a very sinister experiment.

A 1980s teen horror film directed by the great Věra Chytilová? How could it not be great? If you choose to check this one out, which I recommend, don’t read too much about it ahead of time—the way Chytilová unfolds the reveal is best left unspoiled. As a horror film fan, I loved how the kids being obnoxious is paired with the perspective that you’re still going to care about them and root for them to make it to safety. This is a much appreciated and humane opposition to many (obvi not all) American horror films where teens acting obnoxiously has become cinematic shorthand that they’re doomed to a violent end. It’s a tense, stressful movie with some bombastic choices within the limited setting. And, for those that need to know ahead of time: the dog does not die! Long live Pišta. CW for some depictions of prejudice toward a Romani character.

——— ——— ———

The Bat Whispers (1930) 

[letterboxd | imdb | hoopla (US)]

Infamous archcriminal, The Bat, has outwitted the cops once again and has shuffled off to the country. Coincidentally, out in the country, the local bank has just been robbed. The Bat is after the money, the cops are after the robbers, and caught in the middle is the wealthy society matron Cornelia Van Gorder and her long-suffering maid/companion Lizzie, who, hoping for a quiet respite from the city, have rented the bank manager’s house while he’s away.

Ambitious contrary evidence to the notion that early sound films fully broke from the rich, artistic visual grammar of silent cinema. I won’t go into that debate in too much detail here, as it’s a complex enough conversation to warrant an essay unto itself. But, in short, some filmmakers, theorists, and critics pointed out an overreliance on the structure and devices of drama in sound film that disrupted artistic development in film as its own distinct medium. That’s an oversimplification but the discourse around this—going all the way back to before sound film became the standard—is really fascinating, so please read up on it if the topic catches your interest. All that said, The Bat Whispers, shot on uncommon 60mm film, has extremely dynamic cinematography for a pre-code. Roland West and Co. do a great job of adapting a stage play to film thoroughly and thoughtfully so that it doesn’t feel stagey. The cast of characters are all delightful and Maude Eburne and Chester Morris deserve special credit.

I enjoy the later adaptation with Agnes Moorehead and Vincent Price, but I have to say The Bat Whispers is all-around the superior film. Wide recommendation for this one, even if you don’t have particular interest in pre-codes!

——— ——— ———

The Blob (1988) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

A small town in California is terrorized by a mysterious and deadly amorphous creature. 

Another film that had been on watchlist for ages, The Blob might now be on my shortlist for best horror films of the 80s. A smart remake that recontextualizes the premise for the social anxieties of 1980s America. The characters are primarily fleshed out by how they react in crisis and the film offers a humane and heartening depiction of members of a community coming together and putting aside their differences in the face of abject horrors. In some ways this feels like it would make a great double feature with Vlčí Bouda (discussed above). (The dog also doesn’t die in this film, FYI.) Also the special effects are absolutely horrifying, and might be a little stomach turning if you are sensitive—very different from the original!

——— ——— ———

Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma / 妖魔 (1989) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

Demons called Yoma are ravaging war-torn feudal Japan. A lone ninja is on a mission to kill his former best friend, who is ushering in a full-blown Yoma invasion. This is a two-part OVA adapting two stories from a manga of the same name.

The world of Yoma is so interesting and creepy and I’m planning on hunting down a collection of the manga. Don’t know that I’d necessarily recommend this one very widely, but, Yoma’s horror-fantasy worldbuilding is super cool. Maybe I’ll come back with more detail after I’ve read the manga!

——— ——— ———

The Vourdalak (2023) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

A Frenchman travelling as an emissary for the king is waylaid and gets stuck in the middle of a supernatural family drama while waiting for a horse.

As soon as I found out that the undead dad in this adaptation was a puppet I knew I had to watch it. It did not disappoint! Great evil puppet, great cinematography (shot on super 16mm), great characters, great editing. Not for the faint of heart though as the gore is gory and I imagine for some people the inter-family patriarchal struggle might be too stressful. Also the dog does die in this one. 

This is now the third film adaptation of Aleksei Tolstoi’s “The Family of the Vourdalak”—the first being the segment of Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath (1963) and the second being The Night of the Devils (1972)—and I’ve really liked all of them. This source material is getting up there with “The Fall of the House of Usher” as a surefire hit with me!

——— ——— ———

St. Louis Blues (1929) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

Bessie deserves better, but that Jimmy sure can dance…

Much like Black and Tan, Dudley Murphy translates Black American Music onto film. This time the short focuses on Bessie Smith and her no-good boyfriend Jimmy. Not as technically adventurous as Black and Tan, but Bessie is such an emotional force that it kinda makes up for it. All things considered, St. Louis Blues feels a lot like a music video, but so meaningful in the context of capturing Bessie Smith’s work on film.

