When Ricky's mother comes to visit, she sends a wire.

When Lucy's mother was going to visit, she sent telegrams.

What was wrong with Lucy's mother CALLING to say, "I am on my way"?

Was it cheaper to send a wire than to make a long distance call? I mean, Mrs. McGillucuddy put so much words in her telegrams, I can't imagine it would have been.

If the show were on today--e-mails and Text messages! :lol:

If the show were on today--e-mails and Text messages! :lol:
Got that right. :lol:

I wondered why Lucy's mother just didn't make a call to Lucy and Mickey and say she was going to visit.

I think with Ricky's mother, since she lived in Cuba, it was probably a matter of cost, the wire was cheaper. But Lucy's mother lived in the states.

Even Dorothy and Sam (whom Lucy played matchmaker for) sent a wire telling Ricky and Lucy they were getting married.

"Lucy, you need to splain this rageous cell phone bill!"

"Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"

:brent

:rofl: good thing I wasn't drinking something right now!

Decades ago, the thing about sending telegrams-- rather than phoning-- was that it was either bad news, and the bearer of such news didn't want to "lose it," or wanted the receiver to have a private moment after the shock-- or else it was that the bearer knew the receiver would not like the message, so sending a telegram 'saved a lot of explaining'-- send the news, and that's the end of it [as in rejecting a bid for a job, or a recruited athlete choosing another school]. A third reason may be similar about 'saving a lot of explaining,' but not necessarily bad news, just that the person is in a tight schedule. We don't know by what means Ricky's mother traveled to NY from Cuba, but she may have sent the wire as she changed modes, or deplaned or disembarked, having to clear customs. But even though an LD call would have been expensive, it would seem she would have talked to Ricky before she even started, and wanted him to know just what her travel schedule was-- but this is a comedy show, and not knowing the details had its confusion elements.

The only bad news received by the Ricardos via a telegram was Lucy's mother visiting. :rofl: The rest were good news. So, the use of the telegram (other than Ricky's mother) makes no sense to me.

Lucy's mother also used a wire when she was telling Lucy what time her flight was coming in at LAX.

Ricky's mother only sent one telegram and that was to mention she was going to visit. She had said in the telegram she would notify Lucy and Ricky exactly when she was due in. She never did or the wire was never sent because Lucy was shocked when Ethel told her that her mother-in-law was downstairs trying to pay the cabbie in pesos. :lol:

Irene, I never thought about it being cheaper! That's a thought.

Irene, I never thought about it being cheaper! That's a thought.
Actually my boyfriend is the one who told me that when I mentioned the whole telegram topic. I told him, that would make sense I guess, but the telegrams had so many words in them and telegrams charge by each word used. In the old movies, you see telegrams like this:

Flight arrives 5:30 p.m. Mom


Short and sweet.

Irene I've got one for yah. How about when Dorothy and Sam send Lucy and Ricky that telegram in the wee hours of the morning to say they were giving this marriage business a chance! I thought that was an odd time to get a telegram. If they hadn't already been awake they'd be scared by the buzzer ringing that early! :D And I agree that wires and telegrams were probably very much cheaper than phone calls. And they were also viewed I think as keepsakes for big events. Mementos.

Irene I've got one for yah. How about when Dorothy and Sam send Lucy and Ricky that telegram in the wee hours of the morning to say they were giving this marriage business a chance! I thought that was an odd time to get a telegram. If they hadn't already been awake they'd be scared by the buzzer ringing that early! :D And I agree that wires and telegrams were probably very much cheaper than phone calls. And they were also viewed I think as keepsakes for big events. Mementos.
These telegrams were not mementos. :lol: At least not the ones Mother McGillucaddy sent. :lol:

When I mentioned Dorothy and Sam I was also thinking abt the hour of that telegram arriving at the door. Which only heightens my curiosity abt why would wires/telegrams be used as oppose to a phone call? The whole Dorothy & Sam telegram was sooooo not necessary, I mean, they could have made a phone call, not send a wire and have it arrive in the middle of the night as you stated, my God, that would frighten me. :eek:

I have never sent a wire, do you have control over what time it is sent?

