EPISODE GUIDE for I LOVE LUCY
by
starring Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz
with Vivian Vance & William Frawley
Season One
1-Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her
A misunderstood conversation between Ricky and his agent leads Lucy to the conclusion
that he is trying to kill her. Ricky pours a sedative for Lucy so she can relax, but she
thinks it's poison. With what she believes is her last burst of energy, she drags herself
to Ricky's club to shoot him. The Classic TV sitcom is born with this, the very first Lucy
episode.
2-The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub
To celebrate the Mertzes' wedding anniversary, Fred and Ricky want to go to a prize
fight, but the girls want to get dressed up and go to a nightclub. Lucy threatens to find
two other escorts if their husbands won't take them. This is just fine with Fred, but
Ricky worries. So he and Fred find two other girls and go to the same nightclub to spy on
their wives.
3-Be a Pal
Lucy decides Ricky's love is growing cold, so she takes Ethel's suggestions: that she
join her spouse in his weekly poker game and that she turn the apartment into a Cuban
hacienda to appeal to Ricky's native tastes. Look for Lucy's wacky Carmen Miranda
impression in this episode.
4-The Diet
One of the girls in Ricky's show quits, making a vacancy for a singer who can wear a
size 12 costume. Lucy tricks Ricky into saying that if she loses enough weight she can
sing in the show. She then starves, exercises, and steams, finally losing five pounds. .
.but there are further obstacles to her "big break." In this episode, Lucy and
Desi reprise one of the highlights of their 1950 vaudeville tour, "Cuban Pete."
5-The Quiz Show
Finding herself short of funds, Lucy wangles her way into a contestant spot on a wild
and woolly quiz show. The show is called "Females are Fabulous," a title that
Lucy justifies elaborately. In this episode, Frank Nelson makes the first of many cameos
as Freddy Fillmore.
6-The Audition Show
Ricky's band is to be auditioned for television, and Lucy is trying to "get into
the act." When Lucy substitutes for Buffo the clown, the producers want to sign her,
not Ricky, and Lucy is confronted with problems. Ricky sings his trademark
"Babalu" for the first time in this episode.
7-The Seance
Lucy suddenly becomes interested in numerology and superstitions. After advising Ricky
that it's a good day for him to make deals, she realizes that she read yesterday's
horoscopes and that today is actually a bad day for Ricky. She thus says "no" to
a very important business call for Ricky from Mr. Meriweather. In the process of putting
things right, Lucy conducts a seance. Classic Ethel quote: "Ethel to Tillie, Ethel to
Tillie, come in Tillie."
8-Men Are Messy
When Ricky leaves his clothes around the living room, Lucy gets angry and divides the
living room in half so Ricky can be as messy as he likes on his side. Ricky gets the
Tropicana jumping with the "Straw Hat Song" in this episode.
9-Drafted
When Lucy opens a telegram addressed to Ricky ordering him to appear at the Army's Fort
Dix, she assumes he has been drafted. Both Lucy and Ethel are convinced their husbands
have been drafted when they see them drilling in the living room with brooms. They don't
realize that Ricky and Fred are practicing a dance routine for the servicemen's show.
10-The Fur Coat
Ricky brings home a mink coat that is to be used in his nightclub act, but Lucy takes
it for granted it's for her. Trying to get the coat away from her is a problem for Ricky:
Lucy not only sleeps in it, she even wears it while she is doing the housework. Finally,
Ricky tells Fred to dress up like a robber and steal it back for him.
11-Jealous of Girl Dancer
Ethel Mertz misinterprets a gossip column item and decides Ricky is interested in a
chorus girl. To keep an eye on Ricky, Lucy manages to wangle her way into the chorus line,
where she upstages the dancer during the number and makes a mess of the show. Arroz con
pollo, Desi Arnaz's actual favorite dish, is served up in this episode.
12-The Adagio
Lucy learns that Ricky is looking for an Apache dancer for his nightclub act. Convinced
that someday she will break into show business, Lucy grabs at this opportunity. She dreams
up a wild American Indian war dance routine and goes after the job at Ricky's club. As a
result, Ricky is challenged to a duel behind Radio City Music Hall.
13-The Benefit
Lucy resorts to womanly wiles to get Ricky to sing at a women's club benefit. Ricky is
reluctant at first, but Lucy tricks him into agreeing to sing and dance with her at the
function. In this episode Lucy and Ricky reprise a classic vaudeville routine,
"Underneath the Bamboo Tree."
14-The Amateur Hour
Lucy buys a very expensive dress. When Ricky tells her to take it back or pay for it
herself, she decides to get a babysitting job -- but gets more than she bargained for with
the Hudson twins.
15-Lucy Plays Cupid
Lucy tries to arrange a match between a love-starved old lady and a giddy grocery man.
In her efforts to play Cupid, Lucy gives the grocer the idea that she has a crush on him.
TV Land regulars Edward Everett Horton and Bea Benadaret guest-star in this episode.
16-Lucy Fakes Illness
Ricky won't hire Lucy for his new act, so Lucy consults a book on abnormal psychology
for a solution. When Ricky arrives home and finds out that Lucy is faking a nasty case of
the "gobloots," he calls in an actor to play a physician.
17-Lucy Writes a Play
Lucy writes a tender, heartwarming story of a Cuban tobacco picker in "A Tree
Grows in Havana." She tries to get Ricky to star in it. When he refuses, Lucy settles
for Fred. However, Fred's Spanish accent is so terrible that she changes the play's
setting to England. Ricky wants back in, but doesn't realize that the play has been
revamped until he's on stage.
18-Breaking the Lease
After a fun evening around the piano singing favorite songs, the Mertzes retire to bed,
leaving Lucy and Ricky alone to pursue a short encore. Ethel telephones demanding quiet.
When Lucy points out that the Mertzes were just down there making noise themselves, the
Ricardos and the Mertzes have the first of many classic feuds.
19-The Ballet
Ricky is searching for both a ballet dancer and a burlesque comic for his new act. Lucy
wants the ballet job desperately and enrolls in a dance class run by the strict Madame
Lamond. After failing at ballet, she decides to hire a burlesque comic teacher in hopes
that she can at least be the comic in the show. When Lucy is summoned to the club to
replace a sick performer, she assumes it's the comic they need, but it is actually the
ballet dancer. Look for Lucy's "Slowly I Turned" burlesque comedy routine in
this episode.
20-The Young Fans
When a teenage girl named Peggy drops her steady, Arthur, for suave Ricky Ricardo, Lucy
tries to teach the clumsy schoolboy how to dance so he can impress Peggy. Unfortunately,
Arthur gets carried away and proclaims his love for Lucy. Richard Crenna and Janet Waldo
(the voice of Judy Jetson) guest-star in this episode.
21-New Neighbors
Lucy and Ethel can't wait to get a closer look at the belongings of their new
neighbors, the O'Briens. Ricky makes Lucy promise not to set foot in their apartment. Lucy
and Ethel decide to snoop anyway, but when the O'Briens come home suddenly, Lucy and Ethel
hide in a closet. There they overhear the O'Briens discussing what sounds like a plot to
murder Ricky and Lucy. The neighbors are actually television actors rehearsing a scene.
Hayden Rorke, who played Dr. Bellows on "I Dream of Jeannie," guest-stars in
this episode.
22-Fred and Ethel Fight
Lucy and Ricky try to patch up the Mertzes' quarrel by inviting each to dinner without
the other's knowledge. "I Love Lucy" sponsor Phillip Morris is prominently
plugged in this episode.
23-The Mustache
When Ricky refuses to shave off his new mustache, Lucy glues a white beard and mustache
on her own face. Ricky concedes defeat, but Lucy is unable to remove her false whiskers
because the glue remover is no longer available. It's "Bulldog Cement" that
seals Lucy's fate in this episode.