——— ——— ———

The Phantom / Widziadło (1983) 

[letterboxd | imdb]

Piotr Strumieński is being haunted by his first wife, Angelika, who died tragically young. Angelika cursed Piotr to never find happiness with another woman and always to be haunted by her singing. His new wife is trying to cope, but takes a lover. When his eldest son comes to visit on his break from boarding school, stranger and stranger things start happening around the manor house.

I was really taken by how the haunting is depicted—especially in Widziadło’s editing and sound design. Even though I knew what the ending of the story was ahead of time, it still shocked me! The story almost felt suited for giallo at times, but it’s definitively Polish in its execution. Horror movies were not particularly common in Poland during their socialist period, but the ones that were made will punch you in the gut. 

As you may have surmised by this point, I watched a lot of horror this October, so I will be more than happy to try and advise on content/trigger warnings for any of these films. Widziadło in particular has a lot of potential triggers, so don’t hesitate to ask!

——— ——— ———

Honorable Mention: Body Parts (1991) & Devil Story (1986)

Two very different films that didn’t make the list for very different reasons. Body Parts is way campier than I ever expected (positive) but in the end the film just doesn’t quite come together into something entertaining or thought provoking. I do really appreciate that Jeff Fahey fully committed to this film tho. 

Now, we watched Devil Story after it was featured on Red Letter Media and somehow we still weren’t prepared for the chaos. It is not good by any reasonable metric. It’s also not campy—though clips and stills might give you that vibe. However, this film led my SO and I to go into full-blown Jungian dream analysis mode to suss out what the filmmaker likely intended for Devil Story and failed at. And that’s a good experience with a bad film, which can sometimes be as rewarding as watching a good film and for sure more rewarding than a well-executed movie with a bad or hollow spirit.

——— ——— ———

Monthly Round-up

It sure has been a month.

I’ve put work into the addendum to Cosplay the Classics: Salomé and the next installment of Lost, but Not Forgotten, and I’ve also got at least one noir cosplay I’d like to get out for Noirvember this year. So, I guess stay tuned for what I get done first!

I may not have gotten all that much writing/research finished in October, but I did complete a tutorial on the Salomé costume in case anyone else wanted to try their hand at it for Halloween season.

Unfiltered image of my Salomé cosplay from the tutorial post

I also did a 1910s/20s vintage inspired Halloween costume and photoset with explanations of my inspiration.

My vintage Halloween look

——— ——— ———

I was however very productive in making themed gif/still sets in October!

Footnote to Fact (1933)

(which I talked about in the last installment of WMM Notebook)

Mechanical Principles (1931)

La cartomancienne (1932)

(which I talked about in the last installment of WMM Notebook)

The Telltale Heart (1928)

The Web of the Spider / Nella stretta morsa del ragno (1971)

Tell-tale Hearts / Bicie Serca (1971)

The Bat Whispers (1930)

The Vampire Lovers (1970)

——— ——— ———

Until next time, take care of yourselves and take care of one another. Happy noirvember and happy viewing!

——— ——— ———

☕Appreciate my work? Buy me a coffee! ☕

[cars-cause-why-not]

Cars characters' birthdays (Human AU)

Some characters share birthdates with their actors, but not the year for obvious reasons. Also, I've de-aged a lot of characters, particularly Doc, cause I don't want anyone dying in my AU just yet. As a result, Doc raced in the early 60s rather than the 50s.

I also might change some of these later depending on how my AU timeline goes.

Lightning: July 27th, 1984

Doc: January 26th, 1940

Sally: June 13th, 1982

Mater: January 12th, 1971 (kept the date but changed the year for obvious reasons)

Fillmore: May 28th, 1948 (combo of George Carlin & Lloyd Sherr’s birthdays)

Sarge: July 4th, 1949

Ramone: August 13th, 1958

Flo: January 25th, 1957 (only instance I use the actor’s birth year as well as date)

Luigi: March 10th, 1965

Guido: September 18th, 1967

Lizzie: February 14th, 1925

Red: October 30th, 1975

Sheriff: November 14th, 1944

Mack: May 14th, 1972

Strip: July 2nd, 1946

Lynda: April 23rd, 1947

Chick: February 12th, 1953

Cruz: January 6th, 1991

Cal: June 2nd, 1983

Bobby: December 10th, 1984

[johns-prince]

Wanna make it a point that I've never actually sat down and watched the 2019 Rocketman movie, but I do know enough that The Beatles are mentioned and hinted at throughout the film, not to mention there's a bit where it appears that Elton got the rest of his stage name (Elton John) from the John of The Beatles but but but but the important one at least the most important to me that I for some reason remember quite vividly despite not watching this movie once, and been thinking very hard about, is this one scene:

Here if you want to watch the scene yourself.

