Missed a blog yesterday, I worked a double. I was dead tired after I could barely move AND I was in a crabby mood. This morning was walking to have brunch with my friend and 5th grade teacher Jeanne Mulligan, and I saw an old man who works for the city shoveling the snow. I was walking towards him thinking, “I would hate that! I’m sure he’s been doing it most of the morning and maybe most of the night and nobody cares how hard he’s working and he’s probably in terrible mood...” just then the man looks up with the biggest grin and the most sincere “Good Morning how are you?”, “uh, I’m fine how are you?” “can’t complain” followed by a head nod and back to work. I see people like that and realize someone always has it worse than you and can be happy. So “Shut up Kelly and be happy you’re inside in the warmth serving people food.” This is why I need some therapy, some laughter therapy.
The Ricardos are getting ready to go to the movies with the Mertzes. Ricky has shaven, all but his upper lip and tells Lucy he’s growing a mustache. They argue about the mustache till Lucy pouts and decides to stay home and not go to the movie. Lucy plans to get back at Ricky by putting her own beard on. Ricky sees it and agrees to shave it off, when it comes time for Lucy to take hers off it wont come off. Fred got confused and didn’t use spirit gum on her, it was a glue that they can’t find the solvent for. Lucy gets news that a movie agent is coming over to meet with Ricky. Lucy is worried she is going to miss her “big chance” at hollywood success. When the agent comes over, Lucy dances into the living room with a vail over face to do a “exotic” dance. The agent likes her until, he has her take off her vail.
One of my favorite stories I have read about Lucille was when her and Ginger Rogers went on a double date with Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart. The girls put on their best dresses, make-up and jewelry and went out for a night of dancing and drinking. The four had a great time and wanted to make the night go longer. When the four were leaving the club to get some breakfast together, the boys saw the girls in the sunlight and decided to take a raincheck. After sweating from dancing, the girls make-up and run all over her face and looked really bad. Lucille Fonda, could’ve been interesting!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
“Fred and Ethel Fight”, Season 1, Episode 22, Filmed 1/30/52, Aired 3/10/5
What a nasty nasty day today in New York City, snowing a lot but it only turns into slush on the ground. It’s good day to catch up cleaning and writing. I like to find the perfect soundtrack for days where the weather is like this, Today the perfect soundtrack was Jamie Cullum. If you haven’t heard him before, LISTEN TO HIM! He is a jazz singer and amazing piano player. I love his husky voice and crazy fingers on the keys. The first song I heard of his was his version of “Singin in the Rain”, it was love at first note! I just downloaded “Nothings going to harm you”, “Be still my heart”, “Singin in the Rain” and now “Sweeny Todd” HELLO? How can you not love him? Music, good music, is so therapeutic, nothing like laughter therapy though.
Ricky comes home to see Lucy setting up a nice dinner for four, Lucy tells him the Mertzes are coming. The Mertzes have recently had a big fight to the point they hadn’t spoken to each other in 3 days and Fred was staying at the YMCA. Lucy was hoping this was going to get them back together. It didn’t look to promising at the beginning of dinner, but it turned out the Mertzes made up. While they talked about how silly it was to argue, Lucy and Ricky start to talk about a fight they had and stir up the feelings again. Ricky leaves in an angry state and stays at his club. Ethel and Fred try to work to get the two of them to make up. Ethel comes up with an idea that if they say Lucy has been hit by a bus, Ricky will come running back to her. Fred comes up with an idea to pretend the building is on fire and Ricky will “save Lucy” then she’ll forgive him. Ethel bandages Lucy up and she lays in her bed waiting for Ricky to come home. While laying there, Ricky comes home and with the help of Fred start the fire. When Lucy thinks there is a fire, she jumps out the window. When Ricky finds her and finds out she’s OK, they make up.
When Lucy thinks the apartment is on fire she starts throwing some of her favorite dresses and hats out the window to save them. We see her run out to the bathroom and come out with two huge jugs of something called “Henna Rinse” she throws out the window. Henna Rinse, I have gathered after googling, is a natural hair dye conditioning treatment that lots of red heads use. That would be the first thing Lucy and Lucille would save I think. There was never a funnier Red Head.