24-The Gossip
Ricky and Fred bet Lucy and Ethel that they can keep from gossiping longer than their
wives. The winners are to be served breakfast in bed for a month. Ricky tells Lucy some
gossip while pretending to be asleep, so that Lucy will spill the news to Ethel and make
the girls lose the bet. Watch for the classic moment when Lucy does charades in this
episode.
25-Pioneer Women
Determining that they have washed 219,000 dishes since being married, Lucy and Ethel
demand dishwashers. The men insist that the women have it too "soft" and bet
them fifty dollars that they can't live without modern conveniences. See the classic
moment when Lucy battles a loaf of bread.
26-The Marriage License
A close inspection of her marriage license convinces Lucy that she and Ricky are not
legally married. Because his name is misspelled on the certificate, Lucy insists that
Ricky go through the entire courtship and marriage ceremony a second time. This episode is
based on Lucy and Desi's actual wedding.
27-The Kleptomaniac
Ricky discovers a large amount of cash in Lucy's purse and a cache of silverware and
other valuables in a closet. Unaware that Lucy is collecting items for a club bazaar, he
immediately jumps to the conclusion that she's a kleptomaniac. Joseph Kearns, Mr. Wilson
in "Dennis the Menace," guest-stars in this episode.
28-Cuban Pals
Annoyed by Ricky's accounts of the lovely Cuban entertainer Renita, who was his partner
in the old days, Lucy rigs herself out as a seductive Latin dancer and devises a plan to
replace Renita in the show.
29-The Freezer
Lucy gets a walk-in meat freezer, orders two sides of beef, and runs a business with
Ethel until the neighborhood butcher gets wise to their competitive tricks. While trying
to move the beef from the basement freezer into the unlit furnace before Ricky sees the
$483 meat bill, Lucy accidentally gets locked inside the freezer. This is the "human
popsicle" episode.
30-Lucy Does a TV Commercial
Lucy tricks Ricky into letting her do a commercial during a television variety show.
The commercial is for Vitameatavegamin Vitamins, and Lucy is the Vitameatavegamin girl.
Don't miss this classic episode.
31-Publicity Agent
To increase business at the Tropicana, Lucy concocts a publicity scheme based on a
newspaper item claiming that the Shah of Persia owns all of Benny Goodman's records. Lucy
decides to pose as the Maharincess of Franistan, who has traveled halfway around the globe
to see her singing idol, Ricky Ricardo.
32-Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio
Convinced that Ricky is a mental giant, Lucy makes secret arrangements to get him on a
radio quiz show. Frank Nelson returns once again as quiz show host Freddie Fillmore.
33-Lucy's Schedule
After Lucy is late for a dinner appointment with Ricky's boss Alvin Littlefield, Ricky
puts his wife on a rigid time schedule. Ricky tells his boss about this new schedule,
adding that he has Lucy jumping around like a trained seal and that Littlefield should
come over to see her perform. When Lucy gets wind of the plot, she schemes with Ethel and
Mrs. Littlefield to teach their time-conscious hubbies a well-deserved lesson. Gale Gordon
makes his first guest-star appearance as Alvin Littlefield, Ricky's boss.
34-Getting Bald
Haunted by the thought that he is growing bald, Ricky appeals to Lucy, who comes up
with an unorthodox treatment.
35-Ricky Asks for a Raise
Lucy convinces Ricky that he should pressure his boss into giving him a raise. When
Ricky follows Lucy's advice literally, he gets a big "no" from the nightclub
owner. Insult is added to injury when Ricky's nightclub launches an explosive campaign
announcing the debut of his replacement. You can't miss Fred Mertz in drag in this
episode. Gale Gordon returns as guest star.
36-Anniversary Present
Believing that Ricky has forgotten their anniversary, Lucy fears his attentions are
wandering. Her suspicions are further aroused when she sees him fastening a pearl necklace
around the neck of one of their neighbors.
37-The Handcuffs
Inspired by a magic trick she saw, Lucy handcuffs herself to her sleeping husband. To
their mutual horror, they discover that the handcuffs are of Civil War vintage and a key
cannot be found to unlock them.
38-The Operetta
Lucy persuades members of her women's club to stage her original operetta
with "John Charles Ricardo" as the leading man. Lucy plays a witchlike gypsy in
the show, and Ricky plays the hero "good Prince Lancelot." In the midst of the
performance, men from the costume and scenery rental company arrive and proceed to
repossess the items.
Season Two
39-Job Switching
Convinced that they need to do something more lucrative than keep house, Lucy and Ethel
get jobs in a candy factory. The girls are forced to work at a conveyer belt that brings
the sweets to them faster than their unskilled hands can pack them. This episode is a
classic among classics.
40-The Saxophone
Determined to accompany her husband on a tour with his band, Lucy represents herself as
a skilled performer on the saxophone. Unfortunately, Lucy blows another chance to be in
the show with an off-key rendition of "Glow Worm."
41-Vacation From Marriage
The Ricardos and Mertzes decide that their marriages are in a rut. A library book
suggests a "week's vacation from marriage" as the solution. Lucy moves in with
Ethel, and Fred with Ricky. Their newfound freedom creates a difficult situation.
42-The Courtroom
On the occasion of the Mertzes' 25th wedding anniversary, Lucy and Ricky present them
with a television set that doesn't work. This generates a feud between the two families --
and an explosive courtroom scene. Watch the landmark case of Mertz vs. Ricardo in this
episode.
43-Redecorating
A visit to the "Home Show" prompts Lucy and Ethel to enter a contest where
the winner gets five rooms of new furnishings. All the wives have to do is sit by the
phone and wait to see if they won. Fred makes a phony phone call to Lucy and tells her
that she's won so she won't sit by the phone anymore. This causes Lucy to sell all her
furniture and then demonstrate how not to put up wallpaper.
44-Ricky Loses His Voice
When Ricky arrives home with a bad case of laryngitis, Lucy banishes him to bed.
However, Ricky is concerned about the imminent reopening of the Tropicana; Mr. Chambers,
his new boss, is counting on him to stage a good show. Lucy decides to stage the show
herself and let Ricky rest. This episode finds Fred and Ethel in harmony for once, singing
"Carolina in the Morning."
45-Lucy Is Enciente
Constant interruptions -- the telephone, neighbors, and Ricky's nightclub co-workers --
frustrate Lucy's every attempt to talk quietly with her husband. Finally she is forced to
go to the nightclub to tell him she's going to have a baby. This episode is a Classic TV
milestone.
46-Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable
Expectant Lucy creates a pandemonium in the Ricardo household with the unpredictable
demands she makes on her adoring husband. Lucy is overwhelmed by Ricky's considerate
treatment of her, but confuses him when she becomes suspicious of his attentions.
47-Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song
Despite her "condition," Lucy is determined to participate in a Gay Nineties
Revue. Enlisting Ethel's aid, Lucy tries to contrive an appropriate costume and finally
comes up with a barrel. Pepito the Spanish Clown, a longtime Arnaz family friend, makes a
special appearance.
48-Lucy Hires an English Tutor
Determined to have a well-spoken offspring -- though its arrival is several months away
-- Lucy hires a tutor, Mr. Livermore. In return for his services, she lets him sing a song
of his own writing at Ricky's nightclub. This is the episode with the ridiculous
"Tippy Tippy Toe" song.
49-Ricky Has Labor Pains
When Ricky feels jealous of all the attention Lucy is getting, she decides to throw
Ricky a "daddy shower" -- but Fred turns it into a stag party. A little
apprehensive about the turn of events, Lucy decides to crash the daddy shower disguised as
a newspaper reporter with Ethel posing as her photographer-partner.
