Life with Lucy

[Luvsbway]

So basically Follies with Lucy. I love that idea.

[Neil]

So basically Follies with Lucy. I love that idea.

If she only had the voice for it, there's no other star that "I'm Still Here" applies to more.  In fact, the Follies character Carlotta may have been partly based on Lucy because Carolotta, at the time of the fictional Follies reunion is currently the star of a "never ending TV series"......and I don't think they're referring to anything like "The Munsters".

[Luvsbway]

Was Lucy ever camp though?

[HarryCarter]

If she only had the voice for it, there's no other star that "I'm Still Here" applies to more. In fact, the Follies character Carlotta may have been partly based on Lucy because Carolotta, at the time of the fictional Follies reunion is currently the star of a "never ending TV series"......and I don't think they're referring to anything like "The Munsters".

I would have loved to have heard Lucy sing "I'm Still Here" at some point, but I think Lucy's career does not match the song at all. No one would ever say "what ever happened to her?" She was never relegated to touring in stock nor someone's mother or camp. Yvonne DeCarlo and Polly Bergen fit this perfectly. Although unlike them Lucy was called a pinko Commie tool. Sondheim said he based on song on Joan Crawford's career.

[Freddie2]

I think it fits Stritch pretty well, even though the song is talking about a star who is presumably much bigger than she was.

[Mot Morenzi]

(I missed this thread of a few months ago)

I'm sure this would have been a ratings SMASH but would have satisfied nobody.  As Lucy would once again be playing a wife (to someone other than Ed MacMahon), it might have brought out her vulnerable side.  Dealing with the Mertzes: dead: no.  Retired to Florida or something would have been better.  But what would the plot be?  How about

The historic building that housed the Tropicana/Club Babalu is about to be torn down and Mr. Littlefield comes out of retirement to produce on one last big show featuring the performer from its heyday.

To appease the producer of the special (LBP's Gary Morton), Littlefield could hire a young comic Morton Golddapper for the opening act.  Sparks fly between him and Mrs. Ricardo.....

I'm personally glad that special was never produced as well. To canonically declare the Mertzes as dead would be painful beyond imagining. Best let all four of them live on eternally in reruns. It just would've been too sad otherwise.

[Mot Morenzi]

Not yet commonplace in '62; although if it were on NBC, it would definitely been more likely.  At least with the 2nd & 3rd seasons of TLS in color, we know what everything (pretty much) would have looked like in that first B&W season; I wish more that the hour-longs of TLDCH were all in color because the country house set(s) were my favorite of them all as well as the idea that by that time they had the clout and the budget to film them that way and I'll never understand why they DIDN'T!

To me it makes perfect sense why the first TLS season was shot in black and white: it was only intended to be produced for one season. Had they known it would've been a continuing series, it likely would've been shot in color from the start. But why waste the money on a series that's only intended to be a stop-gap measure to help Desilu gain sales leverage with the networks? Also, CBS not having a policy to air shows in color at the time is a factor, and likely explains why "The Lucille Ball - Desi Arnaz Show" was produced in black and white.

[Neil]

I've read several places that "the Lucy Show" was only meant as a one-season entry, but sometimes these multiple-listed facts are all quoting one source. (don't know that this is the case here)

Personally I don't buy that.   I don't know if "The Honeymooners" was only going to be a 1 season comedy from the get-go or if Jackie got tired of that and wanted to return to his more relaxed variety format, but that's the only show I can think of that was a hit and ceased after one season. (another factor is that "Honeymooners" was not a huge rating hit: #19 as opposed to the previous season's variety show: #2).

I think the whole one-season thing was Lucy and CBS trying to outsmart each other.  Threatening to quit a top 5 show would give her leverage with CBS when it came to buying Desilu pilots.  It backfired because CBS may have realized that if they bought these pilots, Desilu would be well-represented on the network's schedule and Lucy would have less reason to return for another season from a business sense.

However, I think it was all bluffing on Lucy's part.  She stated time and time again that she didn't like being an executive and loved her work, meaning as an actress.  And what else was she going to do at that point besides a TV series?

