"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)

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

Color:

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:

During the course of living in their New York apartment the Ricardo's had three different telephone numbers. The first was MUrray-hill 5-9975, the second was CIrcle-7-2099, and the third was MUrray-hill 5-9099. In actuality these numbers were unused telephone numbers of the New York Bell Telephone Company. When the numbers were entered in to service the Bell company would advice the shows producers and give them a new number to use. Murray Hill and Circle were also actual call names used in Manhattan at the time.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In one episode (where Lucy thinks she won new furniture from the Home Show) Fred can be seen waiting for his cue to enter the bedroom when Ricky first enters the room.

Quotes:

[while Lucy is trying out the new mind reading act at Ricky's club:]
Mindreader's assistant: What is your date of birth?
Lucy Ricardo: August 6th.
Mindreader's assistant: August 6th what?
Lucy Ricardo: August 6th period.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Feed (2005)

Soundtrack:

I Love Lucy

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)