Has an episode ever made you cry?

[visaman666]

I can't believe this happened to me this morning ( I must be catching a cold or something), but I was watching the episode Hollywood Anniversary, and when Ricky sang The Anniversary Song at the Mocambo Room I started weeping!

Has an episode moved you so much?

[LittleRickyII]

Originally Posted by visaman666

I can't believe this happened to me this morning ( I must be catching a cold or something), but I was watching the episode Hollywood Anniversary, and when Ricky sang The Anniversary Song at the Mocambo Room I started weeping!

Has an episode moved you so much?

I'm surprised it was that particular episode that moved you because this series seemed to avoid ever getting sentimental, with the one exception of "Lucy Is Enceinte." And that one never fails to get me. But (as you may already know) even the sentimental moment in that episode almost got scrapped for the very reason that it was so sentimental, with Desi having tears in his eyes. It was about to be reshot but the studio audience stood up and protested that they should keep the scene intact. We can thank them for that.

[ThisLittlePiggy]

I don't know if I cry, but the episode that gets to me emotionally is Lucy Gets Homesick in Italy.

[missy's pop pop]

Actually William Asher, who directed "Lucy is Enciente," stopped the action because Lucy and Desi were both in tears and ordered a reshoot. The script was to have Ricky bellow with joy, but the powers that be (as well as the studio audience) agreed the sentimental scene was more effective.

It may be purely personal, but the last scene of the "I Love Lucy Christmas Show" (where the five Santa Clauses are crowded in the kitchen) gets to me. Wilbur Hatch's arrangement of "Jingle Bells" is slow and wistful sounding--almost lonely--as each of the fake beards is removed and, finally, Cameron Grant (the "real" St. Nick) cries "Ouch!" as Lucy yanks on his beard.

[mets82]

Btw, how was Lucy's pregnancy scripted in the show? I seem to remember that Desi was actually surprised when she told him she was pregnant in that scene. Before that scene, Desi didnt know she was pregnant. Is that true? If it is, then how was the scene supposed to end?

[LittleRickyII]

Originally Posted by mets82

Btw, how was Lucy's pregnancy scripted in the show? I seem to remember that Desi was actually surprised when she told him she was pregnant in that scene. Before that scene, Desi didnt know she was pregnant. Is that true? If it is, then how was the scene supposed to end?

No, the whole thing was scripted. Desi knew full well she was pregnant. In fact, the cast ended their summer break early so they could get a head start and get some episodes in the can before she started showing too much. And they also had to plan around the fact that she would need time to recover (and not work) after giving birth. But the show would still need to go on the air every week during that time, regardless of Lucille Ball's post childbirth recovery. So they had to get busy cranking out episodes early. So they filmed several post-birth episodes before the ones dealing with Lucy's pregnancy. These are the ones with flashback scenes at the beginning with Ricky, Fred and Ethel ("Sales Resistance," "The Inferiority Complex," "The Club Election," "The Black Eye," and "Lucy Changes Her Mind"). These episodes were filmed first, prior to the pregnancy episodes, but the short flashback scenes stuck on at the beginning were filmed later, after Lucy gave birth. After these flashback episodes were filmed, THEN they started filming the pregnancy episodes -- "Lucy Is Enceinte" through "Lucy Goes to the Hospital." The funny thing is, by the time they got to filming "Lucy Is Enceinte," Lucille Ball was clearly showing. So it's a little awkward watching Lucy Ricardo learn she's pregnant, and pondering how to break the news to Ricky, when she's already wearing maternity clothes and looking quite pregnant! But that little issue aside, it's a great episode. And incidentally, the first episode filmed after Lucy gave birth was "No Children Allowed."

The last episode filmed before Lucille Ball learned she was pregnant was "The Saxophone" (filmed June 6, 1952). The first episode filmed after Lucille Ball learned she was pregnant was "Vacation From Marriage" (filmed August 1, 1952). Here's the order the episodes during this period, after Lucille Ball learned she was pregnant, through her post-childbirth return to work ("No Children Allowed"), were filmed:

1. Vacation From Marriage (filmed August 1, 1952)
2. The Courtroom (filmed August 8, 1952)
3. Redecorating (filmed August 15, 1952)
4. Ricky Loses His Voice (filmed August 22, 1952)
5. Sales Resistance (filmed August 29, 1952, except for the flashback scene)
6. The Inferiority Complex (filmed September 6, 1952, except for flashback scene)
7. The Club Election (filmed Sep 12, 1952, except for flashback scene)
8. The Black Eye (filmed Sep 19, 1952, except for flashback scene)
9. Lucy Changes Her Mind (filmed Sep 26, 1952, except for flashback scene)
10. Lucy Is Enceinte (filmed Oct 3, 1952)
11. Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable (filmed Oct 10, 1952)
12. Lucy's Showbiz Swan Song (filmed Oct 17, 1952)
13. Lucy Hires an English Tutor (filmed Oct 24, 1952)
14. Ricky Has Labor Pains (filmed Oct 31, 1952)
15. Lucy Becomes a Sculptress (filmed Nov 7, 1952)
16. Lucy Goes to the Hospital (filmed Nov 14, 1952)
17. No Children Allowed (filmed March 20, 1953; first episode filmed after Lucille Ball gave birth)
(Between Nov 14, 1952 and March 20, 1953, no episodes were filmed, just flashback scenes).