50-Lucy Becomes a Sculptress
Lucy decides that their unborn child should have artistic leanings. Salesmen in an art
supply store put her to work on a lump of clay, and she uses the Mertzes as models for a
modernistic creation. Art critics laud her weird effort as a masterpiece.
51-Lucy Goes to the Hospital
Lucy approaches the zero hour and is rushed to the hospital to have her baby. Ricky
carefully works out an elaborate plan with his neighbors, Ethel and Fred, whereby each is
supposed to know exactly what to do "at the psychological moment." When the big
moment arrives, bedlam breaks loose. Little Ricky and Classic TV history are born in this
episode.
52-Sales Resistance
Lucy buys a tricky kitchen gadget in response to a TV pitch. Ricky accuses all women of
having no sales resistance. Lucy retaliates by demanding to know why Ricky bought a
20-foot rubber life raft. Guest star: Sheldon Leonard. The song "There's a Brand New
Baby at Our House," from this episode, was originally written by Desi Arnaz for
daughter Lucy's birth.
53-Inferiority Complex
Lucy pulls one faux pas after another, with the result that she develops a devastating
inferiority complex. Ricky tries to flatter his wife out of her complex, but he must
finally consult a "physio-chiatrist."
54-Club Election
Pitted against each other in the race for the presidency of their women's club, Lucy
and Ethel try to wangle the deciding vote by devious means. Meanwhile, their husbands map
a campaign to have them both defeated. In this episode Lillian Appleby, later Carolyn
Appleby, appears for the first time as Lucy's rival.
55-The Black Eye
When a book accidentally tossed by Ricky hits Lucy in the eye, she winds up with a
shiner. Neighbors Fred and Ethel jump to the conclusion that the Ricardos are having a
family tiff. They intercede -- with black-eyed results.
56-Lucy Changes Her Mind
When Ricky complains that Lucy is constantly changing her mind and never completing
things, she decides to complete an old high-school romance by finishing a love letter she
started when she was in high school. Rather than being jealous, Ricky offers to mail it
for her. Lucy must intercept the letter, or her ex-boyfriend will think she's out of her
mind. "I Love Lucy" regular Frank Nelson returns, this time as a myopic waiter.
57-No Children Allowed
The Ricardos' infant prompts the neighbors to point out that there is a clause in the
lease saying "no children." The Ricardos' landlords are also their friends the
Mertzes, who loyally stand by them and refuse to evict them. Ethel Mertz takes such pride
in her generous action that she brags about it at a bridge luncheon. Hearing Ethel's story
for the umpteenth time, Lucy blows her top. Mrs. Trumbull, the Ricardos' reliable
babysitter, makes her first appearance in this episode.
58-Lucy Hires a Maid
Exhausted from walking the baby all night, Lucy and Ricky hire a maid. Lucy has never
had anyone work for her before. She practices interviewing Ethel, using a businesslike,
tough attitude as Ricky has instructed. But the woman she hires, Mrs. Porter, completely
overpowers Lucy. Ethel talks Lucy into firing Mrs. Porter, but this is easier said than
done. Classic character actress Verna Felton guest-stars and cleans house in this episode.
59-The Indian Show
Lucy wants to get into the act when Ricky is producing an Indian show and boning up on
Indian lore. Trying to avoid a renewal of Lucy's desire to get into show business, Ricky
doesn't tell her he is producing an Indian show. Lucy reads Ricky's book,
"Bloodcurdling Indian Tales," and is horrified by the stories. When two Indians
in full regalia turn up for an audition, Lucy stages an ambush for them. Eventually Lucy
steals the show with her classic rendition of "By the Waters of the Minnetonka."
60-Lucy's Last Birthday
Ricky has planned a surprise party for Lucy's birthday. He swears the Mertzes and all
their friends to secrecy. Lucy, however, only knows that everyone has forgotten her
birthday and works very hard at being gay, denying that she wanted anyone to remember.
Taking a walk to forget her troubles, Lucy runs across a rescue mission band called
"Friends of the Friendless," tearfully tells them her troubles, and marches off
with them. Meanwhile the party guests are assembled at Ricky's nightclub, waiting for the
guest of honor. Ricky sings the lyrics to "I Love Lucy" for the first and only
time in this Classic TV episode.
61-The Ricardos Change Apartments
Lucy thinks the Ricardos need a larger apartment now that they have the baby. She tries
all her tricks to cajole Ricky into switching apartments with Mr. and Mrs. Benson, who
have recently married off their daughter and don't need the extra bedroom. Lucy fills her
apartment with junk, including a sliding pond and teeter-totter, to give it a
"cramped" appearance. This is the episode when the Ricardos move up in the
world. . .to apartment 3-B.
62-Lucy Is Matchmaker
When Eddie Grant, a friend of the Mertzes, stops by for an unexpected visit and finds
they are not at home, he leaves them a message with Lucy. When Lucy learns that the
lingerie salesman is an eligible bachelor, she immediately begins brewing plans to fix him
up with her girlfriend Sylvia Collins.
63-Lucy Wants New Furniture
A frantic economy wave engulfs the Ricardo household. Lucy buys some furniture against
Ricky's orders and is forced to pay for it out of her own allowance. Ricky confiscates the
furniture and takes it to the club until it's paid off. Lucy also needs a new dress and a
new hairstyle for the Carrolls' party at the Tropicana on Saturday night. She tries to
make her own dress and then does some "permanent damage" in this episode.
64-The Camping Trip
When Lucy and Ethel come to the conclusion that good marriages are based
on mutual interests, they invite themselves on a rugged camping trip with their spouses.
Ricky submits to the proposal, assuming that the sound of the first coyote's howl will
send the girls dashing back to the city. Watch as Lucy conquers the great outdoors (with a
little help from Ethel).
Season Three
65-Ricky's Life Story
LIFE magazine has done a home picture layout on the Ricardos. The pictures include
Ricky, Little Ricky, and a view of Lucy's left elbow. Therefore, Lucy needles her husband
into getting her into show business so her photos will be in demand. She rigs herself out
in a Spanish costume and tries to augment a Cuban number sung by Ricky.
66-Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans
When Lucy and Ethel become TV boxing-match widows, they decide to go out for a bite to
eat, leaving their husbands in front of the Ricardo TV set. Everyone at the local cafe is
also glued to the TV set, so Lucy decides to help herself and gets caught with her hand in
the cash register. She manages to escape the cop's clutches by yelling, "Look -- a
knockout!" With Ethel, she takes refuge on the roof of their apartment building.
Guest star Frank Nelson is back and in uniform as Sergeant Nelson in episode 66.
67-Never Do Biz With Friends
The Ricardos get a new washing machine. Despite Ricky's apprehensions, they sell their
old one to the Mertzes for thirty-five dollars. The next day, the old machine erupts like
a volcano. The Mertzes call the machine a "lemon" and take the stance that since
no money has changed hands yet, the deal is invalid. This causes a tremendous fight
between the couples. This episode offers a rare glimpse of the back of the Mertzes'
apartment building.
68-The Girls Go Into Business
It's touch-and-go for Lucy and Ethel as they buy a dress shop on a shoestring and
promptly go into the red. With typical beginner's luck, they unwittingly unload the losing
venture on their husbands, Ricky and Fred. Listen and learn the Spanish phrase for
"the check is good" in this episode.
69-Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress
Lucy wangles the star role in a revue staged by her women's club by promising that she
will deliver her husband, Ricky, as the show's emcee. The fly in the theatrical ointment
comes as Ethel Mertz, Lucy's arch rival for show honors, turns up in the same gown as
Lucy's. In this episode, Lucy and Ethel sing the Cole Porter classic,
"Friendship."
70-Equal Rights
After a heated argument about equal rights, during which the girls insist they want to
be treated exactly as if they were men, the Ricardos and the Mertzes go off to an Italian
restaurant for dinner. When the waiter, on Ricky's insistence, presents four separate
checks, the girls discover they have no money.
