The Laugh Track "Uh-Oh" lady - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MOWERDAN · 11-05-2007, 01:41 PM

We all know ILL was done in front of a live audience. But like other sitcoms, they needed to dub in some laugh tracks in post production if the audience didn't laugh or some other issue occured.

A true ILL lover has to know about that one lady (in the laugh track) that says "Uh-oh...oh ho ho ha ha ha...". They play that line in just about every episode where appropriate. Who else notices this laugh line? I grew up with this laugh track lady. I feel like she's an old friend like Aunt Sally (Pecan Praulines).

That "Uh-Oh" line is one of those things Lucy fans just don't seem to talk about.

hch · 11-05-2007, 02:04 PM

Apparently, the "uh-Oh" lady was Lucy's Mom, Deedee Ball, according to the "Bewitched Forever" book by Herbie J. Pilato. There was a note that one of laugh tracks that was used in a couple of 2nd season episodes came from "I Love Lucy".

Now if we can only find out who did the "Right ON!" on each Good Times episode.....

Madame X · 11-05-2007, 02:20 PM

Yeah, and besides the "Uh-Oh Lady," there were several other reoccuring laughers. Sounds are so hard to describe in writing but most of us are aware of the unique laughs. There is also a man with a belly-laugh that many people think is Desi. It's not, though. I wonder how they name and catalog the laughs in their library so they can go back and use them at certain times!

"Leave it to Beaver" had some unique audience sounds and occasionally I hear them on other shows, like the lady with a high-pitched chirp. I think laugh tracks were shared within the industry.

PolarCub75@aol.com · 11-05-2007, 02:35 PM

Hey, MowerDan!

It must be something in the Jersey air because, I was thinking the exact same thing this morning. When I came on here to post it, you already had. LOL

There are are a couple other "laugh-lines" heard quite often. There was the screaming lady. Like, the audience would burst out in laughter and then you would hear this "HEEEEEE!" kind of laugh. Then, there was the one that sounded like a little kid laughing, followed by and asthma attack. LOL

Speaking of laughs, does anybody remember that audience members laugh that stuck out on Rhoda? It sounded like a slow "Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"

Whereabouts in New Jersey are you located, MowerDan?

MOWERDAN · 11-05-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolarCub75@aol.com

Hey, MowerDan!

Whereabouts in New Jersey are you located, MowerDan?

I'm from Toms River, NJ (originally Union City). My parents moved us down to Toms River in the late 1960s along with countless others from North Jersey. We still have tons of relatives from up there. There are very few natives still in Toms River. I guess we scared them all off. Now they're further south in Tuckerton.

PolarCub75@aol.com · 11-05-2007, 03:09 PM

Toms River, eh? We're practically neighbors. I am located in Edison, New Jersey. It's exit 131 0ff the Garden State Parkway & exit 9 off the New Jersey Turnpike.

NOVARick · 11-05-2007, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hch

Apparently, the "uh-Oh" lady was Lucy's Mom, Deedee Ball, according to the "Bewitched Forever" book by Herbie J. Pilato. There was a note that one of laugh tracks that was used in a couple of 2nd season episodes came from "I Love Lucy".

Now if we can only find out who did the "Right ON!" on each Good Times episode.....

I think the rumor that this "uh-oh" was Dede was started by Bart Andrews. But according to Gregg Oppenheimer, the location in the audience where Dede would sit was too far away from the sound recording equipment for her voice to be recorded so distinctly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolarCub75@aol.com

Speaking of laughs, does anybody remember that audience members laugh that stuck out on Rhoda? It sounded like a slow "Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"

Supposedly, that was the show's producer, Lorenzo Music, who also supplied the voice of Carlton, the doorman.

iamme · 11-06-2007, 12:58 AM

i always here people talking about the uh oh lady but i never heard her but i did hear one woman say oh no in one episode

comedyfreak · 11-06-2007, 06:30 AM

That uh oh lady got annoying. Married With Children has someone like that too, but it's just a laugh very distinct.

Larry Surrell · 11-22-2007, 10:10 PM

I was watching The Lucy Show on RTN tonight and heard the "Uh-Oh" part of that laugh, but without the laughing part!

SPLAIN · 11-23-2007, 09:24 AM

Yes, same laugh track machine was used on that series. And others even to this day, which is a nice way for those people to still be around.

ethelmaepotter · 11-23-2007, 01:56 PM

Even though a show is filmed before an audience, there is a process called "sweetening" where the laughs from the live studio audience or canned laughter is used to "enhance" audience response. Even though "I Love Lucy" was filmed before an audience, sound engineers along with the show's producers still had the flexibility of giving a joke more laughs in editing or cutting out laughter in parts where it wasn't necessary.

Virtually every sitcom uses laugh tracks or "sweetening".

SPLAIN · 11-23-2007, 02:07 PM

Yeah, except for one thing, on the NEW shows, they are not needed because nothing is ever THAT FUNNY, whereas on LUCY, they sometimes had to cut out some long laughs also for time restraints, LOL! I would think that they need those laugh tracks also in the case of them redoing the same scene nowadays ten times in a row and then getting no laugh at all unless they use the machine, LOL!

mrs.gingerhinkley · 12-02-2007, 05:23 PM

I think it's part of the charm of the show. It seems real enough, cause at the same moment as I'm watching the episode, I'm also going... "Uh oh..."
I don't know, I think it's one of those things that really gets on your nerves or you just don't pay much attention to because you're used to it.

