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Vivian's best work on "The Lucy Show"


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Exactly. After Mooney was introduced, the amount of standout material for Vivian seriously diminished. No wonder she grew unhappy doing the show. Especially since she was commuting from the east coast to do it.

True and yet...when I think of the "Steamboat Bessie" episode and another one (can't remember it's exact title) where Mooney runs for comptroller (?) (the one where Lucy & Viv put up the billboard sign of Mooney and he ends up looking more than a little like Adolf Hitler!), those were a couple of examples where all three were utilized and given a chance to shine!  Wonder why that couldn't have happened a little more often??

 

One of my all-time fave "Viv moments" was when she and Gale (or was it guest star J. Pat O'Malley??) were about to start dancing the jig to the bagpipes and she gave him a wink first -- I LOVE that! :peachonthebeach:

 

In Jamestown in 2007 during the Viv tribute there was a clip from something in the 70s that I had never seen and still haven't to this day. I wish I remember what it was but it made me say "I need to find that."

It wasn't a coffee commercial was it?? :blink:

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It was a show or movie and the nature of the acting was very different than I had seen from her before.

 

 

What I have for her those years: 

 

The Mike Douglas Show, 3 appearances; The Kraft Music Hall, with Desi Arnaz, among others; The Front Page, 1970; Getting Away From It All, 1972; appears in t2o Maxwell House Coffee advertisements, 1974; The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Lucille Ball; appearances: Dinah!; Rhoda, 1975; The Great Houdini, 1976; Over Easy, talk show, 1977; Sam, 1978;

 

ANYONE?  JK :fabrary:

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Where'should CBS Salutes Lucy 1976. I know it isn't on imdb but on YouTube you see Vivian in the introduction and conclusion of CBS: On the Air 1978 with all the stars . Poor Viv'so cancer was showing then. Wish all Lucy'so Monday night show was on there don'the know of Viv appeared then or just on clips.

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Where'should CBS Salutes Lucy 1976. I know it isn't on imdb but on YouTube you see Vivian in the introduction and conclusion of CBS: On the Air 1978 with all the stars . Poor Viv'so cancer was showing then. Wish all Lucy'so Monday night show was on there don'the know of Viv appeared then or just on clips.

 

Thanks; will fix....JK

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One of Viv's best deliveries is when she's dressed as the maid in the Tallulah Comedy Hour and she says something to the effect of "Youuuu bet your sweet life it is!" You know exactly what I'm talking about probably.

And don't forget: "I wouldn't do that if you took that 'pretty please', put sugar on it, poured brandy over it and LIT IT." (indignantly tossing head back for last two words)

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In retrospect, Viv's Steamboat Bessie is certainly a highlight of the Arthur Godfrey show.  Mainly because it's one of the few times during that 3rd season, with her minimized participation, that she's given an opportunity to shine.

BUT I like the whole show-within-a-show, a concept I'm not normally attracted to.  It's colorful*, funny on its own and the original tunes are catchy.  I wonder why "Drop That Hankie" was pre-recorded.  Lucy's lips miss the words at one point.  As far as I can tell, it's the only song that is.  

One line is such a clever play on words, I think it slipped by the viewing audience.  "A southern belle is even more beautiful when she peals!"--an audience aside by Mooney/Field after Lucy's "Dixie Lucy" strip. 

Script writers Fred Fox and Iz Elision are my favorite team from the 3rd season---and that includes Schiller & Weisskopf.   I think Elinson died some time in mid-60s and Fox, searching for a new partner, unfortunately paired up with Seaman Jacobs one day when the fleet was in.  

The whole "Arthur Godfey" episode is a delight, one of the few that does NOT have the Carmichael living room set. 

 

Are there any other Danfield shows that don't use the living room set?

 

*though, as we all know, originally aired in black-and-white

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Are there any other Danfield shows that don't use the living room set?

 

Lucy Plays Cleopatra, Lucy and Viv Open a Restaurant, Lucy Goes into Politics, Lucy and the Scout Trip, Lucy and the Missing Stamp, and Lucy Goes to Vegas don't feature the Danfield house at all. A few include the kitchen, but do not have scenes set in the living room: Lucy is a Chaperone, Lucy Meets Danny Kaye, Lucy and the Plumber, Lucy the Camp Cook, Lucy the Coin Collector, Lucy is a Stockholder, and Lucy is a Disk Jockey.

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Lucy Plays Cleopatra, Lucy and Viv Open a Restaurant, Lucy Goes into Politics, Lucy and the Scout Trip, Lucy and the Missing Stamp, and Lucy Goes to Vegas don't feature the Danfield house at all. A few include the kitchen, but do not have scenes set in the living room: Lucy is a Chaperone, Lucy Meets Danny Kaye, Lucy and the Plumber, Lucy the Camp Cook, Lucy the Coin Collector, Lucy is a Stockholder, and Lucy is a Disk Jockey.

Along the same topic line, none of the 3 Here's Lucys I saw being filmed featured the Unique Employment office.  One, Franchise Fiasco did not have the office or the Carter living room.  BUT it did have Sam's Coffee Shop and I was able to sit in THE booth.....and yes, I left my dollar and a quarter for booth rental.   I didn't have the presence of mind to look around to see if the office set was intact behind one of the other sets.

Seems like there were quite a few HLs the had office but no living room; living room but no office; and neither---not counting location shows. 

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Along the same topic line, none of the 3 Here's Lucys I saw being filmed featured the Unique Employment office.  One, Franchise Fiasco did not have the office or the Carter living room.  BUT it did have Sam's Coffee Shop and I was able to sit in THE booth.....and yes, I left my dollar and a quarter for booth rental.   I didn't have the presence of mind to look around to see if the office set was intact behind one of the other sets.

Seems like there were quite a few HLs the had office but no living room; living room but no office; and neither---not counting location shows.

 

I forget, what were the other two you saw filmed?

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Along the same topic line, none of the 3 Here's Lucys I saw being filmed featured the Unique Employment office.  One, Franchise Fiasco did not have the office or the Carter living room.  BUT it did have Sam's Coffee Shop and I was able to sit in THE booth.....and yes, I left my dollar and a quarter for booth rental.   I didn't have the presence of mind to look around to see if the office set was intact behind one of the other sets.

Seems like there were quite a few HLs the had office but no living room; living room but no office; and neither---not counting location shows. 

How is it you were allowed to wander down onto the set (and how cool for you!!)??? Boy how things have changed, largely I'm sure to heightened security EVERYWHERE thanks to/post 9-11.

 

Since the living room and office were considered "permanent" sets, I doubt they were struck unless it was absolutely necessary that week but instead were probably just redressed; there was still at least one "swing" set to be used as needed (not sure if the Kitchen was permanent or not but I would imagine it was, despite it not being used weekly).

 

Isn't it a thrill to not only be on a film set but see the audience/bleachers/seats from the actors' perspective?? The closest I've come was being able to wander around and sit on the "Hot in Cleveland" set post a benefit performance for LA's Celebration Theatre a couple years ago, which was highlighted by the HIC cast's table read of an old "Golden Girls" script!  Surreal and a joy to see Betty, Wendie, Valerie and Jane read those iconic parts -- and Betty insisted on not reading Rose but the part of Dorothy!!! :blink:

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