Here's the order these episodes aired:

1. Vacation From Marriage (aired October 27, 1952)
2. The Courtroom (aired November 10, 1952)
3. Redecorating (aired November 24, 1952)
4. Ricky Loses His Voice (aired December 1, 1952)
5. Lucy Is Enceinte (aired December 8, 1952)
6. Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable (aired December 15 1952)
7. Lucy's Showbiz Swan Song (aired December 22, 1952)
8. Lucy Hires an English Tutor (aired December 29, 1952)
9. Ricky Has Labor Pains (aired January 5, 1953)
10. Lucy Becomes a Sculptress (aired January 12, 1953)
11. Lucy Goes to the Hospital (aired January 19, 1953, the same day Lucille Ball gave birth to Desi Arnaz, Jr.)
12. Sales Resistance (aired January 26, 1953
13. The Inferiority Complex (aired February 2,1953)
14. The Club Election (aired February 16, 1953)
15. The Black Eye (aired March 9, 1953)
16. Lucy Changes Her Mind (aired March 30, 1953)
17. No Children Allowed (aired April 20, 1953)

[OH Nuts!]

None of them ever made me cry but some could be very poignant like "Lucy Is Enciente." A charming episode if ever there was one.

[mets82]

Little RickyII, excellent job!! I do know that for example, "Sales Resistance" starts off with Ricky, Fred and Ethel and then flashing back with Lucy. I always wondered how they did those episodes when Lucy was pregnant but now I know!!

[Coffeecup]

The only episode that could have given me a tear was Ethel's Birthday where Lucy and Ethel sitting apart in the theater seats because of a fight. They go to the Over the Teacups play and the play actress Cynthia
talk about friendship to John" You can never have too many friends. "IF I could see her one more time" . I could have teared up then. I thought Lucy express her tears so well. Lucille was a fine actress.

But the show was far too comedy than drama.

[Fontaine]

I agree... the show almost always avoided sentiment. But a few times it crept in. The show where the Ricardos want to celebrate their anniversary privately, and end up in their closet having dinner was very sweet. And the show where they finally move out of their New York apartment was a little sad too.

[Kirk W Morgan]

The episode in the first season where Lucy & Ricky decide to move out after having a quarrel with Fred & Ethel.When moving day arrives Fred & Ethel bring back items they had borrowed when it comes time foe Ethel gives Lucy her items Ethel says "It's all there,You can count it if you like....' Lucy responds with :That's all right Mrs. Mertz...I TRUST YOU! then Lucy starts to cry as does Ethel and the two embrace and the quartet are all friends again.F&E came armed with a new lease.That scene always makes my eyes water no matter how many times I've seen it.

[Hughsgirl]

Definately the epsidoe Lucy is Enciente. The ending where they get chocked up is so very real you kind of feel it with them even after all of these years.

[KatieAnn]

I'm sure "Lucy is Enciente" makes me cry because I can just feel her frustration at not being able to tell Ricky and then when he finally finds out his reaction is so sweet, but I can't say I remember crying - it's been a long time since I've seen that episode.

Recently I saw the episode where they're in Italy and trying to reach Little Ricky on his birthday, and I did get a little weepy when Lucy was upset about not being able to talk to Little Ricky, even though she did talk to her mother about Little Ricky. And when Ricky tells her they can call again...it's a very touching scene all the way through.

[benjamoon]

Lucy is Enciente makes me tear up every single time I watch it.

Sometimes I find Hollywood Anniversary emotional too just because I think about Desi and Lucy's marriage and how much they loved each other but couldn't make it work.

[comedyfreak]

Originally Posted by Coffeecup

The only episode that could have given me a tear was Ethel's Birthday where Lucy and Ethel sitting apart in the theater seats because of a fight. They go to the Over the Teacups play and the play actress Cynthia
talk about friendship to John" You can never have too many friends. "IF I could see her one more time" . I could have teared up then. I thought Lucy express her tears so well. Lucille was a fine actress.

But the show was far too comedy than drama.

This episode always chokes me up as well as, Lucy Is Enciente, and The episode where Lucy is heartbroken when she thinks everyone forgot her birthday.