Lucy Show/Here's Lucy ratings

[Neil]

This is for the episode that ran on November 26, 1973. The Lucy Book does not list an episode in between Nov. 19th ("Frankie Avalon") and December 3rd ("Harry's Gold Fever")--two real duffers, so assume this was a rerun.

This is probably when the HL ratings started to slide, though #22 isn't bad. It was CBS's highest rated show of the evening and it won its timeslot with a rerun.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

This is for the episode that ran on November 26, 1973. The Lucy Book does not list an episode in between Nov. 19th ("Frankie Avalon") and December 3rd ("Harry's Gold Fever")--two real duffers, so assume this was a rerun.

This is probably when the HL ratings started to slide, though #22 isn't bad. It was CBS's highest rated show of the evening and it won its timeslot with a rerun.

OMG, just look at that list of classic shows, comprising most of the Top 40 -- and most of them (even the lower-rated ones) then garnering millions more viewers than all but a handful of the top of today's Nielsen's weekly lists: AITF, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett (remember those Saturday nights?? ), McCloud, Sanford & Son, Sonny & Cher, Gunsmoke, Mannix, Flip Wilson, etc., etc.

 

Wow! Now that was the real "Golden Age of Television"!

 

 

 

[C L A U D E]

OMG, just look at that list of classic shows, comprising most of the Top 40 -- and most of them (even the lower-rated ones) then garnering millions more viewers than all but a handful of the top of today's Nielsen's weekly lists: AITF, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett (remember those Saturday nights?? ), McCloud, Sanford & Son, Sonny & Cher, Gunsmoke, Mannix, Flip Wilson, etc., etc.

 

Wow! Now that was the real "Golden Age of Television"!

True, love seeing stuff like that, and look at those numbers, today, shows get no audience compared to THOSE!

[HarryCarter]

TV Guide has "Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers" scheduled for November 26. However, Here's Lucy episode guides say that aired on December 31. TV Guide has a rerun of "Lucy and Mannix Are Held Hostage." Perhaps they postponed the episode? It's strange that they would have a repeat in November and a new episode on New Years Eve.

[Neil]

TV Guide has "Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers" scheduled for November 26. However, Here's Lucy episode guides say that aired on December 31. TV Guide has a rerun of "Lucy and Mannix Are Held Hostage." Perhaps they postponed the episode? It's strange that they would have a repeat in November and a new episode on New Years Eve.

I think I trust TV Guide more than episode guides prepared years later.

The only other rating I've found (so far) for Here's Lucy from season 6 was "Peacemaker (Steve & Edie)" which was #6 for the week. I remember it was a long time after season 6 was underway that they had any good ones*, which may have contributed to the ratings decline. The show went out with a bang though with several excellent (and above par) episodes airing very late in the season "Wandering Mother "MJ's Boyfriend" "Lucy Meets Lucy" and "Fights the System". In fact "Robbers" whenever it aired may have been the first good one of the season. (I'm not as wild about "Joan/Jury Duty" as other people--think it's just OK; ditto: Eddie Albert). "Robbers", by the way, was the third (and last) Here's Lucy I saw being filmed live. I had one more week where i could make it down to LA and wrote Madelyn about getting tickets, but that was the week they were filming "Lucy Meets Lucy" as she said "it's not one we wrote and they're doing it without an audience because of the special effects."

 

*I had a conversation with Bob Carroll who evidently didn't watch the episodes they didn't write and mentioned the how poor the season was so far. They had yet to run a B&M written episode. He said a friend had told him the same thing. Bob and Madelyn tried their best to pump a little life into the show, but not being decision makers in the overall production like they had been in The Lucy Show seasons one and two, they weren't as concerned with the overall quality of the show.

[C L A U D E]

I think I trust TV Guide more than episode guides prepared years later.

The only other rating I've found (so far) for Here's Lucy from season 6 was "Peacemaker (Steve & Edie)" which was #6 for the week. I remember it was a long time after season 6 was underway that they had any good ones*, which may have contributed to the ratings decline. The show went out with a bang though with several excellent (and above par) episodes airing very late in the season "Wandering Mother "MJ's Boyfriend" "Lucy Meets Lucy" and "Fights the System". In fact "Robbers" whenever it aired may have been the first good one of the season. (I'm not as wild about "Joan/Jury Duty" as other people--think it's just OK; ditto: Eddie Albert). "Robbers", by the way, was the third (and last) Here's Lucy I saw being filmed live. I had one more week where i could make it down to LA and wrote Madelyn about getting tickets, but that was the week they were filming "Lucy Meets Lucy" as she said "it's not one we wrote and they're doing it without an audience because of the special effects."

