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There was no formal Emmy category for guest actors during the Lucy years, but if you could nominate one guest actor per season, who would it be? I just did one per season, however the category nowadays is broken into male and female performer categories.

 

These would be my nominations for Best Guest Actor/Actress:

 

I Love Lucy

1951-1952: John Emery “The Quiz Show” (Sam/Harold/Julius… JULIUS?!)

1952-1953: Verna Felton “Lucy Hires a Maid” (Mrs. Porter)

1953-1954: Mabel Paige “The Girls Go into Business” (Mrs. Hansen)

1954-1955: Kathryn Card “The Hedda Hopper Story” (Mrs. McGillicuddy)

1955-1956: Mary Jane Croft “Return Home From Europe” (Evelyn Bigsby)

1956-1957: Eleanor Audley “Lucy Wants to Move to the Country” (Eleanor Spaulding)

 

I didn’t intend for so many to be female character actresses, but Eleanor Audley and Verna Felton were the first people I thought of when I thought of award worthy guest performers.

 

The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show:

1957-1958: Tallulah Bankhead “The Celebrity Next-Door”

1958-1959: Paul Douglas “Lucy Wants a Career”

1959-1960: Milton Berle “Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardos”

 

The Lucy Show:

1962-1963: Charles Lane “Lucy Misplaces $2000” (Mr. Barnsdahl)

1963-1964: Michael J. Pollard (JUST KIDDING!)… Ethel Merman “Lucy Teaches Ethel Merman to Sing”

1964-1965: Ann Sothern “Lucy and the Countess” (Countess Rosetta Harrington Framboise)

1965-1966: Ann Sothern “Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest” (Countess Rosetta Harrington Framboise)

1966-1967: Carol Burnett “Lucy Gets a Roommate” (Carol Bradford)

1967-1968: Vanda Barra “Lucy and Robert Goulet” (Waitress)

 

Here’s Lucy:

1968-1969: Jack Benny “Lucy Visits Jack Benny”

1969-1970: Vivian Vance “Lucy and Lawrence Welk” (Vivian Jones)

1970-1971: Richard Burton “Lucy Meets the Burtons”

1971-1972: Ginger Rogers “Ginger Rogers Comes to Tea”

1972-1973: Vanda Barra “Goodbye Mrs. Hips” (Vanda Barra)

1973-1974: Jackie Coogan “Lucy’s Tenant” (Kermit Boswell)

 

Life with Lucy:

1986-1987: Audrey Meadows “Mother of the Bride” (Audrey)

 

Who would you choose?

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There was no formal Emmy category for guest actors during the Lucy years, but if you could nominate one guest actor per season, who would it be? I just did one per season, however the category nowadays is broken into male and female performer categories.

 

These would be my nominations for Best Guest Actor/Actress:

 

I Love Lucy

1951-1952: John Emery “The Quiz Show†(Sam/Harold/Julius… JULIUS?!)

1952-1953: Verna Felton “Lucy Hires a Maid†(Mrs. Porter)

1953-1954: Mabel Paige “The Girls Go into Business†(Mrs. Hansen)

1954-1955: Kathryn Card “The Hedda Hopper Story†(Mrs. McGillicuddy)

1955-1956: Mary Jane Croft “Return Home From Europe†(Evelyn Bigsby)

1956-1957: Eleanor Audley “Lucy Wants to Move to the Country†(Eleanor Spaulding)

 

I didn’t intend for so many to be female character actresses, but Eleanor Audley and Verna Felton were the first people I thought of when I thought of award worthy guest performers.