And while the lines in the script were changed a bit, and those who were saying like one or two line changed, like the ''living and working together'' changed to just ''living together'' which I do find rather interesting, but otherwise that one line remained unchanged from script to acting out:

RAY

Whoever heard of song writers not

living and working together. Lennon

and McCartney are inseparable.

You can read the script here, find this on page 39.

The fact that Lennon and McCartney, their legendary collaborative partnership, being brought up here, of all times. Specifically because while you can't pick up intonation from the script, how Dick asks them if they're flatmates suggests a bit of leering, underhanded silent question ''are you two as men living together, y'know, as queers."

You can even see the guarded expression on Elton's face when this is asked, only to be relieved and softened when Bernie answers clearly with a "No, we live with our mums."

It's after that, and after the same man states ''whoever heard of two song writers not living together'' (the 'living and working together' was replaced with only 'living together' in the movie, which I think is also curious) that Ray, the man advocating for these two, responds seriously with "Yes, Lennon and McCartney are inseparable."

Lennon and McCartney are inseparable. Not were, but are.

If I've got my timelines right for this movie, and if my little bit of research is correct, Elton John and Bernie Taupin got started together in 1967. That means this scene here is during 1967.

Ya'll. If you know your McLennon history, 1967 is like, peak McLennon, it's peak free love Lennon-McCartney.

It was said that during 1967, John was most often found visiting and staying long periods at Paul's house:

“I was fortunate enough to see them together many times in the late 60’s, and have always been fascinated by what I saw/heard: they finished each other’s sentences, laughed together, just seemed totally in sync. I was a 15-year-old girl, but I did notice that about the two of them and will never forget it.”

“We used to go to Paul’s house in the afternoon. John often went there, George and Ringo went too, but John went more often. Then they would go to the studios. Some people would stay to see them leave the house and others would be at the studios to see them arrive.” Lizzie Bravo, apple scruff, on John and Paul [x]

Even as George said it, “...the crucible was in 1967 [sic; 1957] when John and Paul became a duo.” [x]

Listen, I know this movie isn't necessarily strictly on-the-money accurate or precise, and that it is a 'musical biographical fantasy drama about Elton John' but but but it's the fact that this would be considered something to even have said or mentioned, in the kind of way it was, in the kind of moment in that scene, which is happening in 1967.

We have it being said: Lennon and McCartney are inseparable.

You could say it's subtle enough that no one would really notice, right? That it makes sense for Paul and John to be brought up as a comparison to Bernie and Reggie (Elton) with other mentions of Beatles influence scattered and briefly highlighted in early and young Elton John's start off breakthrough years.

Though if you're a real Beatlemaniac, a real Mclennon Truther, and you watch this scene, and catch the tone of the manager's voice hinting at something in 'flatmates' and the look on his face as he brings up the not-so-subtle-accusation-question, and then with Lennon and McCartney being labeled as noticeably inseparable to those working in the industry, as a vocal agreement with ''who ever heard of song writing partners not living together'' and an example as such.

It was said that during 1967, John was most often found visiting and staying long periods at Paul's house:

“I was fortunate enough to see them together many times in the late 60’s, and have always been fascinated by what I saw/heard: they finished each other’s sentences, laughed together, just seemed totally in sync. I was a 15-year-old girl, but I did notice that about the two of them and will never forget it.”

“We used to go to Paul’s house in the afternoon. John often went there, George and Ringo went too, but John went more often. Then they would go to the studios. Some people would stay to see them leave the house and others would be at the studios to see them arrive.” Lizzie Bravo, apple scruff, on John and Paul.

While this is a fantasy/drama biographical, Elton was the executive producer of this movie, and he and his husband had been working on trying to produce a film based on his life for like, two decades. Elton John was friends with John Lennon during the 70s, and they seemed to get on rather well, Elton not having a bad thing to say about Lennon, even though the 70s were tumultuous for him. I'm not necessarily saying Elton knows anything in particular, or truly understood the deeper happenings and complicated relationship that carved up John and Paul, but I'm sure John must've talked with him about it to some extent.

As a friend of mine said as I brought this one scene up to her, while it's probably Elton poking fun at the whole McLennon conspiracy, if anyone knew about some shit going down between John and Paul, anything much more deeper and intimate than just two mates creating music and being buddy-buddy, Elton would be that someone, or at least had his own suspicions.

So I'm sure Elton must've known something, or was suspicion of something, to some degree. There had to be a relevancy for him to want to include and greenlight that line in this scene with those lines and the body language and the quiet accusation of homosexual relations going on between these two up-and-coming songwriters/musicians who actually turn out to be like, platonic soulmates themselves, and to include Lennon-McCartney between the mix and as a comparison.

"Yeah! Lennon and McCartney are inseparable."