 

*I had a conversation with Bob Carroll who evidently didn't watch the episodes they didn't write and mentioned the how poor the season was so far. They had yet to run a B&M written episode. He said a friend had told him the same thing. Bob and Madelyn tried their best to pump a little life into the show, but not being decision makers in the overall production like they had been in The Lucy Show seasons one and two, they weren't as concerned with the overall quality of the show.

In the words of Arte Johnson, VERRRRRRRRRRRRRY INTERESTINK, but i wish you'd stop referring to Bob and Madelyn as BM, which also stands for Bowel Movement. Yes, you'd think Lucy, who respected the work of Bob and Madelyn so much would have fought for them to work every week on her shows rather than let schmoley gary limit their work on the show. But i remember her quote that people in the industry became millionnaires rather fast, so i bet gary kept telling her they wanted too much money.

[HarryCarter]

I think I trust TV Guide more than episode guides prepared years later.

The only other rating I've found (so far) for Here's Lucy from season 6 was "Peacemaker (Steve & Edie)" which was #6 for the week. I remember it was a long time after season 6 was underway that they had any good ones*, which may have contributed to the ratings decline. The show went out with a bang though with several excellent (and above par) episodes airing very late in the season "Wandering Mother "MJ's Boyfriend" "Lucy Meets Lucy" and "Fights the System". In fact "Robbers" whenever it aired may have been the first good one of the season. (I'm not as wild about "Joan/Jury Duty" as other people--think it's just OK; ditto: Eddie Albert). "Robbers", by the way, was the third (and last) Here's Lucy I saw being filmed live. I had one more week where i could make it down to LA and wrote Madelyn about getting tickets, but that was the week they were filming "Lucy Meets Lucy" as she said "it's not one we wrote and they're doing it without an audience because of the special effects."

 

*I had a conversation with Bob Carroll who evidently didn't watch the episodes they didn't write and mentioned the how poor the season was so far. They had yet to run a B&M written episode. He said a friend had told him the same thing. Bob and Madelyn tried their best to pump a little life into the show, but not being decision makers in the overall production like they had been in The Lucy Show seasons one and two, they weren't as concerned with the overall quality of the show.

 

The first group of season six is a let down from the streak of terrific fifth season episodes. Two of my all time favorites "Lucy's Tenant" and "Lucy Gives Eddie Albert the Old Song and Dance" are among them, though. I've always wondered if Bob and Madelyn watched the show when they didn't write it. Thanks for answering that.

[Neil]

The first group of season six is a let down from the streak of terrific fifth season episodes. Two of my all time favorites "Lucy's Tenant" and "Lucy Gives Eddie Albert the Old Song and Dance" are among them, though. I've always wondered if Bob and Madelyn watched the show when they didn't write it. Thanks for answering that.

 

I'd forgotten about "Lucy's Tenant" which I do like thanks in no small part to the on-the-money performance by jackie Coogan, who should have been a Here's Lucy regular. He's got just the right comedic touch for the style of Here's Lucy (at the time). I like "Eddie albert" for the most part except Eddie plays it a little too broad. This was done post-Mame and Lucy's singing is far better here than in the movie. When was the last episode where Lucy Carter sang and danced in a show? Not counting the Dan Dailey and Dinah Shore musical interludes (done for their own amusement), do we have to go all the way back to the third season (Hawaiian)?

And were the "girls" (Lucy, Mary Jane and Vonda) ever a three-some in an episode NOT written by B&M? (Claude, you notice I put an "&" in between) While the camaraderie doesn't compare with Lucy, Viv and Audrey (or Thelma, Kathleen, Frannie and Dorothy), I think it makes Here's Lucy more enjoyable---even though Vanda Barra IS the Lou Ann Hall of the group.

And the added bonus of "Eddie" is the addition of Doris Singleton AND Jerry Hausner.

[Brock]

do we have to go all the way back to the third season (Hawaiian)?

 

 

Just as far back as Lucy & Candid Camera, I think.

[HarryCarter]

I'd forgotten about "Lucy's Tenant" which I do like thanks in no small part to the on-the-money performance by jackie Coogan, who should have been a Here's Lucy regular. He's got just the right comedic touch for the style of Here's Lucy (at the time). I like "Eddie albert" for the most part except Eddie plays it a little too broad. This was done post-Mame and Lucy's singing is far better here than in the movie. When was the last episode where Lucy Carter sang and danced in a show? Not counting the Dan Dailey and Dinah Shore musical interludes (done for their own amusement), do we have to go all the way back to the third season (Hawaiian)?

