Why I Love Lucy - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

OH Nuts! · 09-14-2007, 12:14 PM

If this seems like a solicitation of the obvious, pls. forgive me, but I thought it might be nice for each of us to list why each of us loves I.L.L., and also, why we are fond of Miss Ball in general. Of course, I, and many of us, could write a long long thread on this. Besides, IMO, you can never lavish too much praise on this show, or Lucy's other fine TV ventures.

So here goes my contrib:

For starter, what I Love abt I.L.L. is how wildly popular it is, how revered, and how THIS BOARD IS ALWAYS JUMPING ON S.O. What's nice about this bd is that you never have to worry about it ever going thru an inactive spell, as there are so many knowledgeable and devoted fans, who will immed. jump and provide responding posts and new threads too. Also how much I learn from Irene & Madame X--two Lucy experts extraordinaire.

I could, of course, go on for a very long time with more, but I don't want to be a pig.

Madame X · 09-14-2007, 02:11 PM

Rich-Here is a copy of a post I submitted in April that explains why I love "I Love Lucy":

I agree that Lucille Ball was exceptional, one of a kind. But in my opinion, the appeal of the show was a unique combination of things, never again to be duplicated.

The cast was perfect: the dueling Mertzes, a Latin husband, Vivian as the best sidekick there ever was, a five-year old who could really play the drums.

The supporting characters were of the best quality: Gale Gordon, Edward Everett Horton, Hans Conried, Elsa Lanchester, Richard Crenna, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Natalie Schafer, Barbara Eden, Sheldon Leonard, Frank Nelson, etc.

Big-name movie stars were willing to appear and actually play a role, not just a cameo.

The costumes were excellent: Lucy's outfits, Ricky and Fred's suits and hats, all the outlandish costumes for Lucy's predicaments.

The writing was outstanding: the script contained real-life dialogue, great one-liners, plays on words; the storylines were amusing; the extra touches like the toaster that shoots the toast in the air, the way Lucy and Ricky kiss goodnight and the Mertz' dumpy apartment made the characters real, believable and lovable.

The staff and crew was the best in the business: Jess Oppenheimer, Hal King (Max Factor), Elois Jenssen, Eliot Daniel, William Asher, Wilbur Hatch, Karl Freund, Cam McCulloch, Marc Daniels, Argyle Nelson, Bud Molin, etc.

The music was live and entertaining: The only show to feature live music and real musicians as an intregal part of the show. Desi could really conduct, play and sing; the orchestra consisted of the same musicians the entire time; many songs were written for the show by the writers; dozens of traditional Spanish and popular English songs were used.

The filming technique was innovative: Desi conceived the three-camera system and put it into use. It set the standard for all live shows shot from then on.

The themes of the show had universal appeal: Money problems, bickering spouses, get-rich-quick schemes, friendship, mother-in-law issues, parenthood, stresses of work, the drudgery of a housewife's life, dreams of being a star, the daily routines of marriage, etc.

I Love Lucy was and is the best show for a lot of reasons. It would cost a million dollars an episode nowadays to try and equal the show's quality and appeal. The standard Lucy and Desi set can never be duplicated.

OH Nuts! · 09-14-2007, 11:36 PM

Of course all of this and MORE. I.L.L. broke new ground by establishing itself as the perfect paradigm for physical comedy. I.L.L. danced across the TV screen while other early shows lumbered. I.L.L. also was the earliest (or maybe one of the earliest) to break stereotypes. The sponsors didn't think a show would work with a Latin husband. But Miss Ball held her ground. No Desi no Lucy. They took the show on the road to prove their point, and the network relented. The rest is history.

Ireneparalegal · 09-15-2007, 12:19 AM

Wow, what could I start out saying that would even begin to show why I Love Lucy?

She got my attention at the tender age of 6. What other adult-oriented show could capture a kid's attention? I easily fell in love with the simple storylines, the characters and the overall feel of the show.

It didn't matter that I had no idea who Tallulah Bankhead was. It didn't matter that I had no idea who Xavier Cugat was, it just didn't matter. I was loving this show for the simple reason that it was and still is funny.

I see Lucy as a child at times, crying, pleading, begging for something and doing all these crazy things to get her way. I also see her for the beautiful woman that she was in those lovely gowns and even when she was simply wearing a house dress.

Ricky was the first hispanic character I had been exposed to on "English" television. Although in our household there was the spanish language channels being watched, it didn't matter. Here was a man who was on a "regular English-speaking show on a channel that wasn't geared towards hispanics". I thoroughly enjoyed hearing him speak spanish and I foolishly thought I was the only one who knew what he was saying.