[lexyscross]

If Pete & Lizzie hadn't decided to rawdog it that one day in 1957, NONE of this would be happening! 😭

[womansfilm]

Lizzie (1957) / The Haunting (1963)

[jastersmohnson]

Here’s how the Masters of Sex trio aged over the course of the series

Masters of Sex has such a wonky timeline, I’ve sometimes wondered watching the show what age the characters are supposed to be—and how that correlates to the age of the actors.

Bill Masters was born December 27, 1915

Virginia Johnson was born February 11, 1925

It’s unknown when Libby Masters was born, but considering she turned 40 in episode 310, it’s safe to say it’s around November 1928.

Let’s get started!

SEASON ONE

Season one takes place from October 1956 to October 1957.  This would mean that Bill Masters celebrated his 41st birthday during the events of the pilot and Libby Masters celebrated her 28th birthday during the events of the pilot.  Considering episode three takes place in February 1957, Virginia would’ve celebrated her 32nd birthday before or during this episode’s events.  The characters are the same age for the rest of the season.

In real life, the pilot was filmed in March 2012 when Sheen was 43, Caplan was 29, and FitzGerald was 28.  The season proper started to film the following January, and Michael Sheen celebrated his 44th birthday around the time the fourth episode was being filmed.  When filming concluded on the season, Sheen was 44, Caplan was 30, and FitzGerald was 29.

Sheen was 43–44 playing someone who was 40–41

Caplan was 29–30 playing someone who was 31–32

FitzGerald was 28–29 playing someone who was 27–28

SEASON TWO

Season two picks up a little bit after season one left off.  The first half of the season takes place primarily in early 1958.  During the events of “Asterion”, which end in October 1960, all three have aged an additional two years.  Both Libby and Bill celebrate an additional birthday by the end of the season.  This means that by the end of the season, Masters is 45, Johnson is 35, and Libby is 32.

In real life, the season was filmed from March to July 2014.  Caplan was the only one who celebrated her birthday during the season’s filming, turning 32 during the filming of the tenth episode.

Sheen was 45 playing someone who was 42–45

Caplan was 31–32 playing someone who was 33–35

FitzGerald was 30 playing someone who was 29–32

SEASON THREE

Season three starts in the middle of 1965 when Masters is 49, Johnson is 40, and Libby is 36.  The episode “Three’s a Crowd” ends the following spring, and each character has aged an additional year by the end of that episode.  From there, the specific timeline of season three is somewhat of a blur.  We know for sure that the season ends in December 1968.  By the end of the season, Masters is 52, Johnson is 43, and Libby is 40.

Season three was filmed from April to August 2015.  Caplan celebrated her 33rd birthday during the filming of “Monkey Business”, and the season seemed to wrap up right before FitzGerald’s 32nd birthday.

Sheen was 46 playing someone who was 49–52

Caplan was 32–33 playing someone who was 40–43

FitzGerald was 31 playing someone who was 36–40

SEASON FOUR

There are no huge time jumps with season four, which takes place from December 1968 to August 1969.  Libby, who celebrated her 40th birthday at the end of last season, is the same age throughout this season.  Bill would’ve celebrated his 53rd birthday during the events of the first episode, and Johnson would’ve celebrated her 44th birthday in between the events of episodes two and three.  By the end of the series, Masters is 53, Johnson is 44, and Libby is 40.

Season four was filmed from June to September 2016.  As with the previous two seasons, Lizzy Caplan celebrated a birthday during production, turning 34 during the filming of “The Pleasure Protocol”.  FitzGerald also celebrated her 33rd birthday during the filming of “Topeka”.

Sheen was 47 playing someone who was 52–53

Caplan was 33–34 playing someone who was 43–44

FitzGerald was 32–33 playing someone who was 40

[kwebtv]

Inga Swenson (December 29, 1932 – July 23, 2023) Stage, film and television actress and singer. She appeared in multiple Broadway productions and was nominated twice for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances as Lizzie Curry in 110 in the Shade and Irene Adler in Baker Street. She also spent seven years portraying Gretchen Kraus in the ABC comedy series Benson.

Swenson appeared in two episodes of Bonanza: "Inger, My Love" (1962) and "Journey Remembered" (1963) as Hoss' mother. She portrayed Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later head housekeeper and budget director) in the TV sitcom Benson. Her portrayal garnered three Emmy nominations. She was cast after appearing in a multi-episode stint as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova), on the TV sitcom Soap. (Benson was a spinoff of Soap and shared the same producers.) She also appeared as northern matriarch Maude Hazard in the mini-series North and South in 1985 and again in 1986.

She appeared in many other series beginning in 1957.