And were the "girls" (Lucy, Mary Jane and Vonda) ever a three-some in an episode NOT written by B&M? (Claude, you notice I put an "&" in between) While the camaraderie doesn't compare with Lucy, Viv and Audrey (or Thelma, Kathleen, Frannie and Dorothy), I think it makes Here's Lucy more enjoyable---even though Vanda Barra IS the Lou Ann Hall of the group.

And the added bonus of "Eddie" is the addition of Doris Singleton AND Jerry Hausner.

 

The only non-Bob and Madelyn episode that features the character of Vanda is "A Home is Not an Office." There's the Canary Club in that episode that is never mentioned again. The episodes that revolve around Lucy and her friends are usually my favorites.

[C L A U D E]

The only non-Bob and Madelyn episode that features the character of Vanda is "A Home is Not an Office." There's the Canary Club in that episode that is never mentioned again. The episodes that revolve around Lucy and her friends are usually my favorites.

I preferred the ones where she did comedy magic on her own, LOL! I have to tell you, yet again, how beautiful that FIVE PICTURE avatar of Lucy riding the hounds is, just stunning and what a great idea to have shown that to us like that. Had no idea she had done it that often. Wasn`t she also wearing that outfit on the MacLaine special.

[Neil]

Just as far back as Lucy & Candid Camera, I think.

 

I'd forgotten about the "Money" medley in "Candid Camera"--which has a certain corny charm....made MUCH cornier by the bank guard chiming in with his spontaneous lyric "Why, this is a stick-up!" to which they reply in rhyme "He's quick on the pick-up...". The premise is pretty far-fetched to begin with, but "Here's Lucy" under Milt's watch just couldn't resist going one step further.

[Brock]

I'd forgotten about the "Money" medley in "Candid Camera"--which has a certain corny charm....made MUCH cornier by the bank guard chiming in with his spontaneous lyric "Why, this is a stick-up!" to which they reply in rhyme "He's quick on the pick-up...". The premise is pretty far-fetched to begin with, but "Here's Lucy" under Milt's watch just couldn't resist going one step further.

 

 

You've had a traumatic experience trying (unsuccessfully) to start an impromptu musical number in a fiancial institution, haven't you?

[C L A U D E]

I'd forgotten about the "Money" medley in "Candid Camera"--which has a certain corny charm....made MUCH cornier by the bank guard chiming in with his spontaneous lyric "Why, this is a stick-up!" to which they reply in rhyme "He's quick on the pick-up...". The premise is pretty far-fetched to begin with, but "Here's Lucy" under Milt's watch just couldn't resist going one step further.

Yeah, one step further . . . into . . . The Twilight Zone.

[Neil]

The weekly ratings as compiled by Arbitron (the other ratings company) during the fall of 1966 ranked

"Lucy's Roommate (Carol Burnett)" as the #1 show of that week.

"Lucy Gets Caught in the Draft" was #3 for the week it aired.

Pretty impressive for a show in its 5th season.....the ratings just kept getting better.

During this period Bonanza was still the #1 show on television as it had been since the 64-65 season.

[Neil]

Feb. 27, 1974 article announcing Lucy's voluntary withdrawal from weekly television stated that "in the latest Nielsens, "Here's Lucy" ranked #12". I guess the ratings went up and down depending on what movies ABC and NBC were running. (Her ABC competition was "Monday Night Football" for the fall and "ABC Monday Night Movie" for the rest of the season; NBC ran movies all year including "Yours Mine and Ours" opposite "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty")

[C L A U D E]

Feb. 27, 1974 article announcing Lucy's voluntary withdrawal from weekly television stated that "in the latest Nielsens, "Here's Lucy" ranked #12". I guess the ratings went up and down depending on what movies ABC and NBC were running. (Her ABC competition was "Monday Night Football" for the fall and "ABC Monday Night Movie" for the rest of the season; NBC ran movies all year including "Yours Mine and Ours" opposite "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty")

Yeah, she often competed with herself which was hard for us fans back then with no VCRs in existence yet.

[Neil]

Feb. 27, 1974 article announcing Lucy's voluntary withdrawal from weekly television stated that "in the latest Nielsens, "Here's Lucy" ranked #12".

 

This #12 ranked episode was either "Phil Harris Strikes Up Band" or (more likely) "Mary Jane's Boyfriend".

[C L A U D E]

This #12 ranked episode was either "Phil Harris Strikes Up Band" or (more likely) "Mary Jane's Boyfriend".

If she freaked at number 12, imagine how she felt at Life with Lucy's 77.

[Neil]

For the 2nd week of the 2nd season, the week ending Oct. 13, 1963, the "Kiddie Parties" episode of "The Lucy Show" came in 4th, CBS's highest rated show of their stellar Monday evening.