 

The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show:

1957-1958: Tallulah Bankhead “The Celebrity Next-Doorâ€

1958-1959: Paul Douglas “Lucy Wants a Careerâ€

1959-1960: Milton Berle “Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardosâ€

 

The Lucy Show:

1962-1963: Charles Lane “Lucy Misplaces $2000†(Mr. Barnsdahl)

1963-1964: Michael J. Pollard (JUST KIDDING!)… Ethel Merman “Lucy Teaches Ethel Merman to Singâ€

1964-1965: Ann Sothern “Lucy and the Countess†(Countess Rosetta Harrington Framboise)

1965-1966: Ann Sothern “Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest†(Countess Rosetta Harrington Framboise)

1966-1967: Carol Burnett “Lucy Gets a Roommate†(Carol Bradford)

1967-1968: Vanda Barra “Lucy and Robert Goulet†(Waitress)

 

Here’s Lucy:

1968-1969: Jack Benny “Lucy Visits Jack Bennyâ€

1969-1970: Vivian Vance “Lucy and Lawrence Welk†(Vivian Jones)

1970-1971: Richard Burton “Lucy Meets the Burtonsâ€

1971-1972: Ginger Rogers “Ginger Rogers Comes to Teaâ€

1972-1973: Vanda Barra “Goodbye Mrs. Hips†(Vanda Barra)

1973-1974: Jackie Coogan “Lucy’s Tenant†(Kermit Boswell)

 

Life with Lucy:

1986-1987: Audrey Meadows “Mother of the Bride†(Audrey)

 

Who would you choose?

I'm going to do suggested nominees for best guest SUPPORTING performers as opposed to guest stars. There were so many great ones.

 

51-52 Gale Gordon and Edith Meisner "Schedule" and "Raise"

52-53 Elvia Allman "Job Switching", Verna Felton "Maid" and "Sales Resistance" the chorus of "The Operetta", Barbara Pepper "Goes to Hospital" Frank Nelson "Changes Her Mind"

53-54 Larry Dobkin "Equal Rights", Kathryn Card "Fan Magazine Interview", Frank Nelson "Hawaiian Vacation", Mary Jane Croft "Envious"

54-55 Charles Lane "Business Manager", John Littel "Mr and Mrs." Frank Nelson "Movie Offer", Olin Howlin "First Stop", Will Wright "Tennessee Bound", Irving Bacon and Chick Chandler, both of "Ethel's Home Town", Lou Krugman "Gets in Pictures", Bobby Jellison "Star Upstairs", Parley Baer "Agent"

55-56 Frank Nelson "Great Train Robbery" and "Returning Home" , Dub Taylor "Rodeo", Charles Lane "Staten Island Ferry", Mary Jane Croft "Returning Home"

56-57 Frank Wilcox, Eleanor Audley, "Moves to Country" Barbara Eden "Country Club Dance"

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This is a brilliant thread!

 

I Love Lucy:

 

(Omitting the big guest stars during the Hollywood Trip, Bob Hope, Elsa Lanchester, Orson Welles, etc.)

 

Season One: Gale Gordon (Alvin Littlefield, Ricky Asks For A Raise), Mary Wickes (Madame Lamond, The Ballet)

Season Two: Hans Conried (Percy Livermore, Lucy Hires An English Tutor), Verna Felton (Mrs. Porter, Lucy Hires A Maid) (Runner-up: Hazel Pierce (Ricky Loses His Voice))

Season Three: Charlie Lane (Mr. Hickox, The Business Manager), Shirley Mitchell (Marion Strong, Lucy Tells The Truth) (Runner-up: Jay Novello, (Mr. Beacher, The Sublease))

Season Four: Bobby Jellison (Bobby, The Star Upstairs), Kathryn Card (Mrs. McGillicuddy, The Hedda Hopper Story)

Season Five: Tie: Charlie Lane (Passport Clerk, Staten Island Ferry)/Sam Hearn (Doc Peterson, The Passports), Mary Jane Croft (Evelyn Bigsby, Return Home From Europe). (Runner Up: Sheila Bromley (Helen Erickson Sears Kaiser, The Passports)

Season Six: Frank Nelson (Ralph Ramsay, Country Club Dance), Eleanor Audley (Lucy Wants To Move To The Country). Runner Up: Barbara Eden (Diana Jordan, Country Club Dance)

 

 

The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour:

 

(Again, setting aside the huge guest stars)

 

Season One: Frank Nelson (Cruise Director, Lucy Takes A Cruise To Havana), Elvia Allman (His Wife, The Celebrity Next Door)

Season Two: Gale Gordon (Judge, Lucy Makes Room For Danny), Joi Lansing (Herself, Lucy Wants A Career)

Season Three: Sid Melton (Construction Worker, Milton Berle Hides Out At The Ricardos), Kathryn Card (Mrs. McGillicuddy, The Ricardos Go To Japan)

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I don't have a problem with Michael J. Pollard. I like the way he underplays (although I'll bet Lucy did not). On the opposite end of the underplaying spectrum, I thought you were kidding with your nomination of Vanda "A Bowl of Hot Water??" Barra for "Goulet".