IMDb listing

[films-on-a-plane]

to be watched list (series)

# $#*! My Dad Says (2010–2011) 2 Broke Girls (2011-2017) 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001) 6Teen (2004-2010) 8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter (2002-2005) 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020) 30 Rock (2006–2013) 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997-1998)

A According to Jim (2001-2009) Adventure Time (2010-2018) Aladdin (1994-1995) Ally McBeal (1997-2002) American Dragon: Jake Long (2005-2007) Anger Management (2012-2014) Archer (2009-2023) As Told by Ginger (2000-2009) Atypical (2017-2021) Austin & Ally (2011-2016) Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) Awkward. (2011-2016)

B Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) Black-ish (2014-2022) Blockbuster (2022) Bluey (2018-) Bob's Burgers (2011-) BoJack Horseman (2014–2020) Boy Meets World (1993-2000) Braceface (2001-2006) Brandy & Mr. Whiskers (2004-2007) Broad City (2014-2019) Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

C CatDog (1998-2005) Charmed (1998-2006) Community (2009-2015) Cougar Town (2009-2015) Coupling (2000-2004)

D Daria (1997-2002) Dead Like Me (2003-2004) Derry Girls (2018-2022) Disenchantment (2018-2023) Doctor Who (2005-) Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012-2013) Drake & Josh (2004-2007)

E Ellen (1994-1998) Emily in Paris (2020-) Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009) Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005) Everything Sucks! (2018)

F Family Guy (1999– ) Fillmore! (2002-2004) Fleabag (2016-2019) Frasier (1993-2004) Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) Fresh Off the Boat (2015–2020) Full House (1987-1995) Futurama (1999-)

G Game of Thrones (2011-2019) Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) Ginny & Georgia (2021-) Girl Meets World (2014-2017) Go On (2012-2013) Good Luck, Charlie (2010-2014) Gossip Girl (2007-2012) Gravity Falls (2012-2016) Grim & Evil (2001-2007)

H Hacks (2021-) Hannah Montana (2006-2011) Hercules (1998-1999) House (2004–2012) Home Economics (2021-2023) Home Improvement (1991-1999) Hot in Cleveland (2010-2015) How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014) How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (2019-)

I I Am Not Okay with This (2020) iCarly (2007-2012) I Love Lucy (1951-1957) Inside Job (2021–2022) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)

J Joey (2004–2006)

K K.C. Undercover (2015-2018) Kevin Can Wait (2016-2018) Killing Eve (2018-2022) Kim Possible (2002-2007) King of the Hill (1997-2010)

L Liv and Maddie (2013-2017) Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003-2006) Lizzie McGuire (2001-2004) Louie (2010-2015)

M Mad About You (1992-2019) Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988) Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006) Man vs. Bee (2022) Man with a Plan (2016-220) Maude (1972-1978) Melissa & Joey (2010-2015) Mike & Molly (2010-2016) Modern Family (2009-2020) Monk (2002–2009) Mr. Bean (1990-1995) Mr. Bean (2002-2019) Mr. Sunshine (2011-2012) My Name Is Earl (2005-2009)

N New Girl (2011-2018) Not Dead Yet (2023-)

O Once Upon a Time (2011-2018)

P Parks & Recreation (2009–2015) Party Down (2009-) Pepper Ann (1997-2000) Popeye the Sailor (1960-1962) Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017) Pretty Smart (2021)

Q

R Recess (1997-2001) Regular Show (2010-2017) Rick and Morty (2013–) Rules of Engagement (2007-2013) Russian Doll (2019-)

S Sabrina: The Animated Series (1999-2000) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996-2003) Sam & Cat (2013-2014) Saved by the Bell (1989-1992) Schitt's Creek (2015-2020) Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1978) Sean Saves the World (2013-2014) Sex and the City (1998-2004) Seinfeld (1989-1998) Shake It Up (2010-2013) Shameless (2011-2021) Silicon Valley (2014-2019) Single Parents (2018-2020) Skins (2007–2013) So Help Me Todd (2022-) Space Force (2020-2022) Speechless (2016-2019) SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-) Squid Game (2021-) Stranger Things (2016-2025) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007) Suburgatory (2011-2014) Superior Donuts (2017-2018) Superstore (2015-2021)

T That '70s Show (1998-2006) That '90s Show (2023-) That's So Raven (2003-2007) The Brady Binch (1969-1974) The Crew (2021) The Ellen Show (2001-2002) The Emperor's New School (2006-2008) The End of the F***ing World (2017-2019) The Flight Attendant (2020-2022) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996) The Golden Girls (1985-1992) The Golden Palace (1992-1993) The IT Crowd (2006-2013) The King of Queens (1998-2007) The Last Dance (2020) The Legend of Tarzan (2001-2003) The Little Mermaid (1992-1994) The Loud House (2014-) The Neighborhood (2018-) The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006-2023) The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988-1991) The Odd Couple (2015-2017) The Office UK (2001-2003) The Pink Panther Show (1969-1970) The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2004) The Replacements (2006-2022) The Suite Life on Deck (2008-2011) The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005-2008) The Twilight Zone (1959–1964) The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024) The Upshaws (2021-) The White Lotus (2021-2025) The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022) Timon & Pumbaa (1995-1999) Tiny Beautiful Things (2023) Totally Spies! (2001-2014) Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

U Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-2020) Unstable (2023-)

V Veep (2012-2019)

W Web Therapy (2011-2015) Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979) Wednesday (2022-) What I Like About You (2002-2006) Whitney (2011–2013) Will & Grace (1998-2020) W.I.T.C.H. (2004-2006) Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012)

X Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001)

Y Young & Hungry (2014-2018)

Z

[papermoonloveslucy]

TV on TV!