 

And in response to Lucy and "I'm Still Here": I wasn't suggesting the lyrics fit her--other than being "called a pinko commie tool", it's just that of all the actresses of Hollywood's golden age, she was one of two still plugging away on top in the 70s (Katharine Hepburn being the other).   Playing "someone's mother": I don't recall her portraying the mother of an adult until Kim became of-age on Here's Lucy.  In fact, just a few years previous she was perfectly believable as a woman still in her child bearing years (in YMO), albeit the tail-end of her child-bearing years.

To me it makes perfect sense why the first TLS season was shot in black and white: it was only intended to be produced for one season. Had they known it would've been a continuing series, it likely would've been shot in color from the start. But why waste the money on a series that's only intended to be a stop-gap measure to help Desilu gain sales leverage with the networks? Also, CBS not having a policy to air shows in color at the time is a factor, and likely explains why "The Lucille Ball - Desi Arnaz Show" was produced in black and white.

[Mot Morenzi]

I've read several places that "the Lucy Show" was only meant as a one-season entry, but sometimes these multiple-listed facts are all quoting one source. (don't know that this is the case here)

Personally I don't buy that.   I don't know if "The Honeymooners" was only going to be a 1 season comedy from the get-go or if Jackie got tired of that and wanted to return to his more relaxed variety format, but that's the only show I can think of that was a hit and ceased after one season. (another factor is that "Honeymooners" was not a huge rating hit: #19 as opposed to the previous season's variety show: #2).

I think the whole one-season thing was Lucy and CBS trying to outsmart each other.  Threatening to quit a top 5 show would give her leverage with CBS when it came to buying Desilu pilots.  It backfired because CBS may have realized that if they bought these pilots, Desilu would be well-represented on the network's schedule and Lucy would have less reason to return for another season from a business sense.

However, I think it was all bluffing on Lucy's part.  She stated time and time again that she didn't like being an executive and loved her work, meaning as an actress.  And what else was she going to do at that point besides a TV series?

 

And in response to Lucy and "I'm Still Here": I wasn't suggesting the lyrics fit her--other than being "called a pinko commie tool", it's just that of all the actresses of Hollywood's golden age, she was one of two still plugging away on top in the 70s (Katharine Hepburn being the other).   Playing "someone's mother": I don't recall her portraying the mother of an adult until Kim became of-age on Here's Lucy.  In fact, just a few years previous she was perfectly believable as a woman still in her child bearing years (in YMO), albeit the tail-end of her child-bearing years.

 

If it isn't true, Fidelman was asleep at the switch! Given that his is an "authorized" book, such an error would be damaging to its credibility. Perhaps you're right, it was only STATED that the show would last one season to give Lucy more power in bargaining.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

I don't buy it either, i.e. that TLS was intended to be a one-season wonder, it simply makes no sense.  What network would throw all that money down a rathole -- even for a Lucy/Desilu production -- with a finite run of just one season? Makes no sense, especially financially.

 

And it's also doubtful at this point in time the show would be shot in color because NBC owned RCA and RCA color sets were just coming out and there's no way CBS would "help" promote rival NBC's product by airing any regular series in color, not in 1962-63 anyway.

 

As for Fidelman, authorized or not, as I recall a lot of his "information" was written as fact when in fact it was either his opinion or his version of facts.  Big difference in my book.  

[Luvsbway]

 

I watched Lucy and Curtis Are Up a Tree last night. I don’t recall seeing this one before. So many problems. I think Lucy shouted all her lines in this episode. As the decades went on I think she just got louder every series. But I just kept thinking, Lucy take it down a notch. Also the plot of this went absolutely nowhere. It was like 20 minutes of you move out, no you move out, ok we’ll both move out and then lamenting over not being able to see the grandkids. After 5 minutes I was thinking, we get it, move on. I know the point was to trap them up in the tree house and get caught in the rain, but there were so many better ideas they could have gone with then, hey we’re just going to sit up here and have a conversation that goes in circles for 10 minutes.