Madame X · 09-15-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I thoroughly enjoyed hearing him speak spanish and I foolishly thought I was the only one who knew what he was saying.

Yes, Irene. I'm sure Ricky was speaking directly to you!

Ireneparalegal · 09-15-2007, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madame X

Yes, Irene. I'm sure Ricky was speaking directly to you!

I had SAP and didn't even know it.

Mikado · 09-15-2007, 11:33 PM

ILL was probably the first adult show i ever saw also. The local NBC station ( out of Buffalo, just across the border ) Used to have a block of old comedies after school, ILL , Dick van Dyke , That Girl and The Andy Griffith show....i loved them all and they made a large impression on a "latchkey kid" like me.
I think ILL was my fave of the four, simply because you could understand it even if you were 5 years old, and yet, it never talked down to you, the way "Childrens shows" tended to ( Something they seem to do now, more than ever, actually ).
As a French Canadian, living in "English Canada", i could understand the idea that Ricky was a bit of an outsider in his own country.
I suppose the part i loved best was just how the 4 main actors played off each other, it was one of the best casts ever put together!

Superbatboy · 09-16-2007, 11:59 PM

Anybody love the repetitive canned laughter? (Aka sweeteners which shows to this day still use) It's so unique and almost musical the way it goes with the show.

Mikado · 09-17-2007, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superbatboy

Anybody love the repetitive canned laughter? (Aka sweeteners which shows to this day still use) It's so unique and almost musical the way it goes with the show.

Its well known today that the canned laughter was mainly recordings from radio audiences and some such, many reported to be dead but, does anyone besides me remember that high-pitched almost forced souding "ho...ho...ho" that was 3 times louder than anyone else's laugh? And , Am I the only one who thinks its sounded suspiciously similar to Desi's own laughing, in scenes where Ricky was laughing, during the show? I've always suspected that "ho...ho...ho" laugh, in the canned laughter, was none other than Desi himself.......what do you all think?

Ireneparalegal · 09-17-2007, 06:05 PM

Well, I know I have heard Desi's laughter several times throughout several episodes, and I did hear Lucy's for the first time abt two weeks ago on an episode (the one where she hits the talent scout on the head). Those were obviously the times when Desi & Lucy were NOT in the scene, but they were on the set and laughing at whatever was taking place in the scene. They did film in front of a studio audience so we did hear real laughter, however, there are many times where we the fans can clearly hear the same female who seems to say, "uh oh" throughout the series. That was "canned". I don't get how canned laughter and real laughter can be mixed or WHY.

Anyone?????

Mikado · 09-17-2007, 06:19 PM

its called multitracking......many tracks of sound mixed together on one sound track...... of course, today this is done after production, doing it live meant someone in a booth turning knobs and pushing buttons on a control panel at JUST the right time....which also limited the amount of laugh tracks you could play at one time

09-14-2007, 12:14 PM	#1
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Why I Love Lucy If this seems like a solicitation of the obvious, pls. forgive me, but I thought it might be nice for each of us to list why each of us loves I.L.L., and also, why we are fond of Miss Ball in general. Of course, I, and many of us, could write a long long thread on this. Besides, IMO, you can never lavish too much praise on this show, or Lucy's other fine TV ventures. So here goes my contrib: For starter, what I Love abt I.L.L. is how wildly popular it is, how revered, and how THIS BOARD IS ALWAYS JUMPING ON S.O. What's nice about this bd is that you never have to worry about it ever going thru an inactive spell, as there are so many knowledgeable and devoted fans, who will immed. jump and provide responding posts and new threads too. Also how much I learn from Irene & Madame X--two Lucy experts extraordinaire. I could, of course, go on for a very long time with more, but I don't want to be a pig.

09-15-2007, 12:19 AM	#4
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Wow, what could I start out saying that would even begin to show why I Love Lucy? She got my attention at the tender age of 6. What other adult-oriented show could capture a kid's attention? I easily fell in love with the simple storylines, the characters and the overall feel of the show. It didn't matter that I had no idea who Tallulah Bankhead was. It didn't matter that I had no idea who Xavier Cugat was, it just didn't matter. I was loving this show for the simple reason that it was and still is funny. I see Lucy as a child at times, crying, pleading, begging for something and doing all these crazy things to get her way. I also see her for the beautiful woman that she was in those lovely gowns and even when she was simply wearing a house dress. Ricky was the first hispanic character I had been exposed to on "English" television. Although in our household there was the spanish language channels being watched, it didn't matter. Here was a man who was on a "regular English-speaking show on a channel that wasn't geared towards hispanics". I thoroughly enjoyed hearing him speak spanish and I foolishly thought I was the only one who knew what he was saying.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

