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"Senior Pens Lucille Ball Trivia Book"


Brock

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WOW, what a great factoid there Neil, had no idea why she did not get one, i thought it was the Broadway crowd not wanting to acknowledge a tv person or former movie star. She could have added a Tony to her mantle.

 

It was not unheard of to get a nomination for a show that had already closed. Carol Channing was nominated that year for "Show Girl" which had only a short run. The other two nominees were Julie Andrews in "Camelot" and Nancy Walker in "Do Re Mi".

Nor was it unheard of to nominate a TV performer's Broadway debut as star or one that left a hit by choice. Jackie Gleason WON for "Take Me Along" the previous season. Unlike Lucy who left for (mostly) physical ailments, Gleason wanted out because he was bored and got into a battle with producer David Merrick before leaving the hit musical forcing it closed shortly after.

So there was no real excuse not to give Lucy a nomination for "Wildcat" because to turn that show into a sell-out was a tremendous accomplishment of performance over material. The reviews were practically all universal. Almost every critic heaped praise on Lucy, so it was not JUST her name. Few had good things to say about "Wildcat" as a show.

To be nominated for "LEAD" actress your name had to be above the title, so Tammy Grimes was relegated to (and won) Best "Featured" actress in a musical for her star turn in "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", a part offered to Lucy. ("Molly" and "Wildcat" opened the same month..and were both set in 1912!)

Likewise Dick Van Dyke, who certainly qualifies as the star of "Bye Bye Birdie" won as featured actor. The rules changed later.

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My book finally got here today and I'm delighted with it! Beautiful production! A nice hefty paperback with a gorgeous cover. Can't wait to dive in. Will be taking it to FL to read on the train and it'll keep me out of trouble...thanks Jimmy! :professor:

When you're sitting on the train, reading Jim's great Lucy book, make sure no lady sits next to you who then offers you watercress sandwhiches. :lucythrill::lucydisgust:

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A couple of "FAQ" questions/comments:

In the section on Lucy's singing:

In "Lucy and Andrews Sister", although it not actually singing Lucy is doing the "Choo" after "Boop, Boop Didem, Dadem, Wadem...." in "Three Little Fishes", but you don't mention if you are of the opinion that Lucy was dubbed when the trio sings together. It's hard to tell because Lucy (or her ghost-singer) is singing as octave lower than the other two (many notes seemingly BELOW the range of whoever did it), but Lucy's solo line "Church bells will chime" with its strong vibrato does NOT sound like our gal to me.

"Lucy and Rudy Vallee"--I'll have to watch this one again, but the vocals did not seem like Lucy's. I could be wrong (it's rare but it HAS happened...).

(To your credit, you do not commit either way when summing up the vocals of these episodes)

"Unemployment Follies" Lucy's vocals in her duets with Carol are clearly not hers, but they're so nondescript they could be anyone's. How did you deduce they were Lucie Arnaz's?

"Mod Mod Lucy" I'd be interested to know who this ghost-singer is, because she did a great job replicating what Lucy's singing would sound like if she were closer to an actual singer. Those who didn't know any better would think this was the real thing (however a certain Oregon youngster who watched the premiere of "Here's Lucy" was NOT fooled). Mixing this woman's voice with Lucy's for the Mame vocals would have been an intriguing idea. (I'm convinced it is NOT Lucie Arnaz as "The Lucy Book" says)

And finally:

What is this Aegis Theatre Club Award Lucy got for "Wildcat"? Is there any reference to this online? Had Lucy not left Wildcat before Tony nomination time, she probably would have gotten a nod. The competition was not too strong: the winner was Elizabeth Seal in the musical version of "Irma La Douce", neither of which are remembered.

 

I really don't know whether or not Lucy's own voice was used at any point during the Andrews Sisters medley (besides "Choo.")

 

In "Lucy and Rudy Vallee" the old fashioned Rudy segment seems to be Lucy ("We changed our Rudy..."), while the "hip Rudy" part seems to be dubbed (sounds like it could possibly be Carole, I'm not sure). I am convinced that Lucie did the singing in the "Chicago/Alexander's Ragtime Band" number in "Lucy and Carol Burnett." I've listened to it many times and it sounds exactly like Lucie to me. It does seem like they told her to tone it down so Carol overpowers her and no one would think it wasn't Lucy's real voice.

 

I think The Lucy Book says Carole did the singing in "Mod, Mod Lucy." I doesn't sound like either Lucie or Carole too me.

 

Lucy's Aegis Theatre Club Award was reported in a March 1961 New York Times article. From my research, the Aegis Theatre Club was a group comprised of 200 theatergoing women and was founded in about 1945. Each year they gave out awards. It appears that they were considered to be a pretty prestigious award. It doesn't look like there were actual categories, but they were given to whoever they considered deserving that year. Lucy and Gig Young (for "Under the Yum Yum Tree") were given the honors for 1961. I don't know when the Aegis Theater Club lasted until, but they were still giving out awards until at least 1970 since Bonnie Franklin won one for "Applause" then.

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My book finally got here today and I'm delighted with it! Beautiful production! A nice hefty paperback with a gorgeous cover. Can't wait to dive in. Will be taking it to FL to read on the train and it'll keep me out of trouble...thanks Jimmy! :professor:

 

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it. Have a good trip!

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Thanks for clarifying.

A March 1961 award for Wildcat would have made sense, because the real trouble (fainting, etc.) didn't happen until late April and May. She took a 2-week vacation some time and when she returned the "Wildcat" box office actually went UP, playing to capacity and SRO right to the end, with no sign of waning. I guess theater-goers realized that Lucy wasn't going to be around long.

