Criminal charges

[tdr]

NOVARick gets the credit for this idea. He suggested we have a new thread on the reasons Lucy would have gone to jail; I will add, or at least faced criminal charges, and extend it to all the characters, even extras.

Lucy:
Abduction --the dancer whose job she wanted; and possibly, with Fred, the Cuban dancer who had known Ricky when a little girl in Cuba.
Disturbing the peace-- wrecking the apartment.
Theft -- John Wayne's footprints.
Gatecrashing (maybe) with Ethel for "The Most Happy Fella".
Reporting false information to police officers in "Equal Rights."
Fraud-- tellling the dealer Fred bought that 1923 junker from that she represented a movie studio looking for that car; [the fraudalent raffle for the Ladies Overseas Aid could not be prosecuted, unless by intent]; pretending to be Ricky's agent in Hollywood; possibly abetting a fraud with Ethel as the 'women from Mars'; passing off a dummy with a model of Ricky's head as Ricky himself (though how could that act have been scheduled without Ricky signing a contract?); causing loss of jobs by giving false information (like the barber shop quartet singer and the original girl scheduled for the Vitameatavegemin commercial)...probably more.

I may get back to other characters later; Lucy herself is enough to tire one's thinking like this. And all this does not even include 'crimes' of fraud and abduction against Ricky, for which she probably could not be prosecuted... nevertheless if Ricky and Lucy got a divorce on their level, as Desi and Lucille actually did, that wouldn't have been exactly a sitcom either.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by tdr

nevertheless if Ricky and Lucy got a divorce on their level, as Desi and Lucille actually did, that wouldn't have been exactly a sitcom either.

Excellent start on this tdr. As for Ricky divorcing her, I think he would be able to save himself a lot of trouble just by having her thrown in prison. That way he could avoid both the trouble and expense of dealing with lawyers. And, more significantly, no alimony payments and automatic custody of Little Ricky.

[Ireneparalegal]

John Wayne's footprints: Vandalism could be added to those charges. She vandalized Graumann's Chinese Theatre by removing the cement block.

[NOVARick]

Isn't it ironic that with all the crimes Lucy committed that could have, and should have, landed her in jail, one of the few times she actually did go to jail was simply because she said "Boo"?

[gidgetgrape]

I'm pretty sure she didn't obtain any business licenses to sell meat or salad dressing.

[tdr]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

Isn't it ironic that with all the crimes Lucy committed that could have, and should have, landed her in jail, one of the few times she actually did go to jail was simply because she said "Boo"?

Right, and the more serious charges against all 4 (5, including Cousin Ernie) of them-- attempting to break her out of jail and tying up the sheriff to get away-- they got off clean. In reality they would probably have been reported to the Tennessee state police, who should have been able to nab them before they got out of the state.

How about the illegal border crossing Lucy attempted? When Lucy thought she didn't have her passport as they rode bicycles from Italy into France, she tore off a large number from a poster and tried to ride through, but the Italian guard caught her and pulled her back.

[Larry Surrell]

This is a fun topic. I'd love to see what else you all come up with. Here's a few more:

Breaking and entering into Cornell Wilde's hotel room and Richard Widmark's house.

Sneaking out of the cabin in Ohio without paying the bill.

Attempting to bring 25 lbs of cheese into the U.S. without paying duty or shipping charges.

Purgery - Lying under oath about how the Mertz's television set got broken ( of course Ethel could be charged with this too).

Destruction of property - mowing through Betty Ramsey's tulip garden.

[Ireneparalegal]

Damaging all those cigars in the cigar shop in Cuba.

[gidgetgrape]

Originally Posted by Larry Surrell

Breaking and entering into Cornell Wilde's hotel room and Richard Widmark's house.

Lucy was a stalker.

[Madame X]

In addition to the many fraud situations (lying and assuming fake identies):

Wiretapping-Oil Wells
Writing a bad check-The Operetta
Disturbing the peace-Breaking the Lease
Trespassing-The New Neighbors
Theft-Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio, Ricky and Fred are TV Fans
Assault-Lucy and Ethel But the Same Dress, Lucy's Italian Movie
Vandalism-Ricky and Fred are TV Fans
Destruction of pubic property-The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue
False advertising-The Million Dollar Idea, Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation
Obstruction of justice-The Great Train Robbery

And whatever they call these crimes:

Driving without a license or insurance
Stopping a train by pulling the emergency cord
Using stolen answers on a quiz show
Running a grocery-buying scam

And she would have stowed away to Europe if she could have!

