1. What did you think of these episodes?

2. What was the reason given for Ricky not making the movie. I didn't expect Ricky to actually make the movie, but onscreen what happened? I only saw until the end of season 4 where they are still in Hollywood. I know they are still in Hollywood for a few episodes in season 5.

3. Why were there no female movie star guest stars? Where the actresses not as big of a name or was it not to upstage Lucy and Ethel? I'm just guessing is was not to upstage Lucy and Ethel.

I enjoyed almost all of them.

As far as I can remember, there was a reference to the "Don Juan" movie that was to have starred Ricky as being "shelved". Ricky also relates that he has sold the Pontiac convertable that they drove to Hollywood in and all will be returning to New York on the train.

Not sure why there were not more Hollywood actresses. Eve Arden did get a quick appearance when Lucy, Ethel and Fred were at the Brown Derby Restaurant when they first get there. There was also an episode that featured the wives of actors who modeled dresses in a fashion show given by Don Loper. Mrs. Dean Martin and Mrs. Richard Carlson were among those who were shown. You think of her as more of a columnist than an actress, but Hedda Hopper was in one of the Hollywood episodes and she was in a number of motion pictures.

One reason might have been that stories in the Hollywood episodes had Lucy excited with meeting movie stars and you think of a woman being more excited about meeting male stars (William Holden, John Wayne, Rock Hudson, Van Johnson, etc) so shows could be built around that.

1. What did you think of these episodes?

They're my favorites.


2. What was the reason given for Ricky not making the movie. I didn't expect Ricky to actually make the movie, but onscreen what happened? I only saw until the end of season 4 where they are still in Hollywood. I know they are still in Hollywood for a few episodes in season 5.

I don't know what the reason was, but they wound up putting Ricky in another movie, though the name/subject matter of the movie was never revealed.


3. Why were there no female movie star guest stars? Where the actresses not as big of a name or was it not to upstage Lucy and Ethel? I'm just guessing is was not to upstage Lucy and Ethel.

These theme of these "movie star" episodes was Lucy having crushes on these famous actors and trying to get up close and personal with them. That theme wouldn't have worked with female actresses, though famous actresses did show up later on (Ann Sothern, Tallulah Bankhead, Ida Lupino, Edie Adams, Betty Grable).

My answers:

I like some of the Hollywood episodes, but not all of them. I also suspect that in Year 4, Lucy & Desi were having their real life issues. I say that because I noticed a few major bloopers which could be the subject of another thread. Could be that Lucy & Desi with all they had going on didn't notice them.

Don Juan was shelved, however Ricky was still on contract while they figured out another movie for him. Then in the 2nd last episode of the 4th season, Lucy gets Ricky released from his contract, but it is worked out by the end of the episode. Although I have not yet seen early Season 5, I know there are only about 3 Hollywood episodes left.

Not long after I posted the female Hollywood star question, the answer came to me why there weren't any. (except for the wives, Eve Arden & Hedda Hopper). I agree with the responses here.

My answers:

I like some of the Hollywood episodes, but not all of them. I also suspect that in Year 4, Lucy & Desi were having their real life issues. I say that because I noticed a few major bloopers which could be the subject of another thread. Could be that Lucy & Desi with all they had going on didn't notice them.

Don Juan was shelved, however Ricky was still on contract while they figured out another movie for him. Then in the 2nd last episode of the 4th season, Lucy gets Ricky released from his contract, but it is worked out by the end of the episode. Although I have not yet seen early Season 5, I know there are only about 3 Hollywood episodes left.

Not long after I posted the female Hollywood star question, the answer came to me why there weren't any. (except for the wives, Eve Arden & Hedda Hopper). I agree with the responses here.


I loved the Hollywood episodes more than the European episodes. However I didn't care for the one with Harpo Marx so I don't really watch that one. And IMO, I thought Lucy and Desi worked very well and covered for any marital issues, but that's JMO.

I like the Harpo Marx episode. It's the Cornel Wilde one that I don't like. Was he even a big name in the 50's?

I now can answer one of my questions. I saw the first episode of season 5 and in that episode Ricky mentions he finished filming the movie. Although not much other info is given. A few episodes later they are back home for a few episodes and then it's of to Europe.

The bloopers I was referring to actually have nothing to do with the Lucy & Ricky characters. It's story mistakes that I have not seen in the previous 3 seasons. There weren't many of them though, but those story mistakes really do stand out.

I remember reading somewhere that they decided to have the Don Juan movie be shelved in the storyline because some people believed it would be an actual movie and were writing and asking when it would be released.

That's interesting and it does make sense.

It would explain that when Ricky finally made the movie the following season, no title was given.

In one of the earlier Hollywood episodes, an article in the paper had a list of Ricky's potential co-stars which included the bigger names at the time - ie. Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner etc.

Ricky refers to the Don Juan movie as having been 'shelved' in one of the Hollywood episodes and that they were looking for another movie for him to do. They specifically said there were too many production conflicts. While Lucy was in Hollywood she was all excited about meeting movie stars and was hyped up about meeting the male movie stars. I would agree that it was to not upstage Lucy and Ethel since they are the stars of the show. They most likely wouldn't want a really big named actress to come on the show and upstage them on their own show. I do like these episodes.

There was also an episode that featured the wives of actors who modeled dresses in a fashion show given by Don Loper. Mrs. Dean Martin and Mrs. Richard Carlson were among those who were shown.

And the beautiful Mrs. Gordon MacRae, if I remember correctly!