Part 1 ~ The TV Shows of the Lucyverse

Although it may seem redundant, the worlds created by Lucille Ball on radio and television frequently created and mentioned other TV shows!  Here are a few. 

“Television” (1949)

Liz and George’s visit to their next-door neighbors, the Stones, turns into a disaster when George tries to repair the Stones’ new television set by himself.

“Television throws ‘My Favorite Husband’ for a loss, and the whole neighborhood into night courts.” ~  Mason City Globe-Gazette radio listing

“Too Many Television Sets” (1949) 

Liz (Lucilll Ball) can’t get George (Richard Denning) interested in buying a television set, until they spend an evening at the Atterburys, who have one. With his interest piqued, George arranges one be sent over on trial. Little does he know Liz has done the same thing - as have the Atterbury’s!  

LIZ: “I never know who won the fights or what Kukla and Fran are doing to Ollie.”

“Kukla, Fran, and Ollie” was a children’s television show created by Burr Tillstrom that aired from 1947 to 1957. Kukla and Ollie were puppets and actress Fran Allison interacted with them. The show won a 1949 Peabody Award and went on to win two Emmys.

IRIS: “I did my knitting last night with Ed Wynn; I had breakfast with Tex and Jinx; and this afternoon I took a bath with Hopalong Cassidy!”

“The Ed Wynn Show” was a variety show broadcast from September 22,1949 to July 4, 1950 on the CBS Television Network. Comedian and former vaudevillian Ed Wynn was the star of the program. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz made their television debut as a couple on the show on Christmas Eve 1949, just a few weeks after this episode of “My Favorite Husband”.

“Tex and Jinx” were Eugenia “Jinx” Falkenberg and her husband John “Tex” McCary. The couple were popular radio hosts who began on television in January 1947.

“Hopalong Cassidy” made the leap from books and movies to the small screen on June 24, 1949, kicking off the legacy of the Western on television. These were not new, but simply cut-down versions of the feature films that were in cinemas from 1935 to 1948. 

Joe warns the Coopers not to sit behind Iris because they only have a ten inch screen. (Liz adds that Iris has a 16″ neck.) He advises that they visit the Schraders who watch “Pantomime Quiz” and serve sandwiches. “Pantomime Quiz” (later titled “Stump the Stars”), was a television game show hosted by Mike Stokey. Running from 1947 to 1959, it has the distinction of being one of the few television series to air on all four TV networks during the Golden Age of Television. Lucille Ball is reported to have been on the series in December 1947, which would make it her television debut.

“Liz Appears on Television” (1950)

Liz and Iris (Bea Benadaret) make an appearance on a television show celebrating Friendship Week. Their friendship is tested, though, when they discover they've bought the same dress for the occasion. The name of the show is  “Love Your Neighbor” the host of which is played by Frank Nelson. The episode mentions two of the same television programs as “Too Many Television Sets” a year earlier. 

GEORGE: “I can see it now: ‘Kukla, Fran and Lizzie!”

LIZ: “Try Hopalong Cassidy. He looks good next to a horse!”

“Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (1952)

RICKY: “You’ve never even been on a television show!” LUCY: “Maybe not, but I’ve watched them a lot.”  

Lucy gets hired to do a TV commercial on Ricky’s new show, not realizing the health tonic she has to consume is full of alcohol!

LUCY: “When Ricky comes home tonight you’re going to turn on that television set, and you know who’s going to be on it?”  FRED: “Well, I can only hope it’s Faye Emerson.”

Faye Emerson was a very glamorous stage and screen actress turned TV hostess who had her own variety show. She wore low-cut gowns bedecked with jewelry and had bleach blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun.

The TV show Ricky hosts is titled “Your Saturday Night Variety”.  You can see Lucille Ball waiting in the wings, with the living room set behind her!  The TV camera has had its identifying information redacted and replaced by TVC (Television Camera)! 

“Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio” (1952)

When their TV breaks down, the gang tunes in to a radio quiz show. Surprisingly, Ricky correctly guesses the answers to all of the questions, so the next day Lucy signs them up to be on the show. Sitting the radio atop the malfunctioning TVV set, the gang stares intently at the radio, just as they would television. Before the TV breaks down, the foursome are watching a movie, despite poor reception. 

