Here is a thread with some info regarding the pilot for I Love Lucy from my Bart Andrews book. I will post some tidbits and various info for those who would like to read:

Lucille Ball: "Everyone warned Desi and me that we were committing career suicide by giving up highly paid movie and band commitments to go for broke on TV, but it was either working together or good-bye marriage."

It was estimated that Lucy and Desi kissed away approximately $500,000 in order to work together on television.

Lucy states she had a dream where her late friend, Carole Lombard told Lucy to "Take a chance. Give it a whirl."

The network knew the audience wouldn't believe Desi's character as a banker or otherwise. They were not overjoyed at the prospect of him involved at all.

Harry Ackerman of CBS agreed to Lucy's condition that Jess Oppenheimer be assigned to helm the television project. CBS had a lot of faith in Jess.

Desi's character was originally named "Larry Lopez." Lucy would play "Lucy Lopez" who was merely an extension of Liz Cooper, the character Lucy played on radio.

Thank goodness the Arnazes were so stubborn and adamant. They truly sacrificed themselves for the cause. They knew they had something important to offer the world and they didn't let anything stop them.

Thank goodness the Arnazes were so stubborn and adamant. They truly sacrificed themselves for the cause. They knew they had something important to offer the world and they didn't let anything stop them.

I can't imagine what the face of TV would look like had they not!!!

On February 6, 1951, DAILY VARIETY reported that "CBS is now lining up seven new sitcoms to tee off on video next fall, all emanating from Hollywood...New shows which are being lined up include packages to star Joan Davis, Hal Peary, and Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball."

I Love Lucy's pilot would be directed by Ralph Levy, doubling from similar chores on CBS's "Burns and Allen" program.

Ralph Levy states he was excited to work with Lucy as he had worked with her before on THE ED WYNN SHOW.

Ralph also states having trouble with a certain part of the script. The script called for Lucy to parade around the living room with a lampshade on her head -trying to prove to Desi's character she could be a Ziegfeld girl. Ralph states Lucy wasn't walking the correct way and he proceeded to show her how to do it, not knowing Lucy had been a showgirl for many years. Instead of telling off Ralph, Lucy simply played along with him. Ralph states Lucy was so professional.

Thanks so much for posting this Irene. I've always been interested in whether I Love Lucy predated The Honeymooners or vice versa, but now it seems to be a little bit of both. The Honeymooners first aired on October 5, 1951, while I Love Lucy first aired on October 15, 1951, so The Honeymooners was introduced to TV audiences first...BUT, as you mentioned, the I Love Lucy pilot was filmed in March of 1951, so I Love Lucy was actually filmed before a live audience first. Even though the characters hadn't fully developed in either case, it's still pretty interesting. I Love Lucy may have even introduced the neighboring couple first...I'll have to check on that.

Don't forget Bill .... ILL was planned up to a year or more before its debut. Gleason and writers probably created and wrote the first Kramden skit in a matter of minutes some Monday morning about a week or two before its debut.

^^^The idea/premise of the original pilot was done almost a year before, and it was rejected. It was only a couple of months where the actual script of ILL was started and its actual airdate was done.