Ricky comes home to see Lucy setting up a nice dinner for four, Lucy tells him the Mertzes are coming. The Mertzes have recently had a big fight to the point they hadn’t spoken to each other in 3 days and Fred was staying at the YMCA. Lucy was hoping this was going to get them back together. It didn’t look to promising at the beginning of dinner, but it turned out the Mertzes made up. While they talked about how silly it was to argue, Lucy and Ricky start to talk about a fight they had and stir up the feelings again. Ricky leaves in an angry state and stays at his club. Ethel and Fred try to work to get the two of them to make up. Ethel comes up with an idea that if they say Lucy has been hit by a bus, Ricky will come running back to her. Fred comes up with an idea to pretend the building is on fire and Ricky will “save Lucy” then she’ll forgive him. Ethel bandages Lucy up and she lays in her bed waiting for Ricky to come home. While laying there, Ricky comes home and with the help of Fred start the fire. When Lucy thinks there is a fire, she jumps out the window. When Ricky finds her and finds out she’s OK, they make up.
When Lucy thinks the apartment is on fire she starts throwing some of her favorite dresses and hats out the window to save them. We see her run out to the bathroom and come out with two huge jugs of something called “Henna Rinse” she throws out the window. Henna Rinse, I have gathered after googling, is a natural hair dye conditioning treatment that lots of red heads use. That would be the first thing Lucy and Lucille would save I think. There was never a funnier Red Head.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
“New Neighbors”, Season 1, Episode 21, Filmed 1/25/52, Aired 3/3/52
One of my favorite, maybe my favorite, director of all time is Tim Burton. Matt and I were lucky enough to go to MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) and see the Tim Burton exhibit, let me just say, if you live in New York City, RUN DON’T WALK TO THE SHOW! It is BEYOND amazing. His mind is so unique and creative. I just want to crawl in his brain and live in his worlds. All his movies seem to have a heart to them, maybe not an obvious, sweet sappy heart, but a heart non the less. “Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of my favorite movies, I love the story, I love the world and I LOVE the music. Something about being around creativeness, starts my juices flowing and gets my creative gears running. Let’s have a little therapy.
622 E. 68TH Street is getting some new neighbors and Lucy and Ethel are being their nosey selves by looking out the window. Ricky makes Lucy promise not to step foot in the new neighbors, the O’Brians, apartment, however he didn’t say anything about knees. Lucy on her knees and Ethel on her feet sneak into the O’Brians apartment when they leave. Lucy ends up getting stuck in the O’Brians apartment and hears them talking about a plot to kill the “couple that lives upstairs”. Lucy finally is able to sneak out by dressing like a high back arm chair. Little does Lucy know, the O’Brians are actors. After Lucy calls the police and convinces the other three that the O’Brians are plotting to kill them, the four set up fort. When the police come by to check on them, the four shoot their guns thinking it’s the O’Brians. The four are put in jail for the night, find out the O’Brians are actors and Fred is told the O’Brians are moving out.
The man that played Mr. O’Brian was Hayden Rorke (I don’t think any relation to Mickey). Hayden Rorke is best known for as Dr. Alfred E. Bellows on the 1960s TV series, “I Dream of Jeannie”. He was always questioning the “strange things” happening to Major Anthony Nelson. He’s a fellow Brooklyn guy, HEY! Maybe New York was different in the 50’s, but New York today, we don’t know our neighbors very well, or at all. It is a strange situation, I live in a Brownstone, probably similar to the Mertzes building, and I very rarely see the other people and I barely know their names! However that is New York living!
622 E. 68TH Street is getting some new neighbors and Lucy and Ethel are being their nosey selves by looking out the window. Ricky makes Lucy promise not to step foot in the new neighbors, the O’Brians, apartment, however he didn’t say anything about knees. Lucy on her knees and Ethel on her feet sneak into the O’Brians apartment when they leave. Lucy ends up getting stuck in the O’Brians apartment and hears them talking about a plot to kill the “couple that lives upstairs”. Lucy finally is able to sneak out by dressing like a high back arm chair. Little does Lucy know, the O’Brians are actors. After Lucy calls the police and convinces the other three that the O’Brians are plotting to kill them, the four set up fort. When the police come by to check on them, the four shoot their guns thinking it’s the O’Brians. The four are put in jail for the night, find out the O’Brians are actors and Fred is told the O’Brians are moving out.
