“The Operetta”, Season 2, Episode 5, Filmed 5/23/52, Aired 10/13/52

I have a houseguest for a week. His name is Cashew, and he is a black mini poodle mix. He’s very sweet and very playful and I’m happy parading him around Brooklyn in his little red and black checkered sweater as if he was really mine. I really love animals, especially dogs. When I came to New York for the first time, I was 5, I said to my parent’s “I love this place. It’s such a dog place.” I still love that about New York City, I just want to know who are the people that have the money and the space to have a dog? When will I be one?
Lucy is in a bind again, she is in charge of the Women's group “Operetta” they are putting on. Since they have no money, because Lucy as the treasurer has spent all the money on herself, Lucy will have to write it herself. With the help of Ethel, Lucy writes an Operetta called “The Pleasant Peasants”. Ethel plays the Lily, the small town girl who falls in love with the prince Lancelot, Ricky. Fred plays the Inn Keeper and Lucy plays the Gypsy. The Gypsy tells Lily not to marry the prince because it will only bring trouble to the town. We don’t find out exactly what that “trouble” is because the Costume and Set Company comes and breaks up the show to take back their pieces. Lucy has written a check that has bounced.
This is another very famous episode. You see pictures of Lucy dressed as a Gypsy on lots of “Lucy” shirts, coffee, lunch boxes, etc. I was cracking up the whole time. Vivian Vance almost shows Lucille up in this episode. Not only does she have a killer voice, but her comedic timing in this episode is perfection. Vivian Vance was referred to as “TV’s most beloved second banana,” www.imdb.com. It seems Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz really had respect for Vivian Vance and William Frawley and their art. If it weren’t for episodes like “The Operetta” you would never realize what a voice Vivian Vance had. Looking her up on IMDB, her list of Broadways credits is very impressive. One of the shows she was in was “Anything Goes” in 1935. She was 42 when she started doing the “I Love Lucy” she and that was her film debut. “Anything Goes” in show business, you can get your first big break even at 42.