Can we dissect these two shows? I saw of those public domain Lucy Show DVD copies at the dollar store today and was actually curious about buying it because it was so cheap. Obviously these two shows couldn't recapture what I Love Lucy had done and thus aren't well remembered yet at the time both were very popular with Here's Lucy making it to 1974, three years after the CBS rural purg and Ball being 63 years old herself. Plus I personally think Ball and Gale Gordon made a good team.
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The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy
- Thread starter dustintv
- Start date
Actually The Lucy Show is very well remembered, though mainly for the first few seasons with Vivian Vance as her co-star such as that famous "installing a shower" episode, not so much for the "star of the week" format Lucy that did later on with The Lucy Show, sadly most of those shows are in public domain which is why one can buy those shows on DVD for a dollar. CBS recently ( thanks to public demand ) did release the first season of The Lucy Show...but its somewhat cheap say $25 at your local discount store. The shows with Viv and Gale were very funny, the ones with "guest stars" ranging from Bob Crane to Frankie Avalon to Pat "the hip hypnotist" Collins...not so much.
Here's Lucy, even though that show is out on DVD, not so much remembered mainly because that Lucy continued that "star of the week" format and her kids, well what exactly has Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lucie Arnaz done in recent years? Well Lucie did put of that jazz cd some years back but chances are one could count the number of people who actually bought that disc with one hand and still have a few fingers left over. One would think she would had learned from doing that Neil Diamond flick "The Jazz Singer"
Here's Lucy... I think the late Dick Martin had said it best. That had Lucille Ball did a "Golden Girls" type of show rather than the constant use of guest stars and the same old..well same old, Lucy would have "gone on forever" with new programs.
Here's Lucy, even though that show is out on DVD, not so much remembered mainly because that Lucy continued that "star of the week" format and her kids, well what exactly has Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lucie Arnaz done in recent years? Well Lucie did put of that jazz cd some years back but chances are one could count the number of people who actually bought that disc with one hand and still have a few fingers left over. One would think she would had learned from doing that Neil Diamond flick "The Jazz Singer"
Here's Lucy... I think the late Dick Martin had said it best. That had Lucille Ball did a "Golden Girls" type of show rather than the constant use of guest stars and the same old..well same old, Lucy would have "gone on forever" with new programs.
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searadiofreak
Guest
My take was "The Lucy Show" was an attempt to try and continue "I Love Lucy" in a modified form. Hence, Vivian Vance. Some of the shows were good, most quite pedestrian. But IN COLOR!
"Here's Lucy", with more guest stars, and her kids, was IMO much more entertaining. (These shows very rarely show up anywhere anymore...not sure why).
Too bad her last sitcom bombed in the 80's. Kinda like a little too late, and a little too little.
But overall, I still consider her the best comedic actress in television. Period.
"Here's Lucy", with more guest stars, and her kids, was IMO much more entertaining. (These shows very rarely show up anywhere anymore...not sure why).
Too bad her last sitcom bombed in the 80's. Kinda like a little too late, and a little too little.
But overall, I still consider her the best comedic actress in television. Period.
It's interesting the change from "The Lucy Show" to "Here's Lucy" was part of the sale of Desilu. She ceased production of "The Lucy Show" so there would be a product she could own. "Here's Lucy" was a reinvented product that mechanically was the same but a different setting.
Then there is "Life With Lucy". Lucille Ball took the show's failure personally.
Then there is "Life With Lucy". Lucille Ball took the show's failure personally.
The Lucy Show was quite good the first couple years when Vivian Vance was a regular -- the two had some wonderful chemistry. It lost a lot of spark when she tired of the grind and became just an occasional guest star. Here's Lucy never really clicked for me. The show was too over the top (I Love Lucy, even at it's most outlandish, was still grounded in believability and reality), the characterization of Lucy Carter varied wildly from show to show, there was little to no continuity or consistency of overall backstory or premise, and the "celebrity of the week" stunt casting became irritating and smacked of desperation. Gale Gordon, who was wonderful as Mr. Mooney, by this time had become a caricature of himself as Uncle Harry, with lots of bombast and little substance. The show still had some good moments here and there, but even Lucy with all her talent was unable to overcome the poor writing, and as time went on she became more and more involved in running things behind the scenes and less and less focused on acting (through much of the Here's Lucy run, she was relying on cue cards for her lines).
As for her kids, I actually thought both Lucie and Desi, Jr. had some considerable talent at their young ages, and Lucie especially seemed destined for a solid career in light comedy. I'm surprised she never really had consistent success after the demise of Here's Lucy.
As for her kids, I actually thought both Lucie and Desi, Jr. had some considerable talent at their young ages, and Lucie especially seemed destined for a solid career in light comedy. I'm surprised she never really had consistent success after the demise of Here's Lucy.
Stanislav said:
Had Lucie Arnaz got into another sitcom shortly after "Here's Lucy" had ended, she may very well be sucessful in comedy but I believe she wanted to get out of that all together in order to do drama and music like "The Jazz Singer". Actually looking at her IMDB bio, other than her very brief sitcom from 85, she really hasn't done much in the way of comedy since Here's Lucy.