 

As I’m working my way through some of these episodes I’ve noticed Lucy’s speech seems slower. Not sure if it was that she was heavily relying on the cue cards, or just age. When you watch these one after another the flaws really stand out. Even camera shots are just not good. We are going to an actor too soon to get the reaction shot. One shot on Jenny I kept wondering why she was in close-up until she made a face. Also I don’t think they are pickup shots but close-ups of a comedic action (ie the smashed watch when Lucy is a magician) are just not blending with the other shots. I know Marc Daniels directed some of these and he was well past his prime at this time, so was he relying on old techniques and pacing. Was Gary too much in that editing room “helping”?

[JoeySanJoaquin]

I watched Lucy and Curtis Are Up a Tree last night. I don’t recall seeing this one before. So many problems. I think Lucy shouted all her lines in this episode. As the decades went on I think she just got louder every series. But I just kept thinking, Lucy take it down a notch. Also the plot of this went absolutely nowhere. It was like 20 minutes of you move out, no you move out, ok we’ll both move out and then lamenting over not being able to see the grandkids. After 5 minutes I was thinking, we get it, move on. I know the point was to trap them up in the tree house and get caught in the rain, but there were so many better ideas they could have gone with then, hey we’re just going to sit up here and have a conversation that goes in circles for 10 minutes.

 

As I’m working my way through some of these episodes I’ve noticed Lucy’s speech seems slower. Not sure if it was that she was heavily relying on the cue cards, or just age. When you watch these one after another the flaws really stand out. Even camera shots are just not good. We are going to an actor too soon to get the reaction shot. One shot on Jenny I kept wondering why she was in close-up until she made a face. Also I don’t think they are pickup shots but close-ups of a comedic action (ie the smashed watch when Lucy is a magician) are just not blending with the other shots. I know Marc Daniels directed some of these and he was well past his prime at this time, so was he relying on old techniques and pacing. Was Gary too much in that editing room “helping”?

Oh this brings up so many thoughts comments and questions!

 

What reading this though just made me wonder (since I can't remember), and since you worked on "Drew" and I've attended many filmings over the years, I'm trying to remember at what point with filmed shows did they start "attaching" video cameras as well to the cameras so that the the shots could be sent to monitors for the directors, producers as well as the audience to see any action blocked by the "big" (film) camera but I can't remember if they did this at LWL (I don't think so) but wondered by the time they did Drew if they employed that? (Of course once they went HD this would no longer be necessary.) Just curious -- getting old I get frequent "now how'd that go again?" moments trying to remember who, what where when etc. etc. 

 

Your observations are all valid and interesting and add to the never ending "what where they thinking??" conversation.

 

I've never stopped wondering having attended the first filming what they were thinking hiring veteran soundman Cam only to have to literally yell at him to cut the music played between scenes because they were ready to roll!

 

I can't help wondering too whether -- as in your excellent example -- the scripts were initially written with a lot more Lucy "shtick" (business) but between the table reads and getting the show staged they had to make a lot of changes because they just didn't think The Lady (and Gale too, for that matter) could (or should?) be expected to pull off a lot of physical gags.  (I always think of what in my mind is THE worst ep of the series "Guard Goose" and how it was done in such a way that the goose supposedly chased Lucy and Curtis up the shelving at the Hardware Store but of course we never actually see their "scrambling" as they're already atop the shelves when we see them--actually even that surprised me given the height they were perched at and their respective ages!)

 

Thoughts?

[Luvsbway]

Drew was shot on film and did have the monitors to show the audience the actions. I got to sit in that booth one night and watch the girl live switch the cameras for the audience. I was told this was a good way to get in and working for your DGA card. It was a lot of fun up there and I even noted some script changes while the girl I was watching went to grab some pizza.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

Drew was shot on film and did have the monitors to show the audience the actions. I got to sit in that booth one night and watch the girl live switch the cameras for the audience. I was told this was a good way to get in and working for your DGA card. It was a lot of fun up there and I even noted some script changes while the girl I was watching went to grab some pizza.

Very cool!  Was the director in the booth or on the floor watching the monitors??