I think there a few posts here that say maybe telegrams and wires were more effective and cheaper than phone calls. Dorothy and Sam may have decided on a Swiss Alps elopement and honeymoon. This could also explain the time differences. :D

These telegrams were not mementos. :lol: At least not the ones Mother McGillucaddy sent. :lol:

When I mentioned Dorothy and Sam I was also thinking abt the hour of that telegram arriving at the door. Which only heightens my curiosity abt why would wires/telegrams be used as oppose to a phone call? The whole Dorothy & Sam telegram was sooooo not necessary, I mean, they could have made a phone call, not send a wire and have it arrive in the middle of the night as you stated, my God, that would frighten me. :eek:

Yeah, that was stupid. And I don't think many were kept as mementos. How lame would that be. "oh look honey, here's the telegram announcing when Mother's flight arrives".

Telegrams and wires were often sent to people in lieu of cards. So keeping a telegram congratulating people on their new baby wouldn't really be "lame" it would be something kept in the baby's scrapbook.

Telegrams and wires were often sent to people in lieu of cards. So keeping a telegram congratulating people on their new baby wouldn't really be "lame" it would be something kept in the baby's scrapbook.
But these telegrams were not baby announcements, that is why I am shocked at the use of them for what they announced. :lol: Lodee...:rofl: That's what I say.

I must correct myself and say when Mrs. McG was arriving for the Hollywood trip, she actually wrote a letter to Lucy, not sent a wire. ;) Still, she could have made a phone call. Geez. :crazy: I don't know.

Yeah, sending a letter saying you're coming is even weirder. Remember when Barney's grandson came to visit? Didn't the mother send a telegram then? Who would send a young kid to New York without contacting the person he's visiting frist with the time etc?

Yeah, sending a letter saying you're coming is even weirder. Remember when Barney's grandson came to visit? Didn't the mother send a telegram then? Who would send a young kid to New York without contacting the person he's visiting frist with the time etc?
HELLO!!!!! THANK YOU. You get my drift. :lol:

Really now, sending your child to people you don't even know! :eek: and then use a telegram of all things. :crazy:

Lucy should have used a telegram when she wanted to wish Little Ricky a Happy Birthday from Italy. :lol:

I guess I hadn't thought-- for years, anyway-- that any 'angle' in ILL would seem to be news to me, or would change my perspective... but maybe this is one. Telegrams-- and certainly personal letters-- should have been an anachronism by that time as far as telling somone you are coming to visit, or especially sending a kid to a place you don't know much about yourself. Yeah-- sending "little Barney" to NY to surprise his Grandpa Barney, writing people the mother didn't even know to take care of the situation at their (not her father's) discretion!... wow! But that can also make us think about the earlier times before most people had telephones and what kind of risks must have been taken by depending on letters or telegrams.

I think it 's still true that telegrams continued to be used as the 'conveyer of bad news' into and past the 1950's, and it was proportionately much more expensive to call LD.. but Lucy's mother sending her a letter that she was coming that got to Lucy only 5 minutes before her mother did... what's the use?

I guess I hadn't thought-- for years, anyway-- that any 'angle' in ILL would seem to be news to me, or would change my perspective... but maybe this is one. Telegrams-- and certainly personal letters-- should have been an anachronism by that time as far as telling somone you are coming to visit, or especially sending a kid to a place you don't know much about yourself. Yeah-- sending "little Barney" to NY to surprise his Grandpa Barney, writing people the mother didn't even know to take care of the situation at their (not her father's) discretion!... wow! But that can also make us think about the earlier times before most people had telephones and what kind of risks must have been taken by depending on letters or telegrams.

I think it 's still true that telegrams continued to be used as the 'conveyer of bad news' into and past the 1950's, and it was proportionately much more expensive to call LD.. but Lucy's mother sending her a letter that she was coming that got to Lucy only 5 minutes before her mother did... what's the use?
:clap: That is what I say. :lol: I mean the 50's sounds rather backwards to us at times, being that we are in the internet/email, text messages, era. But even in the 50's there was the telephone. Ok, all seriousness aside the telegrams being sent were obviously used to help with the script. It wouldn't have been much fun to see Lucy talking to her mother on the phone and hearing her say she was coming to California with them. It wouldn't have worked I suppose. Still, the fact remains that telegrams and letter writing in a day and age when long distance was available? :lol: :crazy: The 50's were all abt tv dinners (make dinner easy and faster), faster automobiles, bigger televisions, etc. So to see telegrams being used for communication is very funny and crazy.