LUCY: “That little girl is Margaret O'Brien, isn’t it?” RICKY: “Look again - it’s Shirley Temple.” FRED: “Look again - it’s Mary Pickford!”

“New Neighbors” (1952)

“That’s pretty corny dialogue, even for television. Well, it’s a living!”

New neighbors have just moved in to 323 East 68th Street. When Lucy gets stuck hiding in their closet, she overhears the couple practicing their lines for a TV show and jumps to conclusion that they are foreign spies! Hayden Rorke and K.T. Stevens play the acting couple. 

“The Handcuffs” (1952)

To keep Ricky home, Lucy handcuffs them together - but then doesn’t have the key. Ricky needs to host a TV show that evening - “Your Favorite Celebrity Guest Stars on TV”.  Lucy has no choice but to be part of the act - if only her left arm!

Ricky is interviewed and introduced by Veola Vonn, real-life wife of Frank Nelson.

“Readers keepers, losers go look at television!” ~ The Black Eye (1953)

“Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans” (1953) 

Lucy and Ethel feel the boys are ignoring them to watch the fights on television. They go to elaborate lengths to stop their obsession. The championship boxing match that Ricky and Fred are watching pits 'The Kid' against Murphy. A heavyweight boxer named Irish Bob Murphy famously fought Jake LaMotta in June 1952. Kid Gavilán was a welterweight boxer from (unsurprisingly) Cuba, who was world champion in 1952. Naturally Ricky bets on 'The Kid', while Irishman Fred is in Murphy's corner.

“Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (1953)

“We have a whole half hour on television!”

Lucy and Ethel are excited to appear on TV with their club, until they buy the same dress, which tests their “Friendship”.

Ricky’s solo on the TV show is "Vaya con Dios.” When Ricky is introducing his song, he says “It’s become quite popular in the last couple of months.”

“Baby Pictures” (1953) 

Trying to impress the Ricardos about his TV station’s offering of motion pictures Charlie Appleby says:

CHARLIE: “We’ve got the newest moving pictures in town. I bought a block of films yesterday, and I want to tell you that they’re going to make television stars out of some of the actors. Now, just remember their names: Conway Tearle and Mabel Normand.”

Both were silent film stars and died in the 1930s! 

“Million Dollar Idea” (1954) 

Lucy bottles her own salad dressing, then she and Ethel go on TV to sell it. 

They appear on “The Dickie Davis Show,” a four-hour daily TV program produced at the station run by Caroline Appleby's husband, Charlie. Frank Nelson plays Dickie Davis. 

“The Charm School” (1954)

The episode opens with a party where the men are in one room and the women in the other. At the party, the men talk about how soon color might be introduced on television. 

BILL: “Well, there are two schools of thought on that matter. Some people think it’s just around the corner. Others think it’s gonna be a year or two.”

In reality, it was just six months away - but not on CBS and not on “I Love Lucy.”  Ricky says he read an article by Harry Ackerman, a  TV producer who supported the filming of “I Love Lucy” in front of a live studio audience.

“Home Movies” (1954) 

“If I want to see old movies, I’ll watch television.”

When his feelings get hurt that no one is interested in his home movies, Ricky refuses to include Lucy, Fred and Ethel in his new TV pilot film. Lucy, however, has a plan to get into the action anyway!

“Ricky’s Hawaiian Vacation” (1954) 

Lucy plans to win a trip to Hawaii on a television quiz show so that she can go with Ricky on a work trip. 

The TV show is called “Be A Good Neighbor” and it is hosted by Freddy Fillmore, who has finally made the leap from radio to television. In reality, many radio shows made the transition to television during the early 1950s. 

“The Black Wig” (1954) 

When Ethel tries on Lucy’s wig, Fred says it looks more like life with Luigi. 

“Life With Luigi” was a radio comedy that transferred to television. It premiered on CBS one season after “I Love Lucy,” but was not a success, lasting only a year before briefly returning to radio. One of the 'Italian' characters was played by Alan Reed, who later voiced Fred Flintstone. Two years earlier, both “Luigi” and “Lucy” were part of “Stars in the Eye”, a 1952 CBS special that celebrated the opening of Television City Studios.

“Tennessee Ernie Hangs On” (1954)

The gang and Ernie sing on television to make money to send him home. 

“Millikan's Chicken-Mash Hour” was a fictional country music TV program, but there were real-life examples as well, the first ever called “Village Barn,” broadcast from 1948 to 1950 from a New York City nightclub. Others included “Hayloft Hoedown,” “ABC Barn Dance,” “Saturday Night Jamboree,” “Windy City Jamboree,” “The Old American Barn Dance,” and “Midwestern Hayride” - all on rival networks. The most famous entry into the genre, “Hee Haw,” did air on CBS, but didn't come along until 1969.  

“Mr. and Mrs. TV Show” (1954)

“This is going to be one of the biggest television programs to hit town in years!”