71-Baby Pictures
A resolution by the Ricardos not to show snapshots of their youngster to their friends
goes by the boards as two proud visitors, Charlie and Carolyn Appleby, gleefully exhibit
pictures of their infant in a baseball suit resembling Little Ricky's. Listen for the
classic Lucy quote: "Where do you keep your baby's cage?"
72-Lucy Tells the Truth
Lucy vows to tell the truth for twenty-four hours in order to win a bet. This lands her
in a knife-throwing act on television. Her predicament stems from a little white lie
during her round-the-clock truth test -- namely, that she can understand a talent agent
who can't speak English. When he hires her, Lucy has a choice of facing the
knife-thrower's blades or losing the bet. This is the episode where Lucy unwittingly
reveals her true age, weight, and original hair color.
73-The French Revue
Ricky plans a French revue at the Tropicana. Lucy hires DuBois, a waiter at a French
bistro, to teach Ethel and herself some conversational French. In exchange for the free
lessons, Lucy promises to get DuBois into Ricky's show. At first Ricky is mad, but he
finally agrees to hire the waiter on the basis of his excellent "Louise"
rendition. However, much to Lucy's consternation, Ricky forbids her to come near the club.
She does her best to get into the Tropicana in various disguises. Maurice Chevalier
impersonations abound in this tribute to France.
74-Redecorating the Mertzes' Apartment
The Ricardos nearly wreck the apartment of their landlord friends, the Mertzes, when
they try to help decorate their apartment and Lucy proves herself an inferior decorator.
75-Too Many Crooks
Fred's birthday is approaching, and the Ricardos decide to buy him a custom-made tweed
suit as a surprise. Lucy sneaks into the Mertz apartment to borrow one of Fred's old suits
as a model. But Mrs. Trumbull, unaware of Lucy's intentions, sees her and tells Ethel.
Because of a robbery scare in the neighborhood involving a "Madame X," Ethel
immediately jumps to the conclusion that Lucy is she.
76-Changing the Boys' Wardrobe
Lucy and Ethel hatch an ingenious plot to make their husbands stop wearing disreputable clothes in public.
Ricky proudly displays his sweatshirt from his alma mater, Havana U.
77-Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined
Lucy winds up with drops in her eyes when Ricky visits an oculist, but it takes more
than impaired vision to quell her latest attempts to crash the show at Ricky's nightclub
-- this time with a sizzling jitterbug dance. In this episode, Fred and Ethel don raccoon
coats for a classic rendition of "The Varsity Drag."
78-Ricky's Old Girlfriend
Ricky creates a fictitious old flame (Carlota Romero) to make Lucy fly into a jealous
rage. By coincidence, a singer by the same name is actually appearing in New York. The
next evening, a press agent arranges for Carlota Romero (with whom Ricky did work many
years ago) to see Ricky again.
79-The Million-Dollar Idea
Lucy and Ethel have visions of making a million dollars by bottling and selling
old-fashioned salad dressing -- until their operations reach the point of diminishing
returns, largely because of their bizarre views on how to run a business. Watch as Lucy
and Ethel, a.k.a. Isabella Klump and Margaret McMertz, invent the infomercial.
80-Ricky Minds the Baby
Ricky changes his vacation plans so he can spend all his time with Little Ricky. Lucy
uses her free time to go shopping, but when she returns she finds Little Ricky wandering
the hallway by himself. Ricky and Fred have been so involved in a TV football game, they
hadn't seen him wander off. To teach Ricky a lesson, Lucy phones her husband and
nonchalantly asks about Little Ricky. Panic sets in when the father realizes his son is
missing. A classic father-and-son moment occurs when Ricky recites "Little Red Riding
Hood" in Spanish.
81-Charm School
Lucy and Ethel enroll in a charm school to cope with their husbands' interest in a
sweet young thing who exudes personality-plus. Natalie Schafer, who played Lovey Howell on
"Gilligan's Island," guest-stars in this episode.
82-Sentimental Anniversary
Lucy and Ricky want to spend their thirteenth anniversary at home, but the Mertzes have
arranged a surprise party for them. When Ethel asks Lucy where they'll be that night, Lucy
quickly concocts some story that they'll be out. As the party guests start arriving, Lucy
and Ricky move their champagne dinner into the hall closet. Finally they manage to divert
the guests' attention so they can slip out the front door and make a properly
"surprised" entrance.
83-Fan Magazine Interview
Lucy and Ricky madly prepare for a visit from a fan magazine writer who is doing a
series on happily married couples. But their frayed nerves and a family quarrel make for a
touch-and-go situation before the scribe arrives. Kathryn Card plays Ricky Ricardo fan
Minnie Finch in this episode. (She later plays Lucy's mother in the series.)
84-Oil Wells
When a fast-talking petroleum "tycoon" from Texas tries to foist some phony
stock off on the Ricardos and the Mertzes, they discover the ruse just in time to avoid
being fleeced. Listen for the classic Ricky quote: "Don't cross their chickens before
their bridges are hatched."
85-Ricky Loses His Temper
Ricky tries his hand at a little psychology to overcome Lucy's mania for buying hats.
Madge Blake, who played Aunt Harriet in the TV series "Batman," guest-stars as
Mrs. Mulford.
86-Home Movies
When Ricky makes a film and succeeds in selling it to a producer, Lucy decides to get
into the act by producing her own western. When TV producer Bennett Green arrives to see
Ricky's pilot, "Ricky Ricardo Presents Tropical Rhythms," he is treated to a
spliced-in sampling of Lucy's theatrical travesty. In this episode, Lucy and Ethel
surprise Ricky with their rendition of "I'm an Old Cowhand."
87-Bonus Bucks
Lucy and Ethel engage in a not-too-neighborly tiff over the ownership of a "bonus
buck" when its serial number turns up in a newspaper. Watch Lucy jump into a vat of
starch for a half-dollar in this episode.
88-Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation
When Ricky makes no provision for Lucy to accompany him on a trip to Hawaii, Lucy sets
out to win a free trip to the ukulele capital for herself and the Mertzes. Frank Nelson
returns as everyone's favorite game show host, Freddie Fillmore.
89-Lucy Is Envious
A wealthy ex-schoolmate of Lucy's is collecting for a charity. Lucy tells her friend to
put her down for "five." But when the uppity friend arrives to collect the
pledged funds, Lucy is shocked to learn that her "five" meant five hundred
dollars. In order to raise the money, Lucy and Ethel get a job dressed as two maids from
Mars in a stunt to publicize a science fiction movie. They "invade" the top of
the Empire State Building and scare the daylights out of a group of hotel patrons.
90-Lucy Writes a Novel
Lucy decides to become an author after reading about a woman who won $10,000 for her
book. Ricky, Fred, and Ethel find themselves the central characters in Lucy's first novel,
"Real Gone With the Wind."
91-Lucy's Club Dance
Lucy organizes an orchestra among her girl friends and books them for a club dance. But
the orchestra plays so horribly that she asks Ricky to come to a rehearsal and give them
some advice. Determined to get publicity for the dance, Lucy announces the premiere
performance of "Ricky Ricardo and His All-Girl Orchestra."
92-The Diner
Ricky becomes interested in a diner that is for sale, so the Ricardos and the Mertzes
all buy it together. Right away, Ethel and Fred decide that they are doing all the work
while Lucy and Ricky have all the fun. The couples decide to split the diner down the
middle. The Ricardos' side says "A Little Bit of Cuba," and the Mertzes' side
says "A Big Hunk of America."
93-The Black Wig
Ricky forbids Lucy to get "one of those new Italian haircuts." She rebels by
borrowing a wig from her hairdresser Roberta, who insists Lucy looks like a different
person with it on. Lucy plans to wear the wig so she can test Ricky's fidelity, but the
salon manager tips off Ricky to the scheme. When Lucy puts on the wig and starts flirting,
Ricky flirts back.
