Brock Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 Here in Jamestown, I picked up an original script for Lucy Gets Locked In The Vault and it is a curious artefact. It doesn't indicate which draft it is, but what fascinates me is this original script must have had a run time of at least 30 - 32 minutes. Not only are the parts of Chris, Jerry and Sherman expanded, but there are many more vignettes of Lucy and Mooney locked in the vault, including a bit where Lucy and Mooney are playing Jerry's paddle ball (a "dingbat" in the script) to pass the time, Lucy reading Mooney one of Jerry's library books which she planned on returning after meeting with Mooney, and Lucy and Mooney doing a poetry recitation battle. It is hilarious -- and one of the few instances I've found where the original script is possibly funnier than the finished product. Does anyone have any insights as to how long this expanded final act made it through production? I wonder if any of these tidbits were filmed and are languishing in a vault somewhere. In any event, I'll transcribe the final act when I get home from the Festival. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 This obviously could have been a 3-parter. Wasn't this the first written without Schiller and Weiskopf? And the first one filmed for the season after the summer break? Bill O'Halloran was the third writer. He was 45 at the time and, interestingly The Lucy Show is his first imdb credit. Later he did several Mothers In Laws and......Dragnet (?!). I've never fully understood the reason S&W were not a part of all 2nd season shows. The story has been that they were pursuing other work, but did they start writing for Red Skelton or anyone else during 63-64? Other than Fox/Elinson, there were a couple one-or-two shot 2nd season writers (O'Hallaran, Tom Koch). I've always wondered where they found them.....and why they picked them and WHO did the picking? I've said this before but I can't tell the difference between 2nd season episodes written with Schiller/Weiskopf and the other new writers. Which says to me that Bob and Madelyn were the driving force behind the series scripts. Especially when you compare 2nd season eps to the four 3rd season Schiller/Weiskopf only scripts, none of which are great IMO (people like "Camp Cooks" and "Contact Lens" more than I do). There are some amusing moments in all of them, except for perhaps the "Danny Kaye" misfire, but the episodes do not have the same cohesiveness of the first 58 mostly-golden "Lucy Show"'s. And here's a mystery I'd love someone to clear up for me: In Gilbert/Sanders "Desilu" book, much is made of Desi's evicerating of the SECOND season unproduced script "Lucy Flies a Helicopter". Without naming them, the "Desilu" writers imply this was a Bob-Madelyn script. Given Desi's loyalty to them, doesn't it seem unlikely that he would go off on their work? I'd love to get my hands on this "Helicopter" script. I've said this before #2: (hey! these episodes are now 50 years old and I may have run out of NEW insights) but as much as I LOVE 7/8ths of "Cleopatra", "Locked in Vault" would seem like a much better, stronger season-opener. Amazing how seamlessly Gale Gordon fit into the proceedings. Here in Jamestown, I picked up an original script for Lucy Gets Locked In The Vault and it is a curious artefact. It doesn't indicate which draft it is, but what fascinates me is this original script must have had a run time of at least 30 - 32 minutes. Not only are the parts of Chris, Jerry and Sherman expanded, but there are many more vignettes of Lucy and Mooney locked in the vault, including a bit where Lucy and Mooney are playing Jerry's paddle ball (a "dingbat" in the script) to pass the time, Lucy reading Mooney one of Jerry's library books which she planned on returning after meeting with Mooney, and Lucy and Mooney doing a poetry recitation battle. It is hilarious -- and one of the few instances I've found where the original script is possibly funnier than the finished product. Does anyone have any insights as to how long this expanded final act made it through production? I wonder if any of these tidbits were filmed and are languishing in a vault somewhere. In any event, I'll transcribe the final act when I get home from the Festival. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 Here in Jamestown, I picked up an original script for Lucy Gets Locked In The Vault and it is a curious artefact. It doesn't indicate which draft it is, but what fascinates me is this original script must have had a run time of at least 30 - 32 minutes. Not only are the parts of Chris, Jerry and Sherman expanded, but there are many more vignettes of Lucy and Mooney locked in the vault, including a bit where Lucy and Mooney are playing Jerry's paddle ball (a "dingbat" in the script) to pass the time, Lucy reading Mooney one of Jerry's library books which she planned on returning after meeting with Mooney, and Lucy and Mooney doing a poetry recitation battle. It is hilarious -- and one of the few instances I've found where the original script is possibly funnier than the finished product. Does anyone have any insights as to how long this expanded final act made it through production? I wonder if any of these tidbits were filmed and are languishing in a vault somewhere. In any event, I'll transcribe the final act when I get home from the Festival. Very interesting! I look forward to seeing this. I enjoy the episode but I find it a bit slow after the vault gets locked. Sounds like some of these gags would've livened up the proceedings considerably. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 Great find Boss! Congrats! And thanks in advance for sharing it with us, can't wait to see/read it!It's curious that it doesn't indicate which version draft/final script it is, that's usually the norm for these things!! Would fellow afficianados/experts such as Tom Watson or Jimmy Garrett have any insight into this?? It's kinda hard to think of many who are still around and were around back then! Stay tuned... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Kampen Tripp Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 Very interesting! I look forward to seeing this. I enjoy the episode but I find it a bit slow after the vault gets locked. Sounds like some of these gags would've livened up the proceedings considerably. My sentiments exactly. The dingbat moment could have been a great payoff for the dull /slowvault exchanges. Id like to have that "helicopter" mystery solved myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted December 9, 2016 Report Share Posted December 9, 2016 Here in Jamestown, I picked up an original script for Lucy Gets Locked In The Vault and it is a curious artefact. It doesn't indicate which draft it is, but what fascinates me is this original script must have had a run time of at least 30 - 32 minutes. Not only are the parts of Chris, Jerry and Sherman expanded, but there are many more vignettes of Lucy and Mooney locked in the vault, including a bit where Lucy and Mooney are playing Jerry's paddle ball (a "dingbat" in the script) to pass the time, Lucy reading Mooney one of Jerry's library books which she planned on returning after meeting with Mooney, and Lucy and Mooney doing a poetry recitation battle. It is hilarious -- and one of the few instances I've found where the original script is possibly funnier than the finished product. Does anyone have any insights as to how long this expanded final act made it through production? I wonder if any of these tidbits were filmed and are languishing in a vault somewhere. In any event, I'll transcribe the final act when I get home from the Festival. Just following up to see if you were able to transcribe the final act yet. No pressure or anything, but it'll be great to read when you have the chance. Thanks again for your offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted December 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 ! I forgot. Thanks for the reminder. I'll do this over the holidays! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Part 1! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Part 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Part 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Annnnd scene! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Thanks for sharing those! I definitely prefer a number of things in this version to what made it on-air. I especially love Lucy reading the children's book. I know this ending would've cancelled out Safe Cracker, but I get a kick out of all of them winding up locked in the vault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 I love reading these scripts. "Locked in Vault" has the feel of a season premiere, with references to Barnsdahl from the past season. Never understood why it wasn't used instead of "Cleopatra" (which I love except for the last scene and only because it goes on slightly too long). Several of these early 2nd season shows were filmed the previous spring. Perhaps "Vault" wasn't done in time for the Sept. 30th season start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Another 2nd season mystery: why Schiller and Weiskopf were involved in so few episodes. These two had a third writer Bill O'Halloran. If imdb is correct, this was the first assignment for the then 45 year old writer. Where had he been? His credits end with 5 episodes of The Mothers In Law with a smattering of sitcom credits in between and two DRAGNETs!! Seems to me his name was on another Lucy Show that season ("Scout Camping Trip"?) but imdb only credits him with these 2. And here's some 'straight from horse's mouth' trivia. Madelyn said Bill just sat there and didn't get into the swing of writing as a team as Bob and Madelyn cranked out the episode. His only contribution, and it was a good one, was the "Who's in the Barnyard?" card game. Lucy's line: "4 little lambs and a billy goat" gets such a big laugh that the rest: "and billy goats are wild" is drowned out. I can't tell a 3Bobs&Babe show from aBob-aBabe-aFred-&aIz. Fred Fox and Iz Elinson were the new Schiller & Weiskopf and sans B&M contributed some of the better 3rd season episodes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 I love reading these scripts. "Locked in Vault" has the feel of a season premiere, with references to Barnsdahl from the past season. Never understood why it wasn't used instead of "Cleopatra" (which I love except for the last scene and only because it goes on slightly too long). Several of these early 2nd season shows were filmed the previous spring. Perhaps "Vault" wasn't done in time for the Sept. 30th season start. The shows shot the previous spring were those featuring the old furniture and color scheme for the Danfield house. So this would've been shot then. The DVD would have the exact date. The tag scene for the redecorating episode, showing off the new furnishings, was shot when they came back from hiatus. I, too, wish this had been used at the season premiere. It certainly would've made more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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