 

This period where Lucy is dubbed, which seems to be limited to the first three years of HL, is fascinating to me. I agree with everything you've said. I'll have to dig out the "Rudy Vallee" episode, but I love how you point out that the "Hungry Hippy" venue they performed at did not have any hippies in the audience "hungry or otherwise"! (Very clever!) Obviously the Hairy Ape was already booked (wasn't that a club in another episode?).

The Here's Lucy production staff had real disdain for the youth counter-culture. They are ridiculed on numerous occasions.

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Thanks for clarifying.

A March 1961 award for Wildcat would have made sense, because the real trouble (fainting, etc.) didn't happen until late April and May. She took a 2-week vacation some time and when she returned the "Wildcat" box office actually went UP, playing to capacity and SRO right to the end, with no sign of waning. I guess theater-goers realized that Lucy wasn't going to be around long.

 

This period where Lucy is dubbed, which seems to be limited to the first three years of HL, is fascinating to me. I agree with everything you've said. I'll have to dig out the "Rudy Vallee" episode, but I love how you point out that the "Hungry Hippy" venue they performed at did not have any hippies in the audience "hungry or otherwise"! (Very clever!) Obviously the Hairy Ape was already booked (wasn't that a club in another episode?).

The Here's Lucy production staff had real disdain for the youth counter-culture. They are ridiculed on numerous occasions.

Lucy was considered as part of the Hollywood OLD GUARD back then, with Hope and Sinatra and all the other old fogeys, of all of them she was surely the most WITH IT and broadminded. Although the other two always had BROADS on their MINDS.

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Obviously the Hairy Ape was already booked (wasn't that a club in another episode?).

Yup, the "Herbie Walton" ep of TLS aka "Viv Visits Lucy":

 

Viv flies to California to visit Lucy and admits that she's looking for a young college student from her hometown whom she believes has fallen in with the no-good beatnik crowd. Lucy and Viv disguise themselves as hippies to track the youth down. :D

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I really don't know whether or not Lucy's own voice was used at any point during the Andrews Sisters medley (besides "Choo.")

 

In "Lucy and Rudy Vallee" the old fashioned Rudy segment seems to be Lucy ("We changed our Rudy..."), while the "hip Rudy" part seems to be dubbed (sounds like it could possibly be Carole, I'm not sure). I am convinced that Lucie did the singing in the "Chicago/Alexander's Ragtime Band" number in "Lucy and Carol Burnett." I've listened to it many times and it sounds exactly like Lucie to me. It does seem like they told her to tone it down so Carol overpowers her and no one would think it wasn't Lucy's real voice.

 

I think The Lucy Book says Carole did the singing in "Mod, Mod Lucy." I doesn't sound like either Lucie or Carole too me.

 

Lucy's Aegis Theatre Club Award was reported in a March 1961 New York Times article. From my research, the Aegis Theatre Club was a group comprised of 200 theatergoing women and was founded in about 1945. Each year they gave out awards. It appears that they were considered to be a pretty prestigious award. It doesn't look like there were actual categories, but they were given to whoever they considered deserving that year. Lucy and Gig Young (for "Under the Yum Yum Tree") were given the honors for 1961. I don't know when the Aegis Theater Club lasted until, but they were still giving out awards until at least 1970 since Bonnie Franklin won one for "Applause" then.

 

Harry: Any chance you can narrow down the month and day of the NYTimes article? Would love it for the chronology....thanks if you can research it for me....JK

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Harry: Any chance you can narrow down the month and day of the NYTimes article? Would love it for the chronology....thanks if you can research it for me....JK

 

I don't have the date of the New York Times article at the moment, but the award was presented to Lucy on April 16, 1961.

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Oh great the BEST Lucy book author won't be but . . .

Okay, dun't finish that sentence! :marionstrong:

 

Anywho I can't wait to get mine, just got my Amazon "it's been shipped notice" and they usually come fast despite supposedly using the cheapest mailing possible, so hoping I have it my hands for this weekend!! :D

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You better keep the second copy... you'll wear yours out referencing it all the time. ;)

 

LOL! So true. I have to say CONGRATULATIONS James! The book is a masterpiece! So detailed and the perfect reference book. I have just started reading the timeline and I was thinking to myself, I hope that the next chapter goes more in depth about each family member and VOILA! It does! :)

 

I was also so surprised to read that you are so young! I always imagined you to be in your 50's or 60's at the youngest. It's amazing that someone of your age knows SO MUCH about Lucy, let alone publish a book! Well done, can't wait to delve further and further into the book and learn more and more about my favourite gal!

 

p.s - Thanks for thanking me in the acknowledgments :lucythrill: .........................Well, I can wish can't I?! :lucysmirk::lucyhaha:

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I was also so surprised to read that you are so young! I always imagined you to be in your 50's or 60's at the youngest. It's amazing that someone of your age knows SO MUCH about Lucy, let alone publish a book! Well done, can't wait to delve further and further into the book and learn more and more about my favourite gal!

 

 

I know, i was shocked by that too, the first pic i ever saw of him i think he still had a pacifier in his mouth, so friggin young to have done such a GREAT book.

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LOL! So true. I have to say CONGRATULATIONS James! The book is a masterpiece! So detailed and the perfect reference book. I have just started reading the timeline and I was thinking to myself, I hope that the next chapter goes more in depth about each family member and VOILA! It does! :)

 

Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it. That's so funny that you got two copies!

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