94-Tennessee Ernie Visits
When country cousin Tennessee Ernie Ford -- a hillbilly's hillbilly -- wears out his
welcome with the Ricardos, Lucy tries a vamp act to scare him back to the mountains. Guest
star: Tennessee Ernie Ford.
95-Tennessee Ernie Hangs On
Lucy gets sick of an extensive visit by Tennessee Ernie, who claims he is her cousin.
She tries to get rid of the likeable character by pleading poverty. The scheme backfires
when Tennessee Ernie promotes a benefit hoedown to assist Lucy and Ricky. Look for
"Ernie Ford and His Four Hot Chicken Pickers" in this episode.
96-The Golf Game
Championship golfer Jimmy Demaret visits the Ricardos when Lucy and Ethel arrive at a
bizarre scheme for combating their "golf widowship." The girls install a
basketball court in the Ricardo living room and pretend to be as deeply absorbed in the
game as their husbands are in the fairways. Guest star: Jimmy Demeret.
97-The Sublease
Hoping to spend the summer away, the Ricardos decide to sublet their apartment and
split the profits with the Mertzes. Their tenant is a shy, timid soul who has been a
witness in a murder trial and who wants nothing but peace and quiet. The deal is made when
Ricky suddenly learns that his summer job has been canceled. Lucy stages a murder scene to
frighten the tenant away so that she and Ricky can move back into the apartment. Jay
Novello guest-stars as Mr. Beecher, the timid tenant.
98-Lucy Cries Wolf
Lucy decides to test Ricky's love for her by feigning a crisis that sends her husband
sailing down the city streets to the side of a scheming feminine singer. Ricky becomes
impatient with Lucy's false alarms and accuses her of "yelling tiger."
99-The Matchmaker
Armed with Cupid's bow and arrow, Lucy tries to bag a bachelor for a husband-hungry
girlfriend. Unfortunately, the arrow Lucy shoots behaves like a boomerang.
Season Four
100-Business Manager
Ricky hires a business expert to solve the family budget problems. The expert places
Lucy on a strict allowance. Lucy manages to find a loophole in the new restrictions, and
in her inimitable way she not only adds to the financial dilemma but ends up tossing the
financial wizard out.
101-Mr. and Mrs. Television Network
Ricky is initially reluctant to host a new TV show when he learns that the sponsor
prefers a husband-and-wife format. Nonetheless, he agrees to do the show. But when Lucy
learns that he hadn't wanted her in the show at all, she decides to get even by sabotaging
the "Breakfast with Lucy and Ricky" dress rehearsal. What Lucy doesn't know is
that the so-called rehearsal is actually being broadcast to the entire city of New York in
an effort to achieve an unrehearsed, spontaneous look. Classic Lucy quote: "Phipps is
a great big bunch of gyps."
102-Mertz and Kurtz
To help her neighbors, the Mertzes, impress a guest, Lucy goes into service as a maid.
As "Bessie the Domestic," Lucy dishes out large servings of faux pas when she
forgets her duties and enters into the conversation.
103-Ricky's Movie Offer
Lucy mistakes a talent scout for a masher and nearly ruins Ricky's chance at a film
career. Then she realizes who the scout is, and tries to make amends. This episode sets
the stage for the Ricardos and Mertzes' trip to California.
104-Ricky's Screen Test
The term "helpmate" takes on a new meaning when Lucy appears on a Hollywood
movie lot. The cameras roll for Ricky's screen test -- but when the big moment arrives,
Lucy takes the cue. Classic Lucy quote: "Hark! Do I hear a football? Is it you, Don
Juan?"
105-Lucy's Mother-In-Law
Lucy meets her Spanish-speaking mother-in-law for the first time. Lucy's inability to
cope with a foreign tongue, and her mother-in-law's inability to understand Lucy's
pantomime, build a wall of misunderstanding between the pair. Mary Emery makes her first
and only appearance as Ricky's mother in this episode.
106-Ethel's Birthday
Despite Ricky's qualms, Lucy decides to help Fred pick out a birthday present for
Ethel. The present turns out to be toreador pants, which Ethel decides are not only
unflattering but "unfitting." Relations between the two women become strained
almost to the shattering point. Classic Lucy quote: "Happy birthday, Mrs. Mertz, and
I hope you live another seventy-five years!"
107-Ricky's Contract
As Ricky paces the floor awaiting word from Hollywood about his screen test, Lucy
enlists the Mertzes to distract him. The drastic steps taken by the trio to alleviate
Ricky's tension boomerang into a king-sized headache for them all.
108-Getting Ready
A movie contract for Ricky necessitates a change in scenery and the hanging of a
"for rent" sign on the Ricardos' New York home. Lucy plans the most effective
way for Ricky to make a "Hollywood entrance." She envisions their arrival in a
royal chariot. The Mertzes, willing to give up tenants but not friends, sign on for the
trip. This episode features a rare glimpse of the front of the Mertzes' apartment
building.
109-Lucy Learns to Drive
Preparing for their trip West, the Ricardos buy a new car, and Lucy wants to drive it
around the block. After giving her one driving lesson Ricky is a beaten man, but Lucy is
so confident that she offers to teach Ethel Mertz how to drive. The result is a complete
fiasco. (The 1955 Pontiac convertible seen in this and following episodes was part of a
product placement deal with General Motors.)
110-California, Here We Come
Lucy's mother wants to join the Ricardos on their driving trip out West. Ricky blows
his stack when he hears that his mother-in-law wants to go along, and he rages about
everyone's horning in on the trip -- the Mertzes included. Kathryn Card makes her debut as
Lucy's mother in this classic episode.
111-First Stop
The Ricardos and Mertzes have a hard time finding accommodations that will please
everyone on their trip to California. They finally hit a greasy restaurant where stale
cheese sandwiches cost them a dollar apiece. Hoping to find something better elsewhere,
Ricky pays the check. The couples leave -- only to return several hours later, fooled by
some purposely misleading road signs. This episode marks the first time the "I Love
Lucy" crew ventured out of the studio for a shoot.
112-Tennessee Bound
The Ricardos and the Mertzes are arrested for speeding in Bent Fork, Tennessee. Ricky
decides to pay the fifty-dollar fine and leave, but Lucy feels they have been taken
advantage of. When she rebels, the sheriff imposes a twenty-four-hour sentence and throws
them in jail. Tennessee Ernie Ford guest-stars.
113-Ethel's Hometown
The Ricardos and the Mertzes stop at Ethel's hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico (Vivian
Vance's real-life hometown). Under the impression that Ethel has been called to Hollywood
and not Ricky, the townsfolk accord her a monumental ovation. When Ethel refuses to
disillusion them -- and even goes so far as to put on a "celebrity act" -- Lucy
takes matters into her own hands.
114-LA at Last
Lucy arrives in Hollywood with stars in her eyes. She heads for The Brown Derby, a
celebrity hangout, where she encounters Eve Arden and William Holden -- and inadvertently
presents Holden with a custard pie in the face. Hollywood legends William Holden and Eve
Arden guest-star as themselves.
115-Don Juan and the Starlets
Lucy is forced to lend Ricky to five dazzling starlets for a proposed evening of
publicity pictures. She tries to wait up for him but falls asleep on the sofa and doesn't
awake until late the next morning. When she finds Ricky's bed unused, she jumps to the
conclusion that he spent the night out with the starlets and decides she wants a divorce.
116-Lucy Gets in Pictures
Lucy finally gets her big break when she snares a bit part in an MGM motion picture.