The man that played Mr. O’Brian was Hayden Rorke (I don’t think any relation to Mickey). Hayden Rorke is best known for as Dr. Alfred E. Bellows on the 1960s TV series, “I Dream of Jeannie”. He was always questioning the “strange things” happening to Major Anthony Nelson. He’s a fellow Brooklyn guy, HEY! Maybe New York was different in the 50’s, but New York today, we don’t know our neighbors very well, or at all. It is a strange situation, I live in a Brownstone, probably similar to the Mertzes building, and I very rarely see the other people and I barely know their names! However that is New York living!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
“The Young Fans”, Season 1, Episode 20, Filmed 1/18/52, Aired 2/25/52
This blog is dedicated to another set of “parents” of mine, Terry and AJ Hausman. I grew up spending the night at their house with their daughter Keli. Going to Can Cun for AJ’s birthday and Terry telling me I could shave my legs. AJ is the type of guy would would take the shirt off his back for you, and would fight off anyone that got in your way. No one throws a party like the Hausmans! Terry and AJ are a kind of couple everyone hopes to be, happy and still having fun after all their years of marriage. Terry is battling Cancer right now and she has a blog to keep everyone up to date on how she is doing. Her positive attitude is unbelievable. Terry walks into a room and you feel at ease and as if a bright warm glow has entered the room. Her positive outlook on life is therapeutic to me, I am offering my laughter therapy to her.
Ricky can’t get out of the house with out the young fan, Peggy following him. Lucy tries to save Ricky by talking to Peggy, Peggy reveals she also likes a boy named Arthur. Arthur is very shy and won’t ask Peggy to the dance because he can’t dance, Lucy offers to teach Arthur. After an afternoon of dance lesson’s with Lucy, Arthur falls in love with Lucy. Peggy and Arthur are going over to the Ricardo’s to claim their loves, Lucy and Ricky decide to play a little trick. The Ricardo’s make themselves older then they seemed to scare the “kids” away, and it works.
The actress who played Peggy looked like Judy Garland a la “Wizard of Oz”, her name was Janet Waldo. I knew I knew her voice and thanks to IMDB.com, I found out that Janet Waldo is non other, than the voice of Judy Jetson from the cartoon “The Jetsons” talk about the perfect love struck teenage girl voice! Arthur was played by Richard Crenna. He was in a lot of movies and tv shows, his biggest ones were the shows in the 50’s. He got hired to do a show called “Our Miss Brooks”, “the part called for a gangly, awkward, cracked-voice adolescent. Crenna was a tall, graceful man with a rich voice, yet his acting skills were such that he was easily able to fulfill the character's requirements, leading many viewers to believe that he actually was of high school age, when in fact he was 26 years old at the time.” (IMDB.com) Amazing
Ricky can’t get out of the house with out the young fan, Peggy following him. Lucy tries to save Ricky by talking to Peggy, Peggy reveals she also likes a boy named Arthur. Arthur is very shy and won’t ask Peggy to the dance because he can’t dance, Lucy offers to teach Arthur. After an afternoon of dance lesson’s with Lucy, Arthur falls in love with Lucy. Peggy and Arthur are going over to the Ricardo’s to claim their loves, Lucy and Ricky decide to play a little trick. The Ricardo’s make themselves older then they seemed to scare the “kids” away, and it works.