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Madame X

In addition to the many fraud situations (lying and assuming fake identies):

Wiretapping-Oil Wells
Writing a bad check-The Operetta
Disturbing the peace-Breaking the Lease
Trespassing-The New Neighbors
Theft-Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio, Ricky and Fred are TV Fans
Assault-Lucy and Ethel But the Same Dress, Lucy's Italian Movie
Vandalism-Ricky and Fred are TV Fans
Destruction of pubic property-The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue
False advertising-The Million Dollar Idea, Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation
Obstruction of justice-The Great Train Robbery

And whatever they call these crimes:

Driving without a license or insurance
Stopping a train by pulling the emergency cord
Using stolen answers on a quiz show
Running a grocery-buying scam

And she would have stowed away to Europe if she could have!

Awesome list there! *applaud*

What abt the LUCKY BUCK episode? Ricky listed the amount of money he was billed for all the damages Lucy caused at the laundry mat. Destruction of property would be the charges. Also add trespassing.

Ricky would also be charged for trespassing and impersonating an employee since he pretended to work for the company to get Lucy into the facility.

[Ireneparalegal]

In the episode The Adagio where there is a french apache dance number and Ethel finds a man to show Lucy how to do this dance. Well, the man has other intentions with Lucy. Later Ricky and this man pretend to "duel" with pistols. With Lucy in the living room with Ethel you hear gun shots. Now! this would be Ricky getting in trouble with the law for illegally shooting a weapon inside a dwelling, not to mention hurting any persons unintentionally.

Lucy going door to door trying to peddle that unwanted Handy Dandy vaccum. No seller's permit.

How could we forget having a child in a building where NO CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED? Mrs. Trumbell: "If I hear that baby cry once more, I will send for the police!"

In the episode, The Girls Go Into Business, regarding the dress shop, Lucy was going to commit fraud by telling a "sad story".

[Madame X]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

In the episode The Adagio where there is a french apache dance number and Ethel finds a man to show Lucy how to do this dance. Well, the man has other intentions with Lucy. Later Ricky and this man pretend to "duel" with pistols. With Lucy in the living room with Ethel you hear gun shots. Now! this would be Ricky getting in trouble with the law for illegally shooting a weapon inside a dwelling, not to mention hurting any persons unintentionally.

Lucy going door to door trying to peddle that unwanted Handy Dandy vaccum. No seller's permit.

How could we forget having a child in a building where NO CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED? Mrs. Trumbell: "If I hear that baby cry once more, I will send for the police!"

In the episode, The Girls Go Into Business, regarding the dress shop, Lucy was going to commit fraud by telling a "sad story".

Good ones!

[Coffeecup]

This is good topic. But had any one figure how much Ricky paid for Lucy's schemes. How much was he in hawk for The Million Idea for one escapade. There is so many. In one of the first episodes where she goes on tv to win money for her finances are in tough shape. The episode where she had to convince Ricky she was married before. Phil ober play the second first husband she seems to come out ahead. But along the way Ricky could have declared Bankrupcy. Just a days ago I saw the Opera one of my favorites and Lucy funds were bare and so were the Fine arts league. Toward the end of the show when she bought the furniture with Betty Ramsey if it wasn't for the gig Ricky got from Ralph another big debt. How many others are there.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by coffeecup

This is good topic. But had any one figure how much Ricky paid for Lucy's schemes. How much was he in hawk for The Million Idea for one escapade. There is so many. In one of the first episodes where she goes on tv to win money for her finances are in tough shape. The episode where she had to convince Ricky she was married before. Phil ober play the second first husband she seems to come out ahead. But along the way Ricky could have declared Bankrupcy. Just a days ago I saw the Opera one of my favorites and Lucy funds were bare and so were the Fine arts league. Toward the end of the show when she bought the furniture with Betty Ramsey if it wasn't for the gig Ricky got from Ralph another big debt. How many others are there.

There is a thread on here abt that very topic. We have come up with so many points where $$$$$$$ was a big issue for Lucy and why she was always in a financial pickle.