Cast as a showgirl who meets death while parading down a long flight of stairs in a
glamorous nightclub setting, Lucy vows to make her death scene the most unforgettable one
ever recorded by Hollywood cameras. It is.
117-The Fashion Show
Mrs. William Holden, Mrs. Dean Martin, Mrs. Gordon MacRae, Mrs. Richard Carlson, Mrs.
Van Heflin, Mrs. Forrest Tucker, famed couturier Don Loper, and a scarlet-skinned Lucy
Ricardo are the contributors to a dazzling fashion show. The charity benefit, hosted by
Loper and featuring the wives of motion picture stars, is a sheer burst of good fortune
for Lucy, who is eager to perform before an audience.
118-The Hedda Hopper Show
Lucy takes a dive in an effort to further Ricky's career by creating a big splash in
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood column. Her scheme turns out to be "all wet" in an
adventure that could only happen to Lucy and Ethel. Hedda Hopper, the renowned Hollywood
gossip columnist, guest-stars as herself.
119-Don Juan is Shelved
An item in Variety hints at the imminent cancellation of Ricky's picture "Don
Juan," and proves to be correct. Lucy, the Mertzes, and Mrs. McGillicuddy take
matters into their own hands by penning five hundred fan letters to Ricky and dressing as
bobby-soxer members of the Ricky Ricardo Fan Club. Phil Ober, Vivian Vance's first
husband, makes a cameo as film producer George Spelvin in this episode.
120-Bull Fight Dance
Lucy literally blackmails Ricky into getting her a part in one of his guest appearances
on television. He does get her a role -- as a bull. When Lucy is displeased with the turn
of events, she transforms the bull's image from that of a snarling beast to a mincing
creature resembling Elsie, the Borden Cow. Look for the classic scene where Lucy upstages
Ricky in this episode.
121-Hollywood Anniversary
Frantic over having forgotten the date of their wedding anniversary, Ricky tells Lucy
that he has a big party planned in a famous nightclub. He doesn't tell her when it is,
desperately wiring their marriage license bureau for the correct date. This episode is
based on an actual surprise anniversary party that Desi Arnaz threw for Lucy.
122-The Star Upstairs
Cornel Wilde becomes the one-hundredth movie star Lucy has seen in Hollywood; he is
living in the penthouse directly above the Ricardo suite. Determined to get a glimpse of
the handsome actor, Lucy disguises herself as a bellboy, then hides under the star's
luncheon cart to gain entry into Wilde's suite. Things go smoothly until she finds herself
locked out on Cornel's terrace and must make her way down the side of the building using a
few blankets as rope. Swashbuckler Cornel Wilde guest-stars as himself in this episode.
123-In Palm Springs
Simultaneous marital tiffs in the Ricardo and Mertz households drive Lucy and Ethel off
on a mateless vacation to one of California's desert playlands, where they encounter
Hollywood legend Rock Hudson (guest-starring as himself).
124-Harpo Marx
Lucy decides to impersonate some Hollywood notables to impress a nearsighted girlfriend
visiting from New York. A mixup occurs when Lucy, having introduced her friend to
"Gary Cooper," "Clark Gable," "Marlon Brando," and
"Jimmy Durante," decides to impersonate Harpo Marx just as the real Harpo
arrives at the apartment with Ricky.
125-Dancing Star
Lucy begs Van Johnson to let her dance a number with him at the nightclub to impress
her rival Carolyn Appleby, who is visiting from New York. Van accepts the challenge by
waltzing her across the ballroom floor as his dance partner. Movie star Van Johnson
guest-stars as himself.
126-Ricky Needs an Agent
Lucy decides that Ricky needs an agent to negotiate more money and cut down on his
fruitless personal appearances. She appoints herself to the post. Her action results in
the studio canceling Ricky's contract, and Lucy's efforts to save the situation only make
matters worse. Don't miss a classic outburst of Cuban temper in this episode.
127-The Tour
Lucy and Ethel are abandoned by their sightseeing bus tour when they try
to get a grapefruit from Richard Widmark's garden. When Lucy is stranded inside the garden
wall, she and Ethel, who is outside, launch plans to get Lucy out -- but without comparing
notes on how. Film star Richard Widmark guest-stars as himself.
Season Five
128-Lucy Visits Grauman's
With only a week left in Hollywood, Lucy weeps about her lack of souvenirs. Her
collection already includes a tin can run over by Cary Grant's rear tire, a napkin
boasting Lana Turner's lip-prints, and a few other goodies. But when Lucy discovers that
John Wayne's concrete block at Grauman's Chinese Theatre is loose, she decides to take
home a souvenir to end all souvenirs.
129-Lucy and John Wayne
Lucy is spotted while attempting to "collect" a cement block with John
Wayne's footprints from Grauman's Chinese Theater. To avoid publicity and keep Lucy out of
jail, Ricky enlists John Wayne's help in replacing the block. One mishap leads to another,
and the plot thickens -- as does the cement. John Wayne guest-stars.
130-Lucy and the Dummy
When Ricky refuses to entertain at a studio party, Lucy accepts in his place, planning
to do a straight dramatic role with a dummy. The audience pans her performance, but the
studio is eager to sign her up as a comedienne. In this episode, Lucy Ricardo is offered
what Lucille Ball once had in real life: a contract with MGM.
131-Ricky Sells the Car
Ricky sells his car, and the Mertzes think they are being stranded in California. Ricky
buys train tickets for everyone, but a reservations mixup puts Lucy in an apparently
compromising position with Fred Mertz. Watch for Fred and Ethel decked out in motorcycle
gear and riding on a Harley.
132-The Great Train Robbery
Unaccustomed to train travel, Lucy is sure her trip to New York will be filled with
intrigue and romance. When she hears that a jewel thief is on board, she sees herself as
the possible heroine of the situation. Lucy finds all the excitement she was looking for,
but not where she looked for it.
133-Homecoming
On their return from Hollywood, Lucy has her hands full with Ricky when he is hailed as
a major celebrity. The Ricardos' neighbors join in for a grand homecoming celebration in
Ricky's honor. Even the Mertzes begin to see Ricky through new eyes as adulation is heaped
on him. When Ricky begins to succumb to the nonsense and go "Hollywood," Lucy
begins to worry.
134-Person to Person
Ricky Ricardo's new fame leads to an invitation to appear on the popular interview
program "Person to Person," and Lucy and Ricky consider moving. Ricky's agent
arranges an appearance for him and suggests that they stage a fight so Lucy and Ricky
won't have to stay. In the end the scheme falls flat while "Person to Person" is
on the air.
135-Lucy Goes to the Rodeo
Ricky, scheduled for a radio stint, reluctantly turns down Fred's offer to appear in an
amateur radio show. Lucy volunteers to help out, and she and Fred whip up a Western act.
Ricky then discovers it's the rodeo, not the radio show, that he's booked for. With no
time to prepare, Ricky has to give Lucy a moment in the spotlight. This episode features
"Lucille McGillicuddy and Her Western Bell Ringers" performing "Down by the
Old Mill Stream."
136-Nursery School
When Ricky finds Lucy exhausted after a trying day with Little Ricky, he insists that
it's time their son attend nursery school. Lucy's protests are overridden, and Ricky takes
young Ricky to nursery school. But after the first day, the boy comes down with
tonsillitis. Lucy promises Little Ricky that she'll spend the night with him at the
hospital, and when hospital regulations prevent this, Lucy hatches her own plot to
circumvent the rules.
137-Ricky's European Booking
Ricky is offered a European booking which is too important to refuse, but he can't
afford to take Lucy with him. Lucy is furious at the prospect of being left behind. When
Ricky wants to take Fred Mertz along as the tour manager, Ethel, too, becomes incensed.
Finally Ricky tells the girls they can go if they can raise the money for their passages.