Now for Desi Jr, I think he just got bored of that "Hollywood Life" and pretty much stopped doing TV and movies in favor of little theatre. He and his wife Amy own such a theatre in Nevada.
Oh word to the wise
Desi's wife Amy has an account on IMDB so one must be "careful" what they say about Desi Arnaz Jr.on IMDB.Regarding Life with Lucy does anyone know why Ball stuck with the physical slapstick routine rather than try something different? Even if it meant bringing back an 80-something Gordon. Imagine if Ball had guest-starred on Golden Girls or done a Golden Girls-type show. I've heard towards then end of its brief run they tried exactly that by hiring Audrey Meadows of the Honeymooners fame to play her witchy sex-driven sister or something like that. Unfortunately it was too late for the show.
dustintv said:
Lucille Ball was "old school". In other words she didn't want to change and felt many of others didn't want her to change with the times either which is why "Life With Lucy" was more/less "Here's Lucy..continued..." Lucy really believed the TV audience of 1986 was exactly the same as they were in 1966. Of course it wasn't and that doomed "Life with Lucy" and that is also why Lucy took the cancelation personally. She really felt the TV public of 1986..well they no longer liked her.
Very sad actually.
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searadiofreak
Guest
mleach said:
Interesting post. I agree it was sad. You mention she thought the audience of 1986 was the same as 1966. I would even go further, she probably thought it was the same as 1956. I Love Lucy's prime years were 1953-56. (Doesn't that seem an eternity ago?)
And as to your last sentence..."they no longer liked her". She may have felt that, and that is the tragedy of her life, because she was completely wrong on that.
C
cdsull502
Guest
I read somewhere that the producers of "Life with Lucy" were scared stiff that Lucy or Gale Gordon would seriously injure themselves doing those highly physical slapstick routines--they were both quite elderly when that show was done.
Truly sad..She and Gordon could have easily done a "Golden Girls" type show and probably been fairly successful and maybe gotten 3-5 seasons out of it..but Lucy just didnt want to change..Even one full season (22-26 episodes) wouldnt have been a total failure...It would have been better than the disaster "Life With Lucy" became..
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searadiofreak
Guest
I think one thing needs to be said about Lucille Ball. Despite not able to re-new her career after Here's Lucy, she was generally known as a very smart businesswoman, and in fact, had a reputation as being quite serious "off the air". I think time just caught up with her, but what a talent.
http://www.tvparty.com/movlucy4.html
Unfortunately the actor who played the younger son only lived to be 29.
Unfortunately the actor who played the younger son only lived to be 29.
K
kirkiefan
Guest
Aside from Lucy aging in the 80s....comedy changed with the times. Red Skelton pretty much addressed that in his later years before his passing. George Carlin dumped his witty "Wonderful WINO" routine and "The Hair Piece" to the seven words profanity that made him a lot of money. Skelton (needless to say) lamented over that..since his comedy was always family freindly up to that point.
Tim L said:
Even if Lucy had wanted to do a "Golden Girls" type of series, it wouldn't had involved Gale Gordon. Much like in the case with Steve Allen, Gordon is his later years often spoke out against the "trash" on TV and radio. I believe Gordon even turned down an interview for WABC radio in the early 90's because Gale felt that WABC was "pornography" and "The Golden Girls" was sadly one show he had spoken out against.
71dude said:
TV Party left out one inportant fact about "Life With Lucy", not long before his death Aaron Spelling had donated the master films/tapes of the series to the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, NY. However I am not sure if the actual rights to "Life With Lucy" came with the donation or just those films.
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cspotrun
Guest
not enough can be said about Lucy as a comedic actor. she was NOT a comedian, or particularly funny or witty off camera, but what she was, was a fantasic actress able to do situation comedy on TV. another reason i don't think Lucy's efforts after I Love Lucy were not as good, no Desi Arnaz SR! he was under rated as an actor. he was a fantastic straight man, which is an ART in itself.
I agree that the efforts made by Lucy after Desi were inferior. To tell you the truth, I hated Here's Lucy & The Lucy Show. Lucy was a very intelligent and sexy woman. She deserved and should have done better. I would have loved to her in more edgey material such as The Golden Girls. Although she was an actress not a comedian (and stated so often) she was a great guest on shows like Johnny Carson and Merv. She came across as very witty. Her mind was very sharp. Always a great guest.
kirkiefan said:
Had they lived it would had been interesting to see what their ( meaning Lucille Ball & Red Skelton ) take would be on Eddie Murphy. Someone who had gone from doing raunchy R-rated comedy such as films like 48 Hours, Trading Places, and of course Beverly Hills Cop to being an actor doing more or less strictly family friendly fare like those Shrek cartoons, Doctor Dollitle, The Nutty Professor and his latest flick for Nickelodon "Imagine That" even though that last one I felt was nothing more than a 90 minute informercial for the city of Denver, Colorado.
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