Lucy Calls the President - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TV Guy · 09-10-2017, 02:01 PM

This is now streaming as part of Amazon Prime. It's the 1977 special that marks Lucy's last collaboration with Vivian Vance, Mary Wickes, and Mary Jane Croft.

Be forewarned: it's not a great special. The stale script shows how tired Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll were of the Lucy format at that point. The various set pieces seem forced, such as Lucy and Viv's frosting fight, and some of the lines are pretty corny. Gale is playing Lucy's father-in-law rather than her brother-in-law, and that's pretty ridiculous. Lucy also has a TV husband, played by Ed McMahon, for the first time since Ricky. Unfortunately, he's useless.

Visually, it's not an attractive special. It was done on videotape as opposed to film - perhaps a nod to the contemporary sitcoms of the time (the Norman Lear shows) or maybe just a cost-savings measure on the part of Lucille Ball Productions. The harsh videotape didn't do any favors for Lucy and Viv, who would have benefitted from the use of film on this one. The main set is cheap-looking and the 70s decor and fashions are really ugly (think "Maude").

At first glance, you wonder why LBP didn't just use the "Here's Lucy" format. The same story could have been done with those characters. But my guess is that Carroll and Davis came up with this new format as the first of a potential series of specials or perhaps as a backdoor pilot for a new series. In that context, a new format makes more sense.

Anyway - check it out. It's interesting as a historical curiousity, and worth seeing what the "Lucy" format looked like in the late 70s.

Bonniegirl · 09-10-2017, 07:21 PM

WHAT??? WOW!!!

Very cool!!

I'd really like to see this!!! Do you have the link?

PracTz · 09-10-2017, 10:45 PM

As much as it was great to see Viv, Mary Jane and Mary Wickes banter with Lucy and Mr. Mooney one last time (and was better than her and Mr. Gordon's last outing 'Life With Lucy'), it was rather painful to watch. Not only in seeing how stricken Miss Vance looked but also how flat the motivation for the comedy was. Oh, and Gale Gordon as Ed McMahon's FATHER?! Not only was there not the slightest bit of father-son chemistry but even had Gale Gordon's character somehow conceived Mr. McMahon's character as a teen, considering how zilch they look alike one wonder if the unseen mother might have resembled the unseen but constantly dissed Irma Mooney.

TV Guy · 09-11-2017, 10:27 PM

Completely agree. I will say that Gale Gordon was in top form, and was pretty likeable in this one, because his character didn't spend all his time antagonizing Lucy.

09-10-2017, 02:01 PM	#1
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Lucy Calls the President This is now streaming as part of Amazon Prime. It's the 1977 special that marks Lucy's last collaboration with Vivian Vance, Mary Wickes, and Mary Jane Croft. Be forewarned: it's not a great special. The stale script shows how tired Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll were of the Lucy format at that point. The various set pieces seem forced, such as Lucy and Viv's frosting fight, and some of the lines are pretty corny. Gale is playing Lucy's father-in-law rather than her brother-in-law, and that's pretty ridiculous. Lucy also has a TV husband, played by Ed McMahon, for the first time since Ricky. Unfortunately, he's useless. Visually, it's not an attractive special. It was done on videotape as opposed to film - perhaps a nod to the contemporary sitcoms of the time (the Norman Lear shows) or maybe just a cost-savings measure on the part of Lucille Ball Productions. The harsh videotape didn't do any favors for Lucy and Viv, who would have benefitted from the use of film on this one. The main set is cheap-looking and the 70s decor and fashions are really ugly (think "Maude"). At first glance, you wonder why LBP didn't just use the "Here's Lucy" format. The same story could have been done with those characters. But my guess is that Carroll and Davis came up with this new format as the first of a potential series of specials or perhaps as a backdoor pilot for a new series. In that context, a new format makes more sense. Anyway - check it out. It's interesting as a historical curiousity, and worth seeing what the "Lucy" format looked like in the late 70s.

09-10-2017, 07:21 PM	#2
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,795	WHAT??? WOW!!! Very cool!! I'd really like to see this!!! Do you have the link?

09-10-2017, 10:45 PM	#3
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	As much as it was great to see Viv, Mary Jane and Mary Wickes banter with Lucy and Mr. Mooney one last time (and was better than her and Mr. Gordon's last outing 'Life With Lucy'), it was rather painful to watch. Not only in seeing how stricken Miss Vance looked but also how flat the motivation for the comedy was. Oh, and Gale Gordon as Ed McMahon's FATHER?! Not only was there not the slightest bit of father-son chemistry but even had Gale Gordon's character somehow conceived Mr. McMahon's character as a teen, considering how zilch they look alike one wonder if the unseen mother might have resembled the unseen but constantly dissed Irma Mooney.

09-11-2017, 10:27 PM	#4
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Completely agree. I will say that Gale Gordon was in top form, and was pretty likeable in this one, because his character didn't spend all his time antagonizing Lucy.