Ricky has a chance to do an ‘at-home' TV breakfast show, and naturally Lucy wants to be in it. Things go well until Lucy discovers Ricky only let her do the show because the sponsor insisted. Then revenge is what is served for breakfast!  The live show is named “Breakfast with Ricky and Lucy.” 

“Breakfast with Ricky and Lucy” was inspired by "Breakfast with Dorothy and Dick."  This daily radio chat show aired from 1945 through 1963, and starred Dorothy Kilgallen, journalist and reporter, and her husband Richard Kollmar, a Broadway actor and producer. There was another popular husband and wife radio breakfast show called “Hi Jinx” that starred model and actress Jinx Falkenburg and publicist Tex McCrary, which made the leap to television in 1948.

“Bullfight Dance” (1955)

When Lucy is asked to write an article for Photoplay about what it's like being married to Ricky, she uses it to blackmail him to get to perform in a TV benefit for the Heart Fund.

The scenes of the benefit television show "Coast-to-Coast" for the Heart Fund, hosted by Ricky and featuring Lucy in the bullfight number of the episode's title, are introduced with an establishing shot of the newly-opened CBS Television City building at 7800 Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Although “I Love Lucy” was one of CBS’s strongest shows, Desilu was already happily ensconced at Ren Mar Studios.

“Face to Face” (1955)

Lucy and Ricky appear on a TV interview show from their apartment. But his new agent says the apartment is a dump, and urges them to move into ritzier quarters. The agent tells Ricky that he thinks he’s got him “planted on the Sullivan show next month”.  “The Ed Sullivan Show” (aka “Toast of the Town”) was a Sunday night staple on CBS. In addition to hosting performers on the stage of their New York theatre, celebrities would also be in the audience, and get introduced by Sullivan to get camera time. This is what is meant by “planted” on the Sullivan show.

Ed Warren (Elliott Reid) is a parody of Edward R. Murrow (right), who hosted the interview show “Person to Person” from 1953 to 1959. Just like Murrow, Warren signs off by bidding the audience “Good night, and good luck!”

“Lucy Meets Charles Boyer” (1956)

Lucy thinks every man she sees is film star Charles Boyer. When she spots the real Boyer, Ricky convinces him to pretend to be a second rate actor who just happens to look like the star. Boyer mentions “Four Star Playhouse” (1952-56), an anthology series sponsored by Singer and Bristol Myers. The premise of the CBS series was that Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes.

“Lucy and Superman” (1957)

Lucy brags that she can get Superman for Little Ricky’s birthday party. When he isn’t available, Lucy dresses up as the man of steel instead. 

As the episode opens, Ricky and Little Ricky are watching “Adventures of Superman” on TV. Superman fans have said that this excerpt was not from the original series, but created for “I Love Lucy” using Reeve’s double. The wires holding Superman up are clearly visible in the shot and it was commonly known that Reeve disliked using wires because of an incident early in the show’s creation.  

“Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors” (1957)

When a misunderstanding about the between Betty (Mary Jane Croft) and Lucy spreads to the boys, Ralph (Frank Nelson) rescinds his offer for Ricky to appear on one of his advertising agency's TV shows, saying “We'll get Cugat!”  For Ricky, this is the ultimate insult. In the early days of television, advertising agencies could dictate whether a show would be aired or not. Such was the case with “I Love Lucy” in 1951. Biou Advertising represented Philip Morris, the show’s sponsor during the first several years. 

“Lucy Goes To Sun Valley” (1958)

When Ricky, Little Ricky and Fred have to stay home to work on a television show, Lucy reluctantly takes Ethel to Sun Valley. 

“Lucy Goes To Alaska” (1959) 

The Ricardos and Merztes go to Alaska where Ricky and Fred have bought some land and Ricky is doing a TV show. When Red Skelton’s partner fails to appear, Lucy is recruited to perform with him. 

“Lucy Wants a Career” (1959)

“I can’t believe it!  Lucy on television!” 

Looking for fulfillment outside the home, Lucy takes a job as a Girl Friday for Paul Douglas on the morning TV show “Early Bird.”  

The first morning news program on television was “Three To Get Ready,” a local show hosted by comedian Ernie Kovacs that aired in Philadelphia from 1950 to 1952. Although it was mostly entertainment-oriented, the program did feature news and weather segments. Its success prompted NBC to look at producing something similar on a national basis and in January 1952 the "Today Show” premiered. CBS (Lucy's network) entered the field in 1954, but was never able to compete in the ratings. 

“Lucy Meets the Mustache” (1960)

Near the end of the episode, Ernie Kovacs tells Ricky to "take a good look" at Crandall (aka Lucy in disguise). 

“Take a Good Look” was the name of a TV quiz show Kovacs moderated at the time. It involved a panel guessing answers based on short skits.