The actress who played Peggy looked like Judy Garland a la “Wizard of Oz”, her name was Janet Waldo. I knew I knew her voice and thanks to IMDB.com, I found out that Janet Waldo is non other, than the voice of Judy Jetson from the cartoon “The Jetsons” talk about the perfect love struck teenage girl voice! Arthur was played by Richard Crenna. He was in a lot of movies and tv shows, his biggest ones were the shows in the 50’s. He got hired to do a show called “Our Miss Brooks”, “the part called for a gangly, awkward, cracked-voice adolescent. Crenna was a tall, graceful man with a rich voice, yet his acting skills were such that he was easily able to fulfill the character's requirements, leading many viewers to believe that he actually was of high school age, when in fact he was 26 years old at the time.” (IMDB.com) Amazing
“The Ballet”, Season 1, Episode 19, Filmed 1/11/52, Aired 2/18/52
I don’t think this episode is looked at as a classic, I think it should be. Watching Lucy Ballet dance is so great. It’s actually how I feel when I do Ballet. I’m a very good dancer, but for some reason, Ballet was never my thing. It was too slow and too technical. I took a class at my gym called “Anti-Gravity Yoga”, it was a yoga class, duh, where you were suspended from the ceiling by a piece of fabric, think hammock smashed together. It looked like something I could do and would enjoy, I was such a buffoon! At the end when you are suppose to be relaxing in “tadasana” I took up the whole time just trying to lay flat. All I could think of was “The Ballet”
Lucy is trying to get in to Ricky’s show again. He needs a Ballerina and burlesque comic. Lucy goes to the ballet rehearsal trying to pass off as a trained ballerina. The “Madame” quickly realizes she hasn’t had as much experience as she claims to have. A bit sore, Lucy tries the burlesque comic bit, “slowly I turned”. She finds the other comedian that’s doing the show to teach her the bit. She realizes yet again she’s not really cut out for comedy. The night Ricky’s show opens, one of the ballet dancers gets sick and can’t do the show, Ethel, who is at the show, calls Lucy and tells her to come down. Lucy misunderstands and think Ethel’s talking about “slowly I turn” Lucy ends up doing the ballet number adding her own little twist with “slowly I turned”
There was an “I Love Lucy” Movie in the works that was never released. They were cropped episodes of “The Benefit”, “The Ballet”, and “Breaking the Lease”. I would love to see that, maybe one day the will release it. Enjoy, Lucy’s version of Ballet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OxjM6-dufw
Lucy is trying to get in to Ricky’s show again. He needs a Ballerina and burlesque comic. Lucy goes to the ballet rehearsal trying to pass off as a trained ballerina. The “Madame” quickly realizes she hasn’t had as much experience as she claims to have. A bit sore, Lucy tries the burlesque comic bit, “slowly I turned”. She finds the other comedian that’s doing the show to teach her the bit. She realizes yet again she’s not really cut out for comedy. The night Ricky’s show opens, one of the ballet dancers gets sick and can’t do the show, Ethel, who is at the show, calls Lucy and tells her to come down. Lucy misunderstands and think Ethel’s talking about “slowly I turn” Lucy ends up doing the ballet number adding her own little twist with “slowly I turned”
There was an “I Love Lucy” Movie in the works that was never released. They were cropped episodes of “The Benefit”, “The Ballet”, and “Breaking the Lease”. I would love to see that, maybe one day the will release it. Enjoy, Lucy’s version of Ballet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OxjM6-dufw
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Breaking the Lease”, Season 1, Episode 18, Filmed 1/5/52, Aired 2/11/52
Laughter therapy is amazing, but it is exhausting! I spent the afternoon with two of the funniest people I’ve ever known, a Mr. David Singletary and Mr. Marti Cummings, and I was so tired I could barely make it to work! It’s such a wonderful feeling to have your stomach mussels ache from laughing. We are always the favorite table when we go out to eat, but I think they are always happy to see us leave.
The Ricardos and the Mertzes are having a night of hanging out by the piano singing. When Lucy brings up that it’s 2am and maybe they should stop singing, the other three blow it off and keep singing. When the Mertzes decide to go home, the Ricardos keep singing. The Ricardos soon get a phone call from the Mertzes telling them to be quiet. The more noise the Ricardos make by accident, the more the Mertzes complain. Through all the fighting, the Ricardos say they are going to move. The moving idea is fine with the Mertzes, however they expect the money for the 5 months left on their lease. Ricardos decided to be the worst tenants imaginable to break their lease, they even hold Ricky’s rehearsal in their apartment. After a rendition of the “Mexican Hat Dance” at 4am, the ceiling literally falls on the Mertzes and they wave their white flag. As the Ricardos are packing up their apartment, they realize they don’t want to go. The Mertzes feel the same way and write them up a new lease.
The idea of the “I Love Lucy” show, is loosely based on a job Lucille had before. She was on a radio show called “My Favorite Husband” that was written by the same people who ended up writing “I Love Lucy”. “My Favorite Husband” was sponsored by Jell-O and there was at least three plugs for Jello, like Lucy’s sign-on “Jell-O, everybody”. Another actor on “My Favorite Husband” was Gale Gordon, he was originally looked at to play Fred Mertzes. Gale Gordon would later on play Mr. Moony on “The Lucy Show”. Thank goodness we got William Frawley as Fred.