In TENNESSEE ERNIE VISITS, guess what? Lucy's mother sends a special delivery letter informing Lucy that a "friend's roommate's cousin's middle boy" was going to New York to visit and wanted Lucy and Mickey to be hospitable. :rofl: C'mon now. Oy vey. :crazy: :lol: I can see if Ernie knew the Rickerdoos and was writing a letter to them since it appears his family could not afford a phone, but Lucy's mother sure did like to inform poor Lucy via letters that probably took so many days to get to their destination. :lol:


In the episode OIL WELLS, the man who struck oil told his wife over the phone that the news abt the oil well gushing oil came via...you guessed it, a wire!! :lol:

Wow. Another one. I wonder how many telegrams were sent on the show? And not one that I can think of that they would want to "save as a memento".

Wow. Another one. I wonder how many telegrams were sent on the show? And not one that I can think of that they would want to "save as a memento".
:brent

So true!!! I am sure Lucy and especially Ricky would have loved to burn those wires rather than keep them. :lol:


There is one most likely to keep as a memento, the wire Ricky received telling him the good news abt Don Juan. He told Lucy, how did she get the news first? Did she have a friend at the telegraph office? :lol:

There is one most likely to keep as a memento, the wire Ricky received telling him the good news abt Don Juan. :

I get a feeling people are making fun of what I said about the mementos. So just to clarify I was speaking generally and not necessarily about the telegrams they got on "ILL". I think too that different people are "sentimental" about different things. My grandmother saved EVERY bit of paper and cards that came to her. We found that out when she died and had to go through all of it. So really anything can be a memento in the hands of the person who thinks it is. Ricky's mom's wire that was coming to visit is the VERY first time she sets eyes on her lovely grandson. If I was Lucy I'd have kept that wire just for the fun and sweet memories.

There was another one that Lucy's mother was involved in... when they were ready to return from Europe, she had forwarded the telegram in the mail from the Roxie wanting to engage Ricky for a performance, so he had to change plans and go home by air, resulting in the big cheese caper.

In the episode HOLLYWOOD ANNIVERSARY, Ricky forgets his wedding anniversary, so he calls the Connecticut Hall of Records and asks them to WIRE him the information. :lol: That is understandable since he needed it ASAP. :lol:

In the episode DRAFTED, Ricky gets a letter asking him to perform at Fort Dix.

Good one! That really doesn't make sense. How would they even have his home address if they were hiring him as a performer? Wouldn't they call the club?

Good one! That really doesn't make sense. How would they even have his home address if they were hiring him as a performer? Wouldn't they call the club?
Good question. Thank you for mentioning that. Ricky had an agent, don't you think they would have called him?

Also, the way the letter was read out loud by Lucy, it seems as if the show is only days away. Wouldn't Fort Dix want to confirm something like that a few months in advance? :crazy:

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

You'd think so, wouldn't you?
Yes. :lol: I mean, what if Ricky had other engagements or other plans. :crazy:

I agree. The use of mail and telegrams added to the plots of the stories. The one that got me was the early morning telegram delivery of Sam and Dorothy's elopment...unreal.

I was born in 1958 and several family members have telegrams saved as mementos; the births of all my cousins and siblings were announced by telegram. I remember the phone as being expensive and reserved for local calls or long-distance emergencies only.

Remember how long it took Lucy to place a call from Italy? I lived in Italy in 1981-82 and I had to go to a "telephone station" to place a call to the states. The operator took the info, then I waited for a connection. She called my name and told me what phone to go to.

This was almost 30 years after what we are witnessing on ILL, made in the 1950's.

I agree. The use of mail and telegrams added to the plots of the stories. The one that got me was the early morning telegram delivery of Sam and Dorothy's elopment...unreal.
:lol: Tell me abt it. :crazy: That was totally unreal and unbelievable.

In those days, telegrams were used for news that needed to be delivered in a hurry. Mail in those days was considerably slower; it could take up to a week to send news via the mail, even if it were within the same state. Airmail was still a fairly new concept. Also, telegrams could arrive anytime day or night. Also, in those days, not everyone had a telephone and some had to deal with party lines; remember this was the 50's. And it's true that telegrams were kept brief due to the "per word" cost. Western Union was the 50's equivalent of e-mail. Of course an e-mail doesn't knock at your door at all hours.