Although I love her in the next season's "Mothers In Law" as the maternity hospital reception nurse. She's a shameless mugger, but you gotta love her.

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The Lucy Show:

 

Season 1: Dick Martin (Harry Connors, No More Double Dates), Janet Waldo (Marge, Lucy's Sister Pays A Visit) (Runners Up: Frank Aletter (Dr. Eastman, Lucy The Music Lover) and Charles Lane (Mr. Barnsdahl, Lucy Misplaces $2,000))

Season 2: Robert Alda (John Brooks III, Lucy Goes To Art Class), Ethel Merman (Agnes Schmidlapp, Lucy Teaches Ethel Merman to Sing)

Season 3: Jack Benny (Harry Tuttle, Lucy & The Plumber), Ann Sothern (Countess Framboise, Lucy & The Countess) (Runner Up: Bing Crosby (Himself, Lucy, The Disk Jockey) :lol: !!!)

Season 4: Mel Torme (Mel Tinker, Lucy In The Music World), Lucille Ball (Rusty Martin, Lucy, The Gun Moll) ;)

Season 5: George Burns (Himself, Lucy & George Burns), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bunson, Viv Visits Lucy) (Runners Up: Carol Burnett (Carol Bradford, Lucy Gets A Roomate), THE MOVIE STAR (!!!) (Audrey Fields, Lucy's Substitute Secretary))

Season 6: Buddy Hackett (Lucy & The Stolen Stole), (Tie!) Edie Adams (Nanette, Mooney's Other Wife) and THE MOVIE STAR!!! (Herself, Lucy Meets The Berles) (Runner Up: Dick Shawn (Ace, Lucy The Pool Hustler))

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I'm only counting people that were not actual regulars and not guest "stars":

 

Season 1: Frank Aletter, Music Lover; Carole Cook: Volunteer Firewomen

Season 2: Keith Andes, Duck Hunting; Kathleen Freeman, Florence Nightengale

Season 3: Max Showalter, Lucy Gets Amnesia (not sure of the title)& Arthur Gordfrey; Reta Shaw "My Fair Lucy"

Season 4: Lou Krugman "Wingding"; Barbara Morrison "Lucy Bags a Bargain"

Season 5: Iris Adrian (Hard Head Hogan) "Lucy Meets the Law" with a 3-way tie for runner up Jody "You're as welcome as the flowers in May" Gilbert, and Ruta Lee and Barbara Morrison "Substitute Secretary" ---haven't come up with a male for this season

Season 6: William Lanteau "Lucy Gets Trapped" Ruta Lee "Meets the Berles"

 

Iris Adrian in the UNDERRATED "Lucy Meets the Law": I can't think of another time a female guest supporting player (who was not a bona fide guest star) had that much of a spotlight in a Lucy Show.

Frank Aletter in Music Lover. I don't know that he ever got another opportunity like this to show how good he is with this type of comedy.

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Season 5: Iris Adrian (Hard Head Hogan) "Lucy Meets the Law" with a 3-way tie for runner up Jody "You're as welcome as the flowers in May" Gilbert

 

 

Iris Adrian in the UNDERRATED "Lucy Meets the Law": I can't think of another time a female guest supporting player (who was not a bona fide guest star) had that much of a spotlight in a Lucy Show.

 

 

 

Great choices! :lol:

 

 

Season 6: William Lanteau "Lucy Gets Trapped"

 

 

I think I'm going to have to rewatch that tonight. Until you mentioned him, I forgot completely that Spike was even IN that episode.

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