Ireneparalegal · 12-02-2007, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOWERDAN

That "Uh-Oh" line is one of those things Lucy fans just don't seem to talk about.

I don't get why you state that. I have talked abt that lady many a time with other ILL fans. I think what it is, you haven't seen a thread "lately" regarding that topic.

11-05-2007, 01:41 PM	#1
MOWERDAN Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 04, 2002 Location: NEW JERSEY Posts: 64	The Laugh Track "Uh-Oh" lady We all know ILL was done in front of a live audience. But like other sitcoms, they needed to dub in some laugh tracks in post production if the audience didn't laugh or some other issue occured. A true ILL lover has to know about that one lady (in the laugh track) that says "Uh-oh...oh ho ho ha ha ha...". They play that line in just about every episode where appropriate. Who else notices this laugh line? I grew up with this laugh track lady. I feel like she's an old friend like Aunt Sally (Pecan Praulines). That "Uh-Oh" line is one of those things Lucy fans just don't seem to talk about.

11-05-2007, 02:04 PM	#2
hch Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 07, 2001 Location: Montross, VA 22520 Posts: 983	Uh OH! Apparently, the "uh-Oh" lady was Lucy's Mom, Deedee Ball, according to the "Bewitched Forever" book by Herbie J. Pilato. There was a note that one of laugh tracks that was used in a couple of 2nd season episodes came from "I Love Lucy". Now if we can only find out who did the "Right ON!" on each Good Times episode.....
	__________________ "You don't own the rights or the patent on scuffling!" Willona from "Good Times"

11-06-2007, 06:30 AM	#9
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,059	That uh oh lady got annoying. Married With Children has someone like that too, but it's just a laugh very distinct.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

12-02-2007, 05:23 PM	#14
mrs.gingerhinkley Bette Davis Fan Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 2,478	I think it's part of the charm of the show. It seems real enough, cause at the same moment as I'm watching the episode, I'm also going... "Uh oh..." I don't know, I think it's one of those things that really gets on your nerves or you just don't pay much attention to because you're used to it.
	__________________ Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. -Edgar Allen Poe God Bless Our Troops

11-05-2007, 02:20 PM	#3
Madame X Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,831	Yeah, and besides the "Uh-Oh Lady," there were several other reoccuring laughers. Sounds are so hard to describe in writing but most of us are aware of the unique laughs. There is also a man with a belly-laugh that many people think is Desi. It's not, though. I wonder how they name and catalog the laughs in their library so they can go back and use them at certain times! "Leave it to Beaver" had some unique audience sounds and occasionally I hear them on other shows, like the lady with a high-pitched chirp. I think laugh tracks were shared within the industry.

11-05-2007, 02:35 PM	#4
PolarCub75@aol.com Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2003 Location: Edison, New Jersey Posts: 189	Hey, MowerDan! It must be something in the Jersey air because, I was thinking the exact same thing this morning. When I came on here to post it, you already had. LOL There are are a couple other "laugh-lines" heard quite often. There was the screaming lady. Like, the audience would burst out in laughter and then you would hear this "HEEEEEE!" kind of laugh. Then, there was the one that sounded like a little kid laughing, followed by and asthma attack. LOL Speaking of laughs, does anybody remember that audience members laugh that stuck out on Rhoda? It sounded like a slow "Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" Whereabouts in New Jersey are you located, MowerDan?

11-05-2007, 03:09 PM	#6
PolarCub75@aol.com Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2003 Location: Edison, New Jersey Posts: 189	Toms River, eh? We're practically neighbors. I am located in Edison, New Jersey. It's exit 131 0ff the Garden State Parkway & exit 9 off the New Jersey Turnpike.

11-06-2007, 12:58 AM	#8
iamme Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 05, 2007 Location: where ever life takes me Posts: 24	i always here people talking about the uh oh lady but i never heard her but i did hear one woman say oh no in one episode

11-22-2007, 10:10 PM	#10
Larry Surrell Ed M. 1918-2006 RIP Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 702	I was watching The Lucy Show on RTN tonight and heard the "Uh-Oh" part of that laugh, but without the laughing part!

11-23-2007, 09:24 AM	#11
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Yes, same laugh track machine was used on that series. And others even to this day, which is a nice way for those people to still be around.

11-23-2007, 01:56 PM	#12
ethelmaepotter Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 03, 2005 Posts: 243	Even though a show is filmed before an audience, there is a process called "sweetening" where the laughs from the live studio audience or canned laughter is used to "enhance" audience response. Even though "I Love Lucy" was filmed before an audience, sound engineers along with the show's producers still had the flexibility of giving a joke more laughs in editing or cutting out laughter in parts where it wasn't necessary. Virtually every sitcom uses laugh tracks or "sweetening".

11-23-2007, 02:07 PM	#13
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Yeah, except for one thing, on the NEW shows, they are not needed because nothing is ever THAT FUNNY, whereas on LUCY, they sometimes had to cut out some long laughs also for time restraints, LOL! I would think that they need those laugh tracks also in the case of them redoing the same scene nowadays ten times in a row and then getting no laugh at all unless they use the machine, LOL!