This is sort of a cross post from two threads on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show board. There are some clips there of the supposedly one and only color broadcast of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, from October 4, 1954. That episode was the season premiere of the series. In a separate thread, it was noted that CBS was broadcasting an "all color" night that evening. And that same night on CBS, I Love Lucy had its season premiere with the episode "The Business Manager." If it is true that it was an all color night on CBS, then that would mean that there was a color version of "The Business Manager." Also, there would have been a color episode of "December Bride," "Studio One," and a couple other shows that aired that night. So the question is whether this truly was an all-color night on CBS. If the answer to that is yes, then the possibility exists that somewhere out there is a color version of "The Business Manager."

No. There were never any all-color nights planned, only one-offs of various CBS shows on a rotating basis. Many of those that had been planned for inclusion in the rotation were eventually crossed off the list including, if I remember correctly, every filmed series except for Burns & Allen. The ILL episode originally slated for color filming and broadcast was one that aired not in October but December. It has been well and fully confirmed that that particular episode was (like the other 179) ultimately filmed in black and white.

ETA: The August announcement from CBS about which series episodes would be broadcast in color specified 'Ricky's Contract' which aired in black and white on 12/6/54. One station apparently didn't get the memo:

http://www.lucyfan.com/coltvgad.jpg

No. There were never any all-color nights planned, only one-offs of various CBS shows on a rotating basis. Many of those that had been planned for inclusion in the rotation were eventually crossed off the list including, if I remember correctly, every filmed series except for Burns & Allen. The ILL episode originally slated for color filming and broadcast was one that aired not in October but December. It has been well and fully confirmed that that particular episode was (like the other 179) ultimately filmed in black and white.

That episode would have been "Ricky's Contract"? Thanks for the clarification. I wonder what that poster got the idea CBS had an all-color night? This is how urban legends start.

That episode would have been "Ricky's Contract"? Thanks for the clarification. I wonder what that poster got the idea CBS had an all-color night? This is how urban legends start.

I'm really doubting there was ever an episode originally filmed in color. The entire series has been remastered from the original negatives - likely multiple times - over the past 10-15 years. If any episodes were indeed in color, it would certainly be obvious to any technician handling the film (probably even just by looking at the label on the reel) and we would have know about it for quite a while now.

It's been settled for quite some time that there wasn't ever a color episode. Including here in this thread....