[Luvsbway]

Director was on the floor watching the monitors. The great, late Sam Simon directed about half of the ones I was there for.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

Director was on the floor watching the monitors. The great, late Sam Simon directed about half of the ones I was there for.

 

Just read up on him.  Amazing guy. Gone too soon. Obviously you were fond of him and I get it.

 

What period were you on the show? (And yes, I'm dying to know whether you were there for the Busty Ingels eps and whether you got to meet her, had any interaction or observations about her working on the show??)

 

TDCS is one of those long-running series that doesn't curiously seem to have a current "run" in syndication (that I'm aware of) nor on any of the ME-TV stations and the like (again, at least that I'm aware of), any thoughts as to why? It was a good, solid show with a long run and since there's no DVD release of it except for the first season (again, why not?) I'd sure like to see them again!

[Luvsbway]

Excellent piece answering why we don't see TDCS anywhere.

 

http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2015/10/does-anyone-remember-drew-carey-show.html?m=1

 

I was there fifth season the first half. I wrote about my whole sorted time in LA over in the off topic section.

 

I was not there while Busty was but did meet her back at the summer stock theatre I worked at in the 90s. Her and Marty came to do Love Letters.

[Freddie2]

I was thinking that if I was ABC I might just force in those M*A*S*H* writers regardless of what Lucy wanted, because of how much money was put into production. I'm wondering just how much was spent making those thirteen episodes. Wasn't it Lucy got 100k per episode, and Gary got 150? Also I read somewhere that if the show got cancelled, Lucy would get a million dollars. Not to mention the cost for hotshot Aaron Spelling, a few big guest stars and Gale got a full seasons' salary regardless of the cancellation. You'd think they'd at least burn off some of the episodes in the summer to try and recoup their investment and maybe build an audience for the show.

[Freddie2]

We watched the John Ritter ep tonight. Fun and funny, but that last scene has started to bug me because it's just too out there, even by Lucy standards. John can't eat a carrot stick without choking, but somehow a harmonica can slide down his gullet like nobody's business?

The last moments of the episode are really sweet, with Lucy and John hugging as the curtain closes and the audience goes wild. Notice in the end credits there are some still photos of Lucy and John bowing that weren't part of the episode. Right around the time this episode aired, Lucy and John presented Red Skelton with the Governors Award at the Emmys. It makes me wish that the three physical comedy greats had gotten together to do an episode at some point.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

We watched the John Ritter ep tonight. Fun and funny, but that last scene has started to bug me because it's just too out there, even by Lucy standards. John can't eat a carrot stick without choking, but somehow a harmonica can slide down his gullet like nobody's business?

The last moments of the episode are really sweet, with Lucy and John hugging as the curtain closes and the audience goes wild. Notice in the end credits there are some still photos of Lucy and John bowing that weren't part of the episode. Right around the time this episode aired, Lucy and John presented Red Skelton with the Governors Award at the Emmys. It makes me wish that the three physical comedy greats had gotten together to do an episode at some point.

That's a great idea! Would have been "wundaful"!

[chedderchester]

I'm sure if Vivian Vance was still alive at the time, she would've been a regular. She would've had to be one of Lucy's old friends, just like in every other show. I don't think being a next door neighbor would've worked, because Lucy just moved into the house. I'm surprised Mary Jane never made an appearance! She was still alive and well until 1999. Maybe she was going to but the show got cancelled before her episode was shot. 

 

I forgot what the reason was that it was on ABC on Saturday nights, not CBS on Monday nights. Also, didn't she "move" to NBC in late 1979? 

 

ABC or Me-TV should re-air the "pilot" for it's 30th anniversary. TV Land even replayed the short lived 1991 series Princesses in late 2009! And that only lasted 8 episodes. This series featured Julie Hagerty, Fran Drescher and Twiggy who all shared a NYC penthouse. After the 4th episode was taped, Julie quit because she was unhappy with her role. I guess, had she stayed on, it would've lasted a full season but the ratings were terrible, and it was receiving pretty bad press before it even debuted and there were lots of behind the scenes problems and turmoil. It aired on Friday nights on CBS against the very popular TGIF on ABC.