09-16-2007, 11:59 PM	#8
Superbatboy The Brandon Show Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: California..USA Posts: 793	Anybody love the repetitive canned laughter? (Aka sweeteners which shows to this day still use) It's so unique and almost musical the way it goes with the show.
	__________________ "Marion, stop cackling I've been waiting 10 years for you to lay that egg"

09-14-2007, 02:11 PM	#2
Madame X Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,831	Rich-Here is a copy of a post I submitted in April that explains why I love "I Love Lucy": I agree that Lucille Ball was exceptional, one of a kind. But in my opinion, the appeal of the show was a unique combination of things, never again to be duplicated. The cast was perfect: the dueling Mertzes, a Latin husband, Vivian as the best sidekick there ever was, a five-year old who could really play the drums. The supporting characters were of the best quality: Gale Gordon, Edward Everett Horton, Hans Conried, Elsa Lanchester, Richard Crenna, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Natalie Schafer, Barbara Eden, Sheldon Leonard, Frank Nelson, etc. Big-name movie stars were willing to appear and actually play a role, not just a cameo. The costumes were excellent: Lucy's outfits, Ricky and Fred's suits and hats, all the outlandish costumes for Lucy's predicaments. The writing was outstanding: the script contained real-life dialogue, great one-liners, plays on words; the storylines were amusing; the extra touches like the toaster that shoots the toast in the air, the way Lucy and Ricky kiss goodnight and the Mertz' dumpy apartment made the characters real, believable and lovable. The staff and crew was the best in the business: Jess Oppenheimer, Hal King (Max Factor), Elois Jenssen, Eliot Daniel, William Asher, Wilbur Hatch, Karl Freund, Cam McCulloch, Marc Daniels, Argyle Nelson, Bud Molin, etc. The music was live and entertaining: The only show to feature live music and real musicians as an intregal part of the show. Desi could really conduct, play and sing; the orchestra consisted of the same musicians the entire time; many songs were written for the show by the writers; dozens of traditional Spanish and popular English songs were used. The filming technique was innovative: Desi conceived the three-camera system and put it into use. It set the standard for all live shows shot from then on. The themes of the show had universal appeal: Money problems, bickering spouses, get-rich-quick schemes, friendship, mother-in-law issues, parenthood, stresses of work, the drudgery of a housewife's life, dreams of being a star, the daily routines of marriage, etc. I Love Lucy was and is the best show for a lot of reasons. It would cost a million dollars an episode nowadays to try and equal the show's quality and appeal. The standard Lucy and Desi set can never be duplicated.

09-14-2007, 11:36 PM	#3
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Of course all of this and MORE. I.L.L. broke new ground by establishing itself as the perfect paradigm for physical comedy. I.L.L. danced across the TV screen while other early shows lumbered. I.L.L. also was the earliest (or maybe one of the earliest) to break stereotypes. The sponsors didn't think a show would work with a Latin husband. But Miss Ball held her ground. No Desi no Lucy. They took the show on the road to prove their point, and the network relented. The rest is history.

09-15-2007, 11:33 PM	#7
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886	ILL was probably the first adult show i ever saw also. The local NBC station ( out of Buffalo, just across the border ) Used to have a block of old comedies after school, ILL , Dick van Dyke , That Girl and The Andy Griffith show....i loved them all and they made a large impression on a "latchkey kid" like me. I think ILL was my fave of the four, simply because you could understand it even if you were 5 years old, and yet, it never talked down to you, the way "Childrens shows" tended to ( Something they seem to do now, more than ever, actually ). As a French Canadian, living in "English Canada", i could understand the idea that Ricky was a bit of an outsider in his own country. I suppose the part i loved best was just how the 4 main actors played off each other, it was one of the best casts ever put together!

09-17-2007, 06:05 PM	#10
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Well, I know I have heard Desi's laughter several times throughout several episodes, and I did hear Lucy's for the first time abt two weeks ago on an episode (the one where she hits the talent scout on the head). Those were obviously the times when Desi & Lucy were NOT in the scene, but they were on the set and laughing at whatever was taking place in the scene. They did film in front of a studio audience so we did hear real laughter, however, there are many times where we the fans can clearly hear the same female who seems to say, "uh oh" throughout the series. That was "canned". I don't get how canned laughter and real laughter can be mixed or WHY. Anyone?????

09-17-2007, 06:19 PM	#11
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886	its called multitracking......many tracks of sound mixed together on one sound track...... of course, today this is done after production, doing it live meant someone in a booth turning knobs and pushing buttons on a control panel at JUST the right time....which also limited the amount of laugh tracks you could play at one time