In order, the top 12 were

Beverly Hillbillies, Bonanza, Dick Van Dyke, Lucy, Andy Griffith, Petticoat Junction (new show), Danny Thomas, Red Skelton, Perry Mason, Donna Reed, Jack Benny, Patty Duke (new).

 

When Lucy announced her 'retirement' in March of 1964, CBS shuffled its schedule and moved Petticoat to Lucy's 8:30 time slot. So when Lucy decided to return, what show got the ax? It turns out it was a proposed "Tarzan" series scheduled for Thursdays. "Tarzan" popped up on NBC several years later but I don't know if this was the same version with loin-cloth-challenging Ron Ely.

For the fall of 1964, "Petticoat" went back to its Tuesday time which had gone to new series Paul Ford's "Baileys of Balboa". That moved to Thursdays. With the addition of "Gilligan's Island" (not on the Lucy retired schedule), there was no room for "Tarzan"...Other shows on that fall schedule that were eventually cut: "The Alan King Show" replaced by "Joey Bishop" which CBS acquired from NBC; and "The Paul Lynde Show" replaced by Imogene Coca's "Grindl" on NBC. "Paul" would eventually have a one-season series of his own in 1972 (73?) but it's doubtful this was the same one because that was 8 years later. For 1972's "PL show" at least one of the scripts was written by our own Bob and Madelyn.

[HarryCarter]

For the fall of 1964, "Petticoat" went back to its Tuesday time which had gone to new series Paul Ford's "Baileys of Balboa". That moved to Thursdays. With the addition of "Gilligan's Island" (not on the Lucy retired schedule), there was no room for "Tarzan"...Other shows on that fall schedule that were eventually cut: "The Alan King Show" replaced by "Joey Bishop" which CBS acquired from NBC; and "The Paul Lynde Show" replaced by Imogene Coca's "Grindl" on NBC. "Paul" would eventually have a one-season series of his own in 1972 (73?) but it's doubtful this was the same one because that was 8 years later. For 1972's "PL show" at least one of the scripts was written by our own Bob and Madelyn.

 

I've seen the pilot for the 1960s Paul Lynde Show and it's different from the 1972 show. In this show, Paul played a widowed toy designer whose teenaged children were embarrassed by their father's profession.

[C L A U D E]

I've seen the pilot for the 1960s Paul Lynde Show and it's different from the 1972 show. In this show, Paul played a widowed toy designer whose teenaged children were embarrassed by their father's profession.

Yeah, he was a sex toy designer. The things that man could do with silly putty!

[Neil]

"The Paul Lynde Show" replaced by Imogene Coca's "Grindl" on NBC.

 

That isn't right. "Paul" was going into the 8:30 Sunday time slot held by "Grindl" (the future time for "Mothers In Law") which was given to the 2nd season of "The Bill Dana Show" which had previously at 7:00 on Sunday. "Dana' didn't last long in prime prime-time and was canceled mid-season.

[mickie]

For the 2nd week of the 2nd season, the week ending Oct. 13, 1963, the "Kiddie Parties" episode of "The Lucy Show" came in 4th, CBS's highest rated show of their stellar Monday evening.

In order, the top 12 were

Beverly Hillbillies, Bonanza, Dick Van Dyke, Lucy, Andy Griffith, Petticoat Junction (new show), Danny Thomas, Red Skelton, Perry Mason, Donna Reed, Jack Benny, Patty Duke (new).

 

When Lucy announced her 'retirement' in March of 1964, CBS shuffled its schedule and moved Petticoat to Lucy's 8:30 time slot. So when Lucy decided to return, what show got the ax? It turns out it was a proposed "Tarzan" series scheduled for Thursdays. "Tarzan" popped up on NBC several years later but I don't know if this was the same version with loin-cloth-challenging Ron Ely.

For the fall of 1964, "Petticoat" went back to its Tuesday time which had gone to new series Paul Ford's "Baileys of Balboa". That moved to Thursdays. With the addition of "Gilligan's Island" (not on the Lucy retired schedule), there was no room for "Tarzan"...Other shows on that fall schedule that were eventually cut: "The Alan King Show" replaced by "Joey Bishop" which CBS acquired from NBC; and "The Paul Lynde Show" replaced by Imogene Coca's "Grindl" on NBC. "Paul" would eventually have a one-season series of his own in 1972 (73?) but it's doubtful this was the same one because that was 8 years later. For 1972's "PL show" at least one of the scripts was written by our own Bob and Madelyn.

 

Thanks for all the TV info, so nice to hear about TV shows back in such a glorious time.

[C L A U D E]

Thanks for all the TV info, so nice to hear about TV shows back in such a glorious time.

Yeah, back in the days when most tv was worth watching and all on three channels, not 500.