138-Passports
Lucy and Fred are unable to produce their birth certificates to get passports for the
Ricardos and Mertzes' European jaunt. They both call their hometowns for their birth
certificates but discover that none exist for them. In order to get passports to accompany
Ricky on his European tour, they must find people who have know them and their families
for twenty years and can prove they were born. This proves to be easier said than done,
and Lucy decides to stowaway in a steamer trunk rather than miss the boat.
139-Staten Island Ferry
Fred's fear of becoming seasick threatens the Mertzes and Ricardos' plans for Ricky's
European band tour. To prove that Fred won't get seasick, Ricky takes him down to the
ship, which is anchored in the harbor. But Fred turns green and becomes more firm about
his not going. Lucy and Ethel test some new, improved seasickness remedies on the Staten
Island Ferry. The trial run leads to unexpected complications when Lucy gets seasick.
140-Bon Voyage
Ricky, Ethel, and Fred are aboard their ship to Europe when Lucy rushes down the
gangplank for one last goodbye to Little Ricky, who will be in Lucy's mother's care while
she is in Europe. The ship heads out to sea, leaving Lucy frantically trying to catch up
with it. Jack Albertson, from "Chico and the Man," guest-stars.
141-Lucy's Second Honeymoon
Lucy looks forward happily to romantic evenings and daytime deck games as the Ricardos
and the Mertzes sail for Europe. However, she ends up looking on lonesomely as everyone
else on shipboard pairs off; Ricky's band is scheduled to play practically every minute of
the day and night. Finally Lucy enlists Ethel's aid in a plan to get some time alone with
Ricky. Listen for the classic Ethel quote, "The love bug has bitten my Freddie."
142-Lucy Meets the Queen
Lucy is thrilled at being in London and desperate to see the Queen. She misses the
Queen at Buckingham Palace, where she gets involved in the changing of the guard. Ricky is
invited to meet the Royal Family when they attend a special performance at the Palladium.
Lucy is not included in the invitation, but she has no intention of letting it go at that.
Nancy Kulp, who played Miss Hathaway on "The Beverly Hillbillies," guest-stars
in this episode.
143-The Fox Hunt
Lucy is torn between spending a weekend fox-hunting and her jealousy of a beautiful
blonde starlet. She plots to get Ricky out of London and away from the blonde by
persuading Sir Clive Richardson, a movie producer, to invite the Ricardos and Mertzes to
his estate in the English countryside for the weekend. Lucy is shocked to discover that
the blonde starlet is Sir Clive Richardson's daughter.
144-Lucy Goes to Scotland
The Ricardos and Mertzes are on their way to Paris, but first Lucy wants to go to
Scotland to seek members of the McGillicuddy family into which she was born. In a classic
dream sequence, Ricky appears as Scotty MacTavish MacDougal MacCardo.
145-Paris at Last
Equipped with an English-French dictionary, Lucy sets out to see Paris and
"discover" an artist whose paintings will become very valuable -- she knows she
has "the eye." Lucy's first encounter is indeed with an artist -- a con artist
who changes her American money for French. Lucy's adventures land Lucy, Ethel, and Fred in
jail. Look for Lucy's classic first encounter with an escargot.
146-Lucy Meets Charles Boyer
While sightseeing in Paris, the Ricardos and Mertzes are sitting in a sidewalk cafe
that Charles Boyer is known to frequent. Lucy thinks she has spotted Boyer and turns to
jelly, but Ricky convinces her she's wrong. Lucy thinks that Ricky is jealous. She enlists
the help of "Pierre Smith," who looks enough like Boyer to be him (and unknown
to Lucy, actually is him). To convince Ricky that she really loves him, not Boyer, Lucy
intends to reject "Boyer's" advances. Charles Boyer guest-stars as himself.
147-Lucy Gets a Paris Gown
Lucy decides to go on a hunger strike until Ricky agrees to buy her a designer dress.
The plan works perfectly (even though Ethel has been smuggling food to Lucy) and Ricky
finally gives in and buys her an expensive outfit. But when Ricky discovers what Lucy has
been up to, he puts together a crazy outfit made of burlap and passes it off as a Paris
original.
148-Lucy in the Swiss Alps
When band manager Fred fouls up by sending the orchestra to Locarno, Switzerland
instead of Lucerne, Lucy tries to appease Ricky by suggesting a healthy hike in the Alps.
All goes well until an unexpected snowstorm forces the Ricardos and the Mertzes into a
deserted mountaintop cabin. Lucy slams the cabin's door and sets off an avalanche,
trapping the two couples for five hours. They are saved from certain death by a Bavarian
band playing "La Cucaracha."
149-Lucy Gets Homesick
Fred is conscience-stricken about the expense involved when he misrouted Ricky's band.
He books second-class train passage for their overnight trip to Florence and a
fourth-class hotel for their stay. Lucy wants to call home to see if Little Ricky has
received the birthday presents she sent him from London, but the difficulties of calling
from a fourth-class room almost prove too much for her. In the end, Lucy invites an
Italian shoeshine boy and his friends to celebrate Little Ricky's birthday.
150-Lucy's Italian Movie
En route to Rome by train, Lucy is spotted by a famous Italian cinema director and
chosen to play a part in his new movie "Bitter Grapes." Lucy sets out to immerse
herself in the role. When she nonchalantly wanders into a vineyard inhabited by a motley
assortment of Italian-speaking women, she is dispatched to the wine-making area to crush
grapes with her feet. This episode has the classic scene of Lucy in the wine vat.
151-Bicycle Trip
The Ricardos and the Mertzes are bicycling from Italy toward the French Riviera. When
they get to the Italian/French border, everyone but Lucy is permitted to cross. Lucy
realizes that her passport has been left behind -- but even when the passport is found, it
looks as if Lucy will never get across the border. Look for Fred and Ethel on a tandem
bicycle in this episode.
152-Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo
Ricky is working in Monte Carlo, but Fred goofs and negotiates too little money for the
engagement. Lucy and Ethel go to the casino to watch, and Lucy finds a chip that someone
dropped. She picks it up and puts it on the table. The chip wins, and continues to do so,
all by accident. Since Ricky warned Lucy to stay away from the casino, she hides the money
in Ethel's trunk. Ricky finds it and thinks Fred has been holding out on him. "I Love
Lucy" writer and recurring extra, Bob Carroll, Jr., appears in this episode as the
gambler wearing the fez.
153-Home From Europe
The Ricardos and Mertzes need to return to the U.S. by plane instead of
ship. The 60-pound-per-person baggage limit taxes Lucy's ingenuity: she has bought lots of
clothes and souvenirs, including a 30-pound cheese. She boards the plane wearing all the
clothes at once and carrying the cheese as a "baby."
Season Six
154-Lucy Meets Bob Hope
Ricky is opening a new club, and he wants Bob Hope to appear at the grand opening. Lucy
fears Hope won't appear because of her widespread reputation for monkey-wrench throwing,
and wants to reassure him that this time she's butting out.
155-Lucy Meets Orson Welles
Orson Welles is going to perform his magic act in Ricky's club. He asks Ricky if Lucy
will help him. Ricky has had one too many of Lucy's screwball antics and is only too happy
to push her off to Florida. When Lucy meets Welles and accidentally learns of the chance
she is missing, she cancels her trip and gets a drama class to come and watch her do
Shakespeare with Welles. Orson Welles guest-stars as himself, along with Ellen Corby from
"The Waltons."
156-Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright
Little Ricky is scheduled to play the drums in a children's orchestra. Although his
parents and their friends the Mertzes are overcome with nervousness, Little Ricky seems
calm until his big moment arrives; then he goes to pieces. His next performance is six
months away, but Lucy feels she must do something about his stage fright now. Howard
McNear, who played Floyd the barber in "The Andy Griffith Show," guest-stars.
