"I Love Lucy" (1951) TV series 1951-1957

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

15 October 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

A daffy woman constantly strives to become a star along with her bandleader husband and gets herself in the strangest situations.

Plot Keywords:

Bandleader | Sitcom | Friendship | Product Placement | Wife And Husband Lead Actors

Awards:

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 24 nominations

Cast

Lucille Ball	...	Lucy Ricardo / ... (181 episodes, 1951-1957)
Desi Arnaz	...	Ricky Ricardo (181 episodes, 1951-1957)
Vivian Vance	...	Ethel Mertz (176 episodes, 1951-1957)
William Frawley	...	Fred Mertz (175 episodes, 1951-1957)

(more)

Series Directed by
William Asher		(101 episodes, 1952-1957)
James V. Kern		(39 episodes, 1955-1957)
Marc Daniels		(33 episodes, 1951-1953)

Series Writing credits
Bob Carroll Jr.		(174 episodes, 1951-1957)
Madelyn Davis		(174 episodes, 1951-1957)
Jess Oppenheimer		(151 episodes, 1951-1956)
Bob Schiller		(50 episodes, 1955-1957)
Bob Weiskopf		(50 episodes, 1955-1957)

Series Produced by
Desi Arnaz	....	executive producer / producer / ... (158 episodes, 1952-1957)
Jess Oppenheimer	....	producer / co-producer (155 episodes, 1951-1956)
Al Simon	....	associate producer (33 episodes, 1951-1952)
Jack Aldworth	....	associate producer (22 episodes, 1956-1957)

Series Original Music by
Eliot Daniel		(181 episodes, 1951-1957)
Wilbur Hatch		(33 episodes, 1951-1954)

Series Cinematography by
Karl Freund		(149 episodes, 1951-1956)
Sidney Hickox		(14 episodes, 1956-1957)
Robert De Grasse		(8 episodes, 1956)

Series Film Editing by
Bud Molin		(105 episodes, 1953-1957)
Dann Cahn		(33 episodes, 1951-1952)

Series Casting by
Kerwin Coughlin		(20 episodes, 1956-1957)

Series Art Direction by
Ralph Berger		(106 episodes, 1953-1957)
Larry Cuneo		(17 episodes, 1951-1952)

Series Set Decoration by
Ted Offenbecker		(2 episodes, 1954)

Series Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson		(35 episodes, 1955-1957)
Eloise Jensson		(9 episodes, 1953-1954)

Series Makeup Department
Max Factor	....	makeup artist (122 episodes, 1951-1955)
Irma Kusely	....	hairstylist / hair stylist (99 episodes, 1952-1957)
Hal King	....	makeup artist (47 episodes, 1955-1957)

Series Production Management
Argyle Nelson	....	production manager (135 episodes, 1952-1957)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Aldworth	....	assistant director (51 episodes, 1954-1956)
Jerry Thorpe	....	assistant director (33 episodes, 1953-1954)
James Paisley	....	assistant director (31 episodes, 1952-1953)
Jay Sandrich	....	assistant director (14 episodes, 1956-1957)
Edward M. Hillie	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1956)

Series Art Department
Ted Offenbecker	....	set dresser (103 episodes, 1953-1957)
Dick Henrikson	....	property master (50 episodes, 1954-1956)

Series Sound Department
Cam McCulloch	....	sound recordist (104 episodes, 1953-1957)
Robert Reeve	....	re-recording editor (104 episodes, 1953-1957)
Glen Glenn	....	sound (25 episodes, 1954-1957)
E.C. Norton	....	re-recording editor (2 episodes, 1956-1957)
Jim Bullock	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
John Speak	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Maury Thompson	....	camera coordinator (23 episodes, 1956-1957)
Louie Anderson	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Emily Daniels	....	camera coordinator (unknown episodes)
Sam Leavitt	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eloise Jensson	....	wardrobe supervisor / wardrobe: Miss Ball / ... (48 episodes, 1953-1955)
Edward Stevenson	....	wardrobe: Miss Ball / wardrobe: Lucille Ball / ... (12 episodes, 1955-1957)

Series Editorial Department
Dann Cahn	....	editorial supervisor / supervising editor (136 episodes, 1952-1957)

Series Music Department
Wilbur Hatch	....	musical director / conductor / ... (135 episodes, 1951-1957)
E.C. Norton	....	music editor (44 episodes, 1955-1957)
Ralph Carmichael	....	composer: incidental music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Lee Scott	....	choreographer (17 episodes, 1951-1952)
Bob Gilbreath	....	helicopter pilot (unknown episodes)
Hal Hudson	....	network supervisor (unknown episodes)
Frank Inn	....	animal trainer (unknown episodes)
Maury Thompson	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• CBS Television Network (1951-1957)
• Desilu Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1951-1957) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Independent Television (ITV) (1955) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• Viacom (1971-1994) (USA) (TV)
• CBS Films (1967-1971) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Television (1994-2006) (USA) (TV)
• CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2006-) (USA) (TV)
• CBS Paramount International Television (2004-) (Non-USA) (TV)
• NHK (1957) (Japan) (TV)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Ohrbach's  fashion
• Philip Morris Cigarettes  original sponsor
• Procter & Gamble  original sponsor (Cheer detergent)

Also Known As:

Lucy (USA) (working title)
Lucy & Ricky (USA) (working title)
Lucy in Connecticut (USA) (rerun title)
The Sunday Lucy Show (USA) (rerun title)
The Top Ten Lucy Show (USA) (rerun title)

Runtime:

30 min (179 episodes) | Argentina:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 6625 Romaine Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

CBS Television Network

Trivia:

The "valentine" opening credits seen in syndication were *not* the original opening credits. When the series originally aired on CBS, the credits featured animated stick figures of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz along with the sponsor's product - Phillip Morris cigarettes, for instance. The "valentine" credits were added when CBS began rerunning the series in 1958.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The Ricardos are said to live in an apartment at 623 East 68th Street, which in real life would be located in the East River.

Quotes:

Lucy Ricardo: [a large woman has just sat on Lucy] Madam, it doesn't seem to be getting through to you, but this seat is taken.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Cigar Store Indian (#5.10)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

What more can one say?

50 years + after the series ultimate popularity,what more is there to say about "Lucy"? This show was one of,if not the very first,well put together sitcoms in TV history. The show is the original blueprint for what most sitcoms in the future would later become. There's really no bad episodes of this show and that's due not just to Lucille Ball but to Desi,Vivian and William as well!

It's the original re-run that launched the idea of syndicated re-runs for constant replay on local station and then on Nick At Nite & TV Land. Although some references on the show might make younger viewers scratch their heads,the comedy and stories are pretty timeless.

One of the best things about the Lucy character for me is not just her hilarious attempts at getting into Ricky's act but the way she,a woman of the 1950s,stands up for herself as a woman. I also like when the stories get sentimental when focusing on either their anniversary,the birth of the baby.

I especially like the scene in the Hollywood show,where Lucy's been offered a studio contract and she's been guilt tripped by Rick & the Mertzes about the fact she's have to stay in Hollywood while they went back home to New York.

Imagining her career and then the sadder parts of being away from her family all come out in wonderful facial & body expression. Which demonstrated that she's not just a comedian,she was also an actress. (I hated that she gave up that once in a lifetime chance though.)

One last little thing to note,in the episodes where the Ricardos & Mertzes move to Connecticut,there is a Grandfather clock by the front door of Lucy & Ricky's home. I've noticed that this clock never says any other time but 12! In one show Ricky comes home from work at what should be evening but,of course,the clock still says 12. I never noticed that until the other day! Oh well,no sitcom is perfect! (End)