The Ricardos and the Mertzes are having a night of hanging out by the piano singing. When Lucy brings up that it’s 2am and maybe they should stop singing, the other three blow it off and keep singing. When the Mertzes decide to go home, the Ricardos keep singing. The Ricardos soon get a phone call from the Mertzes telling them to be quiet. The more noise the Ricardos make by accident, the more the Mertzes complain. Through all the fighting, the Ricardos say they are going to move. The moving idea is fine with the Mertzes, however they expect the money for the 5 months left on their lease. Ricardos decided to be the worst tenants imaginable to break their lease, they even hold Ricky’s rehearsal in their apartment. After a rendition of the “Mexican Hat Dance” at 4am, the ceiling literally falls on the Mertzes and they wave their white flag. As the Ricardos are packing up their apartment, they realize they don’t want to go. The Mertzes feel the same way and write them up a new lease.
The idea of the “I Love Lucy” show, is loosely based on a job Lucille had before. She was on a radio show called “My Favorite Husband” that was written by the same people who ended up writing “I Love Lucy”. “My Favorite Husband” was sponsored by Jell-O and there was at least three plugs for Jello, like Lucy’s sign-on “Jell-O, everybody”. Another actor on “My Favorite Husband” was Gale Gordon, he was originally looked at to play Fred Mertzes. Gale Gordon would later on play Mr. Moony on “The Lucy Show”. Thank goodness we got William Frawley as Fred.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
“Lucy Writes a Play”, Season 1, Episode 17, Filmed 12/22/51, Aired 2/4/52
Oh Mel Brooks, you always make me laugh! “Blazing Saddles” is so good, so silly but so good. Madeline Kahn is another fantastic comedian, not only that, but she was adorable. I finally saw a Marlyn Dietrich movie last year and realized that that is the person she is trying to be in “Blazing Saddles” and it’s GENIUS! I have tried to show a good friend of mine, Michael Palmer, “Blazing Saddles”, it was right up his ally, silly humor and racist jokes. He dared to tell me “When does this movie get funny?” we haven’t been the same since.
Lucy is writing a play for her Women’s group that’ll be entered in a playwriting contest. Lucy promises Ricky will be in the show as well. Lucy writes a show called “A tree grows in Havana”. Once Ricky realizes that she wrote this with him in mind he says he won’t do it. Lucy is forced to use Fred instead of Ricky, however Fred can’t do a Spanish accent. The play is then switched to England. Fred informs Ricky that a big Hollywood producer is going to be judging the show. Ricky decides it might be worth his while to do the show, so he surprises Lucy and does the show. The only problem is, he didn’t know they switched the script, he was doing the “Cuba” version and the girls were doing the “England” version. After a 15 min. intermission, they decide to get on the same script, however they don’t actually decide on what version, so the girls come out with the “Cuba” version and Ricky comes out as the “England” version. The play never gets it together.
Lucille was in her early teens when she did her first show in Jamestown, NY. She got rave reviews, however, around that same time, her brother got a bb gun and accidentally shot another little boy. Her family had to work two jobs just to pay off the little boys hospital bills. Poor Lucille, adding more to her fear of even if something good happens, something bad will happen soon.
Lucy is writing a play for her Women’s group that’ll be entered in a playwriting contest. Lucy promises Ricky will be in the show as well. Lucy writes a show called “A tree grows in Havana”. Once Ricky realizes that she wrote this with him in mind he says he won’t do it. Lucy is forced to use Fred instead of Ricky, however Fred can’t do a Spanish accent. The play is then switched to England. Fred informs Ricky that a big Hollywood producer is going to be judging the show. Ricky decides it might be worth his while to do the show, so he surprises Lucy and does the show. The only problem is, he didn’t know they switched the script, he was doing the “Cuba” version and the girls were doing the “England” version. After a 15 min. intermission, they decide to get on the same script, however they don’t actually decide on what version, so the girls come out with the “Cuba” version and Ricky comes out as the “England” version. The play never gets it together.
Lucille was in her early teens when she did her first show in Jamestown, NY. She got rave reviews, however, around that same time, her brother got a bb gun and accidentally shot another little boy. Her family had to work two jobs just to pay off the little boys hospital bills. Poor Lucille, adding more to her fear of even if something good happens, something bad will happen soon.
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