157-Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums
Lucy suddenly decides her son is going to be a doctor, but Ricky wants him to be a band
leader like himself. They agree to resolve the question by giving him a toy doctor's
uniform and a drum and seeing which he prefers. The fact that the boy chooses the drum
changes nothing as far as Lucy is concerned. (Historical note: Before taking on the acting
role of Little Ricky, Keith Thibodeaux was known as "The World's Tiniest Professional
Drummer.")
158-Visitor From Italy
Mario, the Ricardos and Mertzes' gondolier in Venice, comes to New York to surprise his
brother Dominic, but turns up at the Ricardos' apartment when he can't find him. Lucy is
sure Dominic is in San Francisco and sets out to help Mario raise the bus fare. Her
earnest efforts pay off in a surprising way. Look for Lucy's classic pizza-making scene in
this episode.
159-Off to Florida
When Lucy misplaces two train tickets to Florida, she and Ethel consult the classified
section, hoping to share a ride with someone driving south. They team up with a peculiar
middle-aged woman, Mrs. Grundy, who's bent on getting to Florida in record time. Elsa
Lanchester, who played the original "Bride of Frankenstein," guest-stars as Mrs.
Grundy in this episode.
160-Deep Sea Fishing
When the Mertzes and the Ricardos vacation in Florida, women's shopping habits versus
men's fishing prowess becomes an issue.
161-Desert Island
On a pleasure cruise, Lucy manages to have the boat run out of gas to keep Fred and
Ricky from judging a "Miss Miami Beach" beauty contest. The Ricardos and the
Mertzes find themselves adrift on the Atlantic. Eventually they land on a desert island,
where Lucy promptly runs into trouble. Claude Akins, who later went on to play TV's
Sheriff Lobo, guest-stars as himself in this episode.
162-The Ricardos Visit Cuba
Still on their vacation, the Ricardos go to Cuba, where Ricky wants to introduce his
relatives to Lucy and Little Ricky.
163-Little Ricky's School Pageant
Little Ricky makes his acting debut in a school play. This lavish children's pageant in
the Enchanted Forest is complete with elves, owls, bunnies, and Lucy as a broom-riding
witch. The episode includes a special cameo by Fred Mertz as Hippity Hoppity, the friendly
frog.
164-Lucy and the Loving Cup
Ricky's disapproval of Lucy's new hat leads to her trying on a loving cup which Ricky
has planned to present to jockey Johnny Longden at a National Turf Association dinner. The
problem is that Lucy can't get the trophy off her head. Look for Lucy's classic ride on
the Lexington Avenue subway in this episode.
165-Little Ricky Gets a Dog
The Ricardos' apartment begins to resemble a pet shop when Little Ricky gets a puppy.
Lucy and Ricky are both determined to get rid of the puppy after their son brings it home
-- as are their landlords, Fred and Ethel. They have a hard time overcoming Little Ricky's
arguments that a puppy would be a welcome addition to a home that already boasts a canary,
a frog, a lizard, a turtle, and some goldfish.
166-Lucy and Superman
When another boy has a birthday party the same day as Little Ricky's, Lucy looks for
unusual entertainment to lure the children. Ricky remembers that Superman is in town, and
he invites him. When Ricky is unable to corral Superman, Lucy is left with no choice but
to dress as the Man of Steel herself. George Reeves makes a special guest-star appearance
in this episode.
167-Lucy Wants to Move to the Country
Lucy decides that it would be nice to move to the country and prevails on Ricky to
place a comfortable deposit on a big house. Ricky agrees and puts a down payment on a
house in Westport, Connecticut. It is not long before Lucy changes her mind. Lucy, Ethel,
and Fred put on disguises to try and help poor Ricky get his deposit back.
168-Lucy Hates to Leave
Lucy hates to leave behind her old friends Fred and Ethel, who also happen to be her
landlords. But Ricky has told her to sell all their furniture. Lucy hates to part with her
furniture almost as badly as she hates to part with the Mertzes. She persuades them to
keep the furniture in their apartment, promising that it's "just until we can
move."
169-Lucy Misses the Mertzes
As the Ricardos get settled in their new country home, they immediately wind up in a
mix-up with their old friends Fred and Ethel Mertz. Missing their old friends already,
Lucy and Ricky decide to visit the Mertzes. At the same time, the Mertzes decide to trek
to the country to visit the Ricardos, and what began simply becomes complicated.
170-Lucy Gets Chummy With the Neighbors
With the best intentions in the world, Lucy somehow causes a misunderstanding with her
neighbors, the Ramseys. It all starts when Betty Ramsey offers Lucy some advice and a
wholesale deal on furniture. For a time, the Ricardos' whole future at their Connecticut
home seems threatened. In this episode, Frank Nelson and Mary Jane Croft make their debut
as the Ramseys.
171-Lucy Raises Chickens
The Mertzes find a way to stay with the Ricardos: chicken farming. But the scheme puts
Lucy over her head in chickens when she and Ethel bring home 500 baby chicks before the
hen house is ready.
172-Lucy Does the Tango
Chicken-raising and practicing a tango for Little Ricky's school PTA meeting combine to
get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in a verbal battle. It's up to Ricky, Jr. and his
neighborhood pal Bruce Ramsey to straighten things out. (The scene where Lucy and Ricky do
the tango resulted in the longest recorded studio audience laugh in the history of the
show.)
173-Ragtime Band
Lucy decides to take part in the fundraising campaign of the Westport Historical
Society, and offers to get her husband and his band to perform for their kickoff function.
There's only one hitch -- Ricky won't do it. So Lucy decides to form her own band
featuring herself, Little Ricky, and Fred and Ethel Mertz. Look for the classic song,
"Man Smart, Woman Smarter," sung by Ricky.
174-Lucy's Night in Town
After spending six whole weeks in their new Connecticut home, Lucy dreams of a night in
New York City and it turns into a nightmare. Four carefully hoarded tickets to the
Broadway musical hit "The Most Happy Fella" are supposed to get the Ricardos and
the Mertzes in to see the sold-out show. But difficulties arise when Fred Mertz gets
nervous about pickpockets because he's carrying $500 in cash in his pockets.
175-Housewarming
Fred Mertz installs an intercom system between the Mertz guest-house and the Ricardo
main house. The intercom causes some confusion when Lucy and Ricky overhear what they
believe to be plans for a housewarming party given for them. Look for a classic bout of
jealousy in this episode as Lucy and Ethel make new friends.
176-Building a Bar-B-Q
Lucy has a problem deciding what to do to get her vacationing husband, Ricky, out of
her hair so she can do her housework. She and Ethel solve the problem by putting their
husbands to work building a barbecue. In this episode Lucy loses her wedding ring and
Ricky tries to teach her a lesson.
177-Country Club Dance
The Ricardos and the Mertzes go with their neighbors, Ralph and Betty Ramsey, to the
country club dance. A pretty visitor quickly convinces the men they are Romeos in
disguise. This development forces the women into glamorous clothing and beauty treatments
to prove that they, too, can be glamorous. Barbara Eden guest-stars.
178-Lucy Raises Tulips
Suburban living gets Lucy into a flower-show competition, and she raises tulips with a
vengeance as she tries to beat out her neighbor, Betty Ramsey, for first prize. Lucy asks
Ricky to mow the lawn so that her garden will look just right. But he only mows half
before taking off for a baseball game, leaving Lucy and Ethel to tiptoe through the tulips
-- with the lawnmower.
179-The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue
Lucy joins a community effort to establish a Revolutionary War monument. She manages to
shatter any dreams she may have had of becoming a community leader when the statue is
broken. Her efforts to undo the damage put her in a unique position when the time comes to
unveil the statue. This is the only episode where the Arnazes' real children, Lucie Arnaz
and Desi Arnaz, Jr., make a cameo appearance.
