Unique Apartment Sets

[Madame X]

There are a couple of sets we see in "The New Neighbors" (season one) that we never see again. The better known one is the "fourth wall" and window in the Ricardo's apt. They had to design it well enough to handle shots from three different angles:






The other shot is this one in the Mertz' apt. Where is this supposed to be?

[Ireneparalegal]

Nice pics!

Ok, the second pic at the top. What is wrong with the wall behind Ricky? It looks like cheap wall paneling or a bad imitation of that. If you look at the rest of the walls in the apt. you will note they don't have what appears to be lines going up and down, as you would see if it was wood paneling.

The third pic with Ricky looking at the girls as they look out the window, what is wrong with the window frame/sill right above Ethel's head? It looks like it is cracked? Oh wait, if you look at the second pic again with Ricky touching Lucy's back, it looks like window blinds. The Ricardos had blinds in the kitchen, but those blinds were those kind that DIDN'T have individual blinds, it was one sheet, do you know what I mean? Remember when Lucy had hidden her manuscript in the kitchen? Was that the only time there were blinds in the kitchen??????? The blinds in this second pic here are clearly out of place as the Ricardos didn't have any blinds of that kind in their apartment.

As for Fred's pic, WHERE IS THAT? They had a phone in their living room. The only other obvious place they would have a phone would be in the bedroom (such as the Ricardos) however, that is not the Mertzes bedroom, from what we have seen of it. Then again, it could be the "fourth wall" in the Mertzes bedroom.

[Madame X]

I know what you mean. The wood panelling and the Venetian blinds are obviously out of place. It must have been a quick slap-together job for that one scene.

[Ireneparalegal]

Yes, Venetian blinds (damn word escaped me there) If you recall, the blinds the Ricardos had in their kitchen when Lucy wrote that novel, the blinds were NOT Venetian. Was that the only time those blinds were used in the kitchen for that scene? I can't recall.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Ok, the second pic at the top. What is wrong with the wall behind Ricky? It looks like cheap wall paneling or a bad imitation of that. If you look at the rest of the walls in the apt. you will not they don't have what appears to be lines going up and down, as you would see if it was wood paneling.

The answer to what's wrong with the wall behind Ricky must have something to do with the fact this this was a temporary extension to the regular set, thrown together just for this particular episode. Back in the first season, the budget for this show was very small, so this rather sloppy looking wall might have been the best they could do with their limited resources. But putting this into the context of the "actual Ricardo apartment," what's wrong with the wall? No idea. Perhaps we could speculate that, in one of her past escapades, Lucy did some damage to the wall and this is the resulting repair work from cheap Fred.

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

The blinds in this second pic here are clearly out of place as the Ricardos didn't have any blinds of that kind in their apartment.

It seems like they were always trying to create an illusion of blinds in the living room of this first apartment. You'll notice that in all the daytime scenes in the living room, you'll see shadows against the back wall that appear to be created by the sun shining through blinds on the unseen fourth wall. In fact, you can see this in the first picture. If you look behind Ethel's head at the living room door, you will see these shadows.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

The answer to what's wrong with the wall behind Ricky must have something to do with the fact this this was a temporary extension to the regular set, thrown together just for this particular episode. Back in the first season, the budget for this show was very small, so this rather sloppy looking wall might have been the best they could do with their limited resources. But putting this into the context of the "actual Ricardo apartment," what's wrong with the wall? No idea. Perhaps we could speculate that, in one of her past escapades, Lucy did some damage to the wall and this is the resulting repair work from cheap Fred.



It seems like they were always trying to create an illusion of blinds in the living room of this first apartment. You'll notice that in all the daytime scenes in the living room, you'll see shadows against the back wall that appear to be created by the sun shining through blinds on the unseen fourth wall. In fact, you can see this in the first picture. If you look behind Ethel's head at the living room door, you will see these shadows.

I do see that now. In fact, I have seen what it is you are referring to regarding shadows/light filtering into the apartment. As cheap as their budget was, it was nice to see they tried to give the illusion of sun coming through into that apartment. It gave it a nice touch of "reality".

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I do see that now. In fact, I have seen what it is you are referring to regarding shadows/light filtering into the apartment. As cheap as their budget was, it was nice to see they tried to give the illusion of sun coming through into that apartment. It gave it a nice touch of "reality".

I agree. And if you compare this to, say, "The Honeymooners," where the walls of the apartment would shake every time they closed the door, and sometimes the buildings in the background seen through the window would shake as well, the "I Love Lucy" folks should be commended. I suspect this was largely due to Desi's influence. I have to give them credit as well for working over the course of that first year to make the apartment nicer looking. It was very bland looking in those early episodes, but over time they improved the furnishings and added some plants and made it look much, much nicer.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

I agree. And if you compare this to, say, "The Honeymooners," where the walls of the apartment would shake every time they closed the door, and sometimes the buildings in the background seen through the window would shake as well, the "I Love Lucy" folks should be commended. I suspect this was largely due to Desi's influence. I have to give them credit as well for working over the course of that first year to make the apartment nicer looking. It was very bland looking in those early episodes, but over time they improved the furnishings and added some plants and made it look much, much nicer.

That is so true. I agree. It was very bland to look at. It did get better as time went on and if you look at it in a very realistic way, isn't that how it is in real life?

I think the few times the ILL set seemed cheap and obvious, is small in comparison to as you say the Honeymooners. I know Madame X pointed out the fake background in the Jimmy Demerat golf episode as needing a good "ironing" and other numerous things, but overall, it was nice not to see things move as someone closed or slammed a door.

[Bill S.]

Speaking of sets that were never seen again, and the Mertzes bedroom...wasn't "Vacation From Marriage" the only time we see their bedroom?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Bill S.

Speaking of sets that were never seen again, and the Mertzes bedroom...wasn't "Vacation From Marriage" the only time we see their bedroom?

Yes it is. That bedroom of theirs seemed so drab, just like their living room.

[Madame X]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Yes it is. That bedroom of theirs seemed so drab, just like their living room.

Oh! But Hey! and C'mon! There was a framed picture that said "Home Sweet Home" above their beds. I am certain that was an inspiration for the many passionate and intimate moments we fans never heard about.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Madame X

Oh! But Hey! and C'mon! There was a framed picture that said "Home Sweet Home" above their beds. I am certain that was an inspiration for the many passionate and intimate moments we fans never heard about.

Don't even make me try and imagine what went on in that bedroom of theirs.

[Madame X]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Don't even make me try and imagine what went on in that bedroom of theirs.

Fred's pants were too high, and Ethel's dresses were too low... :

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Madame X

Fred's pants were too high, and Ethel's dresses were too low... :

Fred's pants were indeed too high. But I guess he wore them that way to keep his tie in place...(insert pic here showing Fred wearing his pants too high and his tie tucked in them...)

[Madame X]

I will dig up a picture of Fred's disappearing waistline